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Jarret Bell | USA Today
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/08/10/sam-bradford-rams-colts-andrew-luck-chuck-pagano-bears-browns-eagles-riley-cooper/2639409/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nf ... r/2639409/</a>
EARTH CITY, Mo. — This is surely a different type of training camp for Sam Bradford.
For the first time in his NFL career, the St. Louis Rams quarterback has come to camp not trying to master a new offense.
It has done wonders for his psyche. Three years, three coordinators, three systems in his first three seasons was a bit much.
"Last year at this time, we were still installing stuff and I was trying to remember formations and route concepts," Bradford told USA TODAY Sports following a practice this past week. "This year, nothing surprises me. It's all about mastering the finer details of the offense."
With offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer back, the fourth-year quarterback was able to spend the offseason reviewing the videotape from last season through the prism of the same offense he would use for the coming season.
"We could talk about the concepts that worked for us and those that weren't great for us," Bradford said of his offseason work with Schottenheimer.
The comfort zone with the system has allowed Bradford to have ownership in the offense, which comes across loud and clear as he begins discussing details such as pass protection calls, route depths and hot reads.
"It's like second nature," he said.
Just as important, though, is the work the Rams, whose offense ranked 23rd in yards last season, have done to improve Bradford's supporting cast. They signed former Miami tackle Jake Long to a four-year, $34 million free agent deal to protect Bradford's blind side. With a split-second more protection, that could allow the time to find speedy slot receiver Tavon Austin, the most explosive player in the draft. And the signing of former Tennessee tight end Jared Cook (5 years, $35.1 million), gives them a seam receiving threat who should open the middle even more for Austin.
Assuming young receivers such as Chris Givens and Brian Quick continue to develop, the Rams might finally be poised to realize the vision they had for the strong-armed Bradford when he was drafted No. 1 overall from Oklahoma in 2009.
Bradford sas he just hopes the continuity with the system leads to more consistency that will be essential if the Rams expect to compete in an NFC West that includes projected Super Bowl contenders in San Francisco and Seattle.
"There were too many ups and downs last year," Bradford said. "If you look at teams that go deep into the playoffs and win Super Bowls, they are the most consistent, week in and week out. That's the biggest challenge for us."
Big men at work
In making their surprisingly dramatic jump to 11 wins and a playoff berth last season behind rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, the Indianapolis Colts won seven of eight games decided by seven points or fewer.
But there's another statistic that looms large when weighing the prospects of taking the next step: 5.1.
That was the average yards per rush yielded by the Colts' 29th-ranked run defense. The New Orleans Saints (5.2) were the only unit that gave up more per carry.
"That number has to change," Colts coach Chuck Pagano told me, sitting in a golf cart before Friday's practice. "We won't get to where we want to, if it doesn't change."
The leaky run defense surely stings Pagano, who grew up as a defensive coach.
But Pagano has 775 pounds of optimism in the trenches. Nose tackle Josh Chapman and rookie defensive tackle Montori Hughes have drawn rave reviews during camp. If they keep it up, it could go a long way toward limiting the cracks of daylight.
They might also provide the front of a 3-4 scheme the type of anchors that have marked the foundation of the defense for Pagano's former team, the Baltimore Ravens.
Hughes (6-4, 335), a fifth-round pick from Tennessee-Martin with quick feet has the look of a draft-day steal. Chapman (6-0, 340) never played a game as a rookie from Alabama, winding up on IR in rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered during his senior year in college.
Now healthy, he's marking his territory. Said safety Antoine Bethea, "He's a little monster."
Or a big monster. Guys like Chapman and Hughes largely perform out of the limelight, accepting roles to handle the dirty work that makes life easier for linebackers.
Yet their work could make a huge difference.
Going with the flow
Sticking with a defensive theme, it was interesting to get Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman's impressions of new coordinator Mel Tucker.
Put yourself in Tucker's shoes.
