Other issues that may derail a great Rams season

[RamzFanz]

We've all read and offered opinions about the unknowns with the offensive players. Will the running game pan out? Will Tavon play well and stay healthy or is he too small? Will Bradford take it to the next level with his new weapons and protection? On and on.

They are unknowns but I feel pretty good about the Rams chances for showcasing amazing new and veteran talent this season and even a (whispers) *wildcard run*.

So what does worry me most?

1) Penalties - Rams were the second worst in the NFL total and worst in penalties per game. How many games were potentially lost last season to penalties? Several in my opinion. Going into the season with a potentially even younger team, I have to wonder what has been done to address this.

2) Shotty - I don't trust him to adapt to the new opportunity. I'm no expert but I didn't like his play calling last season and I think he cost the Rams scores and games with bonehead calls. I also wonder like others if he can run a spread offense.

3) Clock management strategies - The Rams either lack them or don't have the personnel to implement them. I blame Shotty.

4) Take / Give away ratio - The Rams weren't as bad as seasons past and started last season impressively but in the end they were on the wrong side of this number with -1. I hope they are working hard to improve on this. The Niners were at +9 and the Hawks +13. I don't see how the Rams have a chance of taking the NFC-W until they get into line with the 2012 top two.

5) Field position - Yeah, this is talked about some but I hope Tavon isn't their only answer. They were poor at best last season.

Are there things that worry you about the Rams that aren't being widely discussed?

 

[nighttrain]

Fisher likes Shott, enough for me, the other stuff it will be a different Ram team. SJ is gone and the team is now Sam's
train

 

[CGI_Ram]

Nice ass... I mean post!

I'll say... #2 worries me most.

 

[-X-]

I'm not as worried about Schottenheimer as others, and I might be in the minority when I say that I think his playcalling is the best we've seen since Martz left. Even with a rebuilding roster full of young players. I'm also not worried about his ability to call a spread offense-type attack, since that's not what we'll be implementing. This is going to be all about mismatches and high-low reads for Bradford, and that's something that's right in his wheelhouse.

Penalties do concern me a little, because that's something that's been a constant with Fisher's teams. It should continue to be a problem this year too with all the youth and the new defensive scheme.

The turnover ratio doesn't concern me so much. The Rams could have had WAY more turnovers than they had, but it was just the way the ball was bouncing. I saw a few games in a row where we could have had a half dozen turnovers, but ended up with none. That said, I would like to see that overall number improve.

I would expect our starting field position to improve DRAMATICALLY this year. When's the last time we had a decent punt or kick returner? 2001? Maybe 2007-2008 with Dante Hall? Tavon should net us some huge benefits on that front, and I would hope that Hekker continues to pin teams back and Zuerlein improves on his accuracy from 50+ yards out. Of that whole unit, only Zuerlein worries me. But I expect - with these new weapons - that we won't need him to hit from beyond 50 that much anymore. Like Stu said -- he'll be reduced to kicking 1-pointers.

Other than that, I'm really only worried about O-line health.
I'm rather shell-shocked in that regard.

 

[RamzFanz]

I'm not as worried about Schottenheimer as others, and I might be in the minority when I say that I think his playcalling is the best we've seen since Martz left. Even with a rebuilding roster full of young players. I'm also not worried about his ability to call a spread offense-type attack, since that's not what we'll be implementing. This is going to be all about mismatches and high-low reads for Bradford, and that's something that's right in his wheelhouse.

Penalties do concern me a little, because that's something that's been a constant with Fisher's teams. It should continue to be a problem this year too with all the youth and the new defensive scheme.

The turnover ratio doesn't concern me so much. The Rams could have had WAY more turnovers than they had, but it was just the way the ball was bouncing. I saw a few games in a row where we could have had a half dozen turnovers, but ended up with none. That said, I would like to see that overall number improve.

