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http://www.thetelegraph.com/articles/pr ... z1z3gXhrbK
It’s a new game for St. Louis Rams’ quarterback Sam Bradford this season. He’s learning from first-year head coach Jeff Fisher after studying the playbook of former head coach Steve Spagnulo the past two seasons.
And believe Bradford, it’s a change of pace. He’s turning the pages quicker.
“There’s no doubt that it’s a lot different than what we were doing last year,” Bradford said during a minicamp in St. Louis earlier this month. “There are some similarities between this offense and what we were doing two years ago.
“But for the most part, the offense we’re running this year is its own offense.”
Bradford’s adjusting to Fisher’s style and so is running back Steven Jackson. You’d expect Jackson to be the featured back even more prominently in Fisher’s typical ground-oriented style. Bradford can live with that. He just wants to become more proficient and see the Rams enjoy some success.
St. Louis went 2-14 last year and the Rams are a woeful 15-65 since 2007. They haven’t registered a winning season since 2003, when they finished a five-year run of 56-24. So you can see how the franchise has tumbled because of poor draft selections and inept decisions at all levels. Call it a meltdown.
Thus, it was time for a change. Bradford understands what’s going on around him.
“I think everyone here has really embraced the challenge of learning a lot of information in a relatively quick amount of time,” he said. “I know that I feel good.”
If the Rams are to rebound, it’ll start with Bradford getting them to regroup. He’s the catalyst and the Rams will spin their wheels if he’s unproductive.
Just look at last season. Bradford wasn’t healthy or near the top of his game. It was an off-year. He played in just 10 games, completing 191 of 357 passes for 2,164 yards and only six touchdowns. His receiving corps was weak, perhaps the worst in the league. Throw in an unfamiliar and unworkable offense and it’s easy to see why St. Louis averaged an embarassing 12 points per game.
During Bradford’s heralded rookie season, he hit on 354 passes in 50 attempts — that’s 60 percent — for 3,512 yards and 18 TDs. The Rams went 7-9 and were one win from making the playoffs.
So as Sam goes, they go.
Fisher figures Bradford knows the score and others are following him.
“We know what we can do and how we can do it,” Fisher said. “They know how to play.”
More than anything, the Rams need a confidence booster shot. However, that comes from savoring victories and the Rams, who misplaced that winning touch, are attempting to regain it. Nothing succeeds like success.
“I’m getting more comfortable and we had had the opportunity to put in new things every day,” Bradford said. “When we come back to camp in late July, I want to make sure I’m ready for everything that we are going to see at the beginning of training camp.”
If Fisher’s camp isn’t an eye-opening experience, I’d be surprised. He knows the Rams have nowhere to go but forward. They’ve been in decline — with one foot backpedaling and the other on a banana peel — for too long.
It’s a new game for St. Louis Rams’ quarterback Sam Bradford this season. He’s learning from first-year head coach Jeff Fisher after studying the playbook of former head coach Steve Spagnulo the past two seasons.
And believe Bradford, it’s a change of pace. He’s turning the pages quicker.
“There’s no doubt that it’s a lot different than what we were doing last year,” Bradford said during a minicamp in St. Louis earlier this month. “There are some similarities between this offense and what we were doing two years ago.
“But for the most part, the offense we’re running this year is its own offense.”
Bradford’s adjusting to Fisher’s style and so is running back Steven Jackson. You’d expect Jackson to be the featured back even more prominently in Fisher’s typical ground-oriented style. Bradford can live with that. He just wants to become more proficient and see the Rams enjoy some success.
St. Louis went 2-14 last year and the Rams are a woeful 15-65 since 2007. They haven’t registered a winning season since 2003, when they finished a five-year run of 56-24. So you can see how the franchise has tumbled because of poor draft selections and inept decisions at all levels. Call it a meltdown.
Thus, it was time for a change. Bradford understands what’s going on around him.
“I think everyone here has really embraced the challenge of learning a lot of information in a relatively quick amount of time,” he said. “I know that I feel good.”
If the Rams are to rebound, it’ll start with Bradford getting them to regroup. He’s the catalyst and the Rams will spin their wheels if he’s unproductive.
Just look at last season. Bradford wasn’t healthy or near the top of his game. It was an off-year. He played in just 10 games, completing 191 of 357 passes for 2,164 yards and only six touchdowns. His receiving corps was weak, perhaps the worst in the league. Throw in an unfamiliar and unworkable offense and it’s easy to see why St. Louis averaged an embarassing 12 points per game.
During Bradford’s heralded rookie season, he hit on 354 passes in 50 attempts — that’s 60 percent — for 3,512 yards and 18 TDs. The Rams went 7-9 and were one win from making the playoffs.
So as Sam goes, they go.
Fisher figures Bradford knows the score and others are following him.
“We know what we can do and how we can do it,” Fisher said. “They know how to play.”
More than anything, the Rams need a confidence booster shot. However, that comes from savoring victories and the Rams, who misplaced that winning touch, are attempting to regain it. Nothing succeeds like success.
“I’m getting more comfortable and we had had the opportunity to put in new things every day,” Bradford said. “When we come back to camp in late July, I want to make sure I’m ready for everything that we are going to see at the beginning of training camp.”
If Fisher’s camp isn’t an eye-opening experience, I’d be surprised. He knows the Rams have nowhere to go but forward. They’ve been in decline — with one foot backpedaling and the other on a banana peel — for too long.
