St. Louis Rams vs. Oakland Raiders Official Game Day thread

[fearsomefour]

Morning fearsomefour
Tackle? How many 6-2 320 pound OLT's are playing in the NFL?
http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/15094/brandon-washington

I sure have no issue with this suggested line up but Saffold has still chucks of rust to get knocked off if you recall he was injured in the first series of the first quarter when he was our starting ORT in 2013....that year did not work out well for him.

I would go with Barrett Jones with 1st team next game myself & let Rhaney run with the 2nd. I think Rhaney will have a role this season & make the master roster but not as starting OC.

Good morning.
I am just saying, the only time I have seen Washington look good was at T last preseason. I was lobbying for him to make the roster based on his ability to play T and assuming he would improve at G....I withdrawal my lobby. With Robinson, Havenstein, Battle (who didn't look bad), Saffold, Reynolds on the roster he has little chance to have value at T or anywhere else if he doesn't get much better very quickly.
Jones was not good last night. I think you are right that the Rams will rotate him with the 1's next week. I think all three were solid is pass last night, but, in the running game is where you earn your bones. Assuming all other things (line calls) are equal enough Rhaney is the starting C to me.
Barnes is ehh, Jones was bad and Rhaney can get angles in the run game.

 

[TheDYVKX]

Just read that Saffold's injury was to the other shoulder, not his surgically repaired one.

Now we have a LG with 2 bad shoulders instead of one.

 

[RAGRam]

I'm sure Foles needs to get it out faster but they even said on the broadcast last night that the WRs weren't getting open for him so it made it worse. I know most people here really like our WRs but I just don't see any of them consistently getting open or running good routes. They even pointed out how poor Tavon's route was.

The QB has to trust the WRs to be open and to run the proper route and run it well. If they don't, you're going to see hesitation(taking too long to throw it).

What broadcast did you get? I only got the Oakland home crew, I'm not sure they even mentioned the Rams once.

 

[V3]

The Raiders beat the Seahawks in preseason last year and how far did they make it? We'll be fine.

IMO, it's not so much the performance as much as it is the trend. We've seen this every year with Fisher and every year we hear how they aren't game planning, etc. Then when the season starts, it takes them half the season to get going. And this doesn't even cover the stupid penalties we see every year.

It's like Fisher and the team just don't learn from the past. I'm actually hoping Dallas takes it to the Rams next week in practice to get them into game shape because Fisher's Camp Charmin doesn't seem to do it.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Penalties for Fisher are like timeouts and challenges for Martz. Fans might care but they don't.

And why should he?

Baltimore won the SB in 2012 as the most penalized team in the NFL. Seattle did the same thing in 2013. Last year NE was 3rd most penalized.

Andrew Sciliano recently tweeted this (looking at total penalties):


View: https://twitter.com/AndrewSiciliano/status/631895044711034880


They're not a big deal.

Neither is the first preseason game, imo, of course...

I find this to be a silly take on penalties. Penalties are mistakes. Mistakes should be addressed and corrected. I don't understand any other stance on this.

 

[V3]

What broadcast did you get? I only got the Oakland home crew, I'm not sure they even mentioned the Rams once.

Yeah, I had the STL crew. Holt and Faulk pointed out the WRs not getting open after Foles got sacked. I forget when they pointed out Tavon but they did the replay on Tavon's route to show how it's still not good enough.

 

[RAGRam]

Yeah, I had the STL crew. Holt and Faulk pointed out the WRs not getting open after Foles got sacked. I forget when they pointed out Tavon but they did the replay on Tavon's route to show how it's still not good enough.

Wish they gave me a choice .

 

[BonifayRam]

Brandon Washington has always been MUSHY around the the middle....
http://www.nfl.com/player/brandonwashington/2533044/combine
I really think that's just the way its always going to be with Brandon.

Ref. If our alternatives are NOT any better...
The alternatives......Reynolds, Rhaney, Jones & Wichmann...if your right here flv, then this team is going to fall even farther into depths of the NFL bottom:eek:. I just happen to view our alternatives in a much better light.

I am hopeful that the below web page will not be one many of us go to seek guidance...

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings/2016/C

 

[den-the-coach]

My observation from the lackluster performance and I don't care that's it's preseason you still want to see your team battle and the Raiders looked better in all areas of the game.

Offense: Good start and Saffold once again is hurt I thought Garrett Reynolds was first OL off the bench, but enter Brandon "freakin" Washington who always seems like he's a day late and a dollar short. Foles does have a long delivery and very few pass plays were down the field I don't fault Cook on the pass in the corner, it was well covered and would've have been a difficult catch.

