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Position grades for the 2014 Rams
By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...ion_c6db78bd-7955-5981-a5ee-1a2496eb601f.html
Another season, another losing record
After a molasses-slow start, the defense was humming after posting back-to-back shutouts against Oakland and Washington. The offense was starting to coalesce with Shaun Hill making few mistakes at quarterback.
With three games left this season, the Rams were 6-7. They weren’t going to make the playoffs, but for the first time in years they appeared on the verge of breaking out. They weren’t over the hump — but they were close to the peak, a mountain built on the debris of 10 consecutive non-winning seasons.
Alas, they closed with three straight losses, losing at home to Arizona and the New York Giants before finishing with another season-ending defeat at Seattle. They didn’t even manage a touchdown against Arizona and Seattle, and had a defensive meltdown of near-epic proportions against the Giants.
The result was a 6-10 record, for an 11th consecutive non-winning campaign, and the worst finish in coach Jeff Fisher’s three seasons in St. Louis.
Claims of progress notwithstanding, in the bottom-line world of the NFL you are what your record says you are. So as we move into another offseason devoid of playoffs, here’s the 2014 Rams position-by-position report card:
Quarterbacks
For the second year in a row, a season-ending knee injury to Sam Bradford put the team in a bind. This time, the injury occurred in the preseason, forcing backups Shaun Hill and Austin Davis to carry the load in all 16 games.
In a sense, Hill’s season ended the way it started: attempting to throw the ball away only to have it intercepted. That’s what happened shortly before halftime in the opener against Minnesota, and in the fourth quarter of the season finale against Seattle.
In between, Davis made eight starts, looking like a sensation in some early starts before fading as opposing defenses got a bead on him. Davis took too many sacks, and made too many mistakes — which included being a part of six turnovers that were returned for touchdowns. Hill, also making eight starts, made fewer mistakes and took fewer sacks, largely because he got the ball out more quickly but was far from perfect.
As the Rams re-assess their QB position, they must decide if Hill and/or Davis will be part of the picture in a backup role. Largely because of the eight returns for TDs allowed that were part of this position, the final grade here isn’t pretty.
GRADE: D+
Running Backs
Not unlike Zac Stacy a season ago, rookie Tre Mason watched and learned for four weeks before getting a chance to play. Once he started playing, it was quickly apparent that Mason gave the Rams big-play potential not found with Stacy or Benny Cunningham.
Even so, Mason finished with a relatively modest 765 yards rushing, more than 200 yards fewer than Stacy gained as the feature back a season ago. Once Mason took over, Stacy became invisible in the backfield with only 16 carries over the final 11 games. Stacy went from first to third string, because Cunningham continued his role as third-down back throughout the year.
It’s a role Cunningham performed well, finishing third in receptions (45), while also doing valuable work in the red zone by scoring three rushing touchdowns. In an effort to get Tavon Austin more involved, he was used as a runner out of the backfield, and on “jet” sweeps as a wide receiver.
He was effective in this role, averaging 6.2 yards in 36 carries and scoring two TDs. But overall, it wasn’t a great year on the ground, especially for run-oriented head coach.
GRADE: C minus
Wide Receivers
The Rams started the season with too many wideouts, then cut Austin Pettis, then lost Brian Quick to a season-ending shoulder injury in Game 7. By the end of they year, they had a three-man rotation of Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey, and Tavon Austin — with Chris Givens playing sparingly as fourth man.
There’s plenty of room for improvement, but this group got better in 2014 with fewer drops, better route-running and more big gains. Britt revived his career, with a personal-best 48 catches and a team-high 748 yards. Quick was off to a very good start before the injury. Assuming Britt re-signs (he’s a pending free agent), they could form an effective tandem of “bigs.”
Finally given a chance for extended playing time over the final half of the season, Bailey showed good hands and promise in the intermediate game. After a strong rookie season in 2012, Givens hasn’t progressed as a short- and intermediate-route runner and remains pretty much a one-trick pony — a speedy deep threat. The challenge remains finding ways to get the ball to Austin in the passing game. His numbers were down this year from his rookie campaign.
GRADE: C
Tight Ends / Fullbacks
Jared Cook has been an OK acquisition since joining the team as a free agent in 2013. Maybe a little better than OK. With 52 catches for 634 yards and three TDs this season, his statistics were almost identical to his 2013 totals (51-671-5). But he still has too many drops and needs to do a better job of tracking deep and intermediate passes in order to take full advantage of his speed.
