Reserve DL'ers Dominique Easley & Ethan Westbrooks

[BonifayRam]

In this big loss @ home last Sunday with all the letdowns of the offense & defense. I came out with a positive impression of the effort gave by DT Dominique Easley & DE Ethan Westbrooks.

Easley did not start in place of Brockers that job belonged to Cam Thomas who did block a extra point & has 1 tackle, but Easley had 5 tackles & a half sack for the best game as a Ram. Thus far he had 13 tackles half a sack two forced fumbles & 1 STF. As the 4th DT on this team I thought he should have started in place of the NT Cam Thomas. Thomas has played in all five games & has only one tackle stat.

Ethan Westbrooks finally got a sack & it came at a good time he also had 2 tackles as he & Matt Longacre rotated in the Wm Hayes post. Morgan Fox did get on the field some but did not do much in his first NFL game. As we know the DL was abused inside & out by the Bills. Eugene Sims could not muster to have two good games back to back as Sims was outplayed badly by the gimpy hurting OLT Cordy Glenn. Sims could only manage 1 tackle.

I now its not much to talk about but just trying to be positive here & I would hope that the Rams Org. can sign both Easley & Westbrooks to future contract in March of 2017.

 

[DaveFan'51]

In this big loss @ home last Sunday with all the letdowns of the offense & defense. I came out with a positive impression of the effort gave by DT Dominique Easley & DE Ethan Westbrooks.

Easley did not start in place of Brockers that job belonged to Cam Thomas who did block a extra point & has 1 tackle, but Easley had 5 tackles & a half sack for the best game as a Ram. Thus far he had 13 tackles half a sack two forced fumbles & 1 STF. As the 4th DT on this team I thought he should have started in place of the NT Cam Thomas. Thomas has played in all five games & has only one tackle stat.

Ethan Westbrooks finally got a sack & it came at a good time he also had 2 tackles as he & Matt Longacre rotated in the Wm Hayes post. Morgan Fox did get on the field some but did not do much in his first NFL game. As we know the DL was abused inside & out by the Bills. Eugene Sims could not muster to have two good games back to back as Sims was outplayed badly by the gimpy hurting OLT Cordy Glenn. Sims could only manage 1 tackle.

I now its not much to talk about but just trying to be positive here & I would hope that the Rams Org. can sign both Easley & Westbrooks to future contract in March of 2017.

One thing for sure! Quinn-Brockers and Hayes's Play where badley missed!! These other guy's are only good for rotation/rest purposes! JMHO

 

[BonifayRam]

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/201...lourishes-as-injuries-hit-rams-defensive-line

Ethan Westbrooks flourishes as injuries hit Rams’ defensive line
By Jack Wang, Los Angeles Daily News
The Rams’ defensive line is bumped and bruised, but hardly broken. A unit that opened the season as one the league’s best is without three starters: defensive end William Hayes has been sidelined for more than two weeks with a bum ankle; defensive end Robert Quinn and defensive tackle Michael Brockers both sat out last Sunday’s loss to the Bills with shoulder and hip injuries, respectively. None of them have practiced so far this week, though head coach Jeff Fisher has not ruled them out for their upcoming trip to Detroit.

And yet, this is not a position group on the verge of collapse. Much of that steadiness is due to the presence of Aaron Donald, the all-world defensive tackle who might be the best player in the NFL on either side of the ball. But the unit also possesses uncommon depth.

Through the last three weeks, the most important member of that less-heralded group might be Ethan Westbrooks, a former undrafted free agent who is now in his third season.

In the Rams’ past three games, the only defensive lineman who has played more than the West Texas A&M product is Donald, who has been on the field for nearly 83 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. Westbrooks — who has started two straight games in place of Hayes — is sitting at just below 72 percent, playing on 159 out of 222 defensive snaps.

He’s taken advantage of the opportunities. In a 37-32 win over the Buccaneers in Week 3, Westbrooks scooped up a fumble forced by Quinn and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown. During last Sunday’s loss to the Bills, he recorded two quarterback hurries and a sack, and even tipped away one of Tyrod Taylor’s pass attempts.

