LesBaker
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What Bears Fans Are Saying
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...ms-behind-enemy-lines-spt-20151111-story.html
Behind Enemy Lines:
Why the up-and-down Rams are hard to read
Dan Wiederer/Reporter/Chicago Tribune
Behind Enemy Lines: Is a Jeff Fisher team again hitting an electric fence?
The Chicago Bears will look to build momentum off Monday night’s come-from-behind 22-19 road win over the San Diego Chargers and will now make a short trip to play the Rams on Sunday afternoon in St. Louis. So what do you need to know about the Rams? With the aid of Jim Thomas, the Rams beat writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, here’s your snapshot scouting report.
Last week: The Rams were penalized 12 times and allowed Adrian Peterson to rush for 125 yards and a touchdown in a 21-18 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The quarterback: The Rams believe in fourth-year signal caller Nick Foles. So much so, in fact, that they traded for him in March, sending Sam Bradford and a fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Foles and a pair of mid-round picks. And before Foles had even taken a snap in preseason action, the Rams extended his contract, tacking two years and $24.5 million onto his deal to assure continuity at the position. The team’s investment, however, has yet to pay dividends.
Foles has been superb twice this season. He completed 18 of 27 passes for 297 yards and a touchdown in a season-opening 34-31 win over the Seattle Seahawks. He also held his own (16-for-24, 171 yards and three TDs) in a Week 4 road upset of the Arizona Cardinals.
But a four-interception stumble in a 24-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 5 seemed to rattle the young quarterback’s confidence. One of those interceptions was returned 45 yards for a touchdown. Two others were thrown in or near the end zone, thwarting important Rams’ scoring threats and sending Foles into a prolonged funk.
So far this season: The eye-catching victories over the Seahawks and Cardinals seemed to announce the Rams as contenders in the NFC West. At their best, the Rams are a young and energized team on the rise. Fast. Physical. Relentless.
But for every impressive win, there’s been an inexcusable stumble – see first a 17-0 halftime deficit in a Week 2 road loss to the Redskins. The Rams also let a golden opportunity slip away in last week’s loss in Minnesota, falling to 4-4 and renewing questions about just how high head coach Jeff Fisher can truly lift the franchise.
Fisher is now in his fourth season as Rams coach. And he has helped revive a team that posted a woeful 15-65 record from 2007-11. (That was the worst five-year stretch in NFL history.) But the Rams still haven’t been to the playoffs since 2004 and there are no guarantees for when, if ever, Fisher will bring them back there.
Fisher’s 16½-year run as coach of the Oilers/Titans included seven seasons in which his squads won seven or eight games. And so there are worries in St. Louis that that is what the Rams are destined to become.
This week, Fisher and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams also came under fire after a late hit by cornerback Lamarcus Joyner on Sunday forced Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater out of the game with a concussion. Williams, infamous for his role in the Saints’ Bountygate scandal, is again being criticized as a coach who encourages his players to push the line. Fisher has also found himself rejecting accusations that his teams play with a dirty edge.
In St. Louis, the outside outrage that mushroomed over Joyner’s hit – sparked in big part by strong postgame anger from Vikings coach Mike Zimmer – has seemed disproportionate to the infraction. Did Joyner’s hit deserve to be penalized? Yes. And it was. Did the shot on Bridgewater deserve a fine? Yes. And that will be levied. But was that play so egregious and over the line to ramp up national debate on its dirtiness? That part has bothered Fisher and the Rams and kept them on the defensive all week.
The storylines: Todd Gurley’s explosive emergence has him on track to be a runaway winner as this year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Gurley, still working back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered on Nov. 16, 2014, has become one of the league’s breakthrough players, racking up 664 rushing yards in the six games he has played.
His combination of speed and physicality draws comparisons to Adrian Peterson. But just as impressive, the rookie possesses a unique combination of vision, instincts and patience. He can wait for a hole to open up, hit it with authority and has good power and a vicious stiff arm to finish runs.
When the Rams drafted Gurley 10th overall last spring, some considered it a luxury pick. The Rams already had a decent stable of running backs with Tre Mason, Zac Stacy, Isaiah Pead and Benny Cunningham. And the selection seemed to be out of whack for a team pressing to win now.
But Fisher recognized elite potential in Gurley and sensed he’d be a perfect fit in the Rams’ system. So far, that judgment has been spot on with Gurley averaging 5.6 yards per carry and also running for a league-high 277 yards in the fourth quarter this season.
The Bears have allowed only two running backs to top 100 rushing yards this season – Thomas Rawls in Week 3 and Adrian Peterson in Week 8. But on Sunday, Gurley may present the toughest test yet.
It will also be interesting Sunday to monitor the atmosphere at the Edward Jones Dome with folks in St. Louis expecting a bowl-like atmosphere with a split crowd. Bears fans always travel well, particularly to destinations as close as St. Louis. And with the Rams future in St. Louis still cloudy and fan resentment growing toward owner Stan Kroenke, it would not be a shock if Bears fans trump Rams fans in both numbers and noise.
The defense: Since the start of the 2012 season, the Rams defense has generated more sacks than any other team in the league with 172. They have 27 sacks already this season with defensive end Robert Quinn the team leader with five.
Quinn is part of a ferocious defensive front that, when fully healthy, starts four first-round picks – defensive ends Quinn (14th overall, 2011) and Chris Long(second in 2008) and defensive tackles Aaron Donald (13th in 2014) and Michael Brockers (14th in 2012).
Long, however, suffered a significant knee injury in Week 5 and won’t play Sunday. Quinn, who missed last week’s game with the Vikings with his own knee injury, is also uncertain.
Donald, whom the Rams drafted one slot ahead of where the Bears took Kyle Fuller, continues emerging as a force in the middle. He possesses special quickness and an explosive first step and has great strength for his sie.
Overall, the Rams rank fifth overall in yards allowed (323.8 per game). In four home games this season, they have surrendered just 55 points, allowing only two touchdowns on 46 defensive series.
On the back end, a young and talented quartet of cornerbacks Janoris Jenkinsand Trumaine Johnson and safeties Rodney McLeod and T.J. McDonald have developed a valuable cohesion together.
Still, a fractured fibula to Alec Ogletree in October sent the standout linebacker to injured reserve with designation to return and forced the Rams to reshuffle. Ogletree’s leadership and energy is missed. As a means of compensating, the Rams have moved safety Mark Barron into a weakside linebacker-like role, taking advantage of his physicality.
