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Practice Report 8/10: Williams Sees Big Potential
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-practicereport/Practice-Report-810-Williams-Sees-Big-Potential/7fb2ebd4-74f2-4f32-aff6-dbc17d52841c
Last year, the Rams’ defense came in with high expectations that took some time to live up to. But in 2015, the team is looking to translate 2014’s late success to a fast start. Having Gregg Williams back for a second year as coordinator has made a difference so far in training camp.
“There’s an understanding of how we go about doing things,” Williams said after Monday’s practice. “More familiarity for them, and more familiarity for me, too. So it’s been good to see that.”
With Friday’s game against the Raiders approaching, Williams is looking forward to seeing some of the team’s younger players in action. Aside from staying healthy, Williams said one of the most important factors of the first preseason contest is introducing players to stressful situations.
“Until you get into a live game, you don’t see live pressure, you don’t see live tackling, you don’t see live situations,” Williams said. “I need to see them handle stress. And that’ll be a good part of the game.”
No longer a rookie, Aaron Donald has impressed the defensive coordinator thus far in camp. Head coach Jeff Fisher said yesterday that the defensive tackle started the offseason “on a mission,” and Williams reiterated how good the Pitt product has looked.
“I really believe he just scratched the surface last year,” Williams said of the 2014 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. “He’s a rare person instinctive-wise. He’s a rare person intelligence-wise about that position. And he’s a rare person leverage-wise.”
“He’s going to have to stay healthy,” Williams continued. “That’s a tough thing to do in our business when you’re playing in the trenches the way he plays. But he’s got a good injury history in the past. So if he continues to stay healthy, I think you’ll see even more production out of him.”
Williams also gave plenty of credit to Michael Brockers -- who became a father yesterday -- for how he can handle double teams, freeing Donald to make plays in the backfield.
“‘Brock’ has his back on a lot of things on some of the things situationally that we teach,” Williams said.
Sticking with the defensive line, one of the factors that should aid in a fast start is be the health of Chris Long. But while the defensive end missed 10 games last year with a lower-leg injury, Williams said Will Hayes did an admirable job filling in.
“Will Hayes was our defensive-production leader on how we go about grading for the season,” Williams said. “He led in production on the intricate way that we go about disrupting the timing of opponents offenses. So Will got a chance to play more and he stepped in and did a good job.”
If that health can continue through the entire unit, the Rams’ defense can be one of the best in the league.
“We always think that,” Williams said. “I’ve had some really good defenses in the past. I’ve had some really good ones across the league in other teams. They have the makings of it, but, again, we have to stay healthy.
“And some of the offenses, hopefully they’ll cooperate, too, and not play as well,” Williams added with a smile.
BEATING THE HEAT
Though it was pouring rain around an hour and a half before practice was scheduled to start, the sun came out in Earth City and the Rams held their session outside. But it was a hot one, with temperatures hovering around 90 degrees.
With the high temperatures over the last couple of days, Fisher said the training staff has done a good job of keeping players hydrated.
“We’re monitoring everything from a recovery standpoint and [the players] came back really well last night, today,” Fisher said. “They know. Today, we were back-to-back padded days. Tomorrow we’ll take the pads off and start our preparation for the preseason.”
E.J. GAINES’ STATUS
Second-year cornerback E.J. Gaines was injured in practice early in camp, and Fisher said on Monday that there is still no clear update on him.
“The only thing I can say is that he’s seeing the specialist right now and we haven’t gotten any results yet,” Fisher said.
PREPPING FOR THE PRESEASON
As usual, Fisher said that the Rams would not be doing much game planning for the first preseason game against the Raiders. But there are tasks the team must complete before Friday night at 9 p.m. CT.
“We have to go through our pregame warm-up routine and go through all that stuff,” Fisher said. “Of course, then we have that unique opportunity to go out in between the two games, one and two, and practice against the Cowboys, so that will be a great experience for us.”
While the head coach added the staff will discuss playing time on Tuesday, don’t expect much from the starting units. But with a few players dinged up, there should be plenty of opportunities for younger players to make an impression.
“That’s always the case in preseason,” Fisher said. “If you got guys that are nicked that you’re going to hold out or that can’t potentially go, the younger guys get more play time and so that’s what we’re going to evaluate.”
ROBINSON’S PROGRESSION
Left tackle Greg Robinson has made plenty of progress since the start of the calendar year, having spent much of it at Rams Park recovering from surgery early in the offseason. Offensive line coach Paul T. Boudreau said Robinson is much further ahead of where he was last year.
“It’s like night and day,” Boudreau said. “And usually, the biggest transition for a lineman is between that first year and the second year -- the offseason is invaluable. You can’t see them until April anymore, but the fact that he was injured [meant] he was here every day. He was watching tape and it was really good for him because he was in the building.”
