Bernie: Rams earn respect in tough NFC West
• Bernie Miklasz
[www.stltoday.com]
NEW YORK • Late in the 2013 regular season, Seattle Seahawks center Max Unger listened as head coach Pete Carroll expressed pride in the rise of the NFL’s most powerful division, the NFC West.
Carroll was beaming because he remembered 2010, his first season in Seattle. The Seahawks muddled along and won an embarrassingly weak division with a 7-9 record. The four NFC West teams were a combined 13-27 in games played outside the division.
“It has come a tremendous distance,” Carroll said. “We had to put up with the yucks about being 7-9 and winning the division years ago — and who’s laughing now? I’m kind of proud to see how it’s all changed in the NFC West. It’s really cool.”
Unger pondered that for a moment.
“By cool,” Unger said, “do you mean that it’s insanely difficult? Because the NFC West is insanely difficult.”
All hail the NFC West.
Or, as Seahawks offensive tackle Russell Okung put it Wednesday: “Yes, hats off to our division. Whether you’re talking about St. Louis, or Arizona or San Francisco, they’re some of the best teams in the league. And to play these guys twice a year, it makes us better.”
Last season San Francisco represented the NFC in the Super Bowl and lost a close one to Baltimore. This season it was Seattle’s time to take over as the NFC’s finest, and the Seahawks will face Denver Sunday in the Super Bowl.
The NFC West is representing the conference for the second consecutive year, and it’s no fluke. In non-division games this season Seattle, San Francisco, Arizona and St. Louis combined for a 30-10 record. And that’s 33-10 if you include the postseason.
To a man, the Seahawks believe the NFC West prepared them to take on any team, at any site, under any conditions. Including a Super Bowl.
“You pass that test in the NFC West, and you know you’re ready,” safety Earl Thomas said. “This division used to be the laughingstock of football, but now everybody that plays in this division knows that it’s the best. From the Cardinals to the Rams to the 49ers, it’s just great competition. Every game is hard. You come out of every game knowing you were in a fight. After that, you’re ready to go. No challenge is too big.”
As an observer from St. Louis, I find it interesting that the Seahawks always include the Rams when bragging about the division’s strength.
I’ve explored the subject with Seahawks players this week. I wanted to see how members of the division’s best team viewed the division’s last-place team. Seattle (13-3) won the NFC West, followed by San Francisco (12-4), Arizona (10-6), and St. Louis (7-9).
The Rams have earned the Seahawks’ respect. Seattle’s players complimented the Rams’ toughness and offered a couple of suggestions on how to improve the team. The Seahawks wondered what the Rams will do with the No. 2 and No. 13 overall picks in the first round of May’s draft. And they lauded Rams head coach Jeff Fisher for how he’s constructing his team.
“No question, Coach Fisher’s doing a great job over there,” said Red Bryant, Seattle’s mountainous defensive end. “Our first outing against those guys in St. Louis this season, we just barely got out of there with a win. I feel like they physically beat us up. They were able to control the line of scrimmage, run for 200 yards. And they’ve got a great defense. They’ve got things in place to continue to progress.”
The Seahawks rather enjoy the way the Rams come after them, straight up, with no finesse or fooling around.
“Truth is, the Rams play the kind of football we like,” linebacker O’Brien Schofield said. “We want to be physical. They want to be physical. It’s fun when you have that. The Rams are starting to specialize in some areas. They’ll have that crazy pass rush going with (Robert) Quinn and (Chris) Long. They will try to pound you with the running game. They’ve brought in some good players. They’re still young.”
The Rams were 15-65 over the five seasons that preceded Fisher’s appointment as head coach. He’s won seven games in each of his first two seasons. That’s the same path as Carroll, who had consecutive seven-win seasons in his first two years in Seattle.
Seattle’s breakout came last season, Carroll’s third, when the team improved to 11-5 and won an NFC playoff game. The 2014 season will be Fisher’s third year in St. Louis. See the pattern?
