Cutting through the trash

[max]

My wish this year is to see the Rams in the playoffs. So I try to cut through the stuff that is secondary to that and focus on the keys to getting there.

Here are some of the topics that I practically ignore and why.

1. Back-up QB. This team is too young to worry about what happens if Bradford goes down. Just like most playoff teams, if Sam goes down, we're screwed. One plus of having a young team is young players heal quicker than older players. I expect Sam to play all 16 regular season games, just like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco.

2. WR6. I hope Helmick makes the team as a KR and development guy because he seems like a good kid. Otherwise, yawn. I'm mainly concerned about getting our #8 overall pick up to speed. Tavon needs to be a playmaker this year. And find out who the starters are and get them ready.

3. The 4th OT. Come on, how many playoff teams have a decent 4th OT? We have 3 OTs that can play. The rest is just a nice to have. Worrying about 4th OT depth is playing scared. If Saffold can't stay on the field for 16 games, he's a goner. Get guys who stay on the field, they need to mesh anyway.

4. How many RBs do we keep? Who cares. Just have 2 or 3 guys that can play like most playoff teams. Though some do it with borderline RBs.

5. Dunbar suspension. He'll be back before you know it. 12 games are a lot of games. I'm more concerned that he'll be replacing Ogletree than Spoon. Ogletree needs to not be a major liability. He's the big issue right now and that lasts way beyond 4 games.

 

[albefree69]

max pointing to one of my fears:
5. Dunbar suspension. He'll be back before you know it. 12 games are a lot of games. I'm more concerned that he'll be replacing Ogletree than Spoon. Ogletree needs to not be a major liability. He's the big issue right now and that lasts way beyond 4 games.

Ogletree is worrying me too. And McDonald. They're rookies of course but I hope the light comes on for both of them before it has a major impact on the season.

 

[max]

max pointing to one of my fears:
5. Dunbar suspension. He'll be back before you know it. 12 games are a lot of games. I'm more concerned that he'll be replacing Ogletree than Spoon. Ogletree needs to not be a major liability. He's the big issue right now and that lasts way beyond 4 games.

Ogletree is worrying me too. And McDonald. They're rookies of course but I hope the light comes on for both of them before it has a major impact on the season.

Yup. I'm concerned about all our 3 top draft picks. They haven't shown me much yet. They are being counted on a lot.

 

[iBruce]

It's nice that our biggest worries are all depth-related. Besides, I guess, Ogletree.

 

[albefree69]

max pointing out another worry:
Yup. I'm concerned about all our 3 top draft picks. They haven't shown me much yet. They are being counted on a lot.

Me too but I have a tough time talking about those three because I was against drafting all of them. If I say anything negative about them posters will think I'm biased and have an agenda. But it doesn't change the fact that I'm worried about them.

I'm not worried about their long term viability (yet) but I am worried that their growing pains will have a big effect on us this season. I did predict 11 wins after all. :ohno: :lol:

 

[bskrilla]

I agree with a lot of this.

I will somewhat disagree about being worried about Ogletree or McDonald. I think it's fair to worry about them in terms of making mistakes in the first half of the season and whether or not those mistakes could burn us in a few games. But, similar to Jenkins, I see the flashes of talent that make me excited that as they play more and learn more they could turn into game-changers at their positions.

Basically Ogletree and McDonald could make mistakes early that cost us games (like Jenkins against Miami), but will ultimately become play-makers on D.

 

[BonifayRam]

My wish this year is to see the Rams in the playoffs. So I try to cut through the stuff that is secondary to that and focus on the keys to getting there.

Here are some of the topics that I practically ignore and why.


3. The 4th OT. Come on, how many playoff teams have a decent 4th OT? We have 3 OTs that can play. The rest is just a nice to have. Worrying about 4th OT depth is playing scared. If Saffold can't stay on the field for 16 games, he's a goner. Get guys who stay on the field, they need to mesh anyway.