Thought LT Darrell Williams played solid coming in after GROB felt that Barnes and Jones played good at center, but what a difference when you watch somebody like the Raiders Rodney Hudson...IMO Bill Musgrave's offense trumped Frank Cignetti's as Cig's first go round calling plays came off pedestrian IMO, however, Mannion in his short stint looked capable OT Andrew Donnal seemed to be pushed back quite often in pass protection.

Defense: Understood that they did not show much, but still too much of a cushion on coverage and need to clean up giving up long runs. All three Raider QB's completed like 90% of their throws and if Tru does not make a nice play the score would've been worse and the Rams did not have one sack in the game I don't think a few close, but no cigar.

Growing tired of penalties under this coaching staff seems to always be an issue from preseason on I understand they want the players to play with an edge, but Oakland came off much tougher and only had two accepted penalties you don't count offsetting penalties like the first one on Armstrong.

Overall besides the fact that Brown & Havenstein held up good I really don't think there was much to like as a Ram fan. Growing tired of something although it's preseason you still want certain areas to show some growth. IMO practicing against the Cowboys can only help and I would like to see more of Pead than Watts going forward and again the offense which is supposed to focus on the running game was as interesting as going to the drive in to actually watch the movie.

Next week IMO the team will be more focused because Fisher & Williams will want to defeat the Titans and I hope the Cignetti can design more plays that actually stretches the defense...One other quick note Chris Givens looked good and I concur with him changing his number because donning 19 made him appear much faster!

 

[Loyal]

Let me say, this is not a Greg Williams D. It was nothing like he was showing in TC.

THIS gives me hope

 

[Ballhawk]

Just read that Saffold's injury was to the other shoulder, not his surgically repaired one.

Now we have a LG with 2 bad shoulders instead of one.

I find that to be odd as well since he was holding his left arm, the shoulder that was operated on, I believe!

 

[Merlin]

I thought we settled on Thunder Punt?

That's my vote, at least.

I do think Howitzer has potential... Johnny Howitzer ftw!

 

[Stranger]

My observation from the lackluster performance and I don't care that's it's preseason you still want to see your team battle and the Raiders looked better in all areas of the game.

Offense: Good start and Saffold once again is hurt I thought Garrett Reynolds was first OL off the bench, but enter Brandon "freakin" Washington who always seems like he's a day late and a dollar short. Foles does have a long delivery and very few pass plays were down the field I don't fault Cook on the pass in the corner, it was well covered and would've have been a difficult catch.

Thought LT Darrell Williams played solid coming in after GROB felt that Barnes and Jones played good at center, but what a difference when you watch somebody like the Raiders Rodney Hudson...IMO Bill Musgrave's offense trumped Frank Cignetti's as Cig's first go round calling plays came off pedestrian IMO, however, Mannion in his short stint looked capable OT Andrew Donnal seemed to be pushed back quite often in pass protection.

Defense: Understood that they did not show much, but still too much of a cushion on coverage and need to clean up giving up long runs. All three Raider QB's completed like 90% of their throws and if Tru does not make a nice play the score would've been worse and the Rams did not have one sack in the game I don't think a few close, but no cigar.

Growing tired of penalties under this coaching staff seems to always be an issue from preseason on I understand they want the players to play with an edge, but Oakland came off much tougher and only had two accepted penalties you don't count offsetting penalties like the first one on Armstrong.

Overall besides the fact that Brown & Havenstein held up good I really don't think there was much to like as a Ram fan. Growing tired of something although it's preseason you still want certain areas to show some growth. IMO practicing against the Cowboys can only help and I would like to see more of Pead than Watts going forward and again the offense which is supposed to focus on the running game was as interesting as going to the drive in to actually watch the movie.

Next week IMO the team will be more focused because Fisher & Williams will want to defeat the Titans and I hope the Cignetti can design more plays that actually stretches the defense...One other quick note Chris Givens looked good and I concur with him changing his number because donning 19 made him appear much faster!

Excellent summary. Really did a great job capturing my thoughts.

I will add that this coaching staff, rather than do things that gain my confidence, continue down a trajectory of continuing to lose my confidence in them.

