Offensive Line Woes Dragging Down Rams

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ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Finding a long-term quarterback solution will be an offseason priority for the St. Louis Rams considering Sam Bradford is rehabbing from a second straight season-ending left knee injury.

They might need help at less glitzy offensive positions, too.

The Rams (6-8) were held to 69 yards rushing on 20 carries, a 3.5-yard average, on Thursday night in a 12-6 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

They were 4 for 15 on third downs, had five three-and-outs in the third quarter with 6 yards total, and twice on fourth-and-1 deep in Arizona territory elected to play it safe with chip-shot field goals.

“Yeah, we had way too many three-and-outs and no first downs for a long time,” coach Jeff Fisher said Friday. “We went a quarter-and-a-half without a first down offensively, so that’s going to create problems for you field position-wise.”

Arizona coach Bruce Arians didn’t pass up a chance to rub it in after beating a team that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in three games.

It was the first time the Cardinals won on the road without a touchdown since 1935, according to STATS. They’re the only team in the NFL to win without a TD this season.

“I thought that our defensive line whipped their offensive line pretty solid,” Arians said. “When they were making tackles behind the line of scrimmage, there was usually an offensive lineman holding onto their legs but somehow those flags never got called.”

“But we were tackling them for losses, so it didn’t matter.”

Fisher was guilty of showmanship last week when he sent out players acquired in the Robert Griffin III deal for the coin toss at Washington. On Thursday, he had to take it from a coach who said after the game that Fisher’s teams are “always 8-8.”

“I told him that I hoped his quarterback was going to be OK,” Fisher said. “The last thing I said to him was, ‘Why don’t you go win a couple playoff games for the division, good luck.’

“That’s all I said to him. I have no comment on his comments.”

Fisher had another off-field issue to address. He met with tight end Jared Cook, who said after the game that the Rams had been “outplayed and outcoached.”

“We discussed it, and I think if he had to do it all over again, he wouldn’t have gone there from the ‘outcoached’ standpoint,” Fisher said. “It was kind of a one fell swoop, ‘Hey, we just got beat’ and included it all.”

Settling for Greg Zuerlein’s 19-yarder with just over six minutes remaining, after the Rams stalled at the 1, was probably a sound decision because it made it a one-score game. Benny Cunningham was stuffed for no gain on third-and-1 from the Arizona 7 in the first quarter.

Tackle Jake Long is out for the year with a knee injury. Left guard Rodger Saffold is at less than full strength with a nagging shoulder injury that will require surgery in the offseason. Center Scott Wells has been injury-prone and is wearing a brace covering his left arm, and right guard Davin Joseph, is a journeyman.

If Long hadn’t been hurt, rookie Greg Robinson could have stayed at right guard while adjusting to the NFL.

“We’ve got to get better at it. We need to be able to line up and say, ‘Here we come. This is what we’re running. Stop it,'” Fisher said. “We’re not there yet.”

St. Louis couldn’t muster enough offense to keep its late-season surge going with a third straight win, and is assured of an 11th straight season without a winning record. Winning the last two against the Giants next Sunday and at Seattle Dec. 28 would give the franchise its first .500 season since 2004.

“I’m not going to make any significant rosters moves, or play anybody here and there. We’re going to play this group throughout,” Fisher said.

“Pretty boring, actually.”
 

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“I told him that I hoped his quarterback was going to be OK,” Fisher said. “The last thing I said to him was, ‘Why don’t you go win a couple playoff games for the division, good luck.’
Sounds like Fisher was asking for those shitty comments by Arians.

Fisher had another off-field issue to address. He met with tight end Jared Cook, who said after the game that the Rams had been “outplayed and outcoached.”

“We discussed it, and I think if he had to do it all over again, he wouldn’t have gone there from the ‘outcoached’ standpoint,” Fisher said. “It was kind of a one fell swoop, ‘Hey, we just got beat’ and included it all.”
I think I'd like to know what was really said in that meeting.
 

Dodgersrf

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Cooks act is starting to get on my nerves.
From dropping balls and bumping his qb, leading the "don't shoot" movement and now calling out his employers.
He has underwhelmed at his position. I know he had a decent year last year, but I think k we could have gotten the same production from Kendricks.
 

Memphis Ram

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“We’ve got to get better at it. We need to be able to line up and say, ‘Here we come. This is what we’re running. Stop it,'” Fisher said. “We’re not there yet.”

Music to my ears. Of course, I believe Auburn's offense says just that as they run so few plays, but I'll hold on to that dream in another thread.;)
 

Mojo Ram

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“I told him that I hoped his quarterback was going to be OK,” Fisher said. “The last thing I said to him was, ‘Why don’t you go win a couple playoff games for the division, good luck.’

