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<a class="postlink" href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/joe-strauss/strauss-maybe-rams-should-go-faster-earlier/article_dcdbcb20-c62e-5632-898d-d0f8188ce076.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/ ... ce076.html</a>
ATLANTA • A day will come when the Rams defeat a quality opponent on the road to push their record two games above .500.
They’ll speak afterward about having added maturity to resilience and taking the next step as a franchise.
Eventually one would expect them to more easily incorporate their greater number of skill players into a less predictable, more up-tempo offense.
That day will eventually come. But it was not the case Sunday at Georgia Dome against the Atlanta Falcons, a disciplined team that demonstrated poise for four quarters rather than three and found its primary playmaker again, again and again.
The Rams needed to play big boy football for 60 minutes Sunday afternoon but came up with about 35 minutes’ worth. Their inexperience showed in falling behind 21-0 and 24-3. Potential became obvious when they twice scratched to within a touchdown in the second half. Ultimately they had to explain a 31-24 loss created by baffling early penalties, a second returned interception in as many weeks, squalid field position and a resulting timid offensive approach.
The Rams outgained the Falcons, generated five more first downs, possessed the ball for only 34 fewer seconds, ran 12 more plays and won the second half 21-7.
Yet for a second consecutive week they created their own problems, reminding everyone that potential is several blocks down from reality.
Maybe in a year or two the Rams win this game. They weren’t ready Sunday.
They repeatedly crippled themselves with not-so-special team penalties and seemed content to pound an ineffective running game when not attempting 6-yard pass routes.
Six times Rams receivers deflected or dropped passes or lost balance beneath a throw. Running back Daryl Richardson’s volleyball set of Sam Bradford’s short throw became an interception that Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora carried to the house.
The Falcons scored three touchdowns before the Rams could convert three first downs. A poor decision by Benny Cunningham coupled with a holding penalty on the Rams’ first kickoff return left them at their own 8-yard-line.
A recurring special teams theme – rookie receiver Stedman Bailey twice was whistled for blocks in the back – set up the Rams at their own 8, 9, 20, 20, 11, 20, 20, 13 and 5 on their nine drives.
Last season the Rams were the NFL’s most penalized team and the Falcons its least. That tendency continued through the preseason and in a Week 1 escape against Arizona. Facing a more talented bunch Sunday, the Rams weren’t pardoned a second time.
“Offensively we feel like we can dictate every game,” said receiver Chris Givens, who finished with 105 yards on five catches. “We just had a lot of mistakes in the first half and we had to go no-huddle in the second half to catch up,”
The Rams waited to go no-huddle until their final possession of the third quarter. The outcome was a six-play, 74-yard touchdown drive. They went no-huddle and/or from the shotgun formation the entire fourth quarter, rolling up 142 yards, 11 first downs and 14 points. Bradford thrived in the system at Oklahoma and appears most dangerous at this level when the game accelerates. Slowing it only seems to complicate his task. (Bradford had a passer rating of 115.5 and 104.1 in the third and fourth quarters after slogging to a 54.5 first-half number.)
To say that the Rams must re-learn how to beat power teams on the road is understatement. They last defeated an eventual playoff team away from the Edward Jones Dome on Oct. 10, 2004, in Seattle. Most folks have the Falcons in the upcoming postseason, perhaps even in the Super Bowl. The Rams also let slip a chance to move two games above .500 for the first time since they opened the ’06 season 4-2.
“They definitely did some different things than the Cardinals did but that just comes with the game,” said tight end Jared Cook, who followed a 141-yard receiving performance in Week 1 to with one catch worth 10 yards.
A frustrated Cook was covered by a linebacker then shadowed by a safety after the linebacker released. Bradford targeted Cook six times while spreading 31 completions among 10 others.
“Field position, penalties on special teams and not converting when we needed to… I think we contributed to our own woes as a team,” Cook said.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan conversely had no problem finding signature receiver Julio Jones 11 times for 182 yards, including an 81-yard, second-quarter strike over cornerback Janoris Jenkins. As soon as the Rams closed to 24-17 in the fourth quarter Ryan found Jones three times for 47 yards on an answering touchdown drive.
A summer narrative focused on an offense overstuffed with playmakers and a quarterback finally comfortable within his offense. No longer all about the grind, the Rams were fascinated with sizzle. For much of the game someone forgot to turn on the stove.
The Rams rushed 18 times for 69 yards. Minus Bradford’s rambles, the rushing yardage shrunk to 44 — fewer than three yards per carry.
Sure, field position contributed. But it wasn’t until 10:51 remained in the second quarter and the Rams trailed by 21 points that Bradford attempted a deep ball, an incompletion to Austin. On the subsequent snap he found Givens for 47 yards en route to a 29-yard field goal.
One wanted to ask offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer about the approach; however, team rules make assistant coaches and coordinators off limits to media on game day.
Apparently it’s better to feed the frustration than to offer an explanation.
The predictable narrative quickly sprouted about the Rams’ refusal to lie down, as if quitting in the second week of a season is a viable option.
Maybe the better thought is to go faster earlier rather than later out of desperation. Bradford didn’t hesitate when asked his comfort level when going faster: “I think our guys are extremely comfortable with it. Like I said, I thought today it put them on their heels, especially once you get that first first down and get the drive rolling.”
