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St. Louis Rams: A Team Headed In The Right Direction... Slowly...
By Douglas M @thenovelroad on Aug 30, 2015, 2:08p 30
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Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports
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We all like to think we can see "The Big Picture". I try to discern what could happen around the next bend in life each day, and you do too. With the St. Louis Rams, I'm buying into this team in a big way, even after what anyone would call a so-so preseason thus far...
First, stop shaking your head! Second, after you read this, forget the notion I've hit the bar on this sunny Sunday afternoon. Unlike more than a few Rams fans to this point, I took the night to consider all I've seen so far of the 2015 St. Louis Rams. While this preseason thus far doesn't have me envisioning a seamless, all-pistons-firing team headed toward a guaranteed Super Bowl ride to Santa Clara, CA., I can all but guarantee this season for the Rams will be a sight to see. Here's why...
Nick Foles isn't the Nick Foles who ever took the field in Philadelphia; not in his rookie year, or in 2014. He's better. Yes, I said BETTER! There's something happening with Foles, and I think it has to do with the leadership light blinking to life in his soul. This guy is tougher than I ever thought, and the type of quarterback his teammates can believe in. I'm not bashing Sam Bradford here. I was - and still am - a fan of the lanky, injury scared former Oklahoma/St. Louis fan favorite. But while Bradford's arm may be stronger than Foles, I don't think he ever had what anyone would call amazing leadership qualities with his teammates. They all liked him, and what's not to like, right? Foles is a different cat altogether. Soft spoken when he arrived, he now has a tenor to his voice I love hearing.
Foles throws passes with more faith; to receivers he believes in. In a way, the Rams receiver corp and Foles are a perfect fit. They both haven't garnered much respect in the media, and are in the enviable position of benefiting from a lack of expectations. Every Rams receiver has the base talent to be in the NFL, but they've never been in a position to shine. Bradford relied on pin-point, "you-better-be-there", passes. Small catch windows in tight coverage were the norm. If a pass was completed, everyone hailed Bradford's accuracy. But life isn't accurate at all, and relying on it is a fools errand at best. Foles reads coverage, then throws to an option filled zone for his receivers. His passes have just enough arc on them to help receiver gain the position they need. Bradford throws a flatter ball, and will flourish in Philly - sans injury - due to a system which depends on a ball be in an EXACT place in each of his reads and check-down options.
When the Rams sort out their offensive line issues, and get their ground attack moving, Foles will flourish in a way stats won't explain...
The Rams' defense is showing signs of starting slow once again, but I'm not buying it. I truly believe defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is hiding the vast majority of his wild and woolly schemes for the Seattle game in Week #1 of the regular season. He's going to unleash the hounds in a way that'll have 31 offensive coordinators around the league gulping, and wiping sweat away from their brows. He's daring the league right now to block Aaron Donald, and they're going to try. Make no mistake: It's a trap Williams is setting, and teams are going to walk right into it. Hint: look for a box safety to edge closer to the line near Donald, just inside Chris Long on the left side. On the right, think Mark Barron next to Akeem Ayers just to the right of Robert Quinn... You got it? Now hike the ball, and see what happens...
The offensive line is on a learning curve with an indeterminate end. Jeff Fisher is moving guys around to gain crucial experience. Jamon Brown's move from right to left guard was more about helping him not settle into a track-able playing pattern than anything else. The season starts soon, so why give opposing coordinators something they may be able to sink their teeth into? I honestly wouldn't be shocked to see Rob Havenstein slid to a different position at times in week 4 of the preseason. The one key thing about bringing on a young offensive line like this is simple: Get them experience at whatever the cost.
The 0-3 preseason record mean nothing to me at this point. Sure, a "W" would've slaked my hedonism ever so slightly, but... The bottom line here is this: This Rams team is edging ever so close to being the team I've been waiting for since 2012. Yes, it's been slow in coming, but it's almost here...
