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Practice Report 10/20: Back to Work
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Practice-Report-1020-Back-to-Work/b3241a8e-37b0-477b-8358-65754e6ef821
Following the team’s bye, the Rams were back on the field Tuesday afternoon for their first practice of Week 7.
Head coach Jeff Fisher said the team came back well after the weekend off.
“They got an early workout in inside the building and we had a meeting, got started and discussed some things that happened around the league -- things to learn from in certain games and things. Then we got into the game plan,” Fisher said.
At 2-3, the Rams are certainly still in the thick of the NFC West race. The team’s expectation all along has been to contend for the division title, and players maintained that in the locker room on Tuesday.
“It started in the first two weeks of OTAs,” wide receiver Kenny Britt said. “We felt like we had a chance to go be division champs, and that's our goal. It's still there and we have to go get it.”
“I don't think that's something we ever lost sight of,” tight end Jared Cook said. “It's something that's been a goal ever since we stepped on the field during camp. It's something that's going to continue to be the goal, as we take each week head on and the next team is the Browns.”
Still, it’s fairly early and things have yet to really begin to shake out.
“That’s everybody’s goal, but we just have to have a good week and get ready, do the best we can and see if we find a way to win this game,” Fisher said.
And right now, the Rams’ focus is on a Browns team that has played better football than their record indicates, according to Fisher.
“The hard part about what we’re going into this week is we’re going into a really good defensive scheme that challenges you,” Fisher said. “Their rank statistically at 30th in the league is very, very misleading. This is a good defensive football team.”
In Week 5, Cleveland went on the road to Baltimore and won an overtime thriller 30-27. Then, on Sunday, the Browns intercepted quarterback Peyton Manning three times in a 26-23 overtime loss at home to the Broncos.
Those are the kinds of elements that can make Cleveland tough to face.
“If you put in the tape on them and watch four games, they don’t look like the 30th ranked team in the NFL on defense,” Fisher said. “They tackle well, they make plays, they stop the run, they challenge you.”
Another challenge stems from the fact that the Browns are an uncommon opponent for St. Louis. The last time the two teams faced one another was in 2011 -- before either current coaching regime arrived with their respective team.
But the added time St. Louis’ coaching staff had during the bye week should aid the team in its preparation.
“Coaches have had a lot of extra time, a lot more time from a game planning standpoint,” Fisher said. “The players understand the difference between the unfamiliar opponent versus the familiar opponent and the extra time that’s involved. So, they’re going to have to put the extra time in.”
ADDRESSING THE RUMORS
While there have been some rumors floating around on a potential trade of tight end Jared Cook, Fisher quashed them on Tuesday.
“I have no interest in trading Jared. He’s a big part of our offense,” Fisher said. “I don’t know where that originated from or came from. I clearly wasn’t aware of it.”
“People have interest in players,” Fisher added. “This day and age, they’ve got more information. If they sense some players that you have may fit their system, they’re going to call. You either say yes or no.”
Part of it stems from the fact that, at this point in the season, teams may have a situation where a particular player could be a fit because of need.
“We take calls all of the time. People call. People have injuries. People have interest,” Fisher said. “He’s not the only person that people called us about last week.”
And as for Cook, the tight end said he knew there wasn’t anything to worry about because he wasn’t contacted by the team or his agent.
“If it was something I needed to know they would have told me,” Cook said. “There's a lot of people who put things out there that really isn't credible a lot of the time -- everywhere around the world. It's your choice to pay attention to it, it's your choice to take in what they're saying, and it's your choice to ignore it.”
“Jared’s fine,” Fisher said. “He’s a big part of this.”
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Practice-Report-1020-Back-to-Work/b3241a8e-37b0-477b-8358-65754e6ef821
Following the team’s bye, the Rams were back on the field Tuesday afternoon for their first practice of Week 7.
Head coach Jeff Fisher said the team came back well after the weekend off.
“They got an early workout in inside the building and we had a meeting, got started and discussed some things that happened around the league -- things to learn from in certain games and things. Then we got into the game plan,” Fisher said.
At 2-3, the Rams are certainly still in the thick of the NFC West race. The team’s expectation all along has been to contend for the division title, and players maintained that in the locker room on Tuesday.
“It started in the first two weeks of OTAs,” wide receiver Kenny Britt said. “We felt like we had a chance to go be division champs, and that's our goal. It's still there and we have to go get it.”
“I don't think that's something we ever lost sight of,” tight end Jared Cook said. “It's something that's been a goal ever since we stepped on the field during camp. It's something that's going to continue to be the goal, as we take each week head on and the next team is the Browns.”
Still, it’s fairly early and things have yet to really begin to shake out.
“That’s everybody’s goal, but we just have to have a good week and get ready, do the best we can and see if we find a way to win this game,” Fisher said.
And right now, the Rams’ focus is on a Browns team that has played better football than their record indicates, according to Fisher.
“The hard part about what we’re going into this week is we’re going into a really good defensive scheme that challenges you,” Fisher said. “Their rank statistically at 30th in the league is very, very misleading. This is a good defensive football team.”
In Week 5, Cleveland went on the road to Baltimore and won an overtime thriller 30-27. Then, on Sunday, the Browns intercepted quarterback Peyton Manning three times in a 26-23 overtime loss at home to the Broncos.
Those are the kinds of elements that can make Cleveland tough to face.
“If you put in the tape on them and watch four games, they don’t look like the 30th ranked team in the NFL on defense,” Fisher said. “They tackle well, they make plays, they stop the run, they challenge you.”
Another challenge stems from the fact that the Browns are an uncommon opponent for St. Louis. The last time the two teams faced one another was in 2011 -- before either current coaching regime arrived with their respective team.
But the added time St. Louis’ coaching staff had during the bye week should aid the team in its preparation.
“Coaches have had a lot of extra time, a lot more time from a game planning standpoint,” Fisher said. “The players understand the difference between the unfamiliar opponent versus the familiar opponent and the extra time that’s involved. So, they’re going to have to put the extra time in.”
ADDRESSING THE RUMORS
While there have been some rumors floating around on a potential trade of tight end Jared Cook, Fisher quashed them on Tuesday.
“I have no interest in trading Jared. He’s a big part of our offense,” Fisher said. “I don’t know where that originated from or came from. I clearly wasn’t aware of it.”
“People have interest in players,” Fisher added. “This day and age, they’ve got more information. If they sense some players that you have may fit their system, they’re going to call. You either say yes or no.”
Part of it stems from the fact that, at this point in the season, teams may have a situation where a particular player could be a fit because of need.
“We take calls all of the time. People call. People have injuries. People have interest,” Fisher said. “He’s not the only person that people called us about last week.”
And as for Cook, the tight end said he knew there wasn’t anything to worry about because he wasn’t contacted by the team or his agent.
“If it was something I needed to know they would have told me,” Cook said. “There's a lot of people who put things out there that really isn't credible a lot of the time -- everywhere around the world. It's your choice to pay attention to it, it's your choice to take in what they're saying, and it's your choice to ignore it.”
“Jared’s fine,” Fisher said. “He’s a big part of this.”
