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7 things to watch: Rams at Cardinals
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_f76ddcdc-e65d-527b-8278-39790aa14553.html
First came Ben Roethlisberger. On Oct. 11, it’s Aaron Rodgers. But next up in the Rams’ three-game gauntlet of elite QBs is former No. 1 overall pick Carson Palmer. As was the case last week with Roethlisberger, Palmer is playing some of the best football of his career, ranking fourth in the NFL in passer rating at 117.8. He’s attempting to become the first Big Red QB to win 10 consecutive starts since Ray Mallouf of the Chicago Cardinals in 1948. Remember him? Didn’t think so.
CHASING CARSON
Palmer can make all the throws, and remains accurate on intermediate and deep throws at age 35. It obviously takes longer for deeper patterns to develop and Palmer has never been the most mobile QB around. So if the Rams can make the Big Red one-dimensional by shutting down the run, they should be able to get to Palmer with a pass rush that shares the league lead in sacks (13) with New England. Even so, Arizona’s offensive line looks much-improved, allowing only one sack so far — a league low.
FITZGERALD REVIVALLast season, WR Larry Fitzgerald caught “only” 63 passes, the second-lowest total of his stellar career, for a career-low 784 yards. It was his third consecutive season falling short of 1,000 yards. But Fitzgerald is experiencing a career renaissance at age 32, aided of course by the return to health of Palmer. He ranks fifth in the league in yards receiving (333) and has scored as many TDs (5) as the entire Rams team. He’s doing a lot of damage in the slot this year, so the pressure’s on Rams nickel back Lamarcus Joyner.
MORE THAN FITZ
Even with Fitzgerald’s feats, the Cardinals appear to have more balance on offense, particularly in the passing game, than they’ve had in a long time. Former first-round pick Michael Floyd, who led the team in reception yards in 2013 and ’14, is off to a slow start but provides another big target at 6-2, 220. John Brown has a shoulder issue but is a legit deep threat. He caught a 48-yard pass for the go-ahead TD in last year’s game at Arizona. There are options as well at TE with Jermaine Gresham and Darren Fells.
CJ2K LIVESIt was six seasons ago that RB Chris Johnson became the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, with 2,006 for Jeff Fisher and the 2009 Tennessee Titans. (Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson became the seventh with 2,097 yards in 2012.) Cut by Tennessee after the 2013 season and by the New York Jets this past offseason, Johnson suddenly looks fresh at age 30. In place of the injured Andre Ellington, Johnson rushed for 110 yards last week against San Francisco.
NO FLY ZONE
Led by four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson, Arizona has one of the deepest, most-talented secondaries in the NFL. They disguise their coverages well, and have versatility in how they deploy their top six or seven players. But when it comes down to it, you’re going to have to beat man coverage to succeed against this group — and that’s easier said than done, especially for a Rams receivers corps still looking to find its stride. Brian Quick’s return to game action should help.
MIZZOU CONNECTIONTwo former Missouri standouts, Sean Weatherspoon and Markus Golden, are part of a talented LB corps in Arizona’s 3-4 scheme. Weatherspoon entered the NFL as a first-round draft choice by Atlanta in 2010. After missing the entire 2014 season with a torn Achilles, he signed a free-agent deal with the Big Red and starts at inside LB. Golden, the rookie from Affton High, was a second-round draft pick this past spring. He’s at his best rushing the passer and had a half sack in Week 2 vs. Chicago coming off the bench at outside LB.
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_f76ddcdc-e65d-527b-8278-39790aa14553.html
First came Ben Roethlisberger. On Oct. 11, it’s Aaron Rodgers. But next up in the Rams’ three-game gauntlet of elite QBs is former No. 1 overall pick Carson Palmer. As was the case last week with Roethlisberger, Palmer is playing some of the best football of his career, ranking fourth in the NFL in passer rating at 117.8. He’s attempting to become the first Big Red QB to win 10 consecutive starts since Ray Mallouf of the Chicago Cardinals in 1948. Remember him? Didn’t think so.
CHASING CARSON
Palmer can make all the throws, and remains accurate on intermediate and deep throws at age 35. It obviously takes longer for deeper patterns to develop and Palmer has never been the most mobile QB around. So if the Rams can make the Big Red one-dimensional by shutting down the run, they should be able to get to Palmer with a pass rush that shares the league lead in sacks (13) with New England. Even so, Arizona’s offensive line looks much-improved, allowing only one sack so far — a league low.
FITZGERALD REVIVALLast season, WR Larry Fitzgerald caught “only” 63 passes, the second-lowest total of his stellar career, for a career-low 784 yards. It was his third consecutive season falling short of 1,000 yards. But Fitzgerald is experiencing a career renaissance at age 32, aided of course by the return to health of Palmer. He ranks fifth in the league in yards receiving (333) and has scored as many TDs (5) as the entire Rams team. He’s doing a lot of damage in the slot this year, so the pressure’s on Rams nickel back Lamarcus Joyner.
MORE THAN FITZ
Even with Fitzgerald’s feats, the Cardinals appear to have more balance on offense, particularly in the passing game, than they’ve had in a long time. Former first-round pick Michael Floyd, who led the team in reception yards in 2013 and ’14, is off to a slow start but provides another big target at 6-2, 220. John Brown has a shoulder issue but is a legit deep threat. He caught a 48-yard pass for the go-ahead TD in last year’s game at Arizona. There are options as well at TE with Jermaine Gresham and Darren Fells.
CJ2K LIVESIt was six seasons ago that RB Chris Johnson became the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, with 2,006 for Jeff Fisher and the 2009 Tennessee Titans. (Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson became the seventh with 2,097 yards in 2012.) Cut by Tennessee after the 2013 season and by the New York Jets this past offseason, Johnson suddenly looks fresh at age 30. In place of the injured Andre Ellington, Johnson rushed for 110 yards last week against San Francisco.
NO FLY ZONE
Led by four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson, Arizona has one of the deepest, most-talented secondaries in the NFL. They disguise their coverages well, and have versatility in how they deploy their top six or seven players. But when it comes down to it, you’re going to have to beat man coverage to succeed against this group — and that’s easier said than done, especially for a Rams receivers corps still looking to find its stride. Brian Quick’s return to game action should help.
MIZZOU CONNECTIONTwo former Missouri standouts, Sean Weatherspoon and Markus Golden, are part of a talented LB corps in Arizona’s 3-4 scheme. Weatherspoon entered the NFL as a first-round draft choice by Atlanta in 2010. After missing the entire 2014 season with a torn Achilles, he signed a free-agent deal with the Big Red and starts at inside LB. Golden, the rookie from Affton High, was a second-round draft pick this past spring. He’s at his best rushing the passer and had a half sack in Week 2 vs. Chicago coming off the bench at outside LB.
