- Joined
- Jun 20, 2010
- Messages
- 35,576
- Name
- The Dude
Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football ... 523fa.html
Michael Brockers has four sacks this season, second among NFL rookie defensive tackles to Fletcher Cox of Philadelphia (5½).
Against Tampa Bay, he tipped a Josh Freeman pass that was intercepted by teammate Eugene Sims.
Against Buffalo, he forced a Fred Jackson fumble that was recovered by teammate James Laurinaitis to end a Bills scoring drive.
Against San Francisco on Dec. 2, Brockers registered 11 tackles in a 16-13 overtime victory, a season-high for Rams defensive linemen.
Now imagine what Brockers would be doing if he were totally healthy. Brockers suffered a high ankle sprain in the Rams’ preseason finale against Baltimore when he was the victim of a cut block below the knees by a Ravens lineman. It was a questionable block to be sure, and one that still gets the blood pressure rising for Rams defensive line coach Mike Waufle.
“It’s disturbing to think that they have the rules to protect the quarterback, but they can’t protect the defensive lineman on the backside and have a 300-pound guy roll up on his ankle from behind,” Waufle said.
The injury sidelined Brockers for the first three games of his rookie season, and the ankle still isn’t right.
“[hil]Brock’s been dealing with this the whole season[/hil],” Waufle said. “There’s some things that he just can’t do because of it, and so we’re just playing to what he can do most of the time in his preparation.”
High-ankle sprains take forever to fully heal. Just ask quarterback Sam Bradford, who aggravated his high-ankle injury a couple of times trying to keep playing last season. After Brockers went down with his injury against Baltimore, he commiserated with Bradford.
“We talked about it sometimes when I was first going through it with the big old boot I had,” Brockers said. “Sam was like, ‘Yeah, that’s a pain in the (butt.)’
“And I was like, ‘You know, if it’s something to get me back on the field I don’t care what I have to do.’ ”
In a 2012 draft in which many Rams fans were hoping for Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, Brockers was the team’s somewhat surprising pick out of Louisiana State after trading down to the No. 14 overall spot with Dallas. That may have only contributed to the pressure Brockers felt trying to live up to his draft status.
Then came the ankle injury, which Brockers said made the start of his rookie season “very emotional.”
“You know, getting hurt and trying to prove to everybody why I should be a first-round pick,” he said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself.”
After sitting out the first three regular-season games, Brockers made his debut against Seattle on Sept. 30 at the Edward Jones Dome. For just an instant in that game, it looked like Brockers might be in for one of those nightmare seasons.
On his second series as an NFL player, Brockers tweaked the ankle and lay on the turf for a while, perhaps in disbelief. But Brockers got up, headed to the sideline, got the ankle re-taped, and went back out to finish the game. He has made it through 12 games without incident as the Rams prepare for their season finale against the same Seahawks on Sunday at CenturyLink Field.
[hil]“I’m getting a little treatment here and there,” Brockers said. “But for the most part it comes and it goes. A high ankle sprain, I feel like, is one of the most nagging injuries you can deal with. Because some days it’ll feel good; some days it’ll feel bad.”[/hil]
At this point in the season, usually it feels fine on game days. But there are practice days where the ankle is stiff, particularly on cold days practicing outside.
“So for the most, you’ve just gotta come to work and push through it,” Brockers said. “Some stuff hurts, but you’ve just gotta still push through everything.”
Like Bradford, Brockers isn’t seeking a medal for perseverance. This time of the season, there isn’t a player in the locker room at Rams Park who doesn’t have something bothering him.
Nonetheless, Waufle said, “I appreciate his toughness and all those things. It does take a long time. It’s something that just doesn’t go away.”
As for his play in the field, Brockers reached a point around midseason where he quit pressing, trying to prove himself, and just calmed down and played.
In Waufle’s mind that came in Game 9 on Nov. 11 at San Francisco, Brockers’ sixth NFL contest and the infamous 24-24 overtime tie between the Rams and 49ers.
[hil]“The first time we played San Francisco, and he played against (Mike) Iupati, who in my opinion is the best guard in the league,” Waufle said. “(Brockers) was able to more than match up that day. That was a big growth day for him, and he gained a lot of confidence out of it.”
Brockers had 1½ sacks that day, plus five tackles, a QB hurry and a QB hit – all in all a good day’s work for an interior defensive lineman.[/hil]
“Playing a game like that versus the caliber of player that Mike Iupati is, I think that did put a lot of confidence in me,” Brockers said. “I felt like I can play in this league. I think that’s what it started off as, and I’m just trying to finish it and keep progressing.”
Perhaps because he missed those three regular-season games at the start of the season, Brockers hasn’t come close to hitting the so-called “rookie wall.” Just the opposite – he seems to be getting better down the stretch.
“He’s continually getting better,” Waufle said. “It’s the technical aspect that you learn in the NFL from week to week as a rookie, and you grow that way. He’s becoming a better pass-rusher as time goes on. I think that’s one area where he’s limited because of the injury.”
At 6-5, 322, Brockers has the kind of size Waufle prefers at defensive tackle.
“I always figured this: [hil]If you’re gonna go into a bar fight, don’t you get the biggest guys? Or do you get the littlest guys?” Waufle said. “That’s kind of my approach.[/hil]”
Brockers, who turned 22 last Friday, should only get stronger with a full offseason in the weight room.
“I think come next season, this ankle will be fine, and when I come to play [hil]I’ll be way more productive than I am this year[/hil],” Brockers said.