By Bradford’s own description, the Rams “shot ourselves in the foot” before outgaining their opponent 376-215 over the final three quarters Sunday.
Just a thought: Try faster earlier.
ATLANTA • A day will come when the Rams defeat a quality opponent on the road to push their record two games above .500.
They’ll speak afterward about having added maturity to resilience and taking the next step as a franchise.
Eventually one would expect them to more easily incorporate their greater number of skill players into a less predictable, more up-tempo offense.
That day will eventually come. But it was not the case Sunday at Georgia Dome against the Atlanta Falcons, a disciplined team that demonstrated poise for four quarters rather than three and found its primary playmaker again, again and again.
The Rams needed to play big boy football for 60 minutes Sunday afternoon but came up with about 35 minutes’ worth. Their inexperience showed in falling behind 21-0 and 24-3. Potential became obvious when they twice scratched to within a touchdown in the second half. Ultimately they had to explain a 31-24 loss created by baffling early penalties, a second returned interception in as many weeks, squalid field position and a resulting timid offensive approach.
The Rams outgained the Falcons, generated five more first downs, possessed the ball for only 34 fewer seconds, ran 12 more plays and won the second half 21-7.
Yet for a second consecutive week they created their own problems, reminding everyone that potential is several blocks down from reality.
Maybe in a year or two the Rams win this game. They weren’t ready Sunday.
They repeatedly crippled themselves with not-so-special team penalties and seemed content to pound an ineffective running game when not attempting 6-yard pass routes.
Six times Rams receivers deflected or dropped passes or lost balance beneath a throw. Running back Daryl Richardson’s volleyball set of Sam Bradford’s short throw became an interception that Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora carried to the house.
The Falcons scored three touchdowns before the Rams could convert three first downs. A poor decision by Benny Cunningham coupled with a holding penalty on the Rams’ first kickoff return left them at their own 8-yard-line.
A recurring special teams theme – rookie receiver Stedman Bailey twice was whistled for blocks in the back – set up the Rams at their own 8, 9, 20, 20, 11, 20, 20, 13 and 5 on their nine drives.
Last season the Rams were the NFL’s most penalized team and the Falcons its least. That tendency continued through the preseason and in a Week 1 escape against Arizona. Facing a more talented bunch Sunday, the Rams weren’t pardoned a second time.
“Offensively we feel like we can dictate every game,” said receiver Chris Givens, who finished with 105 yards on five catches. “We just had a lot of mistakes in the first half and we had to go no-huddle in the second half to catch up,”
The Rams waited to go no-huddle until their final possession of the third quarter. The outcome was a six-play, 74-yard touchdown drive. They went no-huddle and/or from the shotgun formation the entire fourth quarter, rolling up 142 yards, 11 first downs and 14 points. Bradford thrived in the system at Oklahoma and appears most dangerous at this level when the game accelerates. Slowing it only seems to complicate his task. (Bradford had a passer rating of 115.5 and 104.1 in the third and fourth quarters after slogging to a 54.5 first-half number.)
To say that the Rams must re-learn how to beat power teams on the road is understatement. They last defeated an eventual playoff team away from the Edward Jones Dome on Oct. 10, 2004, in Seattle. Most folks have the Falcons in the upcoming postseason, perhaps even in the Super Bowl. The Rams also let slip a chance to move two games above .500 for the first time since they opened the ’06 season 4-2.
“They definitely did some different things than the Cardinals did but that just comes with the game,” said tight end Jared Cook, who followed a 141-yard receiving performance in Week 1 to with one catch worth 10 yards.
A frustrated Cook was covered by a linebacker then shadowed by a safety after the linebacker released. Bradford targeted Cook six times while spreading 31 completions among 10 others.
“Field position, penalties on special teams and not converting when we needed to… I think we contributed to our own woes as a team,” Cook said.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan conversely had no problem finding signature receiver Julio Jones 11 times for 182 yards, including an 81-yard, second-quarter strike over cornerback Janoris Jenkins. As soon as the Rams closed to 24-17 in the fourth quarter Ryan found Jones three times for 47 yards on an answering touchdown drive.
A summer narrative focused on an offense overstuffed with playmakers and a quarterback finally comfortable within his offense. No longer all about the grind, the Rams were fascinated with sizzle. For much of the game someone forgot to turn on the stove.
The Rams rushed 18 times for 69 yards. Minus Bradford’s rambles, the rushing yardage shrunk to 44 — fewer than three yards per carry.
Sure, field position contributed. But it wasn’t until 10:51 remained in the second quarter and the Rams trailed by 21 points that Bradford attempted a deep ball, an incompletion to Austin. On the subsequent snap he found Givens for 47 yards en route to a 29-yard field goal.
One wanted to ask offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer about the approach; however, team rules make assistant coaches and coordinators off limits to media on game day.
Apparently it’s better to feed the frustration than to offer an explanation.
The predictable narrative quickly sprouted about the Rams’ refusal to lie down, as if quitting in the second week of a season is a viable option.
Maybe the better thought is to go faster earlier rather than later out of desperation. Bradford didn’t hesitate when asked his comfort level when going faster: “I think our guys are extremely comfortable with it. Like I said, I thought today it put them on their heels, especially once you get that first first down and get the drive rolling.”
By Bradford’s own description, the Rams “shot ourselves in the foot” before outgaining their opponent 376-215 over the final three quarters Sunday.
Just a thought: Try faster earlier.