I would expect our starting field position to improve DRAMATICALLY this year. When's the last time we had a decent punt or kick returner? 2001? Maybe 2007-2008 with Dante Hall? Tavon should net us some huge benefits on that front, and I would hope that Hekker continues to pin teams back and Zuerlein improves on his accuracy from 50+ yards out. Of that whole unit, only Zuerlein worries me. But I expect - with these new weapons - that we won't need him to hit from beyond 50 that much anymore. Like Stu said -- he'll be reduced to kicking 1-pointers.

Other than that, I'm really only worried about O-line health.
I'm rather shell-shocked in that regard.

I hadn't really considered Zuerlein a question mark with all the records he set but now that I look back, he was pretty hot and cold, yes?

Yep, he can't kick at 74% and remain a kicker. In college he only missed once. I hope he can bounce back.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

Yep, he can't kick at 74% and remain a kicker. In college he only missed once. I hope he can bounce back.

Almost all of those were 50 yard and over misses. This guy is gold, I'm not even slightly concerned.

 

[biggame1190]

Interesting. Nice avi btw :what: :bign:

For the most part, Schotty was OK in my book. Just thankful Sam finally gets to be in same offense for once in his life, but I did have issues with the playcalling at times with Schotty. For a quick example like the Jets game, while that was a team effort loss, I think Schotty tried to get cute because of his former team smh. SJ would have had 150 rushing yards in that game if we stuck with what was working against a vulnerable run D and Sam wouldn't have gotten hit as much as he did that game because of the constant 5-7 step drops he had him do. As well as things like ABSOLUTELY neglecting the RB screan for the first 8-10 week sof the season. Wow that was unreal

Penalties were very big too in last season. They NEED to be cut down. NEED!

 

[RamzFanz]

Interesting. Nice avi btw :what: :bign:

For the most part, Schotty was OK in my book. Just thankful Sam finally gets to be in same offense for once in his life, but I did have issues with the playcalling at times with Schotty. For a quick example like the Jets game, while that was a team effort loss, I think Schotty tried to get cute because of his former team smh. SJ would have had 150 rushing yards in that game if we stuck with what was working against a vulnerable run D and Sam wouldn't have gotten hit as much as he did that game because of the constant 5-7 step drops he had him do. As well as things like ABSOLUTELY neglecting the RB screan for the first 8-10 week sof the season. Wow that was unreal

Penalties were very big too in last season. They NEED to be cut down. NEED!

I agree. The lack of RB screens was mind boggling. They would run one and gain 25 yards and never to be seen again. Yet they would run failed plays over and over. Schotty is going to have to earn my trust this season. I give a pass to Bradford and some others but not Schotty. He just didn't seem to call plays to the team's strengths.

I don't remember the game but the Rams were 1st down and goal to go at like the 3 with a healthy and well performing SJ39 and his number wasn't called once. Three pass plays when the pass was sucking. I need to look that one up.

I am still pissed about the Jets loss. That should not have happened.

 

[RamzFanz]

...and yes. If the penalties remain the same, or god forbid worse, all bets are off.

 

[PrometheusFaulk]

Health is always an issue. But I would say of your list the main thing I see is #5. Better returns, more fumble recoveries, keep the pedal on the metal on picks.

Another thing I'm looking at, and this is a little bit harder to define, but being a little less conservative offensively. Hopefully they've got the guys in place who can turn little plays into big ones, but there comes a time where you have to take some shots.

 

[RamzFanz]

Health is always an issue. But I would say of your list the main thing I see is #5. Better returns, more fumble recoveries, keep the pedal on the metal on picks.

Another thing I'm looking at, and this is a little bit harder to define, but being a little less conservative offensively. Hopefully they've got the guys in place who can turn little plays into big ones, but there comes a time where you have to take some shots.

Yep.

They lacked in the "taking shots" area last season. There were many times I was thinking "what have you got to lose taking a shot?" and they played conservative and lost.