Overall, the Rams defense presents difficulties with their team speed and attacking mentality.
dwiederer@tribpub.com
Twitter @danwiederer
Behind Enemy Lines:
Why the up-and-down Rams are hard to read
Dan Wiederer/Reporter/Chicago Tribune
Behind Enemy Lines: Is a Jeff Fisher team again hitting an electric fence?
The Chicago Bears will look to build momentum off Monday night’s come-from-behind 22-19 road win over the San Diego Chargers and will now make a short trip to play the Rams on Sunday afternoon in St. Louis. So what do you need to know about the Rams? With the aid of Jim Thomas, the Rams beat writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, here’s your snapshot scouting report.
Last week: The Rams were penalized 12 times and allowed Adrian Peterson to rush for 125 yards and a touchdown in a 21-18 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The quarterback: The Rams believe in fourth-year signal caller Nick Foles. So much so, in fact, that they traded for him in March, sending Sam Bradford and a fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Foles and a pair of mid-round picks. And before Foles had even taken a snap in preseason action, the Rams extended his contract, tacking two years and $24.5 million onto his deal to assure continuity at the position. The team’s investment, however, has yet to pay dividends.
Foles has been superb twice this season. He completed 18 of 27 passes for 297 yards and a touchdown in a season-opening 34-31 win over the Seattle Seahawks. He also held his own (16-for-24, 171 yards and three TDs) in a Week 4 road upset of the Arizona Cardinals.
But a four-interception stumble in a 24-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 5 seemed to rattle the young quarterback’s confidence. One of those interceptions was returned 45 yards for a touchdown. Two others were thrown in or near the end zone, thwarting important Rams’ scoring threats and sending Foles into a prolonged funk.
So far this season: The eye-catching victories over the Seahawks and Cardinals seemed to announce the Rams as contenders in the NFC West. At their best, the Rams are a young and energized team on the rise. Fast. Physical. Relentless.
But for every impressive win, there’s been an inexcusable stumble – see first a 17-0 halftime deficit in a Week 2 road loss to the Redskins. The Rams also let a golden opportunity slip away in last week’s loss in Minnesota, falling to 4-4 and renewing questions about just how high head coach Jeff Fisher can truly lift the franchise.
Fisher is now in his fourth season as Rams coach. And he has helped revive a team that posted a woeful 15-65 record from 2007-11. (That was the worst five-year stretch in NFL history.) But the Rams still haven’t been to the playoffs since 2004 and there are no guarantees for when, if ever, Fisher will bring them back there.
Fisher’s 16½-year run as coach of the Oilers/Titans included seven seasons in which his squads won seven or eight games. And so there are worries in St. Louis that that is what the Rams are destined to become.
This week, Fisher and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams also came under fire after a late hit by cornerback Lamarcus Joyner on Sunday forced Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater out of the game with a concussion. Williams, infamous for his role in the Saints’ Bountygate scandal, is again being criticized as a coach who encourages his players to push the line. Fisher has also found himself rejecting accusations that his teams play with a dirty edge.
In St. Louis, the outside outrage that mushroomed over Joyner’s hit – sparked in big part by strong postgame anger from Vikings coach Mike Zimmer – has seemed disproportionate to the infraction. Did Joyner’s hit deserve to be penalized? Yes. And it was. Did the shot on Bridgewater deserve a fine? Yes. And that will be levied. But was that play so egregious and over the line to ramp up national debate on its dirtiness? That part has bothered Fisher and the Rams and kept them on the defensive all week.
The storylines: Todd Gurley’s explosive emergence has him on track to be a runaway winner as this year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Gurley, still working back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered on Nov. 16, 2014, has become one of the league’s breakthrough players, racking up 664 rushing yards in the six games he has played.
His combination of speed and physicality draws comparisons to Adrian Peterson. But just as impressive, the rookie possesses a unique combination of vision, instincts and patience. He can wait for a hole to open up, hit it with authority and has good power and a vicious stiff arm to finish runs.
When the Rams drafted Gurley 10th overall last spring, some considered it a luxury pick. The Rams already had a decent stable of running backs with Tre Mason, Zac Stacy, Isaiah Pead and Benny Cunningham. And the selection seemed to be out of whack for a team pressing to win now.
But Fisher recognized elite potential in Gurley and sensed he’d be a perfect fit in the Rams’ system. So far, that judgment has been spot on with Gurley averaging 5.6 yards per carry and also running for a league-high 277 yards in the fourth quarter this season.
The Bears have allowed only two running backs to top 100 rushing yards this season – Thomas Rawls in Week 3 and Adrian Peterson in Week 8. But on Sunday, Gurley may present the toughest test yet.
It will also be interesting Sunday to monitor the atmosphere at the Edward Jones Dome with folks in St. Louis expecting a bowl-like atmosphere with a split crowd. Bears fans always travel well, particularly to destinations as close as St. Louis. And with the Rams future in St. Louis still cloudy and fan resentment growing toward owner Stan Kroenke, it would not be a shock if Bears fans trump Rams fans in both numbers and noise.
The defense: Since the start of the 2012 season, the Rams defense has generated more sacks than any other team in the league with 172. They have 27 sacks already this season with defensive end Robert Quinn the team leader with five.
Quinn is part of a ferocious defensive front that, when fully healthy, starts four first-round picks – defensive ends Quinn (14th overall, 2011) and Chris Long(second in 2008) and defensive tackles Aaron Donald (13th in 2014) and Michael Brockers (14th in 2012).
Long, however, suffered a significant knee injury in Week 5 and won’t play Sunday. Quinn, who missed last week’s game with the Vikings with his own knee injury, is also uncertain.
Donald, whom the Rams drafted one slot ahead of where the Bears took Kyle Fuller, continues emerging as a force in the middle. He possesses special quickness and an explosive first step and has great strength for his sie.
Overall, the Rams rank fifth overall in yards allowed (323.8 per game). In four home games this season, they have surrendered just 55 points, allowing only two touchdowns on 46 defensive series.
On the back end, a young and talented quartet of cornerbacks Janoris Jenkinsand Trumaine Johnson and safeties Rodney McLeod and T.J. McDonald have developed a valuable cohesion together.
Still, a fractured fibula to Alec Ogletree in October sent the standout linebacker to injured reserve with designation to return and forced the Rams to reshuffle. Ogletree’s leadership and energy is missed. As a means of compensating, the Rams have moved safety Mark Barron into a weakside linebacker-like role, taking advantage of his physicality.
Overall, the Rams defense presents difficulties with their team speed and attacking mentality.
dwiederer@tribpub.com
Twitter @danwiederer
MountainRam
Rookie
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Feel sorry for Bears.
Alshon jefferey out this week against Rams. Re injuried groin in practice.
Time for a 52-0 win!
