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http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_59a4d3ae-0575-5676-9542-6cf277ab5190.html
You can count Mike McNeill’s offensive snaps this season on two hands. Well, two hands and a couple of toes.
The third-year tight end from the University of Nebraska has participated in 12 plays on offense, but that should change Sunday in Indianapolis. With Lance Kendricks sidelined with a fractured finger, McNeill figures to see his most extension action of 2013.
“It’s always nice when your number’s called upon,” McNeill said. “I’m always ready to come in. That’s the job of a backup in the NFL. You’ve got to be ready at any moment, and now it’s gonna be a time for me to have to step up.”
The Rams have gone with lots of two and three tight end sets since rededicating themselves to the running game starting with the Jacksonville contest Oct. 6. But it’s been Kendricks, Jared Cook, and Corey Harkey getting the reps on game day.
Assuming the Rams stick with the script on multiple tight ends, McNeill will get at least some of Kendricks’ snaps.
“Mike’s a solid player,” quarterback Kellen Clemens said. “He’s good in the pass game. He’s surprisingly good in the run game even though he is a little bit lighter-bodied than maybe Lance is. He’ll step up. Lance Kendricks leaves — those are big shoes to fill — but Mike will step up in a big way for us.”
Eventually — and it may be only a week or two — the finger will heal to the point where Kendricks can play with the hand wrapped or casted up. Until then, McNeill is making sure he gives a nice firm twist whenever he shakes hands with Kendricks.
“Yeah, just accidentally hit it,” McNeill said, grinning.
Just kidding.
“Obviously, it’s never good to see a friend get hurt,” McNeill said.
The only St. Louis area player on the Rams’ roster, McNeill, 25, was a two-time all-state player at Kirkwood High. At Nebraska, a program not known for its passing game, he established school tight end records for most receptions in a season (32) and most career receptions (82).
The Rams had some interest in signing McNeill as an undrafted free agent in 2011, but he opted for Indianapolis instead, where Peyton Manning was the QB and tight end Dallas Clark was aging. Of course, Manning ended up missing that entire season because of neck issues.
McNeill spent most of the ’11 season either on the Colts’ active roster or practice squad, appearing in four games with no catches. He was signed by the Rams on Dec. 20 of that season, but didn’t play in the final two games. After catching four passes for 31 yards in 14 games for the Rams last season, McNeill faces his original team Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“A lot of the guys are gone from when I was there,” McNeill said. “There’s obviously still some, so I’ll get to say ‘hi’ to those guys. My (former) roommate, Anthony Castonzo’s still there, so I’ll get to see him.”
Castonzo, a first-round draft pick in 2011, is Indy’s starting left tackle.
At some point Sunday, McNeill will renew acquaintances with another former Colts teammate by trying to block outside linebacker Robert Mathis. Mathis enters the game as the NFL’s sack leader with 11½.
“I went against him every day in practice, so I know how good of a player he is,” McNeill said.
At 6-4, 240, McNeill is on the lean size for a tight end, and Kendricks is the team’s most well-rounded tight end in terms of being both a blocker and a receiver. McNeill is known more as a pass-catcher; in fact, he spent part of his time at Nebraska playing wide receiver. But he has worked to improve his blocking as a Ram.
“He’s done a really good job developing that,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “When you watch him, certainly he’s got matchup potential (as a receiver) for certain people.
“In the run game, he’s worked really hard to develop his technique, using his hand placement and the way he moves his feet. He’ll get some play (Sunday), and when he’s in there we’re not going to have any concerns about it. We expect him to step in and do a good job.”
McNeill’s only catch of this season came in Game 2 in Atlanta. He paid the price for that five-yard gain in the second quarter, getting body-slammed by Falcons safety William Moore, the former Missouri star. McNeill suffered a chest injury on the play and missed the Dallas and San Francisco contests.
Although he regularly is in for about half of the special teams plays in a game, McNeill has taken part in only five plays on offense since returning against Jacksonville — usually as a fourth tight end in goal-line or short-yardage situations.
Against the Colts, he might be lined up in the slot, on the line, or in the backfield because he can play all the tight end/H-back positions.
“There’s a couple new wrinkles here and there that we have to do because we don’t have Lance,” he said. “But other than that, it’s not gonna be too different. I’ve played everywhere from the very beginning of training camp. They’ve put me in every different position and I feel comfortable playing them all.”
