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Former Rams well represented at Super Bowl 50
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/26579/former-rams-well-represented-at-super-bowl
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The Los Angeles Rams' 2015 season ended sooner than they would have liked as they went home for the winter following a loss to San Francisco in the finale.
But for some who have spent time in the horns, there's one more game to play this season and it's the biggest one of all: Super Bowl 50. The Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers will meet Sunday for the ultimate prize.
Each team has former Rams dotting the roster and coaching staff. Here's a look at who they are and the roles they could play in the big game:
Broncos
FS Darian Stewart -- Stewart has been battling a knee injury but was back at practice on Wednesday. He's emerged as a key component in Denver's secondary and will be needed again as one of the last lines of defense against Carolina quarterback Cam Newton & Co. Stewart signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and flashed promise with the team but simply couldn't stay healthy enough to nail down a permanent job. He went to Baltimore before the 2014 season and then signed with Denver before this year. He went on to post his best season and had an interception in the AFC championship game against New England.
Defensive line coach Bill Kollar -- One of the most experienced line coaches in the league now in his 26th season coaching defensive linemen, Kollar held the same title for the Rams from 2001-2005. He's also had stops in Buffalo, Atlanta and Houston, where he worked with Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak. He was known for his loud approach on the practice field. In Denver, he's done good work this season with the likes of Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson and Sylvester Williams, a group that will need to be on its game Sunday for the Broncos to win.
Assistant receivers coach Marc Lubick -- Lubick is in his first year with the Broncos but previously spent time working for Kubiak with the Texans. He's come a long way from his humble beginnings as a scouting assistant for the Rams, where he worked from 2003-2004. He assists Denver receivers coach Tyke Tolbert in guiding primary Broncos wideouts Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.
Panthers
Receivers coach Ricky Proehl -- There's not a name on this list that would offer better memories to Rams fans than Proehl. He was integral in the team's pursuit of and victory in Super Bowl XXXIV and made one of the biggest plays in franchise history with his diving touchdown catch in that year's NFC championship game. The role of unsung hero has carried over to his coaching career. Proehl has been the Panthers' receivers coach for the past five seasons and this year squeezed every drop out of a group that lost its primary target -- Kelvin Benjamin -- in the preseason. Carolina will need more of that production from the likes of Ted Ginn Jr., Jericho Cotchery, Corey Brown and Devin Funchess to come away with the world championship.
Offensive line coach John Matsko -- Much like Proehl, Matsko has done a lot with a little. He took a group of mostly reclamation projects or unknowns and turned it into a unit that paves the way for the league's No. 1 offense. That group will get its toughest test yet when the Broncos' No. 1 defense and pass rush is on the other side. Matsko has 24 years of experience, including leading the Rams' line from 1999-2005. He coached the group that blocked for the league's most productive offense for three straight years from 1999-2001.
CB Cortland Finnegan -- Finnegan signed with the Rams as a free agent in 2012 but was released after an injury-plagued 2013 season. He went to Miami and retired after the 2014 season only to sign with Carolina after the Panthers secondary was hit hard by injury late in the season. Finnegan had an interception against Seattle in the divisional round and played well against Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald in the NFC title game. The common assumption is that Finnegan will be targeted plenty by the Broncos but so far in these playoffs he's answered every challenge thrown his way.
RT Mike Remmers -- Rams fans can be forgiven if they don't remember Remmers' time with the team. It wasn't very long and in no way memorable. Remmers spent the first part of the 2014 season on the Rams practice squad before Carolina plucked him and added him to their active roster five games into the year. He quickly became a starter and is now entrenched on the right side of the Panthers' line. He's been solid in this postseason but will get the ultimate challenge Sunday as the man charged with slowing down Denver pass-rusher Von Miller. If he can do that, Newton should have plenty of chances to make big plays.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/26579/former-rams-well-represented-at-super-bowl
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The Los Angeles Rams' 2015 season ended sooner than they would have liked as they went home for the winter following a loss to San Francisco in the finale.
But for some who have spent time in the horns, there's one more game to play this season and it's the biggest one of all: Super Bowl 50. The Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers will meet Sunday for the ultimate prize.
Each team has former Rams dotting the roster and coaching staff. Here's a look at who they are and the roles they could play in the big game:
Broncos
FS Darian Stewart -- Stewart has been battling a knee injury but was back at practice on Wednesday. He's emerged as a key component in Denver's secondary and will be needed again as one of the last lines of defense against Carolina quarterback Cam Newton & Co. Stewart signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and flashed promise with the team but simply couldn't stay healthy enough to nail down a permanent job. He went to Baltimore before the 2014 season and then signed with Denver before this year. He went on to post his best season and had an interception in the AFC championship game against New England.
Defensive line coach Bill Kollar -- One of the most experienced line coaches in the league now in his 26th season coaching defensive linemen, Kollar held the same title for the Rams from 2001-2005. He's also had stops in Buffalo, Atlanta and Houston, where he worked with Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak. He was known for his loud approach on the practice field. In Denver, he's done good work this season with the likes of Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson and Sylvester Williams, a group that will need to be on its game Sunday for the Broncos to win.
Assistant receivers coach Marc Lubick -- Lubick is in his first year with the Broncos but previously spent time working for Kubiak with the Texans. He's come a long way from his humble beginnings as a scouting assistant for the Rams, where he worked from 2003-2004. He assists Denver receivers coach Tyke Tolbert in guiding primary Broncos wideouts Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.
Panthers
Receivers coach Ricky Proehl -- There's not a name on this list that would offer better memories to Rams fans than Proehl. He was integral in the team's pursuit of and victory in Super Bowl XXXIV and made one of the biggest plays in franchise history with his diving touchdown catch in that year's NFC championship game. The role of unsung hero has carried over to his coaching career. Proehl has been the Panthers' receivers coach for the past five seasons and this year squeezed every drop out of a group that lost its primary target -- Kelvin Benjamin -- in the preseason. Carolina will need more of that production from the likes of Ted Ginn Jr., Jericho Cotchery, Corey Brown and Devin Funchess to come away with the world championship.
Offensive line coach John Matsko -- Much like Proehl, Matsko has done a lot with a little. He took a group of mostly reclamation projects or unknowns and turned it into a unit that paves the way for the league's No. 1 offense. That group will get its toughest test yet when the Broncos' No. 1 defense and pass rush is on the other side. Matsko has 24 years of experience, including leading the Rams' line from 1999-2005. He coached the group that blocked for the league's most productive offense for three straight years from 1999-2001.
CB Cortland Finnegan -- Finnegan signed with the Rams as a free agent in 2012 but was released after an injury-plagued 2013 season. He went to Miami and retired after the 2014 season only to sign with Carolina after the Panthers secondary was hit hard by injury late in the season. Finnegan had an interception against Seattle in the divisional round and played well against Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald in the NFC title game. The common assumption is that Finnegan will be targeted plenty by the Broncos but so far in these playoffs he's answered every challenge thrown his way.
RT Mike Remmers -- Rams fans can be forgiven if they don't remember Remmers' time with the team. It wasn't very long and in no way memorable. Remmers spent the first part of the 2014 season on the Rams practice squad before Carolina plucked him and added him to their active roster five games into the year. He quickly became a starter and is now entrenched on the right side of the Panthers' line. He's been solid in this postseason but will get the ultimate challenge Sunday as the man charged with slowing down Denver pass-rusher Von Miller. If he can do that, Newton should have plenty of chances to make big plays.