Alshon jefferey out this week against Rams. Re injuried groin in practice.
Time for a 52-0 win!
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- #44
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/11/12/alshon-jeffery-out-of-practice-with-groin-injury/
Alshon Jeffery out of practice with groin injury
Posted by Josh Alper on November 12, 2015
Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has been no stranger to the injury report this season and he’s back on it this week.
Jeffery missed practice on Thursday because of a groin injury, which comes after he missed time in the preseason with a calf injury and four games in the regular season because of a hamstring issue. Jeffery suffered the injury in practice on Wednesday and the timing isn’t great for his chances of being in the lineup against the Rams.
Coach John Fox said Jeffery is day-to-day, which was the same terminology he used when Jeffery was missing those four games earlier in the year and would probably be the terminology he’d use if asked about the late Sid Luckman’s status for this weekend’s game.
Wide receiver Eddie Royal and linebacker Pernell McPhee were also out of practice with knee injuries. Royal didn’t play last Sunday while McPhee has started every game for Chicago so far this season.
http://www.chicitysports.com/forum/showthread.php/73043-Alshon-Jeffery-hurt-again
ALSHON JEFFERY HURT AGAIN
Cutler: I think (17) will be OK. If he can’t go we’ve had life without him
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The dude is a walking soft tissue injury.
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Man. I think he doing this on purpose. Show he can do it, then sit down to avoid major injury. I hope the bears will franchise him if he doesn't accept fair offer.
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That's a disturbing, but somewhat valid point. Hasn't there been reports of him shying off with goofy little injuries in college?
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http://www.dabears.com/threads/alshon-jeffery-back-on-the-injury-report.11821/
Not surprising. Remember....when one muscle is compromised other muscles must make up for it...so eventually those muscles end up being compromised. This is going to be problematic all season. He's not going to get healthy before the season ends. Don't be surprised if he ends up with some upper body issues too. You can break a toe and eventually that can lead to shoulder problems. Amazing thing this body of ours.
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It's like he get a new injury every week. At this rate, he'll be on injured reserve before we know it.
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This is a separate injury, dude. His hammy (pull #1) and calf (#2) were fine on Monday night as anyone could see. He'd been full participation in practice allweek too. He was fine vs Minnesota.
This is a separate pull. Let's not pretend otherwise. The more plausible explanation is that something isn't right with his stretching/conditioning program and/or he is generally more prone than average to soft tissue pulls.
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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...guson-suspended-four-games-for-ped-violation/
Bears’ Ego Ferguson suspended four games for PED violation
Posted by Michael David Smith on November 12, 2015
AP
For the third time this week, a Chicago Bear has been suspended four games by the NFL.
The Bears announced today that defensive lineman Ego Ferguson has been suspended for a violation of the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing substances.
Ferguson is on injured reserve, so he wouldn’t have played the next four games anyway. But the suspension will cost Ferguson: Players on injured reserve collect their weekly paychecks, while players on suspension aren’t paid. So Ferguson will lose four weeks of his $600,000 salary. That works out to about $143,000.
Ferguson was the Bears’ second-round pick in last year’s draft. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week Four of this season.
Bears receiver Jalen Saunders was also suspended four games this week, as was rookie offensive tackle Tayo Fabuluje.
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Something’s in the water in Chicago…time for Fox/Pace to get it stopped….
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That has to be a blow to the Ego.
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Play for the Patriots you can take all the PEDs you want.
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http://www.chicitysports.com/forum/showthread.php/73048-Ego-Ferguson
Is this 3-4 players now, the player may be getting bad info from the trainers and what to and not to take.
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What a loser. Sounds like they are passing around what they are taking among themselves.
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If you ain't cheating you ain't trying...
I guess he was just trying a bit too hard...
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Being on IR AND suspended.
Is that like double secret probation?
Bears’ Ego Ferguson suspended four games for PED violation
Posted by Michael David Smith on November 12, 2015
For the third time this week, a Chicago Bear has been suspended four games by the NFL.
The Bears announced today that defensive lineman Ego Ferguson has been suspended for a violation of the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing substances.
Ferguson is on injured reserve, so he wouldn’t have played the next four games anyway. But the suspension will cost Ferguson: Players on injured reserve collect their weekly paychecks, while players on suspension aren’t paid. So Ferguson will lose four weeks of his $600,000 salary. That works out to about $143,000.
Ferguson was the Bears’ second-round pick in last year’s draft. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week Four of this season.
Bears receiver Jalen Saunders was also suspended four games this week, as was rookie offensive tackle Tayo Fabuluje.
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Something’s in the water in Chicago…time for Fox/Pace to get it stopped….
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That has to be a blow to the Ego.
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Play for the Patriots you can take all the PEDs you want.
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http://www.chicitysports.com/forum/showthread.php/73048-Ego-Ferguson
Is this 3-4 players now, the player may be getting bad info from the trainers and what to and not to take.
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What a loser. Sounds like they are passing around what they are taking among themselves.
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If you ain't cheating you ain't trying...
I guess he was just trying a bit too hard...
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Being on IR AND suspended.
Is that like double secret probation?
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http://www.chicagobears.com/news/ch...-fence-D/7e3f3f70-6de7-4a0c-9e8b-e40032d19b45
Why did Bears use picket-fence D?
Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of email questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.
I understand why Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio sometimes drops eight players back to the goal line. But why did he do it late in the first half Monday night in San Diego? The Chargers were on the edge of field-goal range and giving them an easy completion turned the kick into a chip shot.
David L.
Aurora, Illinois
The situation you’re referring to occurred with the Chargers having the ball at the Bears’ 23 with :11 left in the first half and no timeouts remaining. The defense dropped eight players to the goal line, allowing Philip Rivers to complete a 9-yard pass to Dontrelle Inman, setting up Josh Lambo’s 31-yard field goal on the next play with :03 left in the half.
Fangio explained Wednesday that the Chargers were already in field-goal range and wanted to keep them out of the end zone, saying: “In my opinion, they already had a very easy field goal. They had time for one play. If you’re offense with no timeouts, where’s the ball going? In the end zone. If it doesn’t go in the end zone and stays in the field of play, halftime will come and they won’t be able to kick. They’re trying to get into the end zone, so we want our guys back there defending the touchdown.
The 6, 7, 8, 9 yards or whatever they get at that point is inconsequential on the field goal at the stadium in perfect conditions. If the wind is blowing and the field is not great, maybe those nine yards may make a difference. But in my opinion it didn’t. The mortal sin there would be to give up [a touchdown].”
All three Bears wins this year have come against the AFC West, coach John Fox’s old division. How much do you attribute the wins to coach Fox’s familiarity?