Lance Kendricks wasn’t used as much in the passing game this season, with a career low 27 catches, good for 259 yards — just one yard above his career low. But as evidenced by his career-high five touchdowns, which tied for the team TD lead with Mason, maybe the Rams should’ve thrown to him more often. An all-around tight end, Kendricks had another solid year as a blocker.
Nicknamed “Harkules” by his teammates because of his strength and toughness, Cory Harkey spent most of his time once again blocking out of the backfield. Plans to use him more as a receiver were shelved when he suffered what appeared to be a severe knee injury in Game 2, at Tampa Bay. He had to wear a knee brace all year, limiting his movement as a receiver. But he didn’t miss a game.
GRADE: C+
Offensive Line
Left tackle Jake Long suffered a season-ending knee injury in Game 7 (against Kansas City). Guard Rodger Saffold wasn’t as powerful of a blocker, finessing a shoulder injury that needs surgery this week through 16 games. Right guard Davin Joseph looked like a shell of the player who was a two-time Pro Bowler earlier in his career.
Center Scott Wells got overpowered at times, and playing with a bulky elbow brace over the second half of the season messed up three shotgun snaps at the end of the year. Rookie Greg Robinson basically watched for four games then broke in as a starter at left guard and switched to left tackle once Long went down. Robinson was dominating at times, but needs to work on technique and recognition.
Steady right tackle Joe Barksdale wasn’t quite as steady this season, but he’s a durable performer who should be a priority to re-sign as a pending free agent. Obviously, not all sacks are the fault of the offensive line, but the Rams gave up 48 this season — 12 more than in 2013. The pass blocking simply wasn’t good enough, even considering the backups playing quarterback.
GRADE: D
Defensive Line
The Game 1 injury to Chris Long contributed to a horrible start by this unit, not only in terms of the pass rush but also in run defense. The catchy nickname “#Sack City” fell by the wayside when the team registered only one sack in five games — a record low for an NFL team since sacks became an official stat.
It took a while for Long’s replacement, William Hayes, to get going after missing almost all of camp and the offseason as he recovered from multiple surgeries. Changing the way the defensive tackles lined up, a move made to better utilize the skills of rookie Aaron Donald, also meant a period of adjustment.
This unit finally got going over the final two-thirds of the season, frequently dominating the opposition over the final nine games. Donald was as good as advertised at defensive tackle, even playing the run better than some expected. Perhaps missing Long more than expected, right end Robert Quinn was very good but not the tour de force he was a year ago. Michael Brockers didn’t have the breakout year he was hoping for, doing more grunt work in a nose tackle role necessitated by playing Donald at the “3-technique.”
GRADE: B minus
Linebackers
Once again, Alec Ogletree and James Laurinaitis were productive tacklers, with Ogletree edging out Laurinaitis for the team tackling title for the second year in a row — this time by a single tackle (169 to 168). As was the case in his rookie year, Ogletree had a slow start, sometimes taking bad angles to the football and losing outside contain against the run. He improved as the season went on and still made his share of “splash” plays with two interceptions and four forced fumbles.
Laurinaitis was his usual reliable self in terms of getting people lined up and making pre-snap checks. Never a speedster to begin with, he was slowed by a nagging ankle injury for much of the season and wasn’t as effective in coverage. Used more as a blitzer, he matched his career high with 3½ sacks.
Jo-Lonn Dunbar wasn’t as noticeable on run defense as in seasons past. His role was reduced partly the result of safety Mark Barron, acquired in a late October trade, being used in a linebacker-like role in some packages.
The unit’s lack of depth was masked by the durability of Laurinaitis and Ogletree, who almost never left the field.
GRADE: C minus
Secondary
After a slow start, a unit that looked like one of the team’s biggest question marks improved noticeably over the second half of the season — until the Dec. 21 New York Giants game, that is. That’s when the Rams were lit up for 391 yards and three TD passes by Eli Manning. Mistakes and coverage breakdowns that seemed a thing of past returned in droves in that contest.
At cornerback, Janoris Jenkins again showed himself capable of making game-changing plays, such as the two interceptions he returned for TDs. But he still lacked the discipline and consistency to maximize his talent, falling victim to double moves and busting too many coverages. A groin injury slowed what was a so-so NFL start for rookie nickel back LaMarcus Joyner.
After missing eight games because of a knee injury, Trumaine Johnson played well at first but stumbled badly down the stretch. Over the last third of the season, rookie revelation E.J. Gaines surpassed Johnson as the No. 2 corner. Gaines was the best tackler and most consistent of the corners. The McSafeties — T.J. McDonald and Rodney McLeod —were much-improved over last season, with McLeod showing improved range and more physicality.