“Look at what Coach Fisher has been able to do in two years,” Schofield said. “It takes a lot of time to turn a team around and get your players accustomed to your system and buying in. Regardless of their record, when we watch their film, and it’s like, ‘Man, this is a tough group of guys.’ They’re going to go in there and fight. Now it’s a matter of getting experience and developing that veteran leadership, and getting that program going. You’ll see them play at a higher level.”
Schofield was among several curious Seahawks to ask if the Rams planned to draft a quarterback early. I told them no ... at least based on comments made by Rams GM Les Snead.
No Seattle player criticized Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, but his injury history was noted.
“In this league right now you’ve got to have your quarterback,” Schofield said. “When your quarterback gets beat up and goes down, it changes a lot of things.”
Schofield mentioned Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson and San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick as the model for the Rams to follow.
“You need a running quarterback in this division,” he said. “The defenses are too good to just stand there and try to make throws. You need a quarterback who can make plays by getting out of the pocket and breaking down a defense that way.”
Perhaps, but we should point out that the Rams were 5-2-1 in division games started by Bradford over the past two seasons — and went 0-4 in games started by the more mobile Kellen Clemens.
Seattle’s offensive linemen also recommend a quarterback for the Rams. But they have motives; they don’t want to see the Rams add another pass rusher by drafting South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney at No. 2 overall.
“They already have Quinn and Long,” offensive tackle Breno Giacomini said. “You know what? I don’t think they need Clowney. Tell them to draft someone else.”
Any suggestions?
“The Rams have added playmakers on offense,” Seattle tight end Zach Miller said. “And it’s probably a good idea to keep adding more.”
“Maybe a veteran wide receiver with size,” Schofield said. “Look at how (Anquan) Boldin helped the 49ers.”
One player — who did not wish to be quoted — blurted two words: “The secondary.”
And then there was Seattle safety Kam Chancellor.
“No offense, but I’m not helping the Rams out,” he said. “Let them figure out the rest.”
The Seahawks’ generosity only goes so far. This is becoming a rivalry, and Seattle has no plans to relinquish the NFC West.
“The Rams definitely have earned respect,” middle linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “But remember, at the end of the day, we’re still at the top of the division. And we’re here, at the Super Bowl.”
• Bernie Miklasz
[www.stltoday.com]
NEW YORK • Late in the 2013 regular season, Seattle Seahawks center Max Unger listened as head coach Pete Carroll expressed pride in the rise of the NFL’s most powerful division, the NFC West.
Carroll was beaming because he remembered 2010, his first season in Seattle. The Seahawks muddled along and won an embarrassingly weak division with a 7-9 record. The four NFC West teams were a combined 13-27 in games played outside the division.
“It has come a tremendous distance,” Carroll said. “We had to put up with the yucks about being 7-9 and winning the division years ago — and who’s laughing now? I’m kind of proud to see how it’s all changed in the NFC West. It’s really cool.”
Unger pondered that for a moment.
“By cool,” Unger said, “do you mean that it’s insanely difficult? Because the NFC West is insanely difficult.”
All hail the NFC West.
Or, as Seahawks offensive tackle Russell Okung put it Wednesday: “Yes, hats off to our division. Whether you’re talking about St. Louis, or Arizona or San Francisco, they’re some of the best teams in the league. And to play these guys twice a year, it makes us better.”
Last season San Francisco represented the NFC in the Super Bowl and lost a close one to Baltimore. This season it was Seattle’s time to take over as the NFC’s finest, and the Seahawks will face Denver Sunday in the Super Bowl.
The NFC West is representing the conference for the second consecutive year, and it’s no fluke. In non-division games this season Seattle, San Francisco, Arizona and St. Louis combined for a 30-10 record. And that’s 33-10 if you include the postseason.
To a man, the Seahawks believe the NFC West prepared them to take on any team, at any site, under any conditions. Including a Super Bowl.
“You pass that test in the NFC West, and you know you’re ready,” safety Earl Thomas said. “This division used to be the laughingstock of football, but now everybody that plays in this division knows that it’s the best. From the Cardinals to the Rams to the 49ers, it’s just great competition. Every game is hard. You come out of every game knowing you were in a fight. After that, you’re ready to go. No challenge is too big.”