Pete
Val Rita, Ontario, Canada
I’m sure John Fox’s familiarity with the Raiders, Chiefs and Chargers has helped a little bit in terms of personnel and game-planning, but I honestly don’t think it’s that big of a factor. That familiarity certainly didn’t prevent the Bears from throwing a pick six, losing a fumble and giving up an easy touchdown to a wide-open receiver in the first half Monday night in San Diego.
Most NFL games are decided by a handful of plays and the Bears stepped up and made those plays in crunch time to come back and beat the Chargers. I really don’t think there’s any more to it than that.
Is this the first time that Robbie Gould has ever missed three straight field goals? I think we’ve all been spoiled by his accuracy and dependability!
Michael K.
Rockford, Illinois
Robbie Gould certainly has been consistent throughout his entire career with the Bears. This is only the second time he’s missed three straight field-goal attempts. The only other time was midway through the 2010 season when he missed a 54-yarder against the Seahawks, a 42-yarder versus the Bills and a 43-yarder against the Vikings.
Monday night marked only the third time Gould missed two field-goal attempts in a game, not bad considering that he has appeared in 158 career contests!
Why did Bears use picket-fence D?
Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of email questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.
I understand why Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio sometimes drops eight players back to the goal line. But why did he do it late in the first half Monday night in San Diego? The Chargers were on the edge of field-goal range and giving them an easy completion turned the kick into a chip shot.
David L.
Aurora, Illinois
The situation you’re referring to occurred with the Chargers having the ball at the Bears’ 23 with :11 left in the first half and no timeouts remaining. The defense dropped eight players to the goal line, allowing Philip Rivers to complete a 9-yard pass to Dontrelle Inman, setting up Josh Lambo’s 31-yard field goal on the next play with :03 left in the half.
Fangio explained Wednesday that the Chargers were already in field-goal range and wanted to keep them out of the end zone, saying: “In my opinion, they already had a very easy field goal. They had time for one play. If you’re offense with no timeouts, where’s the ball going? In the end zone. If it doesn’t go in the end zone and stays in the field of play, halftime will come and they won’t be able to kick. They’re trying to get into the end zone, so we want our guys back there defending the touchdown.
The 6, 7, 8, 9 yards or whatever they get at that point is inconsequential on the field goal at the stadium in perfect conditions. If the wind is blowing and the field is not great, maybe those nine yards may make a difference. But in my opinion it didn’t. The mortal sin there would be to give up [a touchdown].”
All three Bears wins this year have come against the AFC West, coach John Fox’s old division. How much do you attribute the wins to coach Fox’s familiarity?
Pete
Val Rita, Ontario, Canada
I’m sure John Fox’s familiarity with the Raiders, Chiefs and Chargers has helped a little bit in terms of personnel and game-planning, but I honestly don’t think it’s that big of a factor. That familiarity certainly didn’t prevent the Bears from throwing a pick six, losing a fumble and giving up an easy touchdown to a wide-open receiver in the first half Monday night in San Diego.
Most NFL games are decided by a handful of plays and the Bears stepped up and made those plays in crunch time to come back and beat the Chargers. I really don’t think there’s any more to it than that.
Is this the first time that Robbie Gould has ever missed three straight field goals? I think we’ve all been spoiled by his accuracy and dependability!
Michael K.
Rockford, Illinois
Robbie Gould certainly has been consistent throughout his entire career with the Bears. This is only the second time he’s missed three straight field-goal attempts. The only other time was midway through the 2010 season when he missed a 54-yarder against the Seahawks, a 42-yarder versus the Bills and a 43-yarder against the Vikings.
Monday night marked only the third time Gould missed two field-goal attempts in a game, not bad considering that he has appeared in 158 career contests!
CodeMonkey
Possibly the OH but cannot self-identify
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Good. Let them whistle past us.After going through around 15 Bears forums this morning, I've come to the conclusion that the fans are not interested in their upcoming game against the Rams. They're still going on and on about their win over the Chargers.alm:
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http://www.chicitysports.com/forum/showthread.php/73044-Next-3-weeks-could-get-pretty-interesting
Next 3 weeks could get pretty interesting
In the next two weeks our Bears will be facing two teams with very good defenses that are struggling on offense or at least are quite inconsistent on offense. The Rams game will have a lot of bear fans at it and the broncos game is at home. IMHO if the defense can make enough key stops against these less than stellar offenses, Jay and his guys can lead this team to two big wins.
Then they go to GB at 5-5 with lots of momentum against a team that is struggling on defense. It is possible against the Pack the Bear offense could feel like they got the get of of jail card after facing two tough defenses.
I aint predicting anything just that these next 3 games could play out with more Bear wins than anybody is expecting and then they go into the easy part of their schedule. Again not predicting just pointing out that there are some positive elements at play here that could give our team a big boost. This is all of course predicated on Jay playing as well as he has and the oline doing their job.
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I think I predict the Bears go 0-3 in the next three games.
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I'm optimistic the Bears can beat the Rams. I'm praying the Bears can beat the Broncos and Packers. I'll be praying really hard for the Bears to beat the Packers. That will make my year. I don't have to hear Packer fans how the Bears are really worth their time.
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Bears will beat the Rams. For some reason Jeff Fisher has a knack for getting his team to ball out against Arizona and Seattle only to put up uninspired performances against non-divisional opponents.
The Bears are in this weird John Fox place where they don't get too high and they don't get too low. I'm thinking they bore the Rams into just giving up the game.
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if by interesting you mean gurley runs all over the D and facing two legit Ds, and GB, brings out bad jay, than yeah, very interesting.
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The Rams beat us last time with a crappier Running game and a weaker Defense...
I feel like our offense will have better success against them than last time... The Rams are 15th against the run and let AD put up ~125yds on them. If Jeffery is out, I give the Bears about a 15% chance of winning. If he is playing, it goes up to 45%....
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They also beat us when we didn't have Cutler at QB. Like him or hate him, he's our only shot to win games.
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I must say I was feeling a whole lot better about this game before I heard about Alshon's injury. Lets hope he can play this game.
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I love Bear Fans....they are so silly!
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http://www.windycitygridiron.com/20...o-bears-players-saint-louis-rams-game-week-10
Three key Bears players for Rams game
By Sam Householder @SamHouseholder
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Bears travel to Saint Louis on a short week to take on the frisky Saint Louis Rams. The Bears need a lot of players to show up big, but which players are needed the most.
The Rams under Jeff Fisher have been somewhat of an enigma. They've never really been good (24-31-1) but they have been far more respectable than most Rams teams of the post-Mike Martz era.
