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Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ca468cdc-2085-5038-94c2-d2746b48644f.html
As the Rams prepared for Year 2 of the Jeff Fisher-Les Snead regime last offseason, they jettisoned seven of 22 starters from his inaugural 7-8-1 squad of 2012. That’s one-third of the starting lineup, give or take a few percentage points.
Among that group was three-time Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson, who had gained 1,000 yards-plus rushing in his last eight seasons.
It also included the team’s 2012 leader in receptions (63) in Danny Amendola and its 2012 leader in touchdown receptions (five) in Brandon Gibson. They finished second and third on that team in reception yards, with 691 and 666 respectively — behind Chris Givens’ 698.
Jackson, Amendola, and Gibson formed the core — or at least most of the core — of the Rams’ 2012 offense. But Jackson exercised an option in his contract to become a free agent, while Amendola and Gibson were unrestricted free agents to begin with. All three departed without the Rams putting up much of a fight to retain them.
Ten weeks into the 2013 season, it looks as if the Rams made the right decision on almost all of the departed.
“Some of them, unfortunately, are injured,” Rams general manager Les Snead said.
In the case of Jackson, Gibson and Amendola, all have been slowed by injuries with their new team.
Gibson, in fact, suffered a season-ending knee injury in Miami’s Oct. 27 contest at New England _ a torn patellar tendon. Through seven games with the Dolphins, Gibson had 30 catches for 326 yards and three touchdowns.
In short, he was on pace to do better — but not remarkably better — than his career bests of 53 catches (2010), 691 yards (2012) and five TDs (2012) in four seasons with the Rams.
The main reason the Rams went only so far in their pursuit of Amendola was his injury history, and injuries have haunted him with New England. He has missed four of the Patriots’ nine games this season — three because of a groin injury and one with a concussion.
His season totals entering Monday night’s game at Carolina are 23 catches for 296 yards and one touchdown. No one doubts what a healthy Amendola can do as a pass-catcher, but it’s the “staying healthy” part that has been the issue.
Given the Patriots’ other issues at wide receiver and tight end, he easily would have caught 90 or 100 passes and topped 1,000 yards had he been able to play a full 16 games. Now, he’d have to average 10 receptions and 100 yards over the final seven regular-season games to reach that territory.
JACKSON’s Plight
And then there’s the sad case of Jackson. After spending his entire career with the Rams, who selected him in the first round of the 2004 draft, he parted for a chance at the Super Bowl with Atlanta.
But this season has been an unmitigated disaster for Jackson and the Falcons. Jackson has bee sidelined four weeks because of a hamstring injury he suffered while scoring his only TD of the season, on a pass reception against the Rams in Week 2.
He has 151 yards rushing on 47 carries this season, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. In order to extend his streak of 1,000-yard seasons to nine, Jackson must average 121.3 yards over the final seven games of 2013.
“Running the ball is a group effort, it is not just one individual and it is not one unit,” Jackson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “But over the years, I’ve taken pride in being consistent regardless of why things have not worked out. First things first, I refuse as a leader to point the finger at someone else before I point it at myself.”
Obviously, Jackson hasn’t had nearly the impact expected when signed by the Falcons. Rams rushing leader Zac Stacy has nearly 400 more rushing yards than Jackson, and is averaging a full yard more per carry. Even the injury-slowed Daryl Richardson has more rushing yards (215) than Jackson, and at 3.1 yards per carry is just under Jackson’s average.
Making matters worse for Jackson is the fact that Atlanta’s season is in the dumps at 2-7, with the offense stymied by shoddy blocking and injuries to star receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones. Plus there is the lack of a running game.
NOt there yet
“Every time you make a move or you don’t re-sign someone, there’s a strategy behind it,” Snead said. “We’re still evolving. There was never any vision of hey, we’re in the window.”
Meaning the “window” of success, in which the team figures it can be a playoff contender on a consistent basis.
“You weren’t going to just unwisely spend money,” Snead said. “Not saying they weren’t good players. Not saying they couldn’t contribute. Let’s say we signed all of those players back; they would’ve been some of our highest-paid players. You better be in the window: ‘Here we are. This is us.’ And I didn’t think we were there yet.”
Among the other departed 2012 Rams starters, Robert Turner is on the injured reserve list (shoulder) in Tennessee after starting six games at center. Turner started all 16 games last season in St. Louis, either at guard or center.
Barry Richardson, who started 16 games at right tackle for the Rams last season was in Titans camp, and later played in one game off the bench for Detroit. He currently is out of the league.
Safety Craig Dahl started all 16 games for the Rams last season, and played almost every snap. He’s a backup now in San Francisco.
The one former Ram who is flourishing is safety Quintin Mikell.
Like Dahl, he started every game last season for the Rams and almost never left the field. But the Rams balked at paying him his scheduled base salary of $6 million and released him.
Mikell signed with Carolina, one of the hottest teams in the NFC at 6-3. The Panthers’ current five-game winning streak began with a 30-15 victory over the Rams on Oct. 20. Mikell made the play of the game, deflecting a Sam Bradford pass on a blitz on the first play from scrimmage. The result was an interception return for a touchdown.
Mikell has started seven games for the Panthers, who are second in the league in total defense and scoring defense.
