Gordo's Tipsheet: Rams bereft of proven talent

[RamBill]

Tipsheet: Rams bereft of proven talent
• By Jeff Gordon

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_60568c8c-2b1c-50be-9746-060d05519a11.html

If the folks at Pro Football Focus are correct, the Rams needed to reap an epic talent haul in the latest NFL Draft just to compete this season.

Writing for ESPN, PFF analyst Sam Monson assessed the personnel on each roster and ranked them from No. 1 to No. 32. NFC West powerhouses Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers had the top two most talented starting lineups . . . and the Rams ranked all the way down at No. 31, ahead of only the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars.

Only defensive end Robert Quinn graded out as an "elite" player among the Rams and only offensive tackle Jake Long rated a "high quality" designation.

Monson wrote:

The offense is threadbare at the skill positions despite investment in recent years, leaving Sam Bradford mired in quarterback mediocrity. There are players who have flashed talent in the past, and there is plenty of potential in the form of 2013 and 2014 first-rounders Tavon Austin (WR), Alec Ogletree (LB), Greg Robinson (OL) and Aaron Donald (DT), but the Rams need several of them to display that talent on a consistent basis if they are to improve overall.

He concluded that:

70.8 percent of the projected starters grade out as average or worse, with the entire back seven from the defense fitting that description. Safeties T.J. McDonald and Rodney McLeod represent a starting pair that have graded out poorly so far, a stark contrast to the quality elsewhere in the division at the position.

On the other hand, Sports on Earth writer Mike Tanier offered some modest hope:

The Rams will overtake the Cardinals in the standings. The Rams have tons of young talent peaking at the right time, while the Cardinals are loaded with 30-somethings, from the players already mentioned through Larry Fitzgerald (and even declining kicker Jay Feely), who could regress a combined 10% due to age and get the team clobbered in the NFC Best. That would make the Cardinals the best last-place team in the NFL by far, but no one engraves that sort of accomplishment on a trophy.

 

[iBruce]

Seahawks and Niners will still be good this year, but I think we beat the Niners out for a Wildcard spot.

 

[LesBaker]

Tipsheet: Rams bereft of proven talent
• By Jeff Gordon

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_60568c8c-2b1c-50be-9746-060d05519a11.html

If the folks at Pro Football Focus are correct, the Rams needed to reap an epic talent haul in the latest NFL Draft just to compete this season.

Writing for ESPN, PFF analyst Sam Monson assessed the personnel on each roster and ranked them from No. 1 to No. 32. NFC West powerhouses Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers had the top two most talented starting lineups . . . and the Rams ranked all the way down at No. 31, ahead of only the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars.

Only defensive end Robert Quinn graded out as an "elite" player among the Rams and only offensive tackle Jake Long rated a "high quality" designation.

Monson wrote:

The offense is threadbare at the skill positions despite investment in recent years, leaving Sam Bradford mired in quarterback mediocrity. There are players who have flashed talent in the past, and there is plenty of potential in the form of 2013 and 2014 first-rounders Tavon Austin (WR), Alec Ogletree (LB), Greg Robinson (OL) and Aaron Donald (DT), but the Rams need several of them to display that talent on a consistent basis if they are to improve overall.

He concluded that:

70.8 percent of the projected starters grade out as average or worse, with the entire back seven from the defense fitting that description. Safeties T.J. McDonald and Rodney McLeod represent a starting pair that have graded out poorly so far, a stark contrast to the quality elsewhere in the division at the position.

On the other hand, Sports on Earth writer Mike Tanier offered some modest hope:

The Rams will overtake the Cardinals in the standings. The Rams have tons of young talent peaking at the right time, while the Cardinals are loaded with 30-somethings, from the players already mentioned through Larry Fitzgerald (and even declining kicker Jay Feely), who could regress a combined 10% due to age and get the team clobbered in the NFC Best. That would make the Cardinals the best last-place team in the NFL by far, but no one engraves that sort of accomplishment on a trophy.

If we pass them I will contribute to a trophy and we can send it to their team headquarters LOL.

 

[rhinobean]

As long as the defense gets off to a fast start, I see our Rams in the playoffs! The talent is there to make it so! Couple of Rams haters doing rankings don't make it fact!

 

[ZigZagRam]

Young 'unproven' teams like the Rams can absolutely explode once things come together.

I don't see this team sneaking into a playoff spot. Once it comes together we're going to see a 11-12 win team that challenges for the NFC Championship.

Will it be this year? That'd sure be nice!

 

[ChrisW]

Seahawks and Niners will still be good this year, but I think we beat the Niners out for a Wildcard spot.

Most likely, the difference between the division winner and the wildcard(s) winner(s) will have a win difference of 1 game. We could take the whole division if the cards fall the right way. Just remember that this is the NFL and we have a very tough schedule. I'm happy with a 9 win season, which in a normal NFL year, should give us a shot at a wildcard.

 

[Thordaddy]

Under the radar is the best place to be.

 

[69superbowl]

Almost .500 ball with bottom of the bowl, awful talent? Kind of a compliment to the coaching staff, eh?

 

[ramsince62]

Based upon PFF evaluations, especially considering the woeful state of our players, it's a wonder how they managed to win 7 games.