That's sort of been Fisher's M.O. going back to his days coaching the Titans. The teams were typically around .500 and then every few years he'd get a decent postseason run to keep it interesting. Fisher has a lot of respect around the league but his coaching resume doesn't really blow anyone away either.
In Saint Louis though, Fisher's team has played well against some really, really good NFC West competition. He's 4-3 against the Cardinals, 3-4-1 against the 49ers and 3-4 against the Seahawks. And many of those contests were close too boot.
Fisher teams are known for tough, hard-hitting defenses and a ground and pound offense. The 2015 Rams are built no differently. Fisher may have finally found an unspectacular quarterback in Nick Foles who can play the game manager role really well. Foles has played well this season in their wins and poorly in their losses but with Todd Gurley emerging as one of the best running backs in the league, Foles isn't being asked to do too much.
Foles is really a tale of two QBs. In wins, his completion percentage is 12 percent higher than in losses, his interception ratio is off the charts (5 to 0 in wins, 2 to 5 in losses) and he is sacked more (7 sacks in losses, five in wins). It will be important for the Bears to get a lead early because Foles averages six and a half more pass attempts in losses than wins. His stats this year indicate he isn't a strong come-from-behind QB.
With that said, this team is already in the playoff race by virtue of their current 3-0 division record and current second place standing in the NFC West behind Arizona.
Can the Bears, with a bad run defense and slow pass rush, really hang with a team like the Rams? Yes, but they will need to play better than they have the last month and it won't be easy.
In order for it to happen, here are my three key player picks for the Rams game:
Lamarr Houston, OLB - It's actually really weird to list a not Pernell McPhee 'backer here but alas, Houston has actually, dare I say, started to show up a bit. He had two sacks on Monday sandwiched between an offsides penalty in addition to having another offsides penalty earlier. While the penalties will hopefully stop, it could mean he's feeling aggressive and getting a little better feel for his new spot.
Ideally he'll get better at anticipating the snap counts and going on ball movement, but the sacks are a step in the right direction. As I stated before, Foles is a different QB when the pressure is on him so if McPhee and Houston can rattle him early, it will mean good things for Chicago.
Jay Cutler, QB - It has been a long while since I put Jay in my key players but his play has earned him a spot. He's been a crucial part of all of the Bears' wins this year and this week will be no different. The Rams have a very good defense; fifth overall, fourth against the pass and 13th against the run. They have 27 sacks, second most in the NFL behind Denver.
Cutler has to keep playing smart, climbing the pocket when the rush is getting there and keep the discipline that has helped him be very effective this year. Ideally Alshon Jeffery will play and help Cutler make the big plays that have been such a big part of the offense's resurgence the past couple of weeks. Make the good plays and take what this defense gives you.
Jonathan Anderson, ILB - The Bears might get Shea McClellin back this week but that's no given and Christian Jones has been outplayed by Anderson the last couple of games. Anderson is going to be key in helping slow down Gurley. That will, quite simply, be the most important thing that the Bears' linebackers do Sunday.
Gurley is one of those running backs that will get his no matter what, it seems, but not allowing him to get into the secondary and/or break tackles and get runs longer than five or six yards is going to be key. Yes I'm sure he'll break a couple 10-12 yard runs but anything longer and the Bears could be in for it.
Honorable mentions: Adrian Amos for run support, Kyle Fuller andTracy Porter for needing to intercept Foles, and Jeremy Langford.
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Agree
He is going to be key in the run game, especially when they try to get Austin outside, staying in his lane and taking good pursuit angles will go a long way in keeping them from breaking the big one.
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It is hard to identify key players this game.
The Rams are quite one dimensional on offense, but have explosive potential on special teams. We need to play them like teams did against us with Hester. O’Donnell needs to hit his punts perfectly and take their returner out of the game. Our offense needs to generate a lead to put pressure on Foles. Can we get a fourth quarter performance out of Cutler for the whole game?
Finally, Gould must rebound. The Rams do not allow many touchdowns; thus, we need to maximize our points by having a perfect game from Gould. I have not listed any defensive players because I believe we will struggle to stop their run game. Sadly, the best I can hope for is we stop Gurly from any huge runs. He will still put up big numbers against us, but he cannot break for big runs.
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If they can do what they did against AP
I would consider it a huge win. AP had 20 carries for 103 yards, no TDs. Yes that’s still over 5 yards per carry, BUT keeping him out of the endzone and his long run was "only" 12 yards is pretty good considering how much of a work in progress this D is.
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Langford
I think it’s key to get Langford a lot of touches,he can be explosive as well.
Eating up the clock and moving the chains will keep Gurley on the sidelines.
I’d like to see Cutler getting rid of the ball quickly,and getting Langford the ball in space. Wearing down and frustrating the Rams defense will pay dividends late in the game.
Next 3 weeks could get pretty interesting
In the next two weeks our Bears will be facing two teams with very good defenses that are struggling on offense or at least are quite inconsistent on offense. The Rams game will have a lot of bear fans at it and the broncos game is at home. IMHO if the defense can make enough key stops against these less than stellar offenses, Jay and his guys can lead this team to two big wins.
Then they go to GB at 5-5 with lots of momentum against a team that is struggling on defense. It is possible against the Pack the Bear offense could feel like they got the get of of jail card after facing two tough defenses.
I aint predicting anything just that these next 3 games could play out with more Bear wins than anybody is expecting and then they go into the easy part of their schedule. Again not predicting just pointing out that there are some positive elements at play here that could give our team a big boost. This is all of course predicated on Jay playing as well as he has and the oline doing their job.
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I think I predict the Bears go 0-3 in the next three games.
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I'm optimistic the Bears can beat the Rams. I'm praying the Bears can beat the Broncos and Packers. I'll be praying really hard for the Bears to beat the Packers. That will make my year. I don't have to hear Packer fans how the Bears are really worth their time.
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Bears will beat the Rams. For some reason Jeff Fisher has a knack for getting his team to ball out against Arizona and Seattle only to put up uninspired performances against non-divisional opponents.
The Bears are in this weird John Fox place where they don't get too high and they don't get too low. I'm thinking they bore the Rams into just giving up the game.
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if by interesting you mean gurley runs all over the D and facing two legit Ds, and GB, brings out bad jay, than yeah, very interesting.
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The Rams beat us last time with a crappier Running game and a weaker Defense...
I feel like our offense will have better success against them than last time... The Rams are 15th against the run and let AD put up ~125yds on them. If Jeffery is out, I give the Bears about a 15% chance of winning. If he is playing, it goes up to 45%....
