Venturi: The Bell Now Tolls for Thee Sam

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A lot has been said about the sense of optimism brought to Earth City with the arrival of head coach Jeff Fisher and his staff. There seems to be a growing feeling that this new regime will bring talented people in and max out their abilities once here. Assuming this to be true, which I do, the question coming up will now transfer from a franchise in futility to the biggest investment piece within the franchise, Sam Bradford.

There has been a ton of talk about Sam by the pundits in the offseason, and there seems to be a complete 180-degree turn from the optimism that surrounded him just one year ago. I do believe we live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately atmosphere, and the recent criticism may be excessive, but I do think it’s important to analyze the first two years in Bradford’s career with the Rams and try to sort through the good and the not-so-good, and try to project what we really have here.

I have continually insisted that Sam has played with half a deck in terms of a supporting cast. His lone perimeter assets, running back Steven Jackson, and slot specialist Danny Amendola, only threaten the inside portions of the field. This has allowed defenses for two years to “pack it in” with schemes that take away the run and essentially double the slot as well. The problem with the lack of wideouts who stretch the outside quadrants of the field is that it also invites an inordinate number of blitzes from defensive coordinators, since they don’t fear giving up explosive plays if the pressure doesn’t get home.

Also, this offensive line is much more equipped at run blocking that trying to exist in a pass-happy scheme. This was brought to bear with the suicidal overuse of seven-step drops and excessive use of “empty” sets, which exposed this group and created a “killing field” for Rams quarterbacks. The one guy who did understand the limitations of this team was former offensive coordinator and St. Louis media punching bag, Pat Shurmur, who insisted on a quick rhythm passing system and a supplementary move-the-quarterback attack.

Let’s revisit what we have in Sam. One, we have a guy with physical presence and a terrific arm. He definitely can make all the NFL throws necessary to be an “elite” talent. He’s also blessed with vertical athleticism and can make big throws on the edge with sprints and bootlegs. His football mind is off the charts, and I believe he has all the “right stuff,” character-wise, to be special. That package, at first glance, has the makings of a winning combination and was certainly on display in his rookie season of 2010.

In 2011, I saw some cracks in the armor early in camp. The emphasis on play action forced Sam to play with his back to the defense for the first time in his career, and he expectedly looked unsure on deep and second-level reads. He also showed vulnerability to “edge” pressure and tended to get flat-footed in the pocket. The inability of the offense to get people open quickly only exaggerated the problem. He became more stationary and vulnerable to the rush as the weeks wore on. Though he stayed positive publicly, his body language on the field took on a painful look.

For Sam to meet the high expectations set before him, several things must happen. One, the coaching staff must get back to establishing a scheme that complements the players’ strengths while minimizing their liabilities. Hopefully, Fisher has improved the explosiveness of the receiver corps and the offensive staff has come to grips with the offensive line for what it is.

I have said it before: Sam has grown up in a quick-release, pre-read system in college, and a quarterback-friendly “triangle progression” system under Shurmur. What he must learn on the intermediate game (play action and seven-step drop) is the anticipation of openings in the defense and pocket awareness. Guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are not the raw athletes that Bradford is, but they instinctively slide in and out of trouble to buy time and make plays, At this point, Sam is a statue in this part of the game.

These issues will have to be addressed by Sam for him to progress. The other issue is the intangible factor. Will the understated, quiet personality become the emotional catalyst this team needs? The aforementioned quarterbacks take over a room when they walk in. They bring a charisma to the team that is real and vital to success. Sam will never bring that personality to the franchise, but in his own way, he must drive this car. It can be argued that Joe Montana or Eli Manning do not overwhelm you with their personalities, but they win a lot of big games.

For Sam, as the surrounding cast improves, his personal accountability will rise. One of my favorite authors, Ernest Hemingway, titles one of his famous novels “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” For Sam, the bell will shortly toll for thee!