Don't get me wrong, they had some great 4th quarters last season, but IMHO, they lost a few games being conservative up until the knee.

 

[fastcat]

I can't believe u guys question shotty's play calling... Remember 2010, when we threw about 5 passes over 15yds the whole season. And EVERY time it was 3rd and forever we ran a shotgun draw? How could Anyone forget that? We played the bears that year and the play calling was so bad lovie smith was even laughing on the sideline, becuase he knew, like I knew, a shotgun draw was coming on 3rd and 18. Then in 2011, no 1 could get open, no one on the ol could block, Sam had no idea how to call protections, yet we consistantly ran pass plays that were 5 and 7 step drops... Or the infamous play when Sam had the ankle injure but mcd called a qb boot in the redzone? He too took a page out of the 2010 playbook with the shotgun draw on 3rd and forever but he didn't do it as much.

I'll take shotty's play calling anyday even if he does abandon the run on occasions!

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[albefree69]

RamzFanz wrote:
2) Shotty - I don't trust him to adapt to the new opportunity. I'm no expert but I didn't like his play calling last season and I think he cost the Rams scores and games with bonehead calls. I also wonder like others if he can run a spread offense.

3) Clock management strategies - The Rams either lack them or don't have the personnel to implement them. I blame Shotty.

5) Field position - Yeah, this is talked about some but I hope Tavon isn't their only answer. They were poor at best last season.

In addition to the three issues above I'd add a couple more.

6) Legatron
30 - 39 yds made 4 of 6 Horrible and cost us at least one game
KO=67 TB=37 55.2% Horrible, especially for someone with his leg strength

7) Pass D - I've heard lots of excuses as to why we played zone coverage so much last year. Most of those excuses had to do with the LB/Safety situation or too many rookies. We weren't good at it and it cost us games. I'd complain about using prevent defense so much but I've given up on that front except to say the Fisher, for all his fake punts, plays way to conservative on both sides of the ball. I don't blame Walton for any of this stuff because he wasn't there but I 'm worried that Fisher won't let him correct that or that he'll be fine with that.

 

[-X-]

In addition to the three issues above I'd add a couple more.

6) Legatron
30 - 39 yds made 4 of 6 Horrible and cost us at least one game
KO=67 TB=37 55.2% Horrible, especially for someone with his leg strength

7) Pass D - I've heard lots of excuses as to why we played zone coverage so much last year. Most of those excuses had to do with the LB/Safety situation or too many rookies. We weren't good at it and it cost us games. I'd complain about using prevent defense so much but I've given up on that front except to say the Fisher, for all his fake punts, plays way to conservative on both sides of the ball. I don't blame Walton for any of this stuff because he wasn't there but I 'm worried that Fisher won't let him correct that or that he'll be fine with that.

I don't know, Albe. I wouldn't throw the word "horrible" around quite so flippantly. Horrible would indicate something well below the league norm, or near the bottom of the league. He could use improvement, for sure, but being 13th in the league in touchbacks isn't horrible. The Miami game was his worst (2 of 5 - one from 66 yards out), so I don't know that that would skew his whole season and make it horrible. He was also one FG shy of tying the NFL record for consecutive field goals made to start a season. That's not horrible. 7 of 7 from 40-49 isn't horrible. The 58 and 60 yarders against SEA and the game winner against SF were pretty clutch, no? I guess what I'm saying is, "horrible" takes the shine off the apple to me.

I disagree about the defense too. It could have been called better at times, but there are no excuses when it comes to the type of defensive alignment we had to use. If you don't have the horses to play man coverage, then you just don't do it. They did ... a few times ... but it's not something they can do on a regular basis. Fisher addressed that a few times last year, and said that this year they won't have to keep plays in front of them as much. I'd say the offense was our achilles heel, in that it didn't allow the defense to play to its strengths. Imagine if that defense ever had a lead? Look what they did to ARZ when they did. Also, take the last game of the season. That was an offense (SEA) that came off of scoring 58, 50 and 42, and this defense held them to 20 in their own house. We couldn't score 21? Just 21? All things considered - that team last year exceeded expectations. Two new systems, tons of turnover, and they held their own against everyone except two teams. Two teams that have been doing the same exact things on offense for over a decade (NE and GB).