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They also beat us when we didn't have Cutler at QB. Like him or hate him, he's our only shot to win games.
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I must say I was feeling a whole lot better about this game before I heard about Alshon's injury. Lets hope he can play this game.
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I love Bear Fans....they are so silly!
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http://www.windycitygridiron.com/20...o-bears-players-saint-louis-rams-game-week-10
Three key Bears players for Rams game
By Sam Householder @SamHouseholder
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Bears travel to Saint Louis on a short week to take on the frisky Saint Louis Rams. The Bears need a lot of players to show up big, but which players are needed the most.
The Rams under Jeff Fisher have been somewhat of an enigma. They've never really been good (24-31-1) but they have been far more respectable than most Rams teams of the post-Mike Martz era.
That's sort of been Fisher's M.O. going back to his days coaching the Titans. The teams were typically around .500 and then every few years he'd get a decent postseason run to keep it interesting. Fisher has a lot of respect around the league but his coaching resume doesn't really blow anyone away either.
In Saint Louis though, Fisher's team has played well against some really, really good NFC West competition. He's 4-3 against the Cardinals, 3-4-1 against the 49ers and 3-4 against the Seahawks. And many of those contests were close too boot.
Fisher teams are known for tough, hard-hitting defenses and a ground and pound offense. The 2015 Rams are built no differently. Fisher may have finally found an unspectacular quarterback in Nick Foles who can play the game manager role really well. Foles has played well this season in their wins and poorly in their losses but with Todd Gurley emerging as one of the best running backs in the league, Foles isn't being asked to do too much.
Foles is really a tale of two QBs. In wins, his completion percentage is 12 percent higher than in losses, his interception ratio is off the charts (5 to 0 in wins, 2 to 5 in losses) and he is sacked more (7 sacks in losses, five in wins). It will be important for the Bears to get a lead early because Foles averages six and a half more pass attempts in losses than wins. His stats this year indicate he isn't a strong come-from-behind QB.
With that said, this team is already in the playoff race by virtue of their current 3-0 division record and current second place standing in the NFC West behind Arizona.
Can the Bears, with a bad run defense and slow pass rush, really hang with a team like the Rams? Yes, but they will need to play better than they have the last month and it won't be easy.
In order for it to happen, here are my three key player picks for the Rams game:
Lamarr Houston, OLB - It's actually really weird to list a not Pernell McPhee 'backer here but alas, Houston has actually, dare I say, started to show up a bit. He had two sacks on Monday sandwiched between an offsides penalty in addition to having another offsides penalty earlier. While the penalties will hopefully stop, it could mean he's feeling aggressive and getting a little better feel for his new spot.
Ideally he'll get better at anticipating the snap counts and going on ball movement, but the sacks are a step in the right direction. As I stated before, Foles is a different QB when the pressure is on him so if McPhee and Houston can rattle him early, it will mean good things for Chicago.
Jay Cutler, QB - It has been a long while since I put Jay in my key players but his play has earned him a spot. He's been a crucial part of all of the Bears' wins this year and this week will be no different. The Rams have a very good defense; fifth overall, fourth against the pass and 13th against the run. They have 27 sacks, second most in the NFL behind Denver.
Cutler has to keep playing smart, climbing the pocket when the rush is getting there and keep the discipline that has helped him be very effective this year. Ideally Alshon Jeffery will play and help Cutler make the big plays that have been such a big part of the offense's resurgence the past couple of weeks. Make the good plays and take what this defense gives you.
Jonathan Anderson, ILB - The Bears might get Shea McClellin back this week but that's no given and Christian Jones has been outplayed by Anderson the last couple of games. Anderson is going to be key in helping slow down Gurley. That will, quite simply, be the most important thing that the Bears' linebackers do Sunday.
Gurley is one of those running backs that will get his no matter what, it seems, but not allowing him to get into the secondary and/or break tackles and get runs longer than five or six yards is going to be key. Yes I'm sure he'll break a couple 10-12 yard runs but anything longer and the Bears could be in for it.
Honorable mentions: Adrian Amos for run support, Kyle Fuller andTracy Porter for needing to intercept Foles, and Jeremy Langford.
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Agree
He is going to be key in the run game, especially when they try to get Austin outside, staying in his lane and taking good pursuit angles will go a long way in keeping them from breaking the big one.
--------
It is hard to identify key players this game.
The Rams are quite one dimensional on offense, but have explosive potential on special teams. We need to play them like teams did against us with Hester. O’Donnell needs to hit his punts perfectly and take their returner out of the game. Our offense needs to generate a lead to put pressure on Foles. Can we get a fourth quarter performance out of Cutler for the whole game?
Finally, Gould must rebound. The Rams do not allow many touchdowns; thus, we need to maximize our points by having a perfect game from Gould. I have not listed any defensive players because I believe we will struggle to stop their run game. Sadly, the best I can hope for is we stop Gurly from any huge runs. He will still put up big numbers against us, but he cannot break for big runs.
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If they can do what they did against AP
I would consider it a huge win. AP had 20 carries for 103 yards, no TDs. Yes that’s still over 5 yards per carry, BUT keeping him out of the endzone and his long run was "only" 12 yards is pretty good considering how much of a work in progress this D is.
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Langford
I think it’s key to get Langford a lot of touches,he can be explosive as well.
Eating up the clock and moving the chains will keep Gurley on the sidelines.
I’d like to see Cutler getting rid of the ball quickly,and getting Langford the ball in space. Wearing down and frustrating the Rams defense will pay dividends late in the game.
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http://www.chicagobears.com/news/ar...ugh-test/08c3c230-45a5-4aa5-9ccb-916e6999e84f
Rams defense will provide tough test
Larry Mayer/Bears Senior Writer
The Bears offense will face one of its most difficult challenges of the season Sunday in St. Louis against an aggressive Rams defense.
"They're probably one of the top two we've faced so far, if not the best one we've seen," said offensive coordinator Adam Gase. "From the front to the back end, this will probably be one of our toughest tests."
The Rams (4-4) rank fifth in the NFL on defense and are particularly stingy at home, where they have not allowed a touchdown in their last 10 quarters.
The unit has compiled 27 sacks this season and is led by a line that consists of four first-round draft picks in tackles Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers and ends Robert Quinn and Chris Long, though Long is sidelined with a knee injury.
"They're about one of the most physical teams that we've played to date," Gase said. "You feel almost Seattle-type intensity the way they play. They really get after it. They play sideline-to-sideline. They play all the way to the whistle so you've just got to make sure you bring your 'A' game. You better be physical. You better make sure you come to play physical football."
