Rams lack power running game, seem unconcerned

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by Doug Vaughn / FootballStL
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(FootballStL) -- Is anybody else concerned about the Rams running game? We haven’t seen much in the first two preseason games.

Saturday night against Green Bay the Rams managed all of 52 yards rushing on 22 attempts. That’s less than 2.5 yards per carry. That’s awful.

The Rams wanted to see what Isaiah Pead could do with extended playing time with the first unit on offense, and it wasn’t much.

Pead had 19 yards rushing on 11 carries, and 11 of those 19 yards came on one play. Jeff Fisher didn’t put all the blame on Pead, though. Much of the problem was trying to run against a Packers defense that was stacked at the line.

“We really didn’t commit to the run. It was hard because of what they were doing and what we were trying to do. I’m not concerned about it,” Fisher said. “We’ve got to get better at it, but we didn’t have enough carries in the ball game, as many as you’d like. The first group I thought did a good job. If a receiver makes a block on the first carry, Isaiah may score.”

It seems clear at this point that Daryl Richardson is the Rams number one running back. He didn’t get any carries against the Packers, but Fisher saw enough of Richardson last year in his rookie season to know he’s the best RB on the roster.

Richardson had 98 carries in 2012 and averaged 4.8 yards per tote. He’s not a big guy- listed at 5’10”, 196 pounds (and that seems generous). But he’s shown he can get outside the tackles and make big plays.
He’s also a good receiver out of the backfield. He caught the only pass thrown his way by Sam Bradford on Saturday against the Packers for a 24 yard gain.

The big concern for the Rams is their power running game. Do they have anybody who can run effectively between the tackles? This offense is definitely going to look different without Steven Jackson, but then the offense with Steven Jackson wasn’t very good either.

If the Rams abandon the running game completely and let Sam Bradford throw the ball over the field to the new receivers, that’d be fine. Maybe that’s the plan, and the reason Fisher doesn’t seem overly concerned about the lack of a power running game now.
 

CGI_Ram

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biggame1190 said:
I thought Zac Stacy was still on this team??

As is Ganaway. This whole RB situation is far from settled.
 

kurtfaulk

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biggame1190 said:
I thought Zac Stacy was still on this team??

You gotta laugh at some of these articles that get dished up.

.
 

rams24/7

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Part of the reason runners averaged 2.5 ypc was because most of the runners ran behind our 2nd, 3rd, & 4th OLines. Those lines are horrendous, and keep in mind any RB with PT in the regular season will be able to run behind OL1. But its also hilarious that someone is addressing this after 2 preseason games. And as others above stated, Stacy & Cunningham offer plenty in the power department