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http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_3bfb5064-7e69-5e9e-881d-7eaaa3ec1e7f.html
In the modern-day NFL, it’s common for defensive linemen to rotate during a game. They come in and out in waves. Some are pass-rushing specialists; some are wide-bodies who excel at stuffing the run. The rotation system keeps players fresh and can wear down opposing offensive linemen.
Not so on the other side of the ball. If you’re an offensive lineman in the NFL, you’re either playing every down, or you’re hurt.
But that hasn’t always been the case for the Rams this season. For the last four games, or beginning with the Jacksonville game, the Rams have been rotating starter Chris Williams and backup Shelley Smith at left guard. In the first four games of the season, or through the Thursday night contest against San Francisco, Williams played every snap.
But against Jacksonville, Smith got 36 percent of the Rams’ offensive snaps (26 plays) to Williams’ 64 percent (47 plays). The following week in Houston, it was Smith at 33 percent to Williams’ 67 percent. And in Carolina, Smith was in 38 percent of the time to Williams’ 62 percent.
So basically Williams was getting about two plays for every one play for Smith.
“If you remember last year, the last (two) games we rotated Chris and Shelley,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said.
The timeshare came as a result of a season-ending biceps tendon injury for right guard Harvey Dahl.
This season, following a 35-11 drubbing by the 49ers on Sept. 26, the Rams decided to go with the Williams-Smith rotation system once again.
“It’s a credit to them that they’ve been able to do it so well,” Schottenheimer said.
Rotating offensive linemen at one position is unusual enough. But starting with the Carolina game, the Rams started doing it at two of the five O-line positions. That was when the team’s usual starting right tackle, Rodger Saffold, returned after missing four games with a knee injury.
Joe Barksdale, who started in Saffold’s place, has played well enough that he has continued starting with Saffold rotating in. Against the Panthers, it was basically an even split, with Barksdale in for 51 percent of the snaps (31 plays) to Saffold’s 49 percent (30 plays). The split was much more pronounced against Seattle: Barksdale 76 percent (58 plays) to Saffold’s 24 percent (18 plays).
Fisher said one of the main reasons for the rotation is simply that the players in question are pretty close in talent.
“Yeah, they are,” Fisher said. “Rodger was a starter. Joe steps in and Joe plays well, and we just felt like to get Rodger back in the flow it made sense to get him in the ballgame and let them alternate. So, we’ll probably continue with that.”
Cohesiveness is so important on the offensive line, particularly when it comes to co-op blocking on defensive line stunts and loops, conventional wisdom says rotating blockers can disrupt chemistry. But there are some advantages to doing so, according to Schottenheimer.
“Sometimes it’s good because you give the defensive ends and the defensive tackles different looks because they’re going against a different player,” he said. “They study certain guys just like we study certain defensive linemen’s techniques. That kind of helps keep them off guard: ‘Hey, I’ve got to prepare for two guys rather than one.’ ”
In the past, Saffold has always been reinserted into the starting lineup when returning from an injury. So this is something new for him. Scheduled for unrestricted free agency, and originally upset during the offseason when switched to right tackle following the addition of left tackle Jake Long in free agency, Saffold isn’t making waves about his current situation.
“I’m just going to continue to be patient and just see what happens,” Saffold said last week. “The reps that I do get in practice, I really try to take advantage of those.
“That way, when I do go into a game, I’m ready to go. Now as for what the coaches are looking for, I’m not really sure. But I’m sure they have their reasons (for the rotation system). But at the same time, there’s no reason for me to start a skirmish, you know, because life could be worse. I could not be playing at all.
“And I think Reggie’s really trying to be cautious on this one.” (Reggie Scott is the Rams’ head athletic trainer.)
“I got back a little faster than I thought I was going to (from the knee injury),” Saffold continued. “I’ve been working, and I thought I could’ve played in the Texas game. They’re just really trying to make sure that I’m there for the end of the (season) stretch.
“I just take it how it is. Joe’s doing the best he can, and he’s really working. And I’m constantly working with him. And then if anything happens on the other side (at left tackle), I’m able to play on that side, too.”
This Sunday against Tennessee, the rotation system figures to be limited to right tackle. Because of a knee injury to Dahl, which could sideline him for several weeks, Smith goes from rotating with Williams at left guard to starting for Dahl at right guard.
Dahl’s injury led to more playing time for Smith against Seattle. Smith was in for only eight plays at left guard but played the final 31 snaps of the game at right guard once Dahl went out in the third quarter.