GRADE: C minus
Special Teams
There were a couple of blips, namely, a blocked punt returned for a touchdown by Philadelphia and a kickoff return for a TD by Kansas City’s Knile Davis. But overall, 2014 represented another strong showing for coordinator John Fassel’s unit. Punter Johnny Hekker finished eighth in gross punting (46.5 yards) and fourth in net punting (42.3). He landed 33 punts inside the 20, ranking third in the league.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein had the yips against Washington, with two missed field goals and a missed extra point. He could use more consistency on kickoffs. But it was another solid year overall. He made five field goals, including two of 50 yards-plus, in the Rams 22-7 upset over Denver. He also kicked game-winners at Tampa Bay and San Francisco.
For the first time since 2000, the Rams had both a punt returner and a kickoff returner finish in the top 10. In fact, Tavon Austin on punt returns (11.2-yard average) and Benny Cunningham on kickoff returns (27.5) both finished fifth in the NFL.
The Rams finished first in punt coverage. And let’s not forget about all those trick plays.
GRADE: A minus
Coaching
What was easily the most-talented roster in Jeff Fisher’s three years as the Rams’ coach somehow managed to win one fewer game than the 2012 and 2013 editions. The Rams didn’t seem ready to play and weren’t particularly intense in the opener against Minnesota. The same could be said in a Game 15 loss to the 6-10 New York Giants.
For the third year in a row, the team started the season with a 3-5 record; something must be done to get out of the gate faster. Along the way, the Rams blew first-half leads of 21 points and 14 points at home to Dallas and San Francisco, respectively. Getting outscored 106-48 in the third quarter doesn’t speak well to halftime adjustments made on either side of the ball.
The Rams still aren’t talented enough to overcome being among the league’s most penalized teams every year.
There’s no mulligan awarded after Bradford’s knee injury. The Rams had all offseason to come up with a starting-caliber alternative to Bradford in the draft and the result was sixth-rounder Garrett Gilbert, who didn’t make it out of camp. With no more picks coming from the RGIII trade, it’s time to show something in 2015.
GRADE: D
By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...ion_c6db78bd-7955-5981-a5ee-1a2496eb601f.html
Another season, another losing record
After a molasses-slow start, the defense was humming after posting back-to-back shutouts against Oakland and Washington. The offense was starting to coalesce with Shaun Hill making few mistakes at quarterback.
With three games left this season, the Rams were 6-7. They weren’t going to make the playoffs, but for the first time in years they appeared on the verge of breaking out. They weren’t over the hump — but they were close to the peak, a mountain built on the debris of 10 consecutive non-winning seasons.
Alas, they closed with three straight losses, losing at home to Arizona and the New York Giants before finishing with another season-ending defeat at Seattle. They didn’t even manage a touchdown against Arizona and Seattle, and had a defensive meltdown of near-epic proportions against the Giants.
The result was a 6-10 record, for an 11th consecutive non-winning campaign, and the worst finish in coach Jeff Fisher’s three seasons in St. Louis.
Claims of progress notwithstanding, in the bottom-line world of the NFL you are what your record says you are. So as we move into another offseason devoid of playoffs, here’s the 2014 Rams position-by-position report card:
Quarterbacks
For the second year in a row, a season-ending knee injury to Sam Bradford put the team in a bind. This time, the injury occurred in the preseason, forcing backups Shaun Hill and Austin Davis to carry the load in all 16 games.
In a sense, Hill’s season ended the way it started: attempting to throw the ball away only to have it intercepted. That’s what happened shortly before halftime in the opener against Minnesota, and in the fourth quarter of the season finale against Seattle.
In between, Davis made eight starts, looking like a sensation in some early starts before fading as opposing defenses got a bead on him. Davis took too many sacks, and made too many mistakes — which included being a part of six turnovers that were returned for touchdowns. Hill, also making eight starts, made fewer mistakes and took fewer sacks, largely because he got the ball out more quickly but was far from perfect.
As the Rams re-assess their QB position, they must decide if Hill and/or Davis will be part of the picture in a backup role. Largely because of the eight returns for TDs allowed that were part of this position, the final grade here isn’t pretty.
GRADE: D+
Running Backs
Not unlike Zac Stacy a season ago, rookie Tre Mason watched and learned for four weeks before getting a chance to play. Once he started playing, it was quickly apparent that Mason gave the Rams big-play potential not found with Stacy or Benny Cunningham.