“That’s all I said to him. I have no comment on his comments.”
Fisher is playing this right. He has to protect Gregg Williams. The last thing Fisher needs to do is start some kind of vendetta war of words here...especially when our defense keeps knocking Cardinals QB's out of games year after year.
 

Thordaddy

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Cooks act is starting to get on my nerves.
From dropping balls and bumping his qb, leading the "don't shoot" movement and now calling out his employers.
He has underwhelmed at his position. I know he had a decent year last year, but I think k we could have gotten the same production from Kendricks.
Don't forget Bayer,BTW I asked a Titans fan why such a physically gifted guy like Cook had not all that great numbers and why the Titans let him get away.
He doesn't even try to block was what the guy said if they split him out a running play has a better chance to succeed because at least it can be a surprise ,if they play him tight the D figures you're trying to trick them and the cover him anyway.
Back to the line ,I'd draft the best guard in the draft and if the value for the pick wasn't there ,I'd trade down to where I was still drafting a top 2 guard,get rid of Wells and MAYBE go FA for a center .
 

mr.stlouis

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Just wanted to point out its much more the interior than the T's. More specically, it's Wells and Joseph. I like Robinson and Barks going forward, especially Robinson.
 

Elmgrovegnome

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Arians is such a dick. He had the nerve to complain about the Rams Oline holding the Cardinals when the Cards were holding on every play!
 

Athos

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Cooks act is starting to get on my nerves.
From dropping balls and bumping his qb, leading the "don't shoot" movement and now calling out his employers.
He has underwhelmed at his position. I know he had a decent year last year, but I think k we could have gotten the same production from Kendricks.

Meh. The dude OBVIOUSLY CARES and channels a lot of fire and passion. He doesn't channel it correctly a lot, but I'd hope the rest of our team is as pissed with their performances as he is. He just speaks before his thinks. That's his only crime.

And he's actually been significantly better than last year and that's with a whole lot of mediocrity tossing him the rock every week.
 

Ballhawk

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Third and goal from the one and Zac Stacy is on the bench! WTF!

Arians is so lucky that our coaches are stupid. He won't be lucky enough to face that in the playoffs.
 

DaveFan'51

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Third and goal from the one and Zac Stacy is on the bench! WTF!
Or Cunningham! 4th and goal from the one, with6+min. to go, I would have gone for the TD, which would have made it easier going for the FG late in the game. But I'm not the HC!
 

Dodgersrf

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Meh. The dude OBVIOUSLY CARES and channels a lot of fire and passion. He doesn't channel it correctly a lot, but I'd hope the rest of our team is as pissed with their performances as he is. He just speaks before his thinks. That's his only crime.

And he's actually been significantly better than last year and that's with a whole lot of mediocrity tossing him the rock every week.
Can't say he lacks passion.
I just want him to put it all on the field, instead of the news papers.
 

Elmgrovegnome

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As far as I can tell every coach whines about flags or lack of flags an every line holds like crazy.

I don't recall every coach doing that but okay.

My point is that he complained about it but his own team was doing it worse than the Rams. Pot calling the kettle black.
 

Memphis Ram

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Something to consider.

Prior to injuries, the 49ers Oline used to be pretty strong, but has there really been that good of an offensive line in the NFC West this year?
 

Merlin

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Don't forget Bayer,BTW I asked a Titans fan why such a physically gifted guy like Cook had not all that great numbers and why the Titans let him get away.
He doesn't even try to block was what the guy said if they split him out a running play has a better chance to succeed because at least it can be a surprise ,if they play him tight the D figures you're trying to trick them and the cover him anyway.
Back to the line ,I'd draft the best guard in the draft and if the value for the pick wasn't there ,I'd trade down to where I was still drafting a top 2 guard,get rid of Wells and MAYBE go FA for a center .

I'm with you on Bayer. Seems to me that the best TEs have strong natural instincts for finding the seams in zones, not necessarily the freak athletic ability. Cook is a freak and he can have big games, but what we lack is that guy who can steadily be open and where he needs to be consistently, game in and game out.

Bayer might be that kind of TE. Not flashy, not gonna wow you, but he might be able to consistently find that spot to sit in the zone, or catch that intermediate pass when you absolutely have to have it.

I recognize Cook's contributions, btw. But his attitude is rubbing me the wrong way, along with his boneheadness from time to time and tendency to disappear. I'd take a lesser talent TE that shuts the F up, who has a lunchpail attitude and who can give us a consistent receiving option with reasonable blocking over him every single day of the week.
 

SteveBrown

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Since 2007 I have been hoping for a dominant line (the end of 2006 was great)....when oh when? Fisher knows
 

StevenG-BR

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I think you go after one of the FA centers, then draft a mid and late round guard to compete with Jones for Davin's guard spot.

Other than that, I don't see the o-line needing a total revamp. Robinson developing and taking another step up towards his ceiling will improve the line by itself.