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No offense, but no panic for Rams
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_754aa9e4-d5f9-5337-9e9e-0a6c1fce0166.html
When it comes to concerns over the Rams’ struggling offense, coach Jeff Fisher said he’s heard it all before.
“Go back a year from now, two years from now, three years from now – you guys all asked me the same questions,” Fisher said Monday. “‘What’s up with your offense?’”
Well, what is up with the offense?
In the Rams’ first two preseason games, quarterback Nick Foles and the first-team offense have been on the field for six series. The net results of those six series? A mere five first downs, a meager 113 yards, and one measly field goal by Greg Zuerlein.
Take away the pass plays of 26 yards to Lance Kendricks and 35 yards to Tavon Austin on the first two plays of the Oakland game, and the Rams’ starting unit has 52 yards on 25 plays so far this preseason.
Yes, it’s a small sample size. Then again, the Rams haven’t opened exhibition play against juggernauts. Sure, they could be improved teams this season, but Oakland and Tennessee finished a combined 5-27 last season.
“We are struggling,” Foles said following Sunday’s 27-14 loss to the Titans. “I think we’ve shown that. But at the same time I’m not worried about it. We can’t just (say), ‘Oh, our second preseason game didn’t go the way we wanted. That’s it.’
“Guys in this locker room want to get better. I want to get better as a player. And that’s what it’s about. It’s a process. You’ve just got to chisel away. It’s not pretty right now. But we’ll get there. I believe we’ll get there. I know we’ll get there.”
After reviewing game film, Fisher was equally adamant during his Monday media session.
“Our offense is coming,” Fisher said. “It’s coming. I saw a lot of good things out of our offense against the Cowboys.”
He was referring, of course, to the two days of joint practices with Dallas last week in Oxnard, Calif. But the results haven’t been there so far in the preseason games.
With the starting unit on the field, running backs Tre Mason and Benny Cunningham have combined for just 40 yards on 14 carries – or 2.9 yards per carry. Foles has completed six of 12 passes for 87 yards, with a very poor passer rating of 39.2.
Again, small sample size. And the one play that pulled Foles’ passer rating down was the interception he threw against Tennessee that was returned 24 yards for a touchdown by Perrish Cox.
Once he saw Cox attempting to jump the route, intended receiver Kenny Britt should’ve flattened his route to try and prevent the interception. But Foles blamed himself.
“I’m the one who released the ball,” Foles said. “It’s on me. That’s one of those ones where you learn from it. Next time you see that, you throw it over their heads.
“That’s what the preseason’s made for, situations like that where you can learn from it, move forward, and stay positive through it all.”
While noting Sunday that Britt needed to adjust his route, Fisher basically agreed with Foles’ assessment Monday.
“Nick wants that ball back,” Fisher said. “He’d love to have that ball back. That wasn’t a good decision by Nick. That’s not the first interception he’s thrown, and it’s not the last one he’s gonna throw. But he’s had a great camp. I have no concerns whatsoever.”
When the Rams studied Foles on tape before the Sam Bradford trade, Fisher said he reacted to throwing an interception the same way he reacted after getting busted in the mouth.
“He would come up and throw a rope for a touchdown, either the next series or the very next play,” Fisher said. “So that’s how he is. He’s unique in that he has a very short memory, and that’s good.”
Foles obviously would like to move the ball better, but he’s not going to panic after two exhibition contests.
“I’ll never panic as a quarterback,” he said. “If you tank, and you’ve given up — I would never give up as long as I play this game.”
Fisher generally keeps the offense very basic in the preseason, with a minimum of game-planning. He doesn’t like to show much this time of year. The Titans, meanwhile, came at the Rams aggressively under assistant head coach/defense Dick LeBeau – a new hire in Tennessee but one of the most respected defensive minds in the game.
“They did a great job,” Foles said. “They played aggressively. They had more juice than us tonight, and it showed.”
Foles wasn’t the only player in the visitors’ locker room at Nissan Stadium to cite a lack of “juice” or energy Sunday night. Britt, in discussing the offense’s struggles against Tennessee, said: “Our energy was a little bit low.”
After spending most of an 11-day stretch on the road — to Oakland, to Oxnard, back home to St. Louis for a couple of days, and then off to Nashville — perhaps the Rams were a little road weary against the Titans.
“I think it’s a contributing factor,” Fisher said. “We’re all looking forward to finally playing here at home. I know the players are. We’ll have some normalcy to our week.”
Unfortunately, it may take a while for normality to reach the offense. Foles is a new quarterback to the Rams learning what’s a new system to him. The Rams have a new offensive coordinator in Frank Cignetti, and rookies starting at right guard and right tackle.
The three-ring circus continues at center with Tim Barnes, Demetrius Rhaney and Barrett Jones rotating in with the first-team offense. Fisher said he doesn’t expect a decision there until the start of the regular season.
The starting left guard, Rodger Saffold, has been out with a shoulder injury since early in the preseason opener in Oakland. So continuity has been nonexistent on the offensive line.
“It’s a lot of learning for the younger guys, a lot of learning for me being in a new system,” Foles said.