Even so, Mason finished with a relatively modest 765 yards rushing, more than 200 yards fewer than Stacy gained as the feature back a season ago. Once Mason took over, Stacy became invisible in the backfield with only 16 carries over the final 11 games. Stacy went from first to third string, because Cunningham continued his role as third-down back throughout the year.
It’s a role Cunningham performed well, finishing third in receptions (45), while also doing valuable work in the red zone by scoring three rushing touchdowns. In an effort to get Tavon Austin more involved, he was used as a runner out of the backfield, and on “jet” sweeps as a wide receiver.
He was effective in this role, averaging 6.2 yards in 36 carries and scoring two TDs. But overall, it wasn’t a great year on the ground, especially for run-oriented head coach.
GRADE: C minus
Wide Receivers
The Rams started the season with too many wideouts, then cut Austin Pettis, then lost Brian Quick to a season-ending shoulder injury in Game 7. By the end of they year, they had a three-man rotation of Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey, and Tavon Austin — with Chris Givens playing sparingly as fourth man.
There’s plenty of room for improvement, but this group got better in 2014 with fewer drops, better route-running and more big gains. Britt revived his career, with a personal-best 48 catches and a team-high 748 yards. Quick was off to a very good start before the injury. Assuming Britt re-signs (he’s a pending free agent), they could form an effective tandem of “bigs.”
Finally given a chance for extended playing time over the final half of the season, Bailey showed good hands and promise in the intermediate game. After a strong rookie season in 2012, Givens hasn’t progressed as a short- and intermediate-route runner and remains pretty much a one-trick pony — a speedy deep threat. The challenge remains finding ways to get the ball to Austin in the passing game. His numbers were down this year from his rookie campaign.
GRADE: C
Tight Ends / Fullbacks
Jared Cook has been an OK acquisition since joining the team as a free agent in 2013. Maybe a little better than OK. With 52 catches for 634 yards and three TDs this season, his statistics were almost identical to his 2013 totals (51-671-5). But he still has too many drops and needs to do a better job of tracking deep and intermediate passes in order to take full advantage of his speed.
Lance Kendricks wasn’t used as much in the passing game this season, with a career low 27 catches, good for 259 yards — just one yard above his career low. But as evidenced by his career-high five touchdowns, which tied for the team TD lead with Mason, maybe the Rams should’ve thrown to him more often. An all-around tight end, Kendricks had another solid year as a blocker.
Nicknamed “Harkules” by his teammates because of his strength and toughness, Cory Harkey spent most of his time once again blocking out of the backfield. Plans to use him more as a receiver were shelved when he suffered what appeared to be a severe knee injury in Game 2, at Tampa Bay. He had to wear a knee brace all year, limiting his movement as a receiver. But he didn’t miss a game.
GRADE: C+
Offensive Line
Left tackle Jake Long suffered a season-ending knee injury in Game 7 (against Kansas City). Guard Rodger Saffold wasn’t as powerful of a blocker, finessing a shoulder injury that needs surgery this week through 16 games. Right guard Davin Joseph looked like a shell of the player who was a two-time Pro Bowler earlier in his career.
Center Scott Wells got overpowered at times, and playing with a bulky elbow brace over the second half of the season messed up three shotgun snaps at the end of the year. Rookie Greg Robinson basically watched for four games then broke in as a starter at left guard and switched to left tackle once Long went down. Robinson was dominating at times, but needs to work on technique and recognition.
Steady right tackle Joe Barksdale wasn’t quite as steady this season, but he’s a durable performer who should be a priority to re-sign as a pending free agent. Obviously, not all sacks are the fault of the offensive line, but the Rams gave up 48 this season — 12 more than in 2013. The pass blocking simply wasn’t good enough, even considering the backups playing quarterback.
GRADE: D
Defensive Line
The Game 1 injury to Chris Long contributed to a horrible start by this unit, not only in terms of the pass rush but also in run defense. The catchy nickname “#Sack City” fell by the wayside when the team registered only one sack in five games — a record low for an NFL team since sacks became an official stat.
It took a while for Long’s replacement, William Hayes, to get going after missing almost all of camp and the offseason as he recovered from multiple surgeries. Changing the way the defensive tackles lined up, a move made to better utilize the skills of rookie Aaron Donald, also meant a period of adjustment.