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ca468cdc-2085-5038-94c2-d2746b48644f.html
As the Rams prepared for Year 2 of the Jeff Fisher-Les Snead regime last offseason, they jettisoned seven of 22 starters from his inaugural 7-8-1 squad of 2012. That’s one-third of the starting lineup, give or take a few percentage points.
Among that group was three-time Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson, who had gained 1,000 yards-plus rushing in his last eight seasons.
It also included the team’s 2012 leader in receptions (63) in Danny Amendola and its 2012 leader in touchdown receptions (five) in Brandon Gibson. They finished second and third on that team in reception yards, with 691 and 666 respectively — behind Chris Givens’ 698.
Jackson, Amendola, and Gibson formed the core — or at least most of the core — of the Rams’ 2012 offense. But Jackson exercised an option in his contract to become a free agent, while Amendola and Gibson were unrestricted free agents to begin with. All three departed without the Rams putting up much of a fight to retain them.
Ten weeks into the 2013 season, it looks as if the Rams made the right decision on almost all of the departed.
“Some of them, unfortunately, are injured,” Rams general manager Les Snead said.
In the case of Jackson, Gibson and Amendola, all have been slowed by injuries with their new team.
Gibson, in fact, suffered a season-ending knee injury in Miami’s Oct. 27 contest at New England _ a torn patellar tendon. Through seven games with the Dolphins, Gibson had 30 catches for 326 yards and three touchdowns.
In short, he was on pace to do better — but not remarkably better — than his career bests of 53 catches (2010), 691 yards (2012) and five TDs (2012) in four seasons with the Rams.
The main reason the Rams went only so far in their pursuit of Amendola was his injury history, and injuries have haunted him with New England. He has missed four of the Patriots’ nine games this season — three because of a groin injury and one with a concussion.
His season totals entering Monday night’s game at Carolina are 23 catches for 296 yards and one touchdown. No one doubts what a healthy Amendola can do as a pass-catcher, but it’s the “staying healthy” part that has been the issue.
Given the Patriots’ other issues at wide receiver and tight end, he easily would have caught 90 or 100 passes and topped 1,000 yards had he been able to play a full 16 games. Now, he’d have to average 10 receptions and 100 yards over the final seven regular-season games to reach that territory.
JACKSON’s Plight
And then there’s the sad case of Jackson. After spending his entire career with the Rams, who selected him in the first round of the 2004 draft, he parted for a chance at the Super Bowl with Atlanta.
But this season has been an unmitigated disaster for Jackson and the Falcons. Jackson has bee sidelined four weeks because of a hamstring injury he suffered while scoring his only TD of the season, on a pass reception against the Rams in Week 2.
He has 151 yards rushing on 47 carries this season, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. In order to extend his streak of 1,000-yard seasons to nine, Jackson must average 121.3 yards over the final seven games of 2013.
“Running the ball is a group effort, it is not just one individual and it is not one unit,” Jackson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “But over the years, I’ve taken pride in being consistent regardless of why things have not worked out. First things first, I refuse as a leader to point the finger at someone else before I point it at myself.”
Obviously, Jackson hasn’t had nearly the impact expected when signed by the Falcons. Rams rushing leader Zac Stacy has nearly 400 more rushing yards than Jackson, and is averaging a full yard more per carry. Even the injury-slowed Daryl Richardson has more rushing yards (215) than Jackson, and at 3.1 yards per carry is just under Jackson’s average.
Making matters worse for Jackson is the fact that Atlanta’s season is in the dumps at 2-7, with the offense stymied by shoddy blocking and injuries to star receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones. Plus there is the lack of a running game.
NOt there yet
“Every time you make a move or you don’t re-sign someone, there’s a strategy behind it,” Snead said. “We’re still evolving. There was never any vision of hey, we’re in the window.”
Meaning the “window” of success, in which the team figures it can be a playoff contender on a consistent basis.
“You weren’t going to just unwisely spend money,” Snead said. “Not saying they weren’t good players. Not saying they couldn’t contribute. Let’s say we signed all of those players back; they would’ve been some of our highest-paid players. You better be in the window: ‘Here we are. This is us.’ And I didn’t think we were there yet.”
Among the other departed 2012 Rams starters, Robert Turner is on the injured reserve list (shoulder) in Tennessee after starting six games at center. Turner started all 16 games last season in St. Louis, either at guard or center.
Barry Richardson, who started 16 games at right tackle for the Rams last season was in Titans camp, and later played in one game off the bench for Detroit. He currently is out of the league.
Safety Craig Dahl started all 16 games for the Rams last season, and played almost every snap. He’s a backup now in San Francisco.
The one former Ram who is flourishing is safety Quintin Mikell.
Like Dahl, he started every game last season for the Rams and almost never left the field. But the Rams balked at paying him his scheduled base salary of $6 million and released him.
Mikell signed with Carolina, one of the hottest teams in the NFC at 6-3. The Panthers’ current five-game winning streak began with a 30-15 victory over the Rams on Oct. 20. Mikell made the play of the game, deflecting a Sam Bradford pass on a blitz on the first play from scrimmage. The result was an interception return for a touchdown.
Mikell has started seven games for the Panthers, who are second in the league in total defense and scoring defense.
