- Joined
- Aug 21, 2011
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- Name
- Jim Fadler
The coaches were much more animated I thought today or just to be blunt there was a lot more yelling.
They closed the practice with a series of gassers. Coach Fisher ended the regular portion of drills with, "Big guys on the right, little guys on the left." Then they ran the width of the field several times and to the numbers several times. It was obvious that Barrett Jones and Ty Nsekhe could barely finish. Chris Williams also collapsed at the end of it all.
QB-Every team in the NFL suffers a drop off when or if the starting QB goes down. There just aren't that many good #2's out there. In the Rams case its tempting to wish that they would churn the roster after the cut downs and bring in two new back ups because these two sure aren't getting the job done. Clemens did have one good pass, probably the best one I have seen in camp to Radway in the red zone drills for a TD. But he still breaks the rep and takes off time and again in 7 on 7. Why the coaches allow him to do that with kids on the field that need practice and the chance to show something is beyond me.
Austin Davis has really been a disappointment this camp. He has had huge issues with accuracy and now he is starting to act like Clemens and take off in drills where there is no chance of him being touched. Everything he did well last year is going sour on him this year so far. He threw at least two picks today in 11 on 11 where he telegraphed the throw. One was on a roll out and he was slow and deliberate with the ball and allowed McGee to under cut the route.
But to think they are going to go into the season with two guys that don't know the offense behind Sam is foolish. One of these guys will make the team.
RB-Bennie Cunningham seems to have latched onto the 4th running back spot with a pretty solid grasp. He gets time as a KR and as a gunner and participates in all the special teams drills.
Stacy and Cunningham had two of the best runs of the day, Stacy took a draw for a TD of about 25 yards in red zone drills and Cunningham bounced one to the outside for about 15.
Pead got extended reps today yet after practice Fisher announced Richardson as the starter.
Pead did something today that I have noticed him doing before in practice on dive plays. He will stutter step, almost visibly flinch and shuffle his feet instead of busting it up in there. If the Rams need three yards he isn't going to get it that way.
The backs did extended time in skill drills and blocking drills. I expected Ganaway to get some carries Saturday night and could see today why he didn't. I have commented before that he just doesn't look impressive running cones or in blocking drills. Today he failed time and again in hitting the pads and had to do several of the drills over. He had looked better when it came time to go 11 on 11 but he got few touches today when they went to full squad.
Stacy still has his calf wrapped up but participated fully.
WR-Tavon Austin was out of town due to a family emergency, Whatever it is he left town Sunday night for his home.
Austin Pettis failed to pick up a hot read early on when they were just doing half speed fundamental work, Sam looked to him after calling a blitz read and Pettis didn't break off the route or look for the ball.
But after that he easily had the best practice of all the receivers. He had a really good route in the red zone early for a TD and the rest of his day was fine.
Quick dropped a ball early in 11 on 11 when it looked once again like the linebackers hands distracted him but came back later with a great route when the Rams went empty backfield and a plucked a heater out of the air from Sam.
Right now Radway is my favorite for the 6th spot but Nick Johnson got a lot of work with the second unit.
My favorite for the 4th tight end is Lutzenkirchen but Mike McNeil had the best showing of all the camp days I have been at. During the gassers he ran extra laps even when his unit wasn't being called on.
Kendricks was on the field and did some light work and caught a lot of passes from Hekker.
Oline-Scott Wells appeared to get a vets day off, I don't think he is on any injury list.
Saffold was wearing a brace but participating in some walk through stuff and light shell work.
Tim Barnes got some reps at LG, and I think he needs to be able to swing to make the squad. He held his own with Conrath even though Conrath has the edge in leverage.
Shelley Smith took his turn at LG but he cannot anchor at all against a bull rush. Brockers and everyone matched up against him just shoves him back into the pocket and the QB.
Chris Williams had a handful of jersey a few times but can hold off better on a bull rush than Smith.
Barksdale is by far the best reserve lineman they have right now and this is a position I would really watch the waiver wire and cut wire at the end of pre-season.
Dline-Eugene Sims is absent due to the death of his mother. Gerald Rivers has moved up to his spot in the rotation. He had a great rep today vs Jake Long and really flashed his speed and quickness.
