- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
Struggling Foles, Rams' passing unit look for traction
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_8cabd3d8-2a70-5daf-959b-5f5ccd73c52a.html
Most of the members of the media already had broken away from Nick Foles’ regular Wednesday interview session, when the struggling quarterback gave his best answer of the day.
With an offense unable to gain traction midway through the season, how does the ever-positive, perpetually even-keeled Foles avoid getting frustrated?
“Because I’ve been there before and I’ve overcome it,” Foles said, his voice showing a trace of emotion. “And I think from experience, I’ve been in a position like we’re in right now where we fought to try to get things going, and we just kept working, we kept believing in each other, and eventually you just break out.
“Once you break out, you’re ready to roll. So I’ve been there, and done it.”
There’s no time like the present for a breakout in St. Louis. Midway through the season, the Rams rank 30th in scoring, 31st in total offense and 32nd in passing offense.
From the outset of the season, a slow start was expected offensively. You don’t bring in a new quarterback, have a first-time NFL offensive coordinator, the league’s most inexperienced offensive line and a feature back who isn’t healthy enough to play right away and expect to light up scoreboards on Day 1.
The Rams are now far removed from Day 1. The feature back, Todd Gurley, is up and running far better than anyone could’ve expected. The defense is living up to its press clippings. The special teams are good.
With those other elements in place, just an average passing game probably makes the Rams a bona fide playoff contender. But they remain out of sync and unproductive in the passing game, struggling to convert third downs and failing to consistently score points.
“Yeah, we’re not satisfied,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “We just need a couple breakout games and we’ll get caught up. But we’re not satisfied with the first-down production and the third-down efficiency and the points scored.”
There’s no simple solution to the Rams’ offensive woes, otherwise it would’ve taken place long ago. The pass protection has been spotty at times. The receivers need to have fewer drops, catch more contested balls and more consistently gain separation.
Better play-calling would help. And this just in: Apparently everything wasn’t Brian Schottenheimer’s fault after all. The team’s former offensive coordinator was a convenient scapegoat for many fans and media members.
“We all play a part in it,” said tight end Jared Cook, sounding exasperated. “We all have our parts that we play in the reason why it’s not where it’s supposed to be.”
But usually, it all circles back to the quarterback. And since the Green Bay game, when he took a pounding en route to a four-interception afternoon, Foles hasn’t played all that well.
He hasn’t thrown an interception since that game, but has thrown only one touchdown pass. Foles has missed open receivers with errant throws — and just plain missed them, period.
That was the case on the opening play from scrimmage against Minnesota when Kenny Britt was running free down the right sideline and Foles didn’t throw the ball his way.
“The position’s hard,” Fisher said. “You don’t know what he sees and who’s in front of him. But he’s got a progression. He’s got to read. He’s gotta go to the right place. So yeah, there’s room for improvement there.”
“You’d always like to have a few plays back,” offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said. “You’d always like to have a few decisions back. It’s natural. Goes with every quarterback in the league.”
At Fole’s urging, the Rams went to some no-huddle plays against Cleveland, San Francisco, and Minnesota — although just for a handful against the Vikings. It helped get the offense going against Cleveland; not so much against the 49ers or Vikings.
Foles ranks 29th in passer rating (79.7), 28th in third-down passer rating (62.9) and 31st in fourth-quarter passer rating (71.6). Those are not the kind of numbers the Rams were expecting when they signed him to a contract extension in early August.
Asked if he’s happy where he’s at, or where the offense is at, Foles didn’t hesitate.
“No,” he said. “I think we always want to improve. We have a long ways to go. ... I’m nowhere near where I want to be and probably never will be. That’s how I’ve been throughout my career.
“Us as an offense, we come out here every day wanting to improve. We’ve got a lot of young guys right now that are working every day. We’re improving. A lot of personalities, so we’re just continuing to bond.”
The cast continues to change, but that’s the way of the world in the NFL. The Rams were down two offensive line starters against Minnesota, although there’s a chance right tackle Rob Havenstein returns to the lineup this weekend against Chicago.
Chemistry with the receivers has been slow in coming, and there isn’t any one receiver who has developed into a security blanket for Foles. Benny Cunningham sort of had that role as a third-down back, but his playing time has diminished with the emergence of Gurley.
The cast at wide receiver has been fluid, with Chris Givens traded to Baltimore a month ago, and Stedman Bailey now serving a four-game suspension. Brian Quick has not been a factor.
Undrafted rookie Bradley Marquez, at first a feel-good special teams story, is being worked into the wideout rotation. The new man on campus, Wes Welker, is taking a cram course on the playbook.
At tight end, Cook’s numbers are way day and Lance Kendricks has had to cope with a hand injury and subsequent surgery.
“They’ll figure it out,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “People, they see your numbers and everything, and they’re frustrated. But realize, too, the guys over there are more frustrated than any fan is.
“They’re working their butts off trying to fix it. We know the potential that’s there. We’re just kinda waiting for them to break out. I’m sure they are, too, and they’ll feel really good when they do.”
As the anti-Foles criticism starts to mount, Laurinaitis says there’s no lost confidence in Sam Bradford’s replacement.
“No, not at all,” Laurinaitis said. “Not at all, man.”
Added Fisher: “I mean, we’re halfway through the season. It’s a new system. (Foles) is eight weeks into it, and we’ve just gotta keep working at it, which we will.”