You can count Mike McNeill’s offensive snaps this season on two hands. Well, two hands and a couple of toes.
The third-year tight end from the University of Nebraska has participated in 12 plays on offense, but that should change Sunday in Indianapolis. With Lance Kendricks sidelined with a fractured finger, McNeill figures to see his most extension action of 2013.
“It’s always nice when your number’s called upon,” McNeill said. “I’m always ready to come in. That’s the job of a backup in the NFL. You’ve got to be ready at any moment, and now it’s gonna be a time for me to have to step up.”
The Rams have gone with lots of two and three tight end sets since rededicating themselves to the running game starting with the Jacksonville contest Oct. 6. But it’s been Kendricks, Jared Cook, and Corey Harkey getting the reps on game day.
Assuming the Rams stick with the script on multiple tight ends, McNeill will get at least some of Kendricks’ snaps.
“Mike’s a solid player,” quarterback Kellen Clemens said. “He’s good in the pass game. He’s surprisingly good in the run game even though he is a little bit lighter-bodied than maybe Lance is. He’ll step up. Lance Kendricks leaves — those are big shoes to fill — but Mike will step up in a big way for us.”
Eventually — and it may be only a week or two — the finger will heal to the point where Kendricks can play with the hand wrapped or casted up. Until then, McNeill is making sure he gives a nice firm twist whenever he shakes hands with Kendricks.
“Yeah, just accidentally hit it,” McNeill said, grinning.
Just kidding.
“Obviously, it’s never good to see a friend get hurt,” McNeill said.
The only St. Louis area player on the Rams’ roster, McNeill, 25, was a two-time all-state player at Kirkwood High. At Nebraska, a program not known for its passing game, he established school tight end records for most receptions in a season (32) and most career receptions (82).
The Rams had some interest in signing McNeill as an undrafted free agent in 2011, but he opted for Indianapolis instead, where Peyton Manning was the QB and tight end Dallas Clark was aging. Of course, Manning ended up missing that entire season because of neck issues.
McNeill spent most of the ’11 season either on the Colts’ active roster or practice squad, appearing in four games with no catches. He was signed by the Rams on Dec. 20 of that season, but didn’t play in the final two games. After catching four passes for 31 yards in 14 games for the Rams last season, McNeill faces his original team Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“A lot of the guys are gone from when I was there,” McNeill said. “There’s obviously still some, so I’ll get to say ‘hi’ to those guys. My (former) roommate, Anthony Castonzo’s still there, so I’ll get to see him.”
Castonzo, a first-round draft pick in 2011, is Indy’s starting left tackle.
At some point Sunday, McNeill will renew acquaintances with another former Colts teammate by trying to block outside linebacker Robert Mathis. Mathis enters the game as the NFL’s sack leader with 11½.
“I went against him every day in practice, so I know how good of a player he is,” McNeill said.
At 6-4, 240, McNeill is on the lean size for a tight end, and Kendricks is the team’s most well-rounded tight end in terms of being both a blocker and a receiver. McNeill is known more as a pass-catcher; in fact, he spent part of his time at Nebraska playing wide receiver. But he has worked to improve his blocking as a Ram.
“He’s done a really good job developing that,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “When you watch him, certainly he’s got matchup potential (as a receiver) for certain people.
“In the run game, he’s worked really hard to develop his technique, using his hand placement and the way he moves his feet. He’ll get some play (Sunday), and when he’s in there we’re not going to have any concerns about it. We expect him to step in and do a good job.”
McNeill’s only catch of this season came in Game 2 in Atlanta. He paid the price for that five-yard gain in the second quarter, getting body-slammed by Falcons safety William Moore, the former Missouri star. McNeill suffered a chest injury on the play and missed the Dallas and San Francisco contests.
Although he regularly is in for about half of the special teams plays in a game, McNeill has taken part in only five plays on offense since returning against Jacksonville — usually as a fourth tight end in goal-line or short-yardage situations.
Against the Colts, he might be lined up in the slot, on the line, or in the backfield because he can play all the tight end/H-back positions.
“There’s a couple new wrinkles here and there that we have to do because we don’t have Lance,” he said. “But other than that, it’s not gonna be too different. I’ve played everywhere from the very beginning of training camp. They’ve put me in every different position and I feel comfortable playing them all.”