But asked if his recent uptick in playing time has represented a significant step in his career, Westbrooks shook his head slightly. “Everybody keeps saying that to me,” he said. “Honestly, what do you play the game for? Some play for fun, play for money — but you definitely play to reach a peak in your career. I wouldn’t say that was a peak. I think it showed what I could be. ...

“My peak would be if I beat somebody out for a starting position.” That seems unlikely to happen once the Rams return to full health. Quinn is a two-time Pro Bowler, while Hayes is a ninth-year NFL veteran and, at 31, the team’s oldest player.

But Westbrooks also understands the itinerant nature of the business. During training camp, HBO’s “Hard Knocks” portrayed the former Division II Defensive Player of the Year as being on the roster bubble — highlighting a scene in which defensive line coach Mike Waufle throws a crumpled wad of paper in front of him. If he’s ever forced to move on, Westbrooks wants to make sure he’s done enough to turn heads elsewhere.

For now, he’s simply eager to play his role.

“I have a job to do,” he said. “I want to do it to the best of my ability. If I start, I want to make the best out of starting. If I’m a backup, I want to make all the plays that the starter makes.” In addition to their three sidelined defensive linemen, the Rams are also currently missing No. 1 cornerback Trumaine Johnson and offensive guard Cody Wichmann, both out with ankle injuries.

The Rams do not practice on Thursdays, but Johnson and Wichmann were both listed as DNP on the estimated practice report. Fisher described Johnson’s status as “week to week,” and said the corner would probably not play against the Lions.

After clearing waivers, defensive end Morgan Fox has officially re-signed to the Rams’ practice squad. The undrafted rookie out of Colorado State-Pueblo had been promoted to the active roster last weekend, and played 12 defensive snaps in a loss against the Bills. He was waived again to make room for new cornerback Dwayne Gratz.

 

[FaulkSF]

Agreed. Cam Thomas should not be starting. I even questioned why the Rams brought him back after the initial TC cut.

If Fox can play Cam's technique, I'd rather have him play.

 

[fearsomefour]

Agreed. Cam Thomas should not be starting. I even questioned why the Rams brought him back after the initial TC cut.

If Fox can play Cam's technique, I'd rather have him play.

Fox not only doesn't require a double team he was routinely moved back by one on one blocking....he is just too light to hold up inside. I did notice him playing some DE however.
Westbrooks has been nice overall, occasionally he totally loses the concept of contain however.

 

[Debacled]

Agreed. Cam Thomas should not be starting. I even questioned why the Rams brought him back after the initial TC cut.

If Fox can play Cam's technique, I'd rather have him play.

They brought Cam back because outside of Brockers they are VERY small at DT. You have Easley and Donald who on a good day are pushing 290 tops.

Do you really want Morgan Fox trying to play inside at 265 lbs? There are LBs in the NFL bigger than that.

 

[Loyal]

This fill-in Dline allowed 150 yards rushing by a RB in one half..nuff said.

 

[Roman Snow]

This fill-in Dline allowed 150 yards rushing by a RB in one half..nuff said.

In fairness, aside from the first two drives, where they were gashed, and that 24 yard run late on a short field, after the blown fake punt, the defense shut Buffalo down big time.

Once that defense got its bearings it played well. I agree with sentiments about Thomas. He hasn't impressed me. Although, maybe someone can help me out: did he do better as the game wore on? Or was that mostly Easley?

 

[Bruce2980]

This fill-in Dline allowed 150 yards rushing by a RB in one half..nuff said.

And after G Williams made adjustments that same defense gave up only one first down in the second half. But Keenum and Fisher gave up 14 points.

 

[BonifayRam]

In fairness, aside from the first two drives, where they were gashed, and that 24 yard run late on a short field, after the blown fake punt, the defense shut Buffalo down big time.

Once that defense got its bearings it played well. I agree with sentiments about Thomas. He hasn't impressed me. Although, maybe someone can help me out: did he do better as the game wore on? Or was that mostly Easley?