You may want to reconsider #3.....Having Saffold once again hurt in the first pre season game & add to Saffold's last two years of a miserable performance ability to remain healthy to play ....would make most bonified Ram fans .....a major concern ....when he is counted on to man the second most important Bradford protection post... & when Sam Bradford is uncomfortable guess what ? the Rams loose.

Mark these posted words NOW Joe Barksdale is not good NFL starting material @ ORT. Barksdale currently is more comfortable @ Left OT than Right OT. If I were Fisher & if my #2 & #3 OT's are Saffold & Barksdale I would very concerned who is my 4th OT for Sam Bradford sake. Our current 4th OT is Chris Williams who was Fisher's 5th OT last yr. By the way he flunked out the past five season @ playing OT in the NFL on a team who had a very very bad OL. Currently the Rams 5th OT is Ty Nsekhe who's play the last two pre season games is mixed ....Ty has been awful @ Right OT but much better @ Left OT..... go figure, but the Rams have no pressing need @ Left OT Jake Long IMO is already ready to go!. I just finished watching Barksdale play by play in the Browns game...Barksdale played both right & left but played much better @ Left OT just like Nsekhe.

Tossing starting Right OT Saffold now cuz he can't stay on the field due to injury as you are suggesting above & going with Barksdale cuz he can stay on the field so they can mesh now would be a serious bad thing. Who would be your 3rd OT then Max? Guess worrying about a 4th OT would be a good ideal for Fisher if he was to take your advice here. Fisher played FIVE different OT's last season & was forced to start four of them. Based on your post Max...I believe I am moved now to worry about the Rams 5th OT now if you will permit me sir & will disagree with you Max on your #3.

 

[max]

My wish this year is to see the Rams in the playoffs. So I try to cut through the stuff that is secondary to that and focus on the keys to getting there.

Here are some of the topics that I practically ignore and why.


3. The 4th OT. Come on, how many playoff teams have a decent 4th OT? We have 3 OTs that can play. The rest is just a nice to have. Worrying about 4th OT depth is playing scared. If Saffold can't stay on the field for 16 games, he's a goner. Get guys who stay on the field, they need to mesh anyway.

You may want to reconsider #3.....Having Saffold once again hurt in the first pre season game & add to Saffold's last two years of a miserable performance ability to remain healthy to play ....would make most bonified Ram fans .....a major concern ....when he is counted on to man the second most important Bradford protection post... & when Sam Bradford is uncomfortable guess what ? the Rams loose.

Mark these posted words NOW Joe Barksdale is not good NFL starting material @ ORT. Barksdale currently is more comfortable @ Left OT than Right OT. If I were Fisher & if my #2 & #3 OT's are Saffold & Barksdale I would very concerned who is my 4th OT for Sam Bradford sake. Our current 4th OT is Chris Williams who was Fisher's 5th OT last yr. By the way he flunked out the past five season @ playing OT in the NFL on a team who had a very very bad OL. Currently the Rams 5th OT is Ty Nsekhe who's play the last two pre season games is mixed ....Ty has been awful @ Right OT but much better @ Left OT..... go figure, but the Rams have no pressing need @ Left OT Jake Long IMO is already ready to go!. I just finished watching Barksdale play by play in the Browns game...Barksdale played both right & left but played much better @ Left OT just like Nsekhe.

Tossing starting Right OT Saffold now cuz he can't stay on the field due to injury as you are suggesting above & going with Barksdale cuz he can stay on the field so they can mesh now would be a serious bad thing. Who would be your 3rd OT then Max? Guess worrying about a 4th OT would be a good ideal for Fisher if he was to take your advice here. Fisher played FIVE different OT's last season & was forced to start four of them. Based on your post Max...I believe I am moved now to worry about the Rams 5th OT now if you will permit me sir & will disagree with you Max on your #3.

I didn't say to toss Saffold now. I said if he can't hold up this season then he will toss himself and I'd be fine with it.

And Barksdale did just fine against GB and Mathews. When he switched to LT, maybe he did better because he was facing 2nd stringers. Bottom line, I'm fine with him at RT and I believe Fisher and Boudreau are too.