He's the new man in charge. He inherited a fifth-ranked unit stocked with veterans, including linebacker Lance Briggs, defensive end Julius Peppers, Tillman and the other playmaking corner, Tim Jennings.
And the Chicago Bears defense led the NFL with 44 takeaways last season.
Clearly, even with the need to replace departed middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, there's no need for an overhaul.
So what does Tucker do?
He tries to go with the well-established flow.
Tucker, who came the Jacksonville Jaguars, has kept fired coach Lovie Smith's defensive system intact, with its Cover 2 principles and take-the-ball mentality. This has undoubtedly eased the transition. The Bears have run the same defense since Smith's first season in 2004, and Tillman says they are running exactly the same drills — including the rake drills to promote takeaways — they've done for years.
"I respect Mel as a man," said Tillman. "For him to come into a situation like Chicago's and say, 'You know what? They have a good defense. I'm going to learn their defense,' versus coming in and saying, 'Y'all are going to run my defense because this is what I want to do.' He came in and humbled himself. That's one of the best things I've seen a man do. That says a lot about his character and personality.
"I don't think you see that too often in the NFL."
It makes sense, given the personnel that the Bears have developed over the years for Smith's schemes. The big changes are coming on offense, where coach Marc Trestman is trying to fix the passing game.
Laying foundation…
Now consider Ray Horton's task as the Cleveland Browns new defensive coordinator, a contrast to the circumstances in Chicago.
Horton, who built a respectable defense with the Arizona Cardinals that ranked 12th for yards allowed in 2012, is starting over. In Cleveland, that's par for the course with a new owner, new team president, new coach and new offensive coordinator.
Horton, a Dick LeBeau protégé, is installing a sophisticated 3-4 scheme heavy on the type of zone blitzes that the Pittsburgh Steelers have thrived with for years.
"The main thing is that I want these guys to trust me," Horton said after a recent practice.
There's a big difference putting in a new scheme this time around for Horton. When he started with a similar task for the Cardinals in 2011, the NFL was in the midst of its labor battle and players were locked out.
With no offseason mini-camps or OTAs, they had to play catch-up. And without free agency due to a frozen personnel market until the new CBA was struck, Horton went to camp that year trying to get a grip on the personnel.
"Two years ago, it was, 'Hi, what's your name? Hi, can you run?'" Horton recalled. "I was learning people's names and what we can put in.
"Now I'm putting in defenses that players are drawing up, adjusting stuff that we do. Light years ahead."
How would he compare the progress of the Browns with that start-up season in Arizona?
"Right now, we're probably in Week 6 of the season," Horton said of the learning curve, compared with his 2011 unit.
Horton has encouraged his players to suggest plays, which he believes will foster ownership. He says three players — defensive tackle Phil Taylor and linebackers Paul Kruger and D'Qwell Jackson — have offered strategy suggestions.
Yet Jackson, says he's more impressed with the aggressive mind-set that Horton's defense employs, similar to division foes Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
When Horton tells players they need to play behind the line of scrimmage, Jackson says, "You have the players by the hook. ... In the past, we didn't dictate the game. It was, 'Let's see what they're doing, let's try to match up.' With Ray, we're going after people."
Jackson estimated the Browns might have blitzed 30% of the time last season. But mention the cross-blitzes that the Steelers have used with their inside linebackers for years and the projection of such in the Browns playbook, and he beams.
"I'm going to put my stamp on that," he promises.
Changing times
A scene from Hall of Fame Weekend that sticks in my mind:
As Marshall Faulk sat in a hotel lobby one night chatting with Michael Irvin and me, Mean Joe Greene walked past. Then Greene circled back and stared at Faulk.
"I would have just waited on you," Greene grumbled.
Faulk knew exactly where Greene was going with this. And for the next few minutes, the Hall of Fame running back and Hall of Fame defensive tackle are in full agreement in their assessment that the fundamentals of today's players have diminished.
