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Behind Enemy Lines: How the Rams plan on stopping Le'Veon Bell and the Steelers offense
By
Jeff.Hartman
@BnGBlitz on Sep 25, 2015
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers are ready to lock horns with the St. Louis Rams in Week 3 NFL action and, as a lead-in for this game, we sat down with the editor of Turf Show Times to talk about the upcoming game from the other side of the fence.
The
Pittsburgh Steelers and
St. Louis Rams will be going head-to-head this Sunday in Week 3, and both of these 1-1 teams will be looking to to move their record above .500 heading into Week 4. In preparation for the big game at Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, I was fortunate to have an interview with Joe McAtee, editor of
Turf Show Times (SB Nation's Rams website), and take a look at this matchup from the other side of the fence.
Take a look at the interview and, as always, if you're looking for news on this matchup from the Rams' point of view, head on over to
Turf Show Times for all the information you'll need.
There is a lot of talk surrounding the Rams' defensive front, and for rightful reasons. But who are the weapons on the offensive side of the football that Steelers fans should keep an eye on in this Week-3 matchup?
I'm not sure we've got them yet..I guess, if I'm stretching, I could point to Tavon Austin. His acceleration and speed are top-tier, but it takes a lot to craft an entire offense around him and the Rams have never been dedicated to that. Through the first four weeks of 2014, WR Brian Quick looked like the best wideout the team has had since the Greatest Show on Turf, but he slowed down a bit thereafter and suffered a dramatic arm injury in Week 7.
He still hasn't made it back to the field yet. The biggest name though, both because of recency bias and the promise of the unknown, is RB Todd Gurley. The Rams' first-round pick in the
2015 NFL Draft, Gurley tore his ACL last November playing for Georgia. This week, he isn't even on the injury report, so many are looking at this Sunday as his NFL debut. He's coming in with substantial hype, and the Rams certainly need him to make good on that promise early considering their dearth of offensive weapons.
The Steelers offense gets All Pro RB Le'Veon Bell back from his two-game suspension this week, he provides considerable matchup issues for opposing defenses. What are the Rams' plans to stop the running game after being gashed by Matt Jones of the Redskins in Week 2?
I just don't know, honestly. The defense is set up to allow for short runs and short passes in the center of the field, while protecting the sidelines and deep. The entire philosophy is based on the intent to get to 3rd-and-long and create splash plays with the defensive line crashing on the QB. Washington wasn't put in that position often enough because the run game was getting them extra yards, let alone the three big runs
Matt Jones and
Alfred Morris broke off.
The failures in the run-defense last Sunday just come down to execution, not playcalling. Too often,
James Laurinaitis and the safeties,
T.J. McDonald,
Rodney McLeod and
Mark Barron, were taking the wrong gaps. The plugs up front, especially
Michael Brockers, weren't closing the middle. And the Rams didn't have edge integrity. So really, what's the plan? Do better.
The Rams are playing in the dome this Sunday, what makes Edward Jones Dome such a unique home field advantage?
Nothing, seriously. The Rams have been the next-to-worst team in the NFL over the last decade. That has an effect on any franchise's home support. There's still a dedicated base, but you can't have a team in 2015 that hasn't had a winning season since 2003 fill its stadium to capacity with raucous fans. It's just not happening.
Rookie RB Todd Gurley wasn't listed on the team's most recent injury report, pointing to a NFL debut for the former Georgia Bulldog. What are the expectations for Gurley going against a mediocre Steelers defense?
Good question! I think the expectations are a bit unfair for Gurley. Running backs are almost always a product of their environment, and especially given the modern NFL structure, their individual value has been largely depleted. So as the 10th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, some Rams fans are expecting him to come in and perform miracles from the first snap. It's something that's (a) largely out of his control and (b ) largely impossible.
On the other hand, this is a situation of the Rams' making. They drafted
Isaiah Pead in the second round 2012 NFL Draft, though he never materialized as a legitimate NFL back. They drafted
Zac Stacy in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, and he'd go on to run for just shy of 1,000 yards in his rookie season. They drafted
Tre Mason in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft and, despite not even suiting up the first handful of games, he ran for more than 750 yards at better than a 4.25 per-carry rate.
You would think that group, supplemented with 2013 UDFA surprise
Benny Cunningham would be sufficient, especially for an offense with plenty of other issues. So taking a running back at 10 overall is going to require something special to justify the pick.
