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<a class="postlink" href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-may-get-offensive-line-help/article_06b1bfa8-e866-5d12-9943-f038b733f269.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football ... 3f269.html</a>
[wrapimg=left]http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/46/0466aad8-90fb-5a75-b31b-92060dbe4295/4ee2b7dc9748a.preview-300.jpg[/wrapimg]When Rodger Saffold suffered a season-ending torn pectoral muscle lifting weights Nov. 18, Mark LeVoir got a rare NFL start two days later against Seattle.
It was only the fourth start in five NFL seasons for LeVoir, who had joined the Rams just 3½ weeks earlier. LeVoir held his own at left tackle against Chris Clemons and the Seahawks for 1½ quarters but then left with a pec injury of his own.
Maybe it was mere coincidence, but the Rams kept Clemons and the Seahawks off quarterback Sam Bradford while LeVoir was in the game. The pass-rushing floodgates opened afterward, with Seattle wracking up five sacks of Bradford in the final 2½ quarters.
Clemons had career highs with three sacks and two forced fumbles and was named NFC defensive player of the week in Seattle's 24-7 victory over the Rams. All told, Bradford was hit six other times in that game and hurried on four other occasions by Post-Dispatch count.
Even though Clemons' total added up to three sacks, he actually was part of bringing Bradford down four times because he was credited with two solo sacks and two half-sacks in that game. Clemons has been stuck on eight sacks for the season since that Nov. 20 game, so he'll be happy to see the Rams arrive in Seattle for their rematch Monday night.
The Rams are hopeful that LeVoir, who missed the past two games with his injury, will be back in the lineup at left tackle and that his return will help stabilize things on an offensive line that has gotten shakier as the injuries have mounted.
Coach Steve Spagnuolo recalled that LeVoir was "pretty solid" against Seattle before the injury.
"I can't recall exactly all the plays, but we got him here for a reason," Spagnuolo said. "He's played in the league before. He's played in this system before, so all of that is a positive."
Apparently a man of few words, LeVoir offered the briefest of updates on his health and his status for Seattle.
"I feel good," LeVoir said earlier in the week. "I'm just day to day, and when I'm ready I'll be back."
After being limited in practice Thursday, LeVoir was full participation Friday, so it looks like he's good to go against Seattle. Even so, the Rams still have some options on how the rest of the line shakes out because of the knee injury left guard Jacob Bell suffered at the start of the fourth quarter against San Francisco. Bell was placed on the injured reserve list Wednesday.
Adam Goldberg — who struggled in starts at left tackle the past two Sundays — can return to the right tackle spot where he played well in four starts following Jason Smith's concussion against Dallas. Goldberg took a shot to the ribs in the first quarter against San Francisco but missed only one play. X-rays were negative, and Goldberg isn't even listed on the Rams' injury report.
As for his play at left tackle, Goldberg offered no excuses.
"I have not performed the way that I should've performed," he said. "And even though it's different and I've been in a right-hand stance for the last three seasons, that doesn't matter. When your team puts you in a position to execute for your offense, it's your job to do so.
"So obviously, I haven't performed at a level at left tackle that I would've liked, and I wasn't able to match my performance that I had at right tackle."
If LeVoir's at left tackle and Goldberg's back at right tackle, the Rams could then move Harvey Dahl back to his natural position of right guard (from right tackle). The only remaining question would then be what to do at left guard now that Bell is out for the year.
In the shuffling that followed LeVoir's injury, Jason Brown started the past two games at right guard. He had been the Rams' starting center for 2½ years, encompassing 40 consecutive starts, until being benched against Cleveland and Seattle.
"I'm still knocking off the rust from when I last played guard four years ago," Brown said. "I'm not playing as well as I'd like to out here, just to be honest with you. But it is what it is. I told you before (following the benching) that there would be a time later on in the season that my services would more than likely be required and needed. And hey, they're required and needed. I'm here."
Brown is much more comfortable at left guard, which is the position he played for part of his time in Baltimore before signing with the Rams in 2009. It showed against San Francisco after Bell went down; Brown shifted to left guard from right guard and appeared to play noticeably better there.
There's at least one other line possibility for the Rams. Recently signed guard Bryan Mattison, who was claimed off waivers from Baltimore on Nov.25, could get a crack at guard. If that's the case, the Rams could keep Dahl at right tackle, where he has played well the past two weeks.
"I can't say enough about Harvey Dahl," Spagnuolo said. "He came in here, he's got an attitude, and he's been a good football player in this league for a long time. And then you take a guy from his natural position at guard and move him out at tackle in a week's time — I think he's done a terrific job."