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_754aa9e4-d5f9-5337-9e9e-0a6c1fce0166.html
When it comes to concerns over the Rams’ struggling offense, coach Jeff Fisher said he’s heard it all before.
“Go back a year from now, two years from now, three years from now – you guys all asked me the same questions,” Fisher said Monday. “‘What’s up with your offense?’”
Well, what is up with the offense?
In the Rams’ first two preseason games, quarterback Nick Foles and the first-team offense have been on the field for six series. The net results of those six series? A mere five first downs, a meager 113 yards, and one measly field goal by Greg Zuerlein.
Take away the pass plays of 26 yards to Lance Kendricks and 35 yards to Tavon Austin on the first two plays of the Oakland game, and the Rams’ starting unit has 52 yards on 25 plays so far this preseason.
Yes, it’s a small sample size. Then again, the Rams haven’t opened exhibition play against juggernauts. Sure, they could be improved teams this season, but Oakland and Tennessee finished a combined 5-27 last season.
“We are struggling,” Foles said following Sunday’s 27-14 loss to the Titans. “I think we’ve shown that. But at the same time I’m not worried about it. We can’t just (say), ‘Oh, our second preseason game didn’t go the way we wanted. That’s it.’
“Guys in this locker room want to get better. I want to get better as a player. And that’s what it’s about. It’s a process. You’ve just got to chisel away. It’s not pretty right now. But we’ll get there. I believe we’ll get there. I know we’ll get there.”
After reviewing game film, Fisher was equally adamant during his Monday media session.
“Our offense is coming,” Fisher said. “It’s coming. I saw a lot of good things out of our offense against the Cowboys.”
He was referring, of course, to the two days of joint practices with Dallas last week in Oxnard, Calif. But the results haven’t been there so far in the preseason games.
With the starting unit on the field, running backs Tre Mason and Benny Cunningham have combined for just 40 yards on 14 carries – or 2.9 yards per carry. Foles has completed six of 12 passes for 87 yards, with a very poor passer rating of 39.2.
Again, small sample size. And the one play that pulled Foles’ passer rating down was the interception he threw against Tennessee that was returned 24 yards for a touchdown by Perrish Cox.
Once he saw Cox attempting to jump the route, intended receiver Kenny Britt should’ve flattened his route to try and prevent the interception. But Foles blamed himself.
“I’m the one who released the ball,” Foles said. “It’s on me. That’s one of those ones where you learn from it. Next time you see that, you throw it over their heads.
“That’s what the preseason’s made for, situations like that where you can learn from it, move forward, and stay positive through it all.”
While noting Sunday that Britt needed to adjust his route, Fisher basically agreed with Foles’ assessment Monday.
“Nick wants that ball back,” Fisher said. “He’d love to have that ball back. That wasn’t a good decision by Nick. That’s not the first interception he’s thrown, and it’s not the last one he’s gonna throw. But he’s had a great camp. I have no concerns whatsoever.”
When the Rams studied Foles on tape before the Sam Bradford trade, Fisher said he reacted to throwing an interception the same way he reacted after getting busted in the mouth.
“He would come up and throw a rope for a touchdown, either the next series or the very next play,” Fisher said. “So that’s how he is. He’s unique in that he has a very short memory, and that’s good.”
Foles obviously would like to move the ball better, but he’s not going to panic after two exhibition contests.
“I’ll never panic as a quarterback,” he said. “If you tank, and you’ve given up — I would never give up as long as I play this game.”
Fisher generally keeps the offense very basic in the preseason, with a minimum of game-planning. He doesn’t like to show much this time of year. The Titans, meanwhile, came at the Rams aggressively under assistant head coach/defense Dick LeBeau – a new hire in Tennessee but one of the most respected defensive minds in the game.
“They did a great job,” Foles said. “They played aggressively. They had more juice than us tonight, and it showed.”
Foles wasn’t the only player in the visitors’ locker room at Nissan Stadium to cite a lack of “juice” or energy Sunday night. Britt, in discussing the offense’s struggles against Tennessee, said: “Our energy was a little bit low.”
After spending most of an 11-day stretch on the road — to Oakland, to Oxnard, back home to St. Louis for a couple of days, and then off to Nashville — perhaps the Rams were a little road weary against the Titans.
“I think it’s a contributing factor,” Fisher said. “We’re all looking forward to finally playing here at home. I know the players are. We’ll have some normalcy to our week.”
Unfortunately, it may take a while for normality to reach the offense. Foles is a new quarterback to the Rams learning what’s a new system to him. The Rams have a new offensive coordinator in Frank Cignetti, and rookies starting at right guard and right tackle.
The three-ring circus continues at center with Tim Barnes, Demetrius Rhaney and Barrett Jones rotating in with the first-team offense. Fisher said he doesn’t expect a decision there until the start of the regular season.
The starting left guard, Rodger Saffold, has been out with a shoulder injury since early in the preseason opener in Oakland. So continuity has been nonexistent on the offensive line.
“It’s a lot of learning for the younger guys, a lot of learning for me being in a new system,” Foles said.