Anyway. I'm not coming down on you. In fact, I'm happy you're here.
You're one of those positive discussion generators. I just see it very different. :ww:

 

[nighttrain]

nice rebuttal Dude
train

 

[brokeu91]

Health is always an issue. But I would say of your list the main thing I see is #5. Better returns, more fumble recoveries, keep the pedal on the metal on picks.

Another thing I'm looking at, and this is a little bit harder to define, but being a little less conservative offensively. Hopefully they've got the guys in place who can turn little plays into big ones, but there comes a time where you have to take some shots.

Yep.

They lacked in the "taking shots" area last season. There were many times I was thinking "what have you got to lose taking a shot?" and they played conservative and lost.

Don't get me wrong, they had some great 4th quarters last season, but IMHO, they lost a few games being conservative up until the knee.

I always thought the Rams offense played better in the 4th quarter because they were more willing to throw it downfield and take some shots. I think in some ways Bradford is being held back (either of his own doing or the scheme or the lack of downfield threats or all of the above). I hope now with some more weapons and Schotty's willingness to open it up more that the Bradford that we all believe he is capable of being will emerge.

 

[albefree69]

I did what I like to refer to as an "albe" sorry

 

[albefree69]

X possibly taking the word horrible out of context:
I don't know, Albe. I wouldn't throw the word "horrible" around quite so flippantly. Horrible would indicate something well below the league norm, or near the bottom of the league. He could use improvement, for sure, but being 13th in the league in touchbacks isn't horrible. The Miami game was his worst (2 of 5 - one from 66 yards out), so I don't know that that would skew his whole season and make it horrible. He was also one FG shy of tying the NFL record for consecutive field goals made to start a season. That's not horrible. 7 of 7 from 40-49 isn't horrible. The 58 and 60 yarders against SEA and the game winner against SF were pretty clutch, no? I guess what I'm saying is, "horrible" takes the shine off the apple to me.

I disagree about the defense too. It could have been called better at times, but there are no excuses when it comes to the type of defensive alignment we had to use. If you don't have the horses to play man coverage, then you just don't do it. They did ... a few times ... but it's not something they can do on a regular basis. Fisher addressed that a few times last year, and said that this year they won't have to keep plays in front of them as much. I'd say the offense was our achilles heel, in that it didn't allow the defense to play to its strengths. Imagine if that defense ever had a lead? Look what they did to ARZ when they did. Also, take the last game of the season. That was an offense (SEA) that came off of scoring 58, 50 and 42, and this defense held them to 20 in their own house. We couldn't score 21? Just 21? All things considered - that team last year exceeded expectations. Two new systems, tons of turnover, and they held their own against everyone except two teams. Two teams that have been doing the same exact things on offense for over a decade (NE and GB).

Almost all those things you said weren't horrible weren't horrible. If you read what I said again I think you'll find that I was careful to limit my concerns (and labeling) to two very constricted areas and not to his overall performance.

The first concerned FG tries ONLY from 30-39 yards. 67% success rate on what is basically a chip shot is horrible IMO and it cost us a game.
The second "horrible" concerned his touch back rate. You might have skimmed over the part where I said "for someone with his leg strength". He was sixth in that department but I firmly believe he should have been 1st. It was a relative statement and not an absolute. :ww: Considering that field position was one of the "issues" we're discussing , it's important that he starts kicking to his potential.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/kickoff-touchback-pct" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/ki ... chback-pct</a>

As for the defense part, I think you might have forgotten the context in which the paragraph was written. What is the title of this thread? What I'm saying in the paragraph is that I'm worried about us doing that THIS YEAR when we DON'T have those issues.