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football ... 523fa.html
Michael Brockers has four sacks this season, second among NFL rookie defensive tackles to Fletcher Cox of Philadelphia (5½).
Against Tampa Bay, he tipped a Josh Freeman pass that was intercepted by teammate Eugene Sims.
Against Buffalo, he forced a Fred Jackson fumble that was recovered by teammate James Laurinaitis to end a Bills scoring drive.
Against San Francisco on Dec. 2, Brockers registered 11 tackles in a 16-13 overtime victory, a season-high for Rams defensive linemen.
Now imagine what Brockers would be doing if he were totally healthy. Brockers suffered a high ankle sprain in the Rams’ preseason finale against Baltimore when he was the victim of a cut block below the knees by a Ravens lineman. It was a questionable block to be sure, and one that still gets the blood pressure rising for Rams defensive line coach Mike Waufle.
“It’s disturbing to think that they have the rules to protect the quarterback, but they can’t protect the defensive lineman on the backside and have a 300-pound guy roll up on his ankle from behind,” Waufle said.
The injury sidelined Brockers for the first three games of his rookie season, and the ankle still isn’t right.
“[hil]Brock’s been dealing with this the whole season[/hil],” Waufle said. “There’s some things that he just can’t do because of it, and so we’re just playing to what he can do most of the time in his preparation.”
High-ankle sprains take forever to fully heal. Just ask quarterback Sam Bradford, who aggravated his high-ankle injury a couple of times trying to keep playing last season. After Brockers went down with his injury against Baltimore, he commiserated with Bradford.
“We talked about it sometimes when I was first going through it with the big old boot I had,” Brockers said. “Sam was like, ‘Yeah, that’s a pain in the (butt.)’
“And I was like, ‘You know, if it’s something to get me back on the field I don’t care what I have to do.’ ”
In a 2012 draft in which many Rams fans were hoping for Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, Brockers was the team’s somewhat surprising pick out of Louisiana State after trading down to the No. 14 overall spot with Dallas. That may have only contributed to the pressure Brockers felt trying to live up to his draft status.
Then came the ankle injury, which Brockers said made the start of his rookie season “very emotional.”
“You know, getting hurt and trying to prove to everybody why I should be a first-round pick,” he said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself.”
After sitting out the first three regular-season games, Brockers made his debut against Seattle on Sept. 30 at the Edward Jones Dome. For just an instant in that game, it looked like Brockers might be in for one of those nightmare seasons.
On his second series as an NFL player, Brockers tweaked the ankle and lay on the turf for a while, perhaps in disbelief. But Brockers got up, headed to the sideline, got the ankle re-taped, and went back out to finish the game. He has made it through 12 games without incident as the Rams prepare for their season finale against the same Seahawks on Sunday at CenturyLink Field.
[hil]“I’m getting a little treatment here and there,” Brockers said. “But for the most part it comes and it goes. A high ankle sprain, I feel like, is one of the most nagging injuries you can deal with. Because some days it’ll feel good; some days it’ll feel bad.”[/hil]
At this point in the season, usually it feels fine on game days. But there are practice days where the ankle is stiff, particularly on cold days practicing outside.
“So for the most, you’ve just gotta come to work and push through it,” Brockers said. “Some stuff hurts, but you’ve just gotta still push through everything.”
Like Bradford, Brockers isn’t seeking a medal for perseverance. This time of the season, there isn’t a player in the locker room at Rams Park who doesn’t have something bothering him.
Nonetheless, Waufle said, “I appreciate his toughness and all those things. It does take a long time. It’s something that just doesn’t go away.”
As for his play in the field, Brockers reached a point around midseason where he quit pressing, trying to prove himself, and just calmed down and played.
In Waufle’s mind that came in Game 9 on Nov. 11 at San Francisco, Brockers’ sixth NFL contest and the infamous 24-24 overtime tie between the Rams and 49ers.
[hil]“The first time we played San Francisco, and he played against (Mike) Iupati, who in my opinion is the best guard in the league,” Waufle said. “(Brockers) was able to more than match up that day. That was a big growth day for him, and he gained a lot of confidence out of it.”
Brockers had 1½ sacks that day, plus five tackles, a QB hurry and a QB hit – all in all a good day’s work for an interior defensive lineman.[/hil]
“Playing a game like that versus the caliber of player that Mike Iupati is, I think that did put a lot of confidence in me,” Brockers said. “I felt like I can play in this league. I think that’s what it started off as, and I’m just trying to finish it and keep progressing.”
Perhaps because he missed those three regular-season games at the start of the season, Brockers hasn’t come close to hitting the so-called “rookie wall.” Just the opposite – he seems to be getting better down the stretch.
“He’s continually getting better,” Waufle said. “It’s the technical aspect that you learn in the NFL from week to week as a rookie, and you grow that way. He’s becoming a better pass-rusher as time goes on. I think that’s one area where he’s limited because of the injury.”
At 6-5, 322, Brockers has the kind of size Waufle prefers at defensive tackle.
“I always figured this: [hil]If you’re gonna go into a bar fight, don’t you get the biggest guys? Or do you get the littlest guys?” Waufle said. “That’s kind of my approach.[/hil]”
Brockers, who turned 22 last Friday, should only get stronger with a full offseason in the weight room.
“I think come next season, this ankle will be fine, and when I come to play [hil]I’ll be way more productive than I am this year[/hil],” Brockers said.