This unit finally got going over the final two-thirds of the season, frequently dominating the opposition over the final nine games. Donald was as good as advertised at defensive tackle, even playing the run better than some expected. Perhaps missing Long more than expected, right end Robert Quinn was very good but not the tour de force he was a year ago. Michael Brockers didn’t have the breakout year he was hoping for, doing more grunt work in a nose tackle role necessitated by playing Donald at the “3-technique.”
GRADE: B minus
Linebackers
Once again, Alec Ogletree and James Laurinaitis were productive tacklers, with Ogletree edging out Laurinaitis for the team tackling title for the second year in a row — this time by a single tackle (169 to 168). As was the case in his rookie year, Ogletree had a slow start, sometimes taking bad angles to the football and losing outside contain against the run. He improved as the season went on and still made his share of “splash” plays with two interceptions and four forced fumbles.
Laurinaitis was his usual reliable self in terms of getting people lined up and making pre-snap checks. Never a speedster to begin with, he was slowed by a nagging ankle injury for much of the season and wasn’t as effective in coverage. Used more as a blitzer, he matched his career high with 3½ sacks.
Jo-Lonn Dunbar wasn’t as noticeable on run defense as in seasons past. His role was reduced partly the result of safety Mark Barron, acquired in a late October trade, being used in a linebacker-like role in some packages.
The unit’s lack of depth was masked by the durability of Laurinaitis and Ogletree, who almost never left the field.
GRADE: C minus
Secondary
After a slow start, a unit that looked like one of the team’s biggest question marks improved noticeably over the second half of the season — until the Dec. 21 New York Giants game, that is. That’s when the Rams were lit up for 391 yards and three TD passes by Eli Manning. Mistakes and coverage breakdowns that seemed a thing of past returned in droves in that contest.
At cornerback, Janoris Jenkins again showed himself capable of making game-changing plays, such as the two interceptions he returned for TDs. But he still lacked the discipline and consistency to maximize his talent, falling victim to double moves and busting too many coverages. A groin injury slowed what was a so-so NFL start for rookie nickel back LaMarcus Joyner.
After missing eight games because of a knee injury, Trumaine Johnson played well at first but stumbled badly down the stretch. Over the last third of the season, rookie revelation E.J. Gaines surpassed Johnson as the No. 2 corner. Gaines was the best tackler and most consistent of the corners. The McSafeties — T.J. McDonald and Rodney McLeod —were much-improved over last season, with McLeod showing improved range and more physicality.
GRADE: C minus
Special Teams
There were a couple of blips, namely, a blocked punt returned for a touchdown by Philadelphia and a kickoff return for a TD by Kansas City’s Knile Davis. But overall, 2014 represented another strong showing for coordinator John Fassel’s unit. Punter Johnny Hekker finished eighth in gross punting (46.5 yards) and fourth in net punting (42.3). He landed 33 punts inside the 20, ranking third in the league.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein had the yips against Washington, with two missed field goals and a missed extra point. He could use more consistency on kickoffs. But it was another solid year overall. He made five field goals, including two of 50 yards-plus, in the Rams 22-7 upset over Denver. He also kicked game-winners at Tampa Bay and San Francisco.
For the first time since 2000, the Rams had both a punt returner and a kickoff returner finish in the top 10. In fact, Tavon Austin on punt returns (11.2-yard average) and Benny Cunningham on kickoff returns (27.5) both finished fifth in the NFL.
The Rams finished first in punt coverage. And let’s not forget about all those trick plays.
GRADE: A minus
Coaching
What was easily the most-talented roster in Jeff Fisher’s three years as the Rams’ coach somehow managed to win one fewer game than the 2012 and 2013 editions. The Rams didn’t seem ready to play and weren’t particularly intense in the opener against Minnesota. The same could be said in a Game 15 loss to the 6-10 New York Giants.
For the third year in a row, the team started the season with a 3-5 record; something must be done to get out of the gate faster. Along the way, the Rams blew first-half leads of 21 points and 14 points at home to Dallas and San Francisco, respectively. Getting outscored 106-48 in the third quarter doesn’t speak well to halftime adjustments made on either side of the ball.
The Rams still aren’t talented enough to overcome being among the league’s most penalized teams every year.
There’s no mulligan awarded after Bradford’s knee injury. The Rams had all offseason to come up with a starting-caliber alternative to Bradford in the draft and the result was sixth-rounder Garrett Gilbert, who didn’t make it out of camp. With no more picks coming from the RGIII trade, it’s time to show something in 2015.
GRADE: D