Quinn has, since the first week, been stymied almost on every rep vs Jake Long. At times it looked like Long could either anticipate or mirror his every move. Quinn has never had a good under move and today he finally flashed it. He slammed into Long, knocked his hands down and crossed under for what would have been a sack. Long got him the next two times but the under move was much appreciated.
LInebackers-This was the unit I wanted to watch the most but they did almost all their unit work on the far field. When they came together on the near field for 11 on 11 I keyed in on Ogletree. Early on in camp he really impressed me when he would get singled up on Cook and take him one-one. Today most of the linebacker coverage was dropping into zone and it was apparent that he is often lost and very uncomfortable when he has to drop. At times it looks like he is lost and doesn't know who to cover.
The other guy I watched a lot was Jonathan Stewart and he was much better just dropping zone.
Defenses used to play a SSLB right on top of the tight end and in the last few years almost every defense has gone away from that and either played with their linebackers stacked behind the line or interchangeable where neither is really a strong or weak side. I would think with all the multiple tight end formation in vogue right now that defenses would go back to playing on top of tight ends and denying them a release. The Rams allow tight ends too easy a route into the backfield. They need to knock them down at some point or at least get in the way.
DBacks-Trumaine Johnson had a great jam on Quick in 11 on 11 and put him on his butt about three yards downfield. Of course the other side of that is that Quick is having trouble getting off the line again.
Pointer and McGee seem to be firmly entrenched as the 4 and 5 cornerbacks. Today Stewart and McDonald sat out and the ones were McLeod and Daniels. The guy that draws the most praise today is Cody Davis. He made several plays and is very smooth playing a deep centerfield. He has shown in the past that he can diagnose plays very well from back there. The only thing I see in him is a lack of a burst when he comes out of his back pedal. He flips his hips really well but doesn't close on the ball very fast. Which is odd because when the play is in front of him he comes flying up. That would make me think its a technique issue or can be coached up. He is a very solid tackler.
They spent a lot more time today on just walking through things and just.....lining up right and getting assignments right. I took the gassers as a sign of disapproval from the coach for the results so far.
They have looked much better in practice than they have in the two games so far...so I am going to hang my hat on that.
They closed the practice with a series of gassers. Coach Fisher ended the regular portion of drills with, "Big guys on the right, little guys on the left." Then they ran the width of the field several times and to the numbers several times. It was obvious that Barrett Jones and Ty Nsekhe could barely finish. Chris Williams also collapsed at the end of it all.
QB-Every team in the NFL suffers a drop off when or if the starting QB goes down. There just aren't that many good #2's out there. In the Rams case its tempting to wish that they would churn the roster after the cut downs and bring in two new back ups because these two sure aren't getting the job done. Clemens did have one good pass, probably the best one I have seen in camp to Radway in the red zone drills for a TD. But he still breaks the rep and takes off time and again in 7 on 7. Why the coaches allow him to do that with kids on the field that need practice and the chance to show something is beyond me.
Austin Davis has really been a disappointment this camp. He has had huge issues with accuracy and now he is starting to act like Clemens and take off in drills where there is no chance of him being touched. Everything he did well last year is going sour on him this year so far. He threw at least two picks today in 11 on 11 where he telegraphed the throw. One was on a roll out and he was slow and deliberate with the ball and allowed McGee to under cut the route.
But to think they are going to go into the season with two guys that don't know the offense behind Sam is foolish. One of these guys will make the team.
RB-Bennie Cunningham seems to have latched onto the 4th running back spot with a pretty solid grasp. He gets time as a KR and as a gunner and participates in all the special teams drills.
Stacy and Cunningham had two of the best runs of the day, Stacy took a draw for a TD of about 25 yards in red zone drills and Cunningham bounced one to the outside for about 15.
Pead got extended reps today yet after practice Fisher announced Richardson as the starter.
Pead did something today that I have noticed him doing before in practice on dive plays. He will stutter step, almost visibly flinch and shuffle his feet instead of busting it up in there. If the Rams need three yards he isn't going to get it that way.
