Bernie: Stacy proves to be premium pick

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.

CGI_Ram

Hamburger Connoisseur
Moderator
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Messages
48,082
Name
Burger man
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_65d1adcd-5a6c-5c1d-9144-90f1ed388524.html

Rams running back Zac Stacy sure looks like one of the best draft choices made by the Rams in a long time.

After another strong performance in Sunday's 27-16 win over New Orleans — 133 yards rushing, including a 40-yard TD — Stacy raised his season total to 854 yards rushing.

This is notable for several reasons:

Stacy has the most productive yards-rushing season by a rookie since the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995. The previous high was Steven Jackson's 673 yards rushing in 2004

Only two Rams rookie running backs have ever cranked out more yards rushing than Stacy in a season.

You may have heard of them.

Rookie Eric Dickerson had 1,808 in 1983, and Jerome Bettis rumbled for 1,429 yards in his rookie season of 1993.

Dickerson started all 16 games as a rookie; Bettis started 12. With two games left, Stacy has made 10 starts.

Dickerson and Bettis were premium first-round draft picks. Dickerson was the No. 2 overall selection in '83, and Bettis went 10th overall in '93.

Stacy wasn't taken until the fifth round of the 2013 draft, with the 160th overall selection. He has the most rookie yards rushing in Rams history among players drafted after the first round.

Since the NFL went to a 16-game season in 1978, a total of 53 rookie running backs have rushed for 1,000 yards. Stacy needs 146 yards rushing in the final two games to add his name to the list.

Other notes on Stacy:

• Stacy has had a better year than the back he replaced in St. Louis, Steven Jackson. After signing with Atlanta as a free agent, Jackson has only 448 yards rushing in a 2013 season slowed considerably by injuries.

• Stacy has averaged 85 yards rushing per game as a starter. During Jackson's time in St. Louis, he averaged 77.4 yards rushing per game overall, and 81 yards in games that he started.

• Since becoming the Rams' starter on Oct. 6, Stacy ranks fifth in the NFL in rushing.

• Stacy has 850 yards in 10 games as the starter. Over that time, the only NFL backs who have more are Green Bay'sEddie Lacy (977), Kansas City's Jamaal Charles (892), Chicago's Matt Forte (880) and Philadelphia's LeSean McCoy (875.)

• Stacy ranks second in rushing among NFL rookies this season; Lacy leads with 1,028 yards. He has 48 more rushing attempts than Stacy. All together now: SEC! SEC! SEC!

• Stacy already owns one "record" ... he has the most yards rushing by a player drafted out of Vanderbilt. Then again, Stacy had only one competitor for the title. New Orleans drafted Vandy RB Frank Mordica in the 9th round back in 1980, but Mordica didn't make the team.

NFL teams picked 23 running backs in the 2013 draft, and 11 were chosen before Stacy.

I think we'd all agree that Stacy is providing exceptional value for a fifth-round draft choice.

Thanks for reading …
 

V3

Hall of Fame
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Messages
3,848
He amazes me every game with his ability to anticipate, recognize, and squeeze through anything that resembles a hole in the line. My only concern about him is that it seems like he gets dinged up just about every game. He seems to come back from most of them quickly but is this foreshadowing his durability for the future? I sure hope not because he's the catalyst for the offense.
 

CGI_Ram

Hamburger Connoisseur
Moderator
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Messages
48,082
Name
Burger man
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3
He amazes me every game with his ability to anticipate, recognize, and squeeze through anything that resembles a hole in the line. My only concern about him is that it seems like he gets dinged up just about every game. He seems to come back from most of them quickly but is this foreshadowing his durability for the future? I sure hope not because he's the catalyst for the offense.

Well said. Agree.

Dude always gets positive yards (or at least almost always). His balance is incredible.
 

mr.stlouis

Legend
Joined
Sep 7, 2011
Messages
6,454
Name
Main Hook
Who woulda thought after the first 3 weeks we'd have someone pushing a thousand yards? Amazing. Zac Stacy has been incredible and the OL gelled around him.
 

Sum1

Hall of Fame
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
3,604
He's been nothing short of fantastic.

I'm really glad he got his shot.
 

CGI_Ram

Hamburger Connoisseur
Moderator
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Messages
48,082
Name
Burger man
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7
I made comment in the game day thread; I saw at least one occasion where Stacy was looking help up from the ground and his oline was walking away.

Come on boys! A little help!
 

BigRamFan

Super Bowl XXXVI was rigged!
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
May 23, 2012
Messages
2,887
Name
Craig
I made comment in the game day thread; I saw at least one occasion where Stacy was looking help up from the ground and his oline was walking away.

Come on boys! A little help!
I saw that as well. What's up with that?
 
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
5,808
I was curious on how often backs carry for negative yards, so had a look at the stats, Stacy ranks 4th amongst 13 running backs with over 200 carries for negative yards per carry:
Charles 12/246
Moreno 13/224
Ryan Matthews 15/236
Stacy 15/202

Frank Gore ranks last amongst the 13 with 32 negative carries on 242.

That said 6 of Stacy's 15 negative carries have come when the Rams lead by 14 points or more, if you remove all carries where the Rams lead by 14 orr more points then Stacy is second amongst 26 backs with over 150 carries 9 negatives/160 carries
 

Ky Ram

Pro Bowler
Joined
Sep 30, 2013
Messages
1,918
I made comment in the game day thread; I saw at least one occasion where Stacy was looking help up from the ground and his oline was walking away.

Come on boys! A little help!
In fairness to the o-line Stacy`s ass wants to be picked up after every damn run. I can see helping a guy up every once in a while, maybe the qb after he's down after a big hit, but lil Stacy needs to put on his big boy pants and get the f up like everyone else:omg:
 

jap

Legend
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
6,537
Stacy has powerful legs and runs very low to the ground, gaining great leverage over taller, even stronger defenders. It's as though he is submarining defenders with brute force. He has very quick feet and aligns himself northward very quickly after each cut, maximizing yardage production. I am still trying to imagine what Sam could have done with Zac keeping pass rushers honest from Week One, assuming he [Zac] was ready them, of course.
 

moklerman

Warner-phile
Joined
Oct 8, 2011
Messages
2,185
Reminds me of the great Bum Phillips' quote when asked about his RB Earl Campbell: Yeah, he gets up slow...but he goes down slow, too.