My whole point is I don't get caught up in all the morass of who is gonna be our 4th OT when we can't get any push in the running game with our starting interior OL.

There are more than a few playoff teams don't have as good as an OT situation as we have. And you can bet they aren't losing sleep over who their 4th OT is gonna be. Wonder why? Because they focus on the key things to winning a SB and a 4th OT isn't one of them.

 

[RamzFanz]

Yup. I'm concerned about all our 3 top draft picks. They haven't shown me much yet. They are being counted on a lot.

 

[BonifayRam]

I didn't say to toss Saffold now. I said if he can't hold up this season then he will toss himself and I'd be fine with it.

And Barksdale did just fine against GB and Mathews. When he switched to LT, maybe he did better because he was facing 2nd stringers. Bottom line, I'm fine with him at RT and I believe Fisher and Boudreau are too.

My whole point is I don't get caught up in all the morass of who is gonna be our 4th OT when we can't get any push in the running game with our starting interior OL.

There are more than a few playoff teams don't have as good as an OT situation as we have. And you can bet they aren't losing sleep over who their 4th OT is gonna be. Wonder why? Because they focus on the key things to winning a SB and a 4th OT isn't one of them.

OK understand now and agree on Saffold. I just happen to be in enemy territory during the Packer game downtown Seattle standing outside their stadium its a dark ugly gray looking place to play. As a city is a mess trust me traffic is as bad as I have ever experienced. So I did not get a chance to record the Packer game so I will take you at your word on Barksdale performance.

I truly agree with you on the lack of push this OL has shown in two games....seems to be a continued saga of the 2012 season when the OL has the same issues! Max I keep hoping that the main issue is still due to our team having a new OLT, ORT, OLG & for the most part a new center since Turner started more games than Wells did @ center. Saffold getting hurt again is several steps backwards in his ongoing schooling @ Right OT. Saffold sure needed to remain healthy and get much work during this pre season to be ready for the real NFL world @ ORT....so the Rams got an early hit here but it could be a lot worse. Like I said Saffold is a much better OT than Barksdale period.

This OL should be much further along in this run game.

 

[max]

I didn't say to toss Saffold now. I said if he can't hold up this season then he will toss himself and I'd be fine with it.

And Barksdale did just fine against GB and Mathews. When he switched to LT, maybe he did better because he was facing 2nd stringers. Bottom line, I'm fine with him at RT and I believe Fisher and Boudreau are too.

My whole point is I don't get caught up in all the morass of who is gonna be our 4th OT when we can't get any push in the running game with our starting interior OL.

There are more than a few playoff teams don't have as good as an OT situation as we have. And you can bet they aren't losing sleep over who their 4th OT is gonna be. Wonder why? Because they focus on the key things to winning a SB and a 4th OT isn't one of them.

OK understand now and agree on Saffold. I just happen to be in enemy territory during the Packer game downtown Seattle standing outside their stadium its a dark ugly gray looking place to play. As a city is a mess trust me traffic is as bad as I have ever experienced. So I did not get a chance to record the Packer game so I will take you at your word on Barksdale performance.

I truly agree with you on the lack of push this OL has shown in two games....seems to be a continued saga of the 2012 season when the OL has the same issues! Max I keep hoping that the main issue is still due to our team having a new OLT, ORT, OLG & for the most part a new center since Turner started more games than Wells did @ center. Saffold getting hurt again is several steps backwards in his ongoing schooling @ Right OT. Saffold sure needed to remain healthy and get much work during this pre season to be ready for the real NFL world @ ORT....so the Rams got an early hit here but it could be a lot worse. Like I said Saffold is a much better OT than Barksdale period.

This OL should be much further along in this run game.

Saffold may play this week, almost certainly next week. He's dressed with a harness today. Fisher will put him out there if possible. He needs reps badly.

 

[albefree69]

I think part of the problem is that the others teams can read the papers and when they know the Rams are going to be completely vanilla in their offensive schemes they stack the box. Among other things.