The backs did extended time in skill drills and blocking drills. I expected Ganaway to get some carries Saturday night and could see today why he didn't. I have commented before that he just doesn't look impressive running cones or in blocking drills. Today he failed time and again in hitting the pads and had to do several of the drills over. He had looked better when it came time to go 11 on 11 but he got few touches today when they went to full squad.
Stacy still has his calf wrapped up but participated fully.
WR-Tavon Austin was out of town due to a family emergency, Whatever it is he left town Sunday night for his home.
Austin Pettis failed to pick up a hot read early on when they were just doing half speed fundamental work, Sam looked to him after calling a blitz read and Pettis didn't break off the route or look for the ball.
But after that he easily had the best practice of all the receivers. He had a really good route in the red zone early for a TD and the rest of his day was fine.
Quick dropped a ball early in 11 on 11 when it looked once again like the linebackers hands distracted him but came back later with a great route when the Rams went empty backfield and a plucked a heater out of the air from Sam.
Right now Radway is my favorite for the 6th spot but Nick Johnson got a lot of work with the second unit.
My favorite for the 4th tight end is Lutzenkirchen but Mike McNeil had the best showing of all the camp days I have been at. During the gassers he ran extra laps even when his unit wasn't being called on.
Kendricks was on the field and did some light work and caught a lot of passes from Hekker.
Oline-Scott Wells appeared to get a vets day off, I don't think he is on any injury list.
Saffold was wearing a brace but participating in some walk through stuff and light shell work.
Tim Barnes got some reps at LG, and I think he needs to be able to swing to make the squad. He held his own with Conrath even though Conrath has the edge in leverage.
Shelley Smith took his turn at LG but he cannot anchor at all against a bull rush. Brockers and everyone matched up against him just shoves him back into the pocket and the QB.
Chris Williams had a handful of jersey a few times but can hold off better on a bull rush than Smith.
Barksdale is by far the best reserve lineman they have right now and this is a position I would really watch the waiver wire and cut wire at the end of pre-season.
Dline-Eugene Sims is absent due to the death of his mother. Gerald Rivers has moved up to his spot in the rotation. He had a great rep today vs Jake Long and really flashed his speed and quickness.
Quinn has, since the first week, been stymied almost on every rep vs Jake Long. At times it looked like Long could either anticipate or mirror his every move. Quinn has never had a good under move and today he finally flashed it. He slammed into Long, knocked his hands down and crossed under for what would have been a sack. Long got him the next two times but the under move was much appreciated.
LInebackers-This was the unit I wanted to watch the most but they did almost all their unit work on the far field. When they came together on the near field for 11 on 11 I keyed in on Ogletree. Early on in camp he really impressed me when he would get singled up on Cook and take him one-one. Today most of the linebacker coverage was dropping into zone and it was apparent that he is often lost and very uncomfortable when he has to drop. At times it looks like he is lost and doesn't know who to cover.
The other guy I watched a lot was Jonathan Stewart and he was much better just dropping zone.
Defenses used to play a SSLB right on top of the tight end and in the last few years almost every defense has gone away from that and either played with their linebackers stacked behind the line or interchangeable where neither is really a strong or weak side. I would think with all the multiple tight end formation in vogue right now that defenses would go back to playing on top of tight ends and denying them a release. The Rams allow tight ends too easy a route into the backfield. They need to knock them down at some point or at least get in the way.
DBacks-Trumaine Johnson had a great jam on Quick in 11 on 11 and put him on his butt about three yards downfield. Of course the other side of that is that Quick is having trouble getting off the line again.
Pointer and McGee seem to be firmly entrenched as the 4 and 5 cornerbacks. Today Stewart and McDonald sat out and the ones were McLeod and Daniels. The guy that draws the most praise today is Cody Davis. He made several plays and is very smooth playing a deep centerfield. He has shown in the past that he can diagnose plays very well from back there. The only thing I see in him is a lack of a burst when he comes out of his back pedal. He flips his hips really well but doesn't close on the ball very fast. Which is odd because when the play is in front of him he comes flying up. That would make me think its a technique issue or can be coached up. He is a very solid tackler.
They spent a lot more time today on just walking through things and just.....lining up right and getting assignments right. I took the gassers as a sign of disapproval from the coach for the results so far.
They have looked much better in practice than they have in the two games so far...so I am going to hang my hat on that.
lus1: 