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-practicereport/Practice-Report-810-Williams-Sees-Big-Potential/7fb2ebd4-74f2-4f32-aff6-dbc17d52841c
Last year, the Rams’ defense came in with high expectations that took some time to live up to. But in 2015, the team is looking to translate 2014’s late success to a fast start. Having Gregg Williams back for a second year as coordinator has made a difference so far in training camp.
“There’s an understanding of how we go about doing things,” Williams said after Monday’s practice. “More familiarity for them, and more familiarity for me, too. So it’s been good to see that.”
With Friday’s game against the Raiders approaching, Williams is looking forward to seeing some of the team’s younger players in action. Aside from staying healthy, Williams said one of the most important factors of the first preseason contest is introducing players to stressful situations.
“Until you get into a live game, you don’t see live pressure, you don’t see live tackling, you don’t see live situations,” Williams said. “I need to see them handle stress. And that’ll be a good part of the game.”
No longer a rookie, Aaron Donald has impressed the defensive coordinator thus far in camp. Head coach Jeff Fisher said yesterday that the defensive tackle started the offseason “on a mission,” and Williams reiterated how good the Pitt product has looked.
“I really believe he just scratched the surface last year,” Williams said of the 2014 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. “He’s a rare person instinctive-wise. He’s a rare person intelligence-wise about that position. And he’s a rare person leverage-wise.”
“He’s going to have to stay healthy,” Williams continued. “That’s a tough thing to do in our business when you’re playing in the trenches the way he plays. But he’s got a good injury history in the past. So if he continues to stay healthy, I think you’ll see even more production out of him.”
Williams also gave plenty of credit to Michael Brockers -- who became a father yesterday -- for how he can handle double teams, freeing Donald to make plays in the backfield.
“‘Brock’ has his back on a lot of things on some of the things situationally that we teach,” Williams said.
Sticking with the defensive line, one of the factors that should aid in a fast start is be the health of Chris Long. But while the defensive end missed 10 games last year with a lower-leg injury, Williams said Will Hayes did an admirable job filling in.
“Will Hayes was our defensive-production leader on how we go about grading for the season,” Williams said. “He led in production on the intricate way that we go about disrupting the timing of opponents offenses. So Will got a chance to play more and he stepped in and did a good job.”
If that health can continue through the entire unit, the Rams’ defense can be one of the best in the league.
“We always think that,” Williams said. “I’ve had some really good defenses in the past. I’ve had some really good ones across the league in other teams. They have the makings of it, but, again, we have to stay healthy.
“And some of the offenses, hopefully they’ll cooperate, too, and not play as well,” Williams added with a smile.
BEATING THE HEAT
Though it was pouring rain around an hour and a half before practice was scheduled to start, the sun came out in Earth City and the Rams held their session outside. But it was a hot one, with temperatures hovering around 90 degrees.
With the high temperatures over the last couple of days, Fisher said the training staff has done a good job of keeping players hydrated.
“We’re monitoring everything from a recovery standpoint and [the players] came back really well last night, today,” Fisher said. “They know. Today, we were back-to-back padded days. Tomorrow we’ll take the pads off and start our preparation for the preseason.”
E.J. GAINES’ STATUS
Second-year cornerback E.J. Gaines was injured in practice early in camp, and Fisher said on Monday that there is still no clear update on him.
“The only thing I can say is that he’s seeing the specialist right now and we haven’t gotten any results yet,” Fisher said.
PREPPING FOR THE PRESEASON
As usual, Fisher said that the Rams would not be doing much game planning for the first preseason game against the Raiders. But there are tasks the team must complete before Friday night at 9 p.m. CT.
“We have to go through our pregame warm-up routine and go through all that stuff,” Fisher said. “Of course, then we have that unique opportunity to go out in between the two games, one and two, and practice against the Cowboys, so that will be a great experience for us.”
While the head coach added the staff will discuss playing time on Tuesday, don’t expect much from the starting units. But with a few players dinged up, there should be plenty of opportunities for younger players to make an impression.
“That’s always the case in preseason,” Fisher said. “If you got guys that are nicked that you’re going to hold out or that can’t potentially go, the younger guys get more play time and so that’s what we’re going to evaluate.”
ROBINSON’S PROGRESSION
Left tackle Greg Robinson has made plenty of progress since the start of the calendar year, having spent much of it at Rams Park recovering from surgery early in the offseason. Offensive line coach Paul T. Boudreau said Robinson is much further ahead of where he was last year.
“It’s like night and day,” Boudreau said. “And usually, the biggest transition for a lineman is between that first year and the second year -- the offseason is invaluable. You can’t see them until April anymore, but the fact that he was injured [meant] he was here every day. He was watching tape and it was really good for him because he was in the building.”