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/8...s-a-team-headed-in-the-right-direction-slowly
By Douglas M @thenovelroad on Aug 30, 2015, 2:08p 30
Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports
TWEET SHARE PIN
We all like to think we can see "The Big Picture". I try to discern what could happen around the next bend in life each day, and you do too. With the St. Louis Rams, I'm buying into this team in a big way, even after what anyone would call a so-so preseason thus far...
First, stop shaking your head! Second, after you read this, forget the notion I've hit the bar on this sunny Sunday afternoon. Unlike more than a few Rams fans to this point, I took the night to consider all I've seen so far of the 2015 St. Louis Rams. While this preseason thus far doesn't have me envisioning a seamless, all-pistons-firing team headed toward a guaranteed Super Bowl ride to Santa Clara, CA., I can all but guarantee this season for the Rams will be a sight to see. Here's why...
Nick Foles isn't the Nick Foles who ever took the field in Philadelphia; not in his rookie year, or in 2014. He's better. Yes, I said BETTER! There's something happening with Foles, and I think it has to do with the leadership light blinking to life in his soul. This guy is tougher than I ever thought, and the type of quarterback his teammates can believe in. I'm not bashing Sam Bradford here. I was - and still am - a fan of the lanky, injury scared former Oklahoma/St. Louis fan favorite. But while Bradford's arm may be stronger than Foles, I don't think he ever had what anyone would call amazing leadership qualities with his teammates. They all liked him, and what's not to like, right? Foles is a different cat altogether. Soft spoken when he arrived, he now has a tenor to his voice I love hearing.
Foles throws passes with more faith; to receivers he believes in. In a way, the Rams receiver corp and Foles are a perfect fit. They both haven't garnered much respect in the media, and are in the enviable position of benefiting from a lack of expectations. Every Rams receiver has the base talent to be in the NFL, but they've never been in a position to shine. Bradford relied on pin-point, "you-better-be-there", passes. Small catch windows in tight coverage were the norm. If a pass was completed, everyone hailed Bradford's accuracy. But life isn't accurate at all, and relying on it is a fools errand at best. Foles reads coverage, then throws to an option filled zone for his receivers. His passes have just enough arc on them to help receiver gain the position they need. Bradford throws a flatter ball, and will flourish in Philly - sans injury - due to a system which depends on a ball be in an EXACT place in each of his reads and check-down options.
When the Rams sort out their offensive line issues, and get their ground attack moving, Foles will flourish in a way stats won't explain...
The Rams' defense is showing signs of starting slow once again, but I'm not buying it. I truly believe defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is hiding the vast majority of his wild and woolly schemes for the Seattle game in Week #1 of the regular season. He's going to unleash the hounds in a way that'll have 31 offensive coordinators around the league gulping, and wiping sweat away from their brows. He's daring the league right now to block Aaron Donald, and they're going to try. Make no mistake: It's a trap Williams is setting, and teams are going to walk right into it. Hint: look for a box safety to edge closer to the line near Donald, just inside Chris Long on the left side. On the right, think Mark Barron next to Akeem Ayers just to the right of Robert Quinn... You got it? Now hike the ball, and see what happens...
The offensive line is on a learning curve with an indeterminate end. Jeff Fisher is moving guys around to gain crucial experience. Jamon Brown's move from right to left guard was more about helping him not settle into a track-able playing pattern than anything else. The season starts soon, so why give opposing coordinators something they may be able to sink their teeth into? I honestly wouldn't be shocked to see Rob Havenstein slid to a different position at times in week 4 of the preseason. The one key thing about bringing on a young offensive line like this is simple: Get them experience at whatever the cost.
The 0-3 preseason record mean nothing to me at this point. Sure, a "W" would've slaked my hedonism ever so slightly, but... The bottom line here is this: This Rams team is edging ever so close to being the team I've been waiting for since 2012. Yes, it's been slow in coming, but it's almost here...
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/8...s-a-team-headed-in-the-right-direction-slowly