 

[Merlin]

Very excellent points Alan. Reynolds played 1st team OLG in OTA's. While Brandon Washington played 1st team OLT. I believe strongly that Garrett Reynolds, Saffold & Brown are our top trio of OG's. Reynolds would have seemed to have sealed his position on this master roster where BW was provided big time to show he is worth consideration.alm:

No excuses should be tolerated & used to prop up BW at this stage of his NFL life:huh:. He has been here since 2012 & Boudreau played him in the best position that matches his (limited) skills set. It sure appears that BW can not help this Ram OL move forward in effective play. Other Ram OG's (outside the starters) ....Travis Bond only plays one OL post, Right OG. The best pure back up @ both OG's should of been Cody Wichmann but he has been laid up forever. David Wang has seen some OLG but should not be in with the first team.

Here something positive to add here on this...once the starting center position is won...lets say its Tim Barnes who from all accounts held up well even with Washington throwing out stink bombs. The now back up centers can rush into the back up OL areas like the OLG post. Both Barrett Jones & Rhaney have shown excellent versatility in their past history's.

Yeah and it would not surprise me if Washington were to be out with the first wave of cuts. What is strange is that they'd risk Foles by putting Washington in there that early. Craziness.

Also it just kills me that once again this line is showing cracks right away thanks to injury and that it's a player who has never been able to stay healthy that they're counting on. And yeah, it's a damn shame that Wichmann can't take advantage. Here's hoping Reynolds is up to snuff because he's gonna earn his paycheck this season.

 

[Alan]

BonifayRam with clear vision:
Very excellent points Alan. Reynolds played 1st team OLG in OTA's. While Brandon Washington played 1st team OLT. I believe strongly that Garrett Reynolds, Saffold & Brown are our top trio of OG's. Reynolds would have seemed to have sealed his position on this master roster where BW was provided big time to show he is worth consideration.alm:

No excuses should be tolerated & used to prop up BW at this stage of his NFL life:huh:. He has been here since 2012 & Boudreau played him in the best position that matches his (limited) skills set. It sure appears that BW can not help this Ram OL move forward in effective play. Other Ram OG's (outside the starters) ....Travis Bond only plays one OL post, Right OG. The best pure back up @ both OG's should of been Cody Wichmann but he has been laid up forever. David Wang has seen some OLG but should not be in with the first team.

Here something positive to add here on this...once the starting center position is won...lets say its Tim Barnes who from all accounts held up well even with Washington throwing out stink bombs. The now back up centers can rush into the back up OL areas like the OLG post. Both Barrett Jones & Rhaney have shown excellent versatility in their past history's.

I can't add anything to that Bonifay as you've hit all the important parts.

Did you get to watch the game yesterday? Many are saying that the right side of line looked pretty good and I hear lots of "fianally, we can make those 3rd and 1s" which sounds good but I have doubts. great and run blocking but needs lots of work at pass pro sounds like a description of our O-line before this game but while the pass pro seemed to be fairly acceptable, the run blocking by the backups didn't impress me at all. YPC sucked and I saw no gaping holes being opened. What did you observe?

 

[BonifayRam]

Yeah and it would not surprise me if Washington were to be out with the first wave of cuts. What is strange is that they'd risk Foles by putting Washington in there that early. Craziness.

Also it just kills me that once again this line is showing cracks right away thanks to injury and that it's a player who has never been able to stay healthy that they're counting on. And yeah, it's a damn shame that Wichmann can't take advantage. Here's hoping Reynolds is up to snuff because he's gonna earn his paycheck this season.

As far as putting our QB at risk....Washington has been in the NFL now since being drafted in the 6th rd in 2012. He has never been hurt or not been available to play if needed. No other current Ram OL'er has seen as much pre season time play as Washington...BW basically started in 2013 in wk 17. So he is not Green as one may think.

However BW has been waived in 2012, 2013 & in 2014 (thus being a true WWC). BW has been mostly signed to the practice Squad for three seasons. BW was activated in October of 2014 after the injury to Jake Long & when Robinson moved from OLG to OLT remained on the master roster.

 

[NateTheRam]

Foles had a starting RB for one play.

Look at the tape, Foles had Mason for the first series.

 

[BonifayRam]

OT Andrew Donnal seemed to be pushed back quite often in pass protection.

Much posted in ref to Andrew Donnal about his overall lack of power in the lower half of his body would sure hold true to what den has stated. The big knock on Andrew was he needed major time in the weight room for a yr before he would be ready for starting ORT action. If he is as smart & intelligence as they say he is ...the above issue should be long gone by next season.

Hopefully Havenstein & Reynolds can hold down the ORT fort until then.

 

[RamzFanz]

Look at the tape, Foles had Mason for the first series.

I did, you are correct.