If you read that again you'll find that at no time did I say the reasons we didn't play man to man WEREN'T justified. I didn't say, in that paragraph, that we would have done better had we used man to man more often (although I believe it). I said it cost us games (which it did IMO) and I implied that I want us to stop doing that this year.

Its a damn good thing that you or others, do disagree with much of what I say cause what fun would it be if you agreed all the time? What would I or in some cases you, learn when agreeing? I like it when you disagree with me much more than when you agree.

So yes, I disagree with your whole reply! :ww:

 

[Thordaddy]

I'm not as worried about Schottenheimer as others, and I might be in the minority when I say that I think his playcalling is the best we've seen since Martz left. Even with a rebuilding roster full of young players. I'm also not worried about his ability to call a spread offense-type attack, since that's not what we'll be implementing. This is going to be all about mismatches and high-low reads for Bradford, and that's something that's right in his wheelhouse.

Penalties do concern me a little, because that's something that's been a constant with Fisher's teams. It should continue to be a problem this year too with all the youth and the new defensive scheme.

The turnover ratio doesn't concern me so much. The Rams could have had WAY more turnovers than they had, but it was just the way the ball was bouncing. I saw a few games in a row where we could have had a half dozen turnovers, but ended up with none. That said, I would like to see that overall number improve.

I would expect our starting field position to improve DRAMATICALLY this year. When's the last time we had a decent punt or kick returner? 2001? Maybe 2007-2008 with Dante Hall? Tavon should net us some huge benefits on that front, and I would hope that Hekker continues to pin teams back and Zuerlein improves on his accuracy from 50+ yards out. Of that whole unit, only Zuerlein worries me. But I expect - with these new weapons - that we won't need him to hit from beyond 50 that much anymore. Like Stu said -- he'll be reduced to kicking 1-pointers.

Other than that, I'm really only worried about O-line health.
I'm rather shell-shocked in that regard.

And who among us don't at times think, ya know if Shotty were to get a gig somewhere as a HC and with Fishers probable relationship with the doudle M, would there be a "story " on the Mad One coming back to be an OC for with this bunch of skill position players?

 

[BonifayRam]

Are there things that worry you about the Rams that aren't being widely discussed?

I do have concerns with your #2 too... I worry most about the OFFENSIVE LINE. It remains for me my biggest concern. It would seem most feel very comfortable with this OL. I fall into the big negatives on this OL as a whole. Since Snead & Fisher arrival they have drafted only 2 Ol'ers.. both last day draft selections.

Only two OL starters remain from the 2012 OL at the same posts. Of these 2 Ol'ers both are coming off rehabbing events & both are 32 yrs old. Wells who underwent three rehabbing events on the same leg in less than one yr has shown me nothing of what he was in Green Bay. I thought Turner was much better than Wells myself @ OC.

:???: @ OLG remain where we have Chris Williams & Shelley Smith competing for that spot CW has never been good enough to win a starting positions by other than default in his entire NFL career. Smith who wavered before the season by the Texans was solid enough but is no powerhouse either.

Both our starting OT's have fallen to injuries the last two season. Saffold has missed parts or whole 21 NFL games in that time. Long was considered to be in decline @ the end of 2012. Rams do not have a proven bonified legit swing OT.

This present Ram OL cadre has only four players who were on the 53 player roster when the 2012 season began & all of those four had injury issues missed games attached to them (Saffold, Dahl{IR}, Watkins{IR} & Wells).

Snead & Fisher have done so well with bringing in serious big time weapons that have everybody bouncing off the walls in delight :zomg: :ja: :tyty: :brava: . But none of it will amount to anything unless this UNPROVEN NEW OL jells. The most important positive thing is we have a Paul Boudreau as our OL master who can pull this off & put together an OL that could be one of our best since GSOT days.