The Bears have allowed just 14 sacks this season, an impressive stat when you consider that injuries on their offensive line have forced them to employ three different centers. Pass protection will remain a top priority against the Rams.
"You've got to throw a lot of different stuff at them," said quarterback Jay Cutler. "You've got to get rid of it fast. You've got to [use your] screen game.
"You've got to block it up at times and push the ball down the field because they're going to show you a lot of different looks. They've got really good players. They're going to make some plays. We've got to prepare for that and we've got to be ready to combat that."
The Bears expect to see a variety of blitzes from the Rams and their veteran defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams.
"As soon as you think you might have something dialed up, it's going to come from the other side and they're going to spin coverages," Cutler said.
"They're going to do some things that you really don't see on a week-in, week-out basis. It's a lot of work throughout the week of making sure. You're going through with a fine-toothed comb of making sure some rules apply and what you're seeing is going to work on Sunday."
Rams cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson (3) and Janoris Jenkins (2) have combined for five interceptions this season.
"You have to start with the front four or seven, however you look at it," Cutler said. "The amount of pressure and disruption that they cause allows those cornerbacks to take some gambles and make some plays and sit on some stuff, which makes you a little bit leery as a quarterback."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...ssentials-biggs-spt-1115-20151114-column.html
Bears wanted Rams' Aaron Donald but couldn't get to him fast enough
Brad Biggs/Reporter - Chicago Tribune
When the Giants selected wide receiver Odell Beckham with the 12th pick in the 2014 draft, emotions spiked simultaneously in Earth City, Mo., and Lake Forest.
The man the Rams and Bears coveted in the draft was there for the taking.
"I pulled a hamstring cheering," Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williamssaid last week at the team's facility in suburban St. Louis.
The Bears knew better than to prematurely celebrate. But they figured there was no way the Rams, with the strength of the roster already residing on the defensive line, would draft Pitt tackle Aaron Donald. As one source with knowledge of the situation said, he was the Bears' guy all along. Unless another team traded to acquire the Rams' pick at No. 13, Donald would belong to the Bears at No. 14.
The Rams were in need of offensive line help and they addressed that when the selected Auburn tackle Greg Robinson with their first pick at No. 2. It was a good draft for wide receivers and they had a need there. The secondary was another need area.
"There were a lot of rumors flying around and maybe (Donald) was a little out of left field," Rams general manager Les Snead said.
When the Rams took Donald, the Bears' hopes were dashed. The Rams had added another first-round pick to a line with three of them already in place —Chris Long, Robert Quinn and Michael Brockers. The franchise that had the Fearsome Foursome of Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Rosey Grier and Lamar Lundy in the 1960s had completed a new and imposing quartet.
"That was our strength," Snead acknowledged.
So why add to your strength when there are pretty good players available at other positions? To explain the decision, Snead rose from behind his desk and walked over to a large dry erase board covering most of one wall in his office. There was depth chart information, printouts and cutouts, lots of cutouts with quotes and tidbits neatly arranged down the left side and across the bottom.
"You see I am a quote guy," Snead said as he searched. "I think I have it somewhere. Where's it at? That's it. Obsession not balance makes things happen.
That is, balance in the NFL draft isn't everything.
"You know, in the NFL for the most part, every team has a hole. We all do. So it's, 'Let's get our strong really strong.' Hopefully that carries the day or is the catalyst."
For Williams, Donald provided the one thing he was missing up front. Brockers is a solid run stuffer and Long, who will not play Sunday as he's recovering from a knee injury, and Quinn are talented book end pass rushers. The Rams didn't have the disrupter inside then and too many times opposing quarterbacks were able to step up in the pocket and make plays, avoiding what were quality edge rushes. They sought to close the escape hatch.
"And there is a thought process with (coach Jeff Fisher), 'If that is our bread and butter, let's feed the beast,' " Snead said.
In a private room at the Savoy restaurant in Pittsburgh, Donald had heard a lot of rumors about the Giants and Bears. He didn't think he would fall very far out of the top-10 although some teams had knocked him for his size — 6-foot-1, 285 pounds. When his phone rang, cell reception was so poor he had to go upstairs. He wound up missing two calls before he heard from Fisher.
"I'm glad to be a Ram," Donald said. "It made my job easier to come to a place where the people around me get attention. I went to the same scheme here that I played (at Pitt), so I felt real comfortable right away."
Donald was named the NFL's defensive rookie of the year last season when he also was selected to the Pro Bowl. He had nine sacks in his first season and has 41/2 this season along with a team-high 23 quarterback pressures and 11 tackles for loss.
Williams had coveted Donald for a while as he closely followed Big East play because his son Chase was a starting middle linebacker at Virginia Tech.
"I watched Aaron whip their ass all those years," Williams said. "The thing that I love about him is that he has instincts we can't coach. So one of the most important things we do here is remember, 'Don't screw him up.' "
At times, the Rams turn Donald loose. He communicates with middle linebacker James Laurinaitis pre-snap to make sure they're on the same page and then Donald is allowed to "go make a play" as Williams puts it. Offenses have been adjusting to Donald and game-planning for him, making it interesting for Williams to watch how he focuses on the development of his counter moves.
The Bears still feel good about cornerback Kyle Fuller, their choice after Donald. He has rebounded from a rough start to the season and leads the defense with seven pass breakups, including three against the Vikings two weeks ago. If Fuller can ascend, he will be a player to build around.
But the Rams' selection of Donald provides a valuable lesson for Bears general manager Ryan Pace. It's a reminder if there's a player you believe can be a difference maker and elite performer, it's never a bad idea to explore a trade up in the first round, especially if the player is getting close to you.
It's also proof that obsession not balance makes things happen.
bmbiggs@tribpub.com
Twitter @BradBiggs
Rams defense will provide tough test
Larry Mayer/Bears Senior Writer
The Bears offense will face one of its most difficult challenges of the season Sunday in St. Louis against an aggressive Rams defense.
"They're probably one of the top two we've faced so far, if not the best one we've seen," said offensive coordinator Adam Gase. "From the front to the back end, this will probably be one of our toughest tests."
The Rams (4-4) rank fifth in the NFL on defense and are particularly stingy at home, where they have not allowed a touchdown in their last 10 quarters.
The unit has compiled 27 sacks this season and is led by a line that consists of four first-round draft picks in tackles Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers and ends Robert Quinn and Chris Long, though Long is sidelined with a knee injury.
"They're about one of the most physical teams that we've played to date," Gase said. "You feel almost Seattle-type intensity the way they play. They really get after it. They play sideline-to-sideline. They play all the way to the whistle so you've just got to make sure you bring your 'A' game. You better be physical. You better make sure you come to play physical football."
