Rams' Alec Ogletree starting to emerge
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/13639/rams-alec-ogletree-starting-to-emerge
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Nearly halfway through the season, it would have been hard to categorize St. Louis Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree's sophomore campaign as anything short of disappointing.
In Week 7 against Seattle, Ogletree was on the wrong end of a pair of long runs by Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, the type of glaring mistakes that were impossible not to notice. The following week in Kansas City, Ogletree picked up a pair of personal fouls, the second of which was enough for Rams coach Jeff Fisher to briefly bench him near the end of the game.
In the two games since, one could make an argument that Ogletree has been one of the team's best players, emerging from his funk and returning closer to the form that had the Rams salivating over his potential at the end of the last season.
A couple of schematic tweaks have allowed Ogletree get back to doing what he does best.
“He’s played good football," Fisher said. "We’ve made a concerted effort to get him behind the ball, [defensive coordinator Gregg] Williams has. That’s where he’s best, just running and slipping blocks and taking on blocks. He’s been much more productive. Good pressure. Ball skills, hands-on. He’s playing much better in the last two weeks.”
Although the numbers are different from what's recorded by the league, Rams coaches review of the film has Ogletree down for 22 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and three pass breakups over the past two weeks.
Since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2013, the converted safety has been known for his ability as a run-and-chase player. Expecting him to stack and shed blockers was probably asking too much but part of the process of having a new defensive coordinator has been Williams getting a better idea of how best to deploy his talent and the players developing a better understanding of what Williams wants.
In Ogletree's case, that's meant more blitzing. Pro Football Focus' stats say Ogletree has blitzed 64 times this season on 595 total snaps, good for 10.7 percent. By comparison, in 2013, Ogletree blitzed 9.2 percent of his defensive snaps.
Williams' scheme is generally considered far more complicated than most others around the league and though it includes a lot of things the Rams were already doing before his arrival, the blitz packages are far more exotic and ask a player like Ogletree to remember much more.
Nine games into the season, Ogletree said he has a better handle on what he's doing.
"For the most part I know what to do, know where to line up at and have my eyes right and just go from there," Ogletree said. "I see the right thing and just try to go to the ball."
There's never been any doubting Ogletree's athleticism, at least not until last weekend in Arizona. Ogletree intercepted Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer and took off down the sideline for what looked like a sure touchdown. But Palmer had an angle and caught Ogletree on the sideline, doing just enough to stop Ogletree from scoring.
Ogletree has taken some ribbing for not scoring.
"I have been taking a little heat from it," Ogletree said. "I shouldn’t have got caught by him but he made a great play and grabbed my arm and pulled me down. It was a great play."
Ogletree's ascent over the past two weeks has drawn plenty of recognition from his teammates. Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis said it's been noticeable that Ogletree has "cut it loose," implying that he's no longer thinking as much and starting to simply read his keys and react.
It's no coincidence that with Ogletree performing better, the defense has also been much improved. In the past two weeks, the Rams have allowed 299 yards per game (ninth in the NFL), 54 rushing yards per game (fifth in the NFL) and have 11 sacks (second in the league).
Fellow linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar can't pinpoint exactly what the difference has been in Ogletree but he knows he'd like to bottle it up for the rest of the defense if possible.
"The kid can play and we are happy about that and he’s made some plays so kudos to him," Dunbar said. "I don’t know what he’s doing or what he’s drinking but he needs to pass that thing around and let us all play with it."