In the modern-day NFL, it’s common for defensive linemen to rotate during a game. They come in and out in waves. Some are pass-rushing specialists; some are wide-bodies who excel at stuffing the run. The rotation system keeps players fresh and can wear down opposing offensive linemen.
Not so on the other side of the ball. If you’re an offensive lineman in the NFL, you’re either playing every down, or you’re hurt.
But that hasn’t always been the case for the Rams this season. For the last four games, or beginning with the Jacksonville game, the Rams have been rotating starter Chris Williams and backup Shelley Smith at left guard. In the first four games of the season, or through the Thursday night contest against San Francisco, Williams played every snap.
But against Jacksonville, Smith got 36 percent of the Rams’ offensive snaps (26 plays) to Williams’ 64 percent (47 plays). The following week in Houston, it was Smith at 33 percent to Williams’ 67 percent. And in Carolina, Smith was in 38 percent of the time to Williams’ 62 percent.
So basically Williams was getting about two plays for every one play for Smith.
“If you remember last year, the last (two) games we rotated Chris and Shelley,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said.
The timeshare came as a result of a season-ending biceps tendon injury for right guard Harvey Dahl.
This season, following a 35-11 drubbing by the 49ers on Sept. 26, the Rams decided to go with the Williams-Smith rotation system once again.
“It’s a credit to them that they’ve been able to do it so well,” Schottenheimer said.
Rotating offensive linemen at one position is unusual enough. But starting with the Carolina game, the Rams started doing it at two of the five O-line positions. That was when the team’s usual starting right tackle, Rodger Saffold, returned after missing four games with a knee injury.
Joe Barksdale, who started in Saffold’s place, has played well enough that he has continued starting with Saffold rotating in. Against the Panthers, it was basically an even split, with Barksdale in for 51 percent of the snaps (31 plays) to Saffold’s 49 percent (30 plays). The split was much more pronounced against Seattle: Barksdale 76 percent (58 plays) to Saffold’s 24 percent (18 plays).
Fisher said one of the main reasons for the rotation is simply that the players in question are pretty close in talent.
“Yeah, they are,” Fisher said. “Rodger was a starter. Joe steps in and Joe plays well, and we just felt like to get Rodger back in the flow it made sense to get him in the ballgame and let them alternate. So, we’ll probably continue with that.”
Cohesiveness is so important on the offensive line, particularly when it comes to co-op blocking on defensive line stunts and loops, conventional wisdom says rotating blockers can disrupt chemistry. But there are some advantages to doing so, according to Schottenheimer.
“Sometimes it’s good because you give the defensive ends and the defensive tackles different looks because they’re going against a different player,” he said. “They study certain guys just like we study certain defensive linemen’s techniques. That kind of helps keep them off guard: ‘Hey, I’ve got to prepare for two guys rather than one.’ ”
In the past, Saffold has always been reinserted into the starting lineup when returning from an injury. So this is something new for him. Scheduled for unrestricted free agency, and originally upset during the offseason when switched to right tackle following the addition of left tackle Jake Long in free agency, Saffold isn’t making waves about his current situation.
“I’m just going to continue to be patient and just see what happens,” Saffold said last week. “The reps that I do get in practice, I really try to take advantage of those.
“That way, when I do go into a game, I’m ready to go. Now as for what the coaches are looking for, I’m not really sure. But I’m sure they have their reasons (for the rotation system). But at the same time, there’s no reason for me to start a skirmish, you know, because life could be worse. I could not be playing at all.
“And I think Reggie’s really trying to be cautious on this one.” (Reggie Scott is the Rams’ head athletic trainer.)
“I got back a little faster than I thought I was going to (from the knee injury),” Saffold continued. “I’ve been working, and I thought I could’ve played in the Texas game. They’re just really trying to make sure that I’m there for the end of the (season) stretch.
“I just take it how it is. Joe’s doing the best he can, and he’s really working. And I’m constantly working with him. And then if anything happens on the other side (at left tackle), I’m able to play on that side, too.”
This Sunday against Tennessee, the rotation system figures to be limited to right tackle. Because of a knee injury to Dahl, which could sideline him for several weeks, Smith goes from rotating with Williams at left guard to starting for Dahl at right guard.
Dahl’s injury led to more playing time for Smith against Seattle. Smith was in for only eight plays at left guard but played the final 31 snaps of the game at right guard once Dahl went out in the third quarter.