The Bears have allowed just 14 sacks this season, an impressive stat when you consider that injuries on their offensive line have forced them to employ three different centers. Pass protection will remain a top priority against the Rams.
"You've got to throw a lot of different stuff at them," said quarterback Jay Cutler. "You've got to get rid of it fast. You've got to [use your] screen game.
"You've got to block it up at times and push the ball down the field because they're going to show you a lot of different looks. They've got really good players. They're going to make some plays. We've got to prepare for that and we've got to be ready to combat that."
The Bears expect to see a variety of blitzes from the Rams and their veteran defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams.
"As soon as you think you might have something dialed up, it's going to come from the other side and they're going to spin coverages," Cutler said.
"They're going to do some things that you really don't see on a week-in, week-out basis. It's a lot of work throughout the week of making sure. You're going through with a fine-toothed comb of making sure some rules apply and what you're seeing is going to work on Sunday."
Rams cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson (3) and Janoris Jenkins (2) have combined for five interceptions this season.
"You have to start with the front four or seven, however you look at it," Cutler said. "The amount of pressure and disruption that they cause allows those cornerbacks to take some gambles and make some plays and sit on some stuff, which makes you a little bit leery as a quarterback."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...ssentials-biggs-spt-1115-20151114-column.html
Bears wanted Rams' Aaron Donald but couldn't get to him fast enough
Brad Biggs/Reporter - Chicago Tribune
When the Giants selected wide receiver Odell Beckham with the 12th pick in the 2014 draft, emotions spiked simultaneously in Earth City, Mo., and Lake Forest.
The man the Rams and Bears coveted in the draft was there for the taking.
"I pulled a hamstring cheering," Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williamssaid last week at the team's facility in suburban St. Louis.
The Bears knew better than to prematurely celebrate. But they figured there was no way the Rams, with the strength of the roster already residing on the defensive line, would draft Pitt tackle Aaron Donald. As one source with knowledge of the situation said, he was the Bears' guy all along. Unless another team traded to acquire the Rams' pick at No. 13, Donald would belong to the Bears at No. 14.
The Rams were in need of offensive line help and they addressed that when the selected Auburn tackle Greg Robinson with their first pick at No. 2. It was a good draft for wide receivers and they had a need there. The secondary was another need area.
"There were a lot of rumors flying around and maybe (Donald) was a little out of left field," Rams general manager Les Snead said.
When the Rams took Donald, the Bears' hopes were dashed. The Rams had added another first-round pick to a line with three of them already in place —Chris Long, Robert Quinn and Michael Brockers. The franchise that had the Fearsome Foursome of Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Rosey Grier and Lamar Lundy in the 1960s had completed a new and imposing quartet.
"That was our strength," Snead acknowledged.
So why add to your strength when there are pretty good players available at other positions? To explain the decision, Snead rose from behind his desk and walked over to a large dry erase board covering most of one wall in his office. There was depth chart information, printouts and cutouts, lots of cutouts with quotes and tidbits neatly arranged down the left side and across the bottom.
"You see I am a quote guy," Snead said as he searched. "I think I have it somewhere. Where's it at? That's it. Obsession not balance makes things happen.
That is, balance in the NFL draft isn't everything.
"You know, in the NFL for the most part, every team has a hole. We all do. So it's, 'Let's get our strong really strong.' Hopefully that carries the day or is the catalyst."
For Williams, Donald provided the one thing he was missing up front. Brockers is a solid run stuffer and Long, who will not play Sunday as he's recovering from a knee injury, and Quinn are talented book end pass rushers. The Rams didn't have the disrupter inside then and too many times opposing quarterbacks were able to step up in the pocket and make plays, avoiding what were quality edge rushes. They sought to close the escape hatch.
"And there is a thought process with (coach Jeff Fisher), 'If that is our bread and butter, let's feed the beast,' " Snead said.
In a private room at the Savoy restaurant in Pittsburgh, Donald had heard a lot of rumors about the Giants and Bears. He didn't think he would fall very far out of the top-10 although some teams had knocked him for his size — 6-foot-1, 285 pounds. When his phone rang, cell reception was so poor he had to go upstairs. He wound up missing two calls before he heard from Fisher.
"I'm glad to be a Ram," Donald said. "It made my job easier to come to a place where the people around me get attention. I went to the same scheme here that I played (at Pitt), so I felt real comfortable right away."
Donald was named the NFL's defensive rookie of the year last season when he also was selected to the Pro Bowl. He had nine sacks in his first season and has 41/2 this season along with a team-high 23 quarterback pressures and 11 tackles for loss.
Williams had coveted Donald for a while as he closely followed Big East play because his son Chase was a starting middle linebacker at Virginia Tech.
"I watched Aaron whip their ass all those years," Williams said. "The thing that I love about him is that he has instincts we can't coach. So one of the most important things we do here is remember, 'Don't screw him up.' "
At times, the Rams turn Donald loose. He communicates with middle linebacker James Laurinaitis pre-snap to make sure they're on the same page and then Donald is allowed to "go make a play" as Williams puts it. Offenses have been adjusting to Donald and game-planning for him, making it interesting for Williams to watch how he focuses on the development of his counter moves.
The Bears still feel good about cornerback Kyle Fuller, their choice after Donald. He has rebounded from a rough start to the season and leads the defense with seven pass breakups, including three against the Vikings two weeks ago. If Fuller can ascend, he will be a player to build around.
But the Rams' selection of Donald provides a valuable lesson for Bears general manager Ryan Pace. It's a reminder if there's a player you believe can be a difference maker and elite performer, it's never a bad idea to explore a trade up in the first round, especially if the player is getting close to you.
It's also proof that obsession not balance makes things happen.
bmbiggs@tribpub.com
Twitter @BradBiggs
snackdaddy
Who's your snackdaddy?
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I'm more optimistic about this week than I was last week. That whole on again off again thing. They were off last week so they're due this week.
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? Rams 24 Redskins 0 !?! This game?
He did Win a Lot of Ball games, He just never did much in the Play-Off's!Nooooo!
You'll get Marty Ball and you'll love it!
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Works for me I picked the Rams 51-0!!:yess::mrburnsevil:
RamzFanz
Damnit
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No, they need to win this with skill and keep all that anger inside to unleash a fury on Cinci and the Hawks.
By the way, the above image is how the Viking fans think the Joyner hit went down.
alm:
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This is one of your Best Bro!!!!No, they need to win this with skill and keep all that anger inside to unleash a fury on Cinci and the Hawks.
By the way, the above image is how the Viking fans think the Joyner hit went down.
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