When Greene said that he would have waited on Faulk, he meant that he would have stayed in his lane within the structure of the defense — and shut down a running back who used quick cutbacks to slip through rushing lanes.
Greene said that eventually the cutback runners would come back to him.
Faulk said that many defenders don't employ such patience and discipline. Instead, they'll fall for the fakes and lose positioning as they try to make the big highlight hits.
Said Faulk, "It's hero ball."
Future Hall of Famer?
Jerry Jones was on stage again for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as the presenter for former Cowboys guard Larry Allen. It was the third time that Jones served as a presenter, following his role in the inductions of Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin.
Jones himself might someday be a Hall of Fame candidate. The three Super Bowl rings are a start. He's made an even bigger impact on the game's growth, though, with his marketing and revenue-generating acumen.
It's always tough for contributors to take Hall of Fame spots from players, but there are exceptions, including the recent case of Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson.
Jones' chances, though, might be hurt by his work as Cowboys GM. The Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowl since the 1995 campaign.
Then again, another Super Bowl win would be huge for Jones' Hall of Fame chances. Said Jones, "I'll settle for being a presenter a few more times."
Last word
Riley Cooper returned to the Philadelphia Eagles after only a four-day leave of absence to address the fallout from his use of the offensive racial slur that was captured on videotape. Cooper's quick return probably caught some by surprise. There are some who doubted he'd come back at all. To one degree, it made sense for Cooper to return.
As part of his "therapy" he has to face his African-American teammates in the locker room, meeting rooms and on the practice field on a daily basis. So if they're going to accept him, the process had to play out sooner or later. If I'm Eagles coach Chip Kelly — who also needs to find out if the receiver can play a major role after the season-ending knee injuries to Jeremy Maclin and Arrelious Benn — the bridge needs to be crossed ASAP.
If Cooper came back in say, three weeks, and there was an issue then, the problem would have been extended. By bringing him back this week, the Eagles can get a gauge now for whether the chemistry will work and react accordingly if it appears to be a lost cause
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/08/10/sam-bradford-rams-colts-andrew-luck-chuck-pagano-bears-browns-eagles-riley-cooper/2639409/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nf ... r/2639409/</a>
EARTH CITY, Mo. — This is surely a different type of training camp for Sam Bradford.
For the first time in his NFL career, the St. Louis Rams quarterback has come to camp not trying to master a new offense.
It has done wonders for his psyche. Three years, three coordinators, three systems in his first three seasons was a bit much.
"Last year at this time, we were still installing stuff and I was trying to remember formations and route concepts," Bradford told USA TODAY Sports following a practice this past week. "This year, nothing surprises me. It's all about mastering the finer details of the offense."
With offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer back, the fourth-year quarterback was able to spend the offseason reviewing the videotape from last season through the prism of the same offense he would use for the coming season.
"We could talk about the concepts that worked for us and those that weren't great for us," Bradford said of his offseason work with Schottenheimer.
The comfort zone with the system has allowed Bradford to have ownership in the offense, which comes across loud and clear as he begins discussing details such as pass protection calls, route depths and hot reads.
"It's like second nature," he said.
Just as important, though, is the work the Rams, whose offense ranked 23rd in yards last season, have done to improve Bradford's supporting cast. They signed former Miami tackle Jake Long to a four-year, $34 million free agent deal to protect Bradford's blind side. With a split-second more protection, that could allow the time to find speedy slot receiver Tavon Austin, the most explosive player in the draft. And the signing of former Tennessee tight end Jared Cook (5 years, $35.1 million), gives them a seam receiving threat who should open the middle even more for Austin.
Assuming young receivers such as Chris Givens and Brian Quick continue to develop, the Rams might finally be poised to realize the vision they had for the strong-armed Bradford when he was drafted No. 1 overall from Oklahoma in 2009.
Bradford sas he just hopes the continuity with the system leads to more consistency that will be essential if the Rams expect to compete in an NFC West that includes projected Super Bowl contenders in San Francisco and Seattle.
