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Strauss: Fisher isn't playing blame game
• By Joe Strauss
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_900c6010-b9ae-56f3-aa33-45ab71a7e77a.html
The Rams put a bow on 2014 Tuesday afternoon as Jeff Fisher fulfilled his league-mandated chore of taking questions about what transpired the past four months. They also presented Sam Bradford as the head coach’s warm-up act, a portent for what probably lay ahead.
Fisher reiterated that he believes the Rams better this year than last, though a 6-10 record was a downgrade from its predecessor’s 7-9.
Fisher asserted there will be no alterations to his coaching staff while throwing bouquets to offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, whom he considers extremely organized and a splendid play-caller. (Reminder: Fisher made similar
assertions about coaching stability before jettisoning lame-duck defensive coordinator Tim Walton last January. But in this case, one tends to believe the head coach’s pledge.) “You can’t put the record on (Schottenheimer’s) shoulders. That would be very, very unfair,” Fisher said.
So we’re left to square seemingly incompatible claims that a more gifted Rams roster was capably coached but produced the worst record of Fisher’s three years on campus.
In other words: These Rams were unlucky.
The Rams’ biggest problem is they exist in a nebulous realm.
They no longer stink, but they remain the NFC West’s bottom-feeder. Indeed, every NFC team has made two postseason appearances since the Rams’ last winning season.
They could beat Seattle and Denver, then crumple at home against the New York Giants.
They intentionally threw in with youth and a damaged quarterback this season and were alternately exposed by both.
This is Fisher’s team, his philosophy. He no longer bears the sins of those before him. This group’s strength and weaknesses, its gambles won and lost, are on him.
To say these Rams were better than their record indicated is convenient and, yes, a bit self-serving. The defense surged after a queasy six-game start, but a Bradford-less offense couldn’t deliver when the defense was holding the Arizona Cardinals without a touchdown and the Seahawks to one.
Fisher enjoys a luxury extended few other NFL coaches — a fourth season after three losing ones. Fisher speaks for an organization with a silent owner and a general manager who serves at his pleasure. This is hardly a situation where Fisher is asked to coach players he is assigned. Few among his fraternity are as well-compensated or given more organizational sway.
To hear Fisher suggest things are moving apace is disconcerting. This is, after all, a franchise where Sundays in November are secondary to where the team will play in 2016.
The Rams now face the doubly challenging task of commanding loyalty from a market they willingly would trade to go west.
The organizational narrative of patience wears thin. The current regime reached town envisioning 2014 as its breakout only to be hamstrung by Bradford’s second ACL tear in 10 months. The Rams may backhand questions about whether they unduly accelerated Bradford’s return, but they no longer can embrace last spring’s stance that he is their No. 1.
Fisher squelched viral rumors of the Rams’ interest in prodigal arm Johnny Manziel last May by declaring to a bacchanalia of fans and sponsors that Bradford was his guy.
Fisher acknowledged Tuesday to an Earth City gathering of pens and lens that next summer “there’s going to be competition at the quarterback position; there’s no doubt ... with somebody that’s not in the building right now.”
Bradford said earlier he is open to the idea. Though the quarterback remained vague on the concept, he will doubtless have to renegotiate a contract for 2015. Still, it’s not enough for the club and Bradford to lock up a conditional one-year deal. The Rams must search out a talent who is a legitimate alternative to Bradford, not just a convenient valet. After years of moving down in the draft to acquire more picks, might a Rams team that talks so much of steady improvement consolidate its 2015-16 picks to aggressively address more specific needs?
“I think those are options for you,” Fisher said, citing the productive midseason trade for Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Mark Barron in exchange for next year’s fourth- and sixth-round draft picks.
The Rams’ use of a sixth-round pick on run-and-shoot SMU quarterback Garrett Gilbert was silliness last May. They abstained from eventual New England draftee Jimmy Garoppolo and a batch of SEC quarterbacks, including Zach Mettenberger, after watching Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr come off the board less than 10 picks before they took cornerback Lamarcus Joyner. As a result, the franchise squandered a year of development for Bradford’s possible heir.
At least for public consumption, Bradford said he would not pout if the Rams moved aggressively for a quarterback in the draft. “It’s their decision,” he said. “Obviously, if they feel it’s in the best interest of the team, I would support it and I would welcome the competition.”
Perhaps the Rams beat the Cardinals once, the 49ers twice and steal a win at San Diego with a healthy Bradford. Even given the no-show against the Giants, that’s the difference between 6-10 and 9-7, between having to explain yourself two days after the season and reveling in the franchise’s first winning season since 2003. But who knows what Bradford looks like after two operations? How long can a franchise continue to couch projections at receiver because of a quarterback who isn’t there? At some point giving out gold stars to Kellen Clemens, Shaun Hill and Austin Davis shouldn’t mask paralysis on offense.
“I’m not going to blame any one of them,” Fisher said after noting the Rams starting three quarterbacks other than Bradford in their last 23 games, “but I think that’s a contributing factor.”
The Rams — again — have needs on the offensive front. Center Scott Wells played on fumes this season. Left tackle Jake Long’s career may be over after a second season-ending ACL tear. Most recognized Davin Joseph as a stopgap at right guard. Fisher Tuesday anointed Greg Robinson next season’s starting left tackle but it’s a fair expectation that the draft and free agency will have to address two vacancies.
As for Bradford, he has played 16 games in two of five professional seasons, seven total in his last two. Fisher mentioned Tuesday how in his term as coach the Rams are 5-2-1 against division foes with Bradford as starter, 2-8 against the NFC West without him. Fisher noted how this year’s team was handicapped by 10 returns for touchdowns and that the defense was top five in points allowed.
They sounded like compelling reasons for staying the course. But that can’t be right.