Easley had the much better game but Thomas also seemed to play better in the 2nd half too. Easley was seen on the field @ the Aaron Donald position when AD was getting DE action or when he was getting a rest. There were a few plays when both were side by side inside & it was 3 rd & long situations. DE & AD are a handful side by side inside on passing downs.

Sims also saw some action inside too & ES just performs better inside than on the edge IMO. The thing with ES is he is well over 6-6 with very long arms he is hard to throw over if he gets his big mitts up something he is capable of doing more often but has not cashed in on as of yet.

Cam Thomas is a WWC nothing more. Early before the draft I was hoping that the Org would have gone late in the draft for a NT like Vincent Valentine late 2nd day selection but they traded away that pick for Goff. then I was in the chat banging the drum for NT DJ Reader but they went WR & TE instead. You can go back early this year where I posted many times my concerns over an injury to Brockers & what it would do to this Gregg Williams defense. My nightmare was in full glory in the first half of last weeks game.

Rams likely to endure that short-handed feeling again against Lions
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-defense-lions-20161014-snap-story.html

Brockers, Quinn & Hayes stood on the sideline last Sunday helpless. The linemen comprise three-fourths of the Rams’ starting defensive front. But injuries prevented them from aiding teammates trying to stop Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy. The Rams are accustomed to missing a player or two from a position group because of injuries. Not three.

“The past couple years, it’s been one guy out for a little bit of time,” Brockers said Friday, adding, “It wasn’t a good feeling. But deep in the back of your mind you know it was a good decision.”

The trio's status for Sunday's game at Detroit is uncertain. Brockers, Hayes and Quinn were limited Friday and are listed as questionable. Their availability won’t be determined until after warm-ups at Ford Field, the first stop on a 10-day trip that concludes with an Oct. 23 game against the New York Giants outside London.

Last month, Brockers signed a three-year extension worth about $33 million, according to spotrac.com. He is nursing a hip injury suffered during practice. The 6-foot-5, 326-pound tackle tested his condition on the field before warmups last Sunday but was not able to play. He is “really hopeful” that he will be available against the Lions, he said. “I feel good,” he said. “And as long as I can protect myself out there I think I’ll be able to go.”

Hayes suffered an ankle injury at Tampa Bay on Sept. 25 and sat out against Arizona and Buffalo. He said his goal was to return sometime between Sunday and the bye week that follows the team’s return from London “I doubt if I go Sunday,” he said, “but next Sunday looks really good.” Hayes sustained the injury during the first half of the Rams’ 37-32 victory over the Buccaneers. He went to the locker room for treatment but returned after Eugene Sims was ejected. Hayes said coming back into the game did not exacerbate the injury.“I didn’t do anything to aggravate it,” he said. “The damage had kind of already been done. “I felt I could go out and battle with my guys. That’s what I get paid to do.”

Quinn is nursing a shoulder injury suffered against Arizona. Coach Jeff Fisher said Brockers, Hayes and Quinn still had time to heal before the game against the Lions. “They’ve got, what, 48 hours, 46 hours or something like that, from now,” Fisher said after practice. “Each passing day, they’re getting better. Obviously we need them, especially against this group.”

The Lions feature quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Marvin Jones, a formidable combination that the Rams hope to slow down by creating pressure with their pass rush. Stafford is completing 68% of his passes, 10 for touchdowns, with four interceptions. “He’s been making throws that not very many quarterbacks can make, with his mobility, his arm strength,” Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said. “But he understands, you can see it, that he’s taking the next step as a quarterback being the pseudo-offensive coordinator, too.”

Last week, the Rams struggled at times to contain Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor and could not slow McCoy during the first half of a 30-19 defeat at the Coliseum. Ends Ethan Westbrooks and Eugene Sims played in place of Hayes and Quinn, and tackles Cam Thomas and Dominique Easley rotated in place of Brockers.“They played pretty solid,” Williams said of the line. “It was a few guys behind the ball, behind the defensive line,” that must improve.

Against the Lions, the Rams’ secondary will be without Trumaine Johnson. The franchise cornerback suffered an ankle injury against Buffalo and could be sidelined several weeks. Troy Hill will start in his place opposite cornerback E.J. Gaines.