"There were too many ups and downs last year," Bradford said. "If you look at teams that go deep into the playoffs and win Super Bowls, they are the most consistent, week in and week out. That's the biggest challenge for us."
Big men at work
In making their surprisingly dramatic jump to 11 wins and a playoff berth last season behind rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, the Indianapolis Colts won seven of eight games decided by seven points or fewer.
But there's another statistic that looms large when weighing the prospects of taking the next step: 5.1.
That was the average yards per rush yielded by the Colts' 29th-ranked run defense. The New Orleans Saints (5.2) were the only unit that gave up more per carry.
"That number has to change," Colts coach Chuck Pagano told me, sitting in a golf cart before Friday's practice. "We won't get to where we want to, if it doesn't change."
The leaky run defense surely stings Pagano, who grew up as a defensive coach.
But Pagano has 775 pounds of optimism in the trenches. Nose tackle Josh Chapman and rookie defensive tackle Montori Hughes have drawn rave reviews during camp. If they keep it up, it could go a long way toward limiting the cracks of daylight.
They might also provide the front of a 3-4 scheme the type of anchors that have marked the foundation of the defense for Pagano's former team, the Baltimore Ravens.
Hughes (6-4, 335), a fifth-round pick from Tennessee-Martin with quick feet has the look of a draft-day steal. Chapman (6-0, 340) never played a game as a rookie from Alabama, winding up on IR in rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered during his senior year in college.
Now healthy, he's marking his territory. Said safety Antoine Bethea, "He's a little monster."
Or a big monster. Guys like Chapman and Hughes largely perform out of the limelight, accepting roles to handle the dirty work that makes life easier for linebackers.
Yet their work could make a huge difference.
Going with the flow
Sticking with a defensive theme, it was interesting to get Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman's impressions of new coordinator Mel Tucker.
Put yourself in Tucker's shoes.
He's the new man in charge. He inherited a fifth-ranked unit stocked with veterans, including linebacker Lance Briggs, defensive end Julius Peppers, Tillman and the other playmaking corner, Tim Jennings.
And the Chicago Bears defense led the NFL with 44 takeaways last season.
Clearly, even with the need to replace departed middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, there's no need for an overhaul.
So what does Tucker do?
He tries to go with the well-established flow.
Tucker, who came the Jacksonville Jaguars, has kept fired coach Lovie Smith's defensive system intact, with its Cover 2 principles and take-the-ball mentality. This has undoubtedly eased the transition. The Bears have run the same defense since Smith's first season in 2004, and Tillman says they are running exactly the same drills — including the rake drills to promote takeaways — they've done for years.
"I respect Mel as a man," said Tillman. "For him to come into a situation like Chicago's and say, 'You know what? They have a good defense. I'm going to learn their defense,' versus coming in and saying, 'Y'all are going to run my defense because this is what I want to do.' He came in and humbled himself. That's one of the best things I've seen a man do. That says a lot about his character and personality.
"I don't think you see that too often in the NFL."
It makes sense, given the personnel that the Bears have developed over the years for Smith's schemes. The big changes are coming on offense, where coach Marc Trestman is trying to fix the passing game.
Laying foundation…
Now consider Ray Horton's task as the Cleveland Browns new defensive coordinator, a contrast to the circumstances in Chicago.
Horton, who built a respectable defense with the Arizona Cardinals that ranked 12th for yards allowed in 2012, is starting over. In Cleveland, that's par for the course with a new owner, new team president, new coach and new offensive coordinator.
Horton, a Dick LeBeau protégé, is installing a sophisticated 3-4 scheme heavy on the type of zone blitzes that the Pittsburgh Steelers have thrived with for years.
"The main thing is that I want these guys to trust me," Horton said after a recent practice.
There's a big difference putting in a new scheme this time around for Horton. When he started with a similar task for the Cardinals in 2011, the NFL was in the midst of its labor battle and players were locked out.
