Rams Release Ray Ray Armstrong

[CoachO]

coach, i know he was hurt for part of his time here in the preseason/camp, but were you able to get much of a read on pat schiller? any chance the rams might at least bring him (or millard) back to the practice squad?

Honestly, neither of these guys did much to set themselves apart and show they could play at this level If they are going to consider bringing back any of the LBs they had in camp, I would think Lawrence Wilson and/or Phillip Steward before Schiller or Millard.

 

[rams2050]

I believe one of the guys who was reporting from camp mentioned that Ray Ray would get into it with his own teammates, and that Fisher seemed to have a heart-to-heart about his level of aggression during practice sessions. Of course, I may be remembering that wrong but I thought that was what I had read.

 

[VegasRam]

Maybe flv, but I think Fisher's supposed history of having protected certain players was more a product of not having control, and having to play favorites based on Adams' direction.
I disagree strongly that JF is on any kind of hot seat. NO way, no how. He's got 5 years, and I trust Kroenke to be a realist, and the perceptive businessman that he's always been.

 

[Rmfnlt]

I actually didn't see Ray Ray's bonehead penalty yesterday. Is there any film on it?
I'm fully behind Fisher trying to make a statement with this. He's been VERY patient thus far with this teams' rash of penalties. To be honest, i'd like to see a statement made to the offense too if the false starts continue...and i LIKE Kendricks. Not saying that you cut Kendricks(thats silly), but its time to get out of preseason mode fellas. Its October!

I agree.

As much as Special Teams penalties hurt, so do the penalties on offense (false starts, holding, personal fouls, etc.) and defense (offsides, holding, pass interference, personal fouls, etc.).

Obviously, those units are on the field much more than Special Teams.

I just don't know if/how cutting Armstrong will impact the other unit's propensity to commit penalties. To me, those units are the ones that need to limit the penalties.

A couple questions:
1] Fisher was pretty adamant that it wasn't just the penalty Sunday that got Armstong cut - he said it was his body of work and that he wasn't progressing as a player. So, is that really a message that, if you commit penalties, your roster spot may be in jeopardy? Or is it a message that, if you don't progress as a player AND you commit panalties, then your job is in jeopardy?

Two different messages.

2] IF the message is intended to address penalties, how many and of what kind will get a player in trouble? Does it matter if the player is a starter and valuable piece of the team? For example, Quinn and Jenkins both lead the team with 4 penalties this year. What if they continue to lead the team and it costs them games?

My point is... these things are never as simple as one action and done. It's complicated.

I hope cutting Armstrong results in fewer penalties in all three phases of the game.

Just not sure it will have that impact.

Ultimately, it's up to the coaches to instill that discipline and the players to accept and execute on what they've been taught.

 

[VegasRam]

OK - we've all given Stranger props (deserved) for his prognostication on Austin Davis,
so let's hear it for coach O, who has been saying since day 1 that Ray Ray was a look at me guy, not a team player, and actually, not that good, (as was evidenced by his stint filling in for JL).

 

[LACHAMP46]

Hmm, writing was on the wall after pre-season games for me....Although regular season has shown me, all of our LB's have problems making plays. Especially behind or at he line of scrimmage. My beef, if there is one, the guy has only made 1 penalty this season. Only 1....Not sure of his tackles, don't remember any....I do know it's hard to get double digits in ST tackles for a year. But why Armstrong, and why now? Another blog used the word "appeasement" which seems odd. I don't see Fisher as that type...More Sinatra and I did it my way.....Still, little loss, go find some real LB's...Wilson was looking good. I personally think Sabino can play....Mo Alexander can get some ST run...
More worried about blown assignments in the secondary. Lack of run defense....And horrible cohesion on the O-Line...We should be running the ball much better....
Seat has to be hot after this game and Minnesota & Dallas....3 winnable games. Thrown away for what?

 

[DaveFan'51]

Ultimately, it's up to the coaches to instill that discipline and the players to accept and execute on what they've been taught.

This is true, but, as the saying goes,' You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink". Fisher stated, on his radio show, That the players weren't bringing what they learned, and executed in practice, to the game! They were getting caught up in 'a moment' in the game and not executing well! I guess that goes back to what Laurinaitis was saying pre-game about keeping their eye's in the game!

 

[Rmfnlt]

This is true, but, as the saying goes,' You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink". Fisher stated, on his radio show, That the players weren't bringing what they learned, and executed in practice, to the game! They were getting caught up in 'a moment' in the game and not executing well! I guess that goes back to what Laurinaitis was saying pre-game about keeping their eye's in the game!

And, if things don't improve - sooner or later that costs head coaches their jobs.

It's lonely at the top!

 

[thirteen28]

I heard the Rams did buy him an airline ticket out of town:

 

[blue4]

Past due for some reaction on penalties and repeated mistakes. It's one thing when players make the occasional mistake or penalty, or when a QB misses a receiver-type mistake. It's quite another when your team gives up free 1st downs every game, or when your center can't reliably get the ball to the QB.

 

[Rambition]

Honestly, neither of these guys did much to set themselves apart and show they could play at this level If they are going to consider bringing back any of the LBs they had in camp, I would think Lawrence Wilson and/or Phillip Steward before Schiller or Millard.

thanks, coach.

 

[Alan]

Warner4Prez with clarification:
This may be true. I guess I was just looking at it in terms of similarity and ability. I believe Ray Ray was a converted Safety and Mo is a converted LB so size/speed should be comparable. I don't know that Ray Ray ever saw the field outside of S/T coverage, and so I'd imagine the concern is filling that gap.

I see your point about about size/ability but Ray Ray is/was a back up LB and we need him to be replaced by a LB in case of an injury to one or more of our starters. I think that will end up being more of a concern than filling the hole on STs. Then again, Fisher has surprised me with some of his personnel decisions in the past so who knows.

 

[blackbart]

Guess I never saw the good in him only the bonehead plays that he never was able to outgrow. Undersized guy trying to grow in to a LB with some "up side" could not play LB did not tackle well. I get that they wanted to give him opportunities but I am somewhat relieved that Fisher too the step to cut an under performing over penalized camp body. It should get a message out to everyone on the team and open the door for someone to step in to an opportunity that thousands of people would give their (pick your body part) to have.