As an observer from St. Louis, I find it interesting that the Seahawks always include the Rams when bragging about the division’s strength.
I’ve explored the subject with Seahawks players this week. I wanted to see how members of the division’s best team viewed the division’s last-place team. Seattle (13-3) won the NFC West, followed by San Francisco (12-4), Arizona (10-6), and St. Louis (7-9).
The Rams have earned the Seahawks’ respect. Seattle’s players complimented the Rams’ toughness and offered a couple of suggestions on how to improve the team. The Seahawks wondered what the Rams will do with the No. 2 and No. 13 overall picks in the first round of May’s draft. And they lauded Rams head coach Jeff Fisher for how he’s constructing his team.
“No question, Coach Fisher’s doing a great job over there,” said Red Bryant, Seattle’s mountainous defensive end. “Our first outing against those guys in St. Louis this season, we just barely got out of there with a win. I feel like they physically beat us up. They were able to control the line of scrimmage, run for 200 yards. And they’ve got a great defense. They’ve got things in place to continue to progress.”
The Seahawks rather enjoy the way the Rams come after them, straight up, with no finesse or fooling around.
“Truth is, the Rams play the kind of football we like,” linebacker O’Brien Schofield said. “We want to be physical. They want to be physical. It’s fun when you have that. The Rams are starting to specialize in some areas. They’ll have that crazy pass rush going with (Robert) Quinn and (Chris) Long. They will try to pound you with the running game. They’ve brought in some good players. They’re still young.”
The Rams were 15-65 over the five seasons that preceded Fisher’s appointment as head coach. He’s won seven games in each of his first two seasons. That’s the same path as Carroll, who had consecutive seven-win seasons in his first two years in Seattle.
Seattle’s breakout came last season, Carroll’s third, when the team improved to 11-5 and won an NFC playoff game. The 2014 season will be Fisher’s third year in St. Louis. See the pattern?
“Look at what Coach Fisher has been able to do in two years,” Schofield said. “It takes a lot of time to turn a team around and get your players accustomed to your system and buying in. Regardless of their record, when we watch their film, and it’s like, ‘Man, this is a tough group of guys.’ They’re going to go in there and fight. Now it’s a matter of getting experience and developing that veteran leadership, and getting that program going. You’ll see them play at a higher level.”
Schofield was among several curious Seahawks to ask if the Rams planned to draft a quarterback early. I told them no ... at least based on comments made by Rams GM Les Snead.
No Seattle player criticized Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, but his injury history was noted.
“In this league right now you’ve got to have your quarterback,” Schofield said. “When your quarterback gets beat up and goes down, it changes a lot of things.”
Schofield mentioned Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson and San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick as the model for the Rams to follow.
“You need a running quarterback in this division,” he said. “The defenses are too good to just stand there and try to make throws. You need a quarterback who can make plays by getting out of the pocket and breaking down a defense that way.”
Perhaps, but we should point out that the Rams were 5-2-1 in division games started by Bradford over the past two seasons — and went 0-4 in games started by the more mobile Kellen Clemens.
Seattle’s offensive linemen also recommend a quarterback for the Rams. But they have motives; they don’t want to see the Rams add another pass rusher by drafting South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney at No. 2 overall.
“They already have Quinn and Long,” offensive tackle Breno Giacomini said. “You know what? I don’t think they need Clowney. Tell them to draft someone else.”
Any suggestions?
“The Rams have added playmakers on offense,” Seattle tight end Zach Miller said. “And it’s probably a good idea to keep adding more.”
“Maybe a veteran wide receiver with size,” Schofield said. “Look at how (Anquan) Boldin helped the 49ers.”
One player — who did not wish to be quoted — blurted two words: “The secondary.”
And then there was Seattle safety Kam Chancellor.
“No offense, but I’m not helping the Rams out,” he said. “Let them figure out the rest.”
The Seahawks’ generosity only goes so far. This is becoming a rivalry, and Seattle has no plans to relinquish the NFC West.
“The Rams definitely have earned respect,” middle linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “But remember, at the end of the day, we’re still at the top of the division. And we’re here, at the Super Bowl.”