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-may-get-offensive-line-help/article_06b1bfa8-e866-5d12-9943-f038b733f269.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football ... 3f269.html</a>
[wrapimg=left]http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/46/0466aad8-90fb-5a75-b31b-92060dbe4295/4ee2b7dc9748a.preview-300.jpg[/wrapimg]When Rodger Saffold suffered a season-ending torn pectoral muscle lifting weights Nov. 18, Mark LeVoir got a rare NFL start two days later against Seattle.
It was only the fourth start in five NFL seasons for LeVoir, who had joined the Rams just 3½ weeks earlier. LeVoir held his own at left tackle against Chris Clemons and the Seahawks for 1½ quarters but then left with a pec injury of his own.
Maybe it was mere coincidence, but the Rams kept Clemons and the Seahawks off quarterback Sam Bradford while LeVoir was in the game. The pass-rushing floodgates opened afterward, with Seattle wracking up five sacks of Bradford in the final 2½ quarters.
Clemons had career highs with three sacks and two forced fumbles and was named NFC defensive player of the week in Seattle's 24-7 victory over the Rams. All told, Bradford was hit six other times in that game and hurried on four other occasions by Post-Dispatch count.
Even though Clemons' total added up to three sacks, he actually was part of bringing Bradford down four times because he was credited with two solo sacks and two half-sacks in that game. Clemons has been stuck on eight sacks for the season since that Nov. 20 game, so he'll be happy to see the Rams arrive in Seattle for their rematch Monday night.
The Rams are hopeful that LeVoir, who missed the past two games with his injury, will be back in the lineup at left tackle and that his return will help stabilize things on an offensive line that has gotten shakier as the injuries have mounted.
Coach Steve Spagnuolo recalled that LeVoir was "pretty solid" against Seattle before the injury.
"I can't recall exactly all the plays, but we got him here for a reason," Spagnuolo said. "He's played in the league before. He's played in this system before, so all of that is a positive."
Apparently a man of few words, LeVoir offered the briefest of updates on his health and his status for Seattle.
"I feel good," LeVoir said earlier in the week. "I'm just day to day, and when I'm ready I'll be back."
After being limited in practice Thursday, LeVoir was full participation Friday, so it looks like he's good to go against Seattle. Even so, the Rams still have some options on how the rest of the line shakes out because of the knee injury left guard Jacob Bell suffered at the start of the fourth quarter against San Francisco. Bell was placed on the injured reserve list Wednesday.
Adam Goldberg — who struggled in starts at left tackle the past two Sundays — can return to the right tackle spot where he played well in four starts following Jason Smith's concussion against Dallas. Goldberg took a shot to the ribs in the first quarter against San Francisco but missed only one play. X-rays were negative, and Goldberg isn't even listed on the Rams' injury report.
As for his play at left tackle, Goldberg offered no excuses.
"I have not performed the way that I should've performed," he said. "And even though it's different and I've been in a right-hand stance for the last three seasons, that doesn't matter. When your team puts you in a position to execute for your offense, it's your job to do so.
"So obviously, I haven't performed at a level at left tackle that I would've liked, and I wasn't able to match my performance that I had at right tackle."
If LeVoir's at left tackle and Goldberg's back at right tackle, the Rams could then move Harvey Dahl back to his natural position of right guard (from right tackle). The only remaining question would then be what to do at left guard now that Bell is out for the year.
In the shuffling that followed LeVoir's injury, Jason Brown started the past two games at right guard. He had been the Rams' starting center for 2½ years, encompassing 40 consecutive starts, until being benched against Cleveland and Seattle.
"I'm still knocking off the rust from when I last played guard four years ago," Brown said. "I'm not playing as well as I'd like to out here, just to be honest with you. But it is what it is. I told you before (following the benching) that there would be a time later on in the season that my services would more than likely be required and needed. And hey, they're required and needed. I'm here."
Brown is much more comfortable at left guard, which is the position he played for part of his time in Baltimore before signing with the Rams in 2009. It showed against San Francisco after Bell went down; Brown shifted to left guard from right guard and appeared to play noticeably better there.
There's at least one other line possibility for the Rams. Recently signed guard Bryan Mattison, who was claimed off waivers from Baltimore on Nov.25, could get a crack at guard. If that's the case, the Rams could keep Dahl at right tackle, where he has played well the past two weeks.
"I can't say enough about Harvey Dahl," Spagnuolo said. "He came in here, he's got an attitude, and he's been a good football player in this league for a long time. And then you take a guy from his natural position at guard and move him out at tackle in a week's time — I think he's done a terrific job."