• By Joe Strauss
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_900c6010-b9ae-56f3-aa33-45ab71a7e77a.html
The Rams put a bow on 2014 Tuesday afternoon as Jeff Fisher fulfilled his league-mandated chore of taking questions about what transpired the past four months. They also presented Sam Bradford as the head coach’s warm-up act, a portent for what probably lay ahead.
Fisher reiterated that he believes the Rams better this year than last, though a 6-10 record was a downgrade from its predecessor’s 7-9.
Fisher asserted there will be no alterations to his coaching staff while throwing bouquets to offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, whom he considers extremely organized and a splendid play-caller. (Reminder: Fisher made similar
assertions about coaching stability before jettisoning lame-duck defensive coordinator Tim Walton last January. But in this case, one tends to believe the head coach’s pledge.) “You can’t put the record on (Schottenheimer’s) shoulders. That would be very, very unfair,” Fisher said.
So we’re left to square seemingly incompatible claims that a more gifted Rams roster was capably coached but produced the worst record of Fisher’s three years on campus.
In other words: These Rams were unlucky.
The Rams’ biggest problem is they exist in a nebulous realm.
They no longer stink, but they remain the NFC West’s bottom-feeder. Indeed, every NFC team has made two postseason appearances since the Rams’ last winning season.
They could beat Seattle and Denver, then crumple at home against the New York Giants.
They intentionally threw in with youth and a damaged quarterback this season and were alternately exposed by both.
This is Fisher’s team, his philosophy. He no longer bears the sins of those before him. This group’s strength and weaknesses, its gambles won and lost, are on him.
To say these Rams were better than their record indicated is convenient and, yes, a bit self-serving. The defense surged after a queasy six-game start, but a Bradford-less offense couldn’t deliver when the defense was holding the Arizona Cardinals without a touchdown and the Seahawks to one.
Fisher enjoys a luxury extended few other NFL coaches — a fourth season after three losing ones. Fisher speaks for an organization with a silent owner and a general manager who serves at his pleasure. This is hardly a situation where Fisher is asked to coach players he is assigned. Few among his fraternity are as well-compensated or given more organizational sway.
To hear Fisher suggest things are moving apace is disconcerting. This is, after all, a franchise where Sundays in November are secondary to where the team will play in 2016.
The Rams now face the doubly challenging task of commanding loyalty from a market they willingly would trade to go west.
The organizational narrative of patience wears thin. The current regime reached town envisioning 2014 as its breakout only to be hamstrung by Bradford’s second ACL tear in 10 months. The Rams may backhand questions about whether they unduly accelerated Bradford’s return, but they no longer can embrace last spring’s stance that he is their No. 1.
Fisher squelched viral rumors of the Rams’ interest in prodigal arm Johnny Manziel last May by declaring to a bacchanalia of fans and sponsors that Bradford was his guy.
Fisher acknowledged Tuesday to an Earth City gathering of pens and lens that next summer “there’s going to be competition at the quarterback position; there’s no doubt ... with somebody that’s not in the building right now.”
Bradford said earlier he is open to the idea. Though the quarterback remained vague on the concept, he will doubtless have to renegotiate a contract for 2015. Still, it’s not enough for the club and Bradford to lock up a conditional one-year deal. The Rams must search out a talent who is a legitimate alternative to Bradford, not just a convenient valet. After years of moving down in the draft to acquire more picks, might a Rams team that talks so much of steady improvement consolidate its 2015-16 picks to aggressively address more specific needs?
“I think those are options for you,” Fisher said, citing the productive midseason trade for Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Mark Barron in exchange for next year’s fourth- and sixth-round draft picks.
The Rams’ use of a sixth-round pick on run-and-shoot SMU quarterback Garrett Gilbert was silliness last May. They abstained from eventual New England draftee Jimmy Garoppolo and a batch of SEC quarterbacks, including Zach Mettenberger, after watching Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr come off the board less than 10 picks before they took cornerback Lamarcus Joyner. As a result, the franchise squandered a year of development for Bradford’s possible heir.
At least for public consumption, Bradford said he would not pout if the Rams moved aggressively for a quarterback in the draft. “It’s their decision,” he said. “Obviously, if they feel it’s in the best interest of the team, I would support it and I would welcome the competition.”
Perhaps the Rams beat the Cardinals once, the 49ers twice and steal a win at San Diego with a healthy Bradford. Even given the no-show against the Giants, that’s the difference between 6-10 and 9-7, between having to explain yourself two days after the season and reveling in the franchise’s first winning season since 2003. But who knows what Bradford looks like after two operations? How long can a franchise continue to couch projections at receiver because of a quarterback who isn’t there? At some point giving out gold stars to Kellen Clemens, Shaun Hill and Austin Davis shouldn’t mask paralysis on offense.
“I’m not going to blame any one of them,” Fisher said after noting the Rams starting three quarterbacks other than Bradford in their last 23 games, “but I think that’s a contributing factor.”
The Rams — again — have needs on the offensive front. Center Scott Wells played on fumes this season. Left tackle Jake Long’s career may be over after a second season-ending ACL tear. Most recognized Davin Joseph as a stopgap at right guard. Fisher Tuesday anointed Greg Robinson next season’s starting left tackle but it’s a fair expectation that the draft and free agency will have to address two vacancies.
As for Bradford, he has played 16 games in two of five professional seasons, seven total in his last two. Fisher mentioned Tuesday how in his term as coach the Rams are 5-2-1 against division foes with Bradford as starter, 2-8 against the NFC West without him. Fisher noted how this year’s team was handicapped by 10 returns for touchdowns and that the defense was top five in points allowed.
They sounded like compelling reasons for staying the course. But that can’t be right.