With no offseason mini-camps or OTAs, they had to play catch-up. And without free agency due to a frozen personnel market until the new CBA was struck, Horton went to camp that year trying to get a grip on the personnel.
"Two years ago, it was, 'Hi, what's your name? Hi, can you run?'" Horton recalled. "I was learning people's names and what we can put in.
"Now I'm putting in defenses that players are drawing up, adjusting stuff that we do. Light years ahead."
How would he compare the progress of the Browns with that start-up season in Arizona?
"Right now, we're probably in Week 6 of the season," Horton said of the learning curve, compared with his 2011 unit.
Horton has encouraged his players to suggest plays, which he believes will foster ownership. He says three players — defensive tackle Phil Taylor and linebackers Paul Kruger and D'Qwell Jackson — have offered strategy suggestions.
Yet Jackson, says he's more impressed with the aggressive mind-set that Horton's defense employs, similar to division foes Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
When Horton tells players they need to play behind the line of scrimmage, Jackson says, "You have the players by the hook. ... In the past, we didn't dictate the game. It was, 'Let's see what they're doing, let's try to match up.' With Ray, we're going after people."
Jackson estimated the Browns might have blitzed 30% of the time last season. But mention the cross-blitzes that the Steelers have used with their inside linebackers for years and the projection of such in the Browns playbook, and he beams.
"I'm going to put my stamp on that," he promises.
Changing times
A scene from Hall of Fame Weekend that sticks in my mind:
As Marshall Faulk sat in a hotel lobby one night chatting with Michael Irvin and me, Mean Joe Greene walked past. Then Greene circled back and stared at Faulk.
"I would have just waited on you," Greene grumbled.
Faulk knew exactly where Greene was going with this. And for the next few minutes, the Hall of Fame running back and Hall of Fame defensive tackle are in full agreement in their assessment that the fundamentals of today's players have diminished.
When Greene said that he would have waited on Faulk, he meant that he would have stayed in his lane within the structure of the defense — and shut down a running back who used quick cutbacks to slip through rushing lanes.
Greene said that eventually the cutback runners would come back to him.
Faulk said that many defenders don't employ such patience and discipline. Instead, they'll fall for the fakes and lose positioning as they try to make the big highlight hits.
Said Faulk, "It's hero ball."
Future Hall of Famer?
Jerry Jones was on stage again for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as the presenter for former Cowboys guard Larry Allen. It was the third time that Jones served as a presenter, following his role in the inductions of Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin.
Jones himself might someday be a Hall of Fame candidate. The three Super Bowl rings are a start. He's made an even bigger impact on the game's growth, though, with his marketing and revenue-generating acumen.
It's always tough for contributors to take Hall of Fame spots from players, but there are exceptions, including the recent case of Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson.
Jones' chances, though, might be hurt by his work as Cowboys GM. The Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowl since the 1995 campaign.
Then again, another Super Bowl win would be huge for Jones' Hall of Fame chances. Said Jones, "I'll settle for being a presenter a few more times."
Last word
Riley Cooper returned to the Philadelphia Eagles after only a four-day leave of absence to address the fallout from his use of the offensive racial slur that was captured on videotape. Cooper's quick return probably caught some by surprise. There are some who doubted he'd come back at all. To one degree, it made sense for Cooper to return.
As part of his "therapy" he has to face his African-American teammates in the locker room, meeting rooms and on the practice field on a daily basis. So if they're going to accept him, the process had to play out sooner or later. If I'm Eagles coach Chip Kelly — who also needs to find out if the receiver can play a major role after the season-ending knee injuries to Jeremy Maclin and Arrelious Benn — the bridge needs to be crossed ASAP.
If Cooper came back in say, three weeks, and there was an issue then, the problem would have been extended. By bringing him back this week, the Eagles can get a gauge now for whether the chemistry will work and react accordingly if it appears to be a lost cause