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_8cabd3d8-2a70-5daf-959b-5f5ccd73c52a.html
Most of the members of the media already had broken away from Nick Foles’ regular Wednesday interview session, when the struggling quarterback gave his best answer of the day.
With an offense unable to gain traction midway through the season, how does the ever-positive, perpetually even-keeled Foles avoid getting frustrated?
“Because I’ve been there before and I’ve overcome it,” Foles said, his voice showing a trace of emotion. “And I think from experience, I’ve been in a position like we’re in right now where we fought to try to get things going, and we just kept working, we kept believing in each other, and eventually you just break out.
“Once you break out, you’re ready to roll. So I’ve been there, and done it.”
There’s no time like the present for a breakout in St. Louis. Midway through the season, the Rams rank 30th in scoring, 31st in total offense and 32nd in passing offense.
From the outset of the season, a slow start was expected offensively. You don’t bring in a new quarterback, have a first-time NFL offensive coordinator, the league’s most inexperienced offensive line and a feature back who isn’t healthy enough to play right away and expect to light up scoreboards on Day 1.
The Rams are now far removed from Day 1. The feature back, Todd Gurley, is up and running far better than anyone could’ve expected. The defense is living up to its press clippings. The special teams are good.
With those other elements in place, just an average passing game probably makes the Rams a bona fide playoff contender. But they remain out of sync and unproductive in the passing game, struggling to convert third downs and failing to consistently score points.
“Yeah, we’re not satisfied,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “We just need a couple breakout games and we’ll get caught up. But we’re not satisfied with the first-down production and the third-down efficiency and the points scored.”
There’s no simple solution to the Rams’ offensive woes, otherwise it would’ve taken place long ago. The pass protection has been spotty at times. The receivers need to have fewer drops, catch more contested balls and more consistently gain separation.
Better play-calling would help. And this just in: Apparently everything wasn’t Brian Schottenheimer’s fault after all. The team’s former offensive coordinator was a convenient scapegoat for many fans and media members.
“We all play a part in it,” said tight end Jared Cook, sounding exasperated. “We all have our parts that we play in the reason why it’s not where it’s supposed to be.”
But usually, it all circles back to the quarterback. And since the Green Bay game, when he took a pounding en route to a four-interception afternoon, Foles hasn’t played all that well.
He hasn’t thrown an interception since that game, but has thrown only one touchdown pass. Foles has missed open receivers with errant throws — and just plain missed them, period.
That was the case on the opening play from scrimmage against Minnesota when Kenny Britt was running free down the right sideline and Foles didn’t throw the ball his way.
“The position’s hard,” Fisher said. “You don’t know what he sees and who’s in front of him. But he’s got a progression. He’s got to read. He’s gotta go to the right place. So yeah, there’s room for improvement there.”
“You’d always like to have a few plays back,” offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said. “You’d always like to have a few decisions back. It’s natural. Goes with every quarterback in the league.”
At Fole’s urging, the Rams went to some no-huddle plays against Cleveland, San Francisco, and Minnesota — although just for a handful against the Vikings. It helped get the offense going against Cleveland; not so much against the 49ers or Vikings.
Foles ranks 29th in passer rating (79.7), 28th in third-down passer rating (62.9) and 31st in fourth-quarter passer rating (71.6). Those are not the kind of numbers the Rams were expecting when they signed him to a contract extension in early August.
Asked if he’s happy where he’s at, or where the offense is at, Foles didn’t hesitate.
“No,” he said. “I think we always want to improve. We have a long ways to go. ... I’m nowhere near where I want to be and probably never will be. That’s how I’ve been throughout my career.
“Us as an offense, we come out here every day wanting to improve. We’ve got a lot of young guys right now that are working every day. We’re improving. A lot of personalities, so we’re just continuing to bond.”
The cast continues to change, but that’s the way of the world in the NFL. The Rams were down two offensive line starters against Minnesota, although there’s a chance right tackle Rob Havenstein returns to the lineup this weekend against Chicago.
Chemistry with the receivers has been slow in coming, and there isn’t any one receiver who has developed into a security blanket for Foles. Benny Cunningham sort of had that role as a third-down back, but his playing time has diminished with the emergence of Gurley.
The cast at wide receiver has been fluid, with Chris Givens traded to Baltimore a month ago, and Stedman Bailey now serving a four-game suspension. Brian Quick has not been a factor.
Undrafted rookie Bradley Marquez, at first a feel-good special teams story, is being worked into the wideout rotation. The new man on campus, Wes Welker, is taking a cram course on the playbook.
At tight end, Cook’s numbers are way day and Lance Kendricks has had to cope with a hand injury and subsequent surgery.
“They’ll figure it out,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “People, they see your numbers and everything, and they’re frustrated. But realize, too, the guys over there are more frustrated than any fan is.
“They’re working their butts off trying to fix it. We know the potential that’s there. We’re just kinda waiting for them to break out. I’m sure they are, too, and they’ll feel really good when they do.”
As the anti-Foles criticism starts to mount, Laurinaitis says there’s no lost confidence in Sam Bradford’s replacement.
“No, not at all,” Laurinaitis said. “Not at all, man.”
Added Fisher: “I mean, we’re halfway through the season. It’s a new system. (Foles) is eight weeks into it, and we’ve just gotta keep working at it, which we will.”
)