Looking at the Rams-Washington game, the line was so abysmal in run blocking, there was just nothing to work with all game. Tre Mason ran for 26 yards on just 7 carries. If that's what Gurley's going to be dealing with for his NFL debut, he may wanna swing by the Pope on his way to the stadium to get blessed. He'll need it.
There is a long history between the Steelers and Jeff Fisher's teams, dating back to the days of his time with the Titans and the AFC Central. What are the fans' thoughts on the job Fisher has done with his time in St. Louis?
Well it's kind of the opposite of the Gurley situation. The Rams were in such horrible shape when Steve Spagnuolo and Billy Devaney were brought in as head coach and GM. The roster was nearly devoid of any long-term talents. They began stocking up and did well in the first-two rounds, but there just wasn't enough of a 53-man roster to work with and they won just 13 games in Spags' three year-tenure.
So Fisher came in with the bar set LOW. Winning 20 games over three years and missing out on the playoffs would be considered a failure in most places. For the Rams though, it's been a step in the right direction. The problem, though, is that the reasons why the Rams haven't gotten over the hump haven't changed. The names and faces have, but those reasons are now sounding like excuses. And Jeff Fisher's history is real.
Rams fans were optimistic that he would be able to create a better environment than what he had in Tennessee, but it's just not looking like there's any real change. The defense, despite being talented, is undisciplined. And returning all 11 starters with no changes on the defensive staff suggests that continuity isn't an issue. The offense still is marred by poor line play and a lack of explosion in the passing game. Is any of that going to change? I don't see how it would happen any time soon.
Part of the issue too is job security. It doesn't feel like Jeff Fisher is on any kind of hot seat. The Rams don't have any real expectations. It's a franchise that is traumatized by the last decade of losing and the specter of a possible move to Los Angeles.
The 2015 season doesn't exist in a vacuum, so Fisher isn't exactly playing for now. He's not pushing all-in by any means. The question or problem if you're a Rams fan is when his comfort playing a long-term strategy is going to pay off...or whether it ever will at all.
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Wow!!
The St Louis guy isn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows is he? Sounds like he feels they are continuing to suck, and that the move to CA is only a matter of time.
Sometimes we forget how lucky we are to be Steelers fans!!!!!
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Sunshine and rainbows? The Rams haven't had a winning season wince 2003...
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You gotta feel for their fans
It has to be tough when you team is constantly brought in conversations about moving franchises. It doesn’t help when a RB with an injury is your 1st round draft choice.
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It seems many Steelers fans
Feel like the same way about the team. We’re such a spoiled fan base.
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Since the last time the Rams even had a winning record,
yall have won two Super Bowls and been to the playoffs seven times.
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Yup
But if you followed this team you would see fans acting as if it is destitute of quality players and a dumpster fire. It is odd how fickle fans can be.
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I should have mentioned that we've
Only had one losing season (Cowhers last) in that time, spoiled bunch we are.
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We should adapt our secondary to be like theirs
Cover sidelines and deep, leaving short passes in the middle.
Better than what we did vs Pats where we only covered sidelines and Gronk beat us deep and Edilman got an average of 10 yards a pass.
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People need to let that one go.
That was the worst possible matchup we could have had coming into the season with a new and young defense still trying to gel and the suspensions on offense. Not to mention it was in an environment tailor made for the away team to lose.
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Fun read
What kind of advantage does home field give you?
Well….none really.
Who’s the biggest weapon the Rams have on offense the Steelers have to watch out for?
Um..well we don’t really have one.
How are the Rams going to stop Bell?
I have no idea….play better?
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If the Rams couldn't stop the Skins backs last week, then how the hell are they going to stop Bell?
If Fisher doesn’t turn it around this year, then adios amigo.
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That's actually how the Rams do it....
…..lose to terrible Skins….beat great Steelers team and Green Bay……Lose to the Browns, Bears, Tampa, Whiners, Ravens and Lions…..and that pick up game in the park……
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Since Shazier came down with Gurley-itis
who’s gonna replace him?
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Vince Williams
And Sean Spence are the back ups. Williams is a thumper and Spence is a bit quicker. They are both solid if not spectacular.
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Yeah, no one's going to replace the production he had against SF
But fortunately, depth is not a problem at that position. Those guys have started for us in the past and could probably start on a lot of other teams. If it were a DB on the other hand we’d be screwed (although we’re bad there already so maybe not so much).
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