St. Louis Rams at #19 in NFL organizational rankings

by Ryan Van Bibber on Jun 2, 2011 11:30 AM CDT in 2011 NFL offseason

The St. Louis Rams rank 19th in Fox Sports' annual NFL organizational rankings. These aren't just some fancified set of power rankings either. For this, Fox's Adam Scein graded each NFL franchise on six factors, on a scale of 1 to 10. I have some quibbles with how the Rams are graded in a few of those categories.

Here are Schein's rankings for the Rams:

Owner: 3
Quarterback: 7
Coach: 6
Front office: 5
Coaching staff: 6
Intangibles: 6.5

We take issue after the jump.

Owner: Really, a 3? That Stan Kroenke has owned the team less than a year obviously factors into that. He missed out on his first free agent period as an owner thanks to the lockout, which doesn't help since owners would be partially graded on their willingness to write checks. Ultimately, Kroenke will be judged by how he handles the Rams' stadium issue, which will be the hot topic in 2014.

Quarterback: I have no problems with this one. Sam Bradford looks like he'll be an NFL super star, but with only one impressive year under his belt, it's hard to get a higher ranking than that.

Coach: I think this one should be higher than a 6, which the same as what the 24th ranked 49ers got in that category. But every one seems to think Jim Harbaugh is the second coming of Don Shula and/or Jesus. All Steve Spagnuolo has done is take a team built mostly of rookies and youngsters from a 1-win season to one game away from the division title. Small potatoes, right?

Front office: I have a big problem with this one. Think how much things have changed in St. Louis since Billy Devaney took over as GM. First-round draft busts are a thing of the past. Gone are free agent signings like Drew Bennett. Devaney's leadership has rebuilt a Rams roster mostly from scratch. This should be at least a 8.

Coaching staff: The McDaniels hire was a pretty sexy move for a team that traditionally doesn't take many risks. He has to prove himself after a miserable showing in Denver as head coach though. Ken Flajole has turned around a defense that used to give up yardage to World League players in mop up duty. And look at the development of the rookies the Rams have brought in over the last two years. Bradley Fletcher and James Laurinaitis are on the verge of being household names after just two seasons. Chris Long finally lived up to his potential under the guidance of this coaching staff. Should be a 8.

Intangibles: I'm not really sure what this is, but reading the other rankings it seems as though fans and facilities are a big part of it. In that case, this is probably a fair assessment, maybe too much, for the Rams. The Dome hasn't exactly been a scary place for opponents, and the Dome itself isn't exactly a memorable facility.

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coach a "6"?

Maybe its just me but I think spags has done a good job thus far and in my opinion is a good coach on the brink of being a great coach…and its a unfair assumption to call our owner a 3, what basis do they have?

by teatech2 on Jun 2, 2011 12:20 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

I give the need to end the lockout a 10...

because we need to save these poor writers from needing to invent such baseless and ridiculous stories.

by Sggladden on Jun 2, 2011 12:22 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

least we know they love our rams!

As do you and I or you wouldn’t tune in everyday….to read these " ridiculous" articles. I love the fact that authors like van and 3k continue to post even when there’s nothin going on, gives me something to look towards each day. You don’t like what’s here…it cost you nothing to pay it no mind!

by teatech2 on Jun 2, 2011 12:35 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

If I'm not mistaken, that Adam Scein dude it the moron that dismissed the Rams completely last year as if nobody cares even though we were in a playoff hunt.

He’s a nobody with a mouth and a platform.

Disregard his stuff completely.

I can take a beating ... I'm a Rams fan.

by Midasknight on Jun 2, 2011 12:27 PM CDT reply actions

+ infinite!

by teatech2 on Jun 2, 2011 12:37 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

I know I'm gonna get beat up for this...

but I agree with these ratings. Lets face it, the Rams still have a lot to prove. Progress has been made, but we still have a ways to go. Spags deserve a ‘6’ because he’s still a head coach in training. How many times did we all get mad last year when the Rams had the chance to finish off an opponent in a game with an extra TD, but Spags played the game conservative enough the let that opponent back into the game? What about his clock management skills? See what I mean? There is room for improvement. Not saying he can’t be an ‘8’ later in his head coaching career. The owner is a ‘3’ mainly because of lack of data. The concern there is where do the Rams stand in the list of teams he owns. We know Stan loves the Denver Nuggets and they’re probably his baby. But does the English soccer team come second, followed by the Rams? QB’s a ‘7’, with that score possibly going higher as Bradford’s career excels. Front office may be too low, but I’m wondering if they’re grading the Rams based off of Ziggy’s tenure here. Coaching staff deserves a 6.5, though again there is room to improve. A new OC to go with Spags and the DC factors into that ranking. Also, more points need to be scored and better clock management for this score to be higher. Don’t know how to grade intangables. Maybe thats the teams ability to find a way to win even when they’re not expected to. If thats the case then we should get and 8.5 based off of last season.

by Da Rams! on Jun 2, 2011 1:50 PM CDT reply actions

+1

I think the ratings are where they belong. Our coaching especially, I count at least 4 games that should have been won last year that should have been won last year if it wasn’t for us being to conservative with the play calling.

Sam Bradford to Austin Pettis
Kinda has a ring to it

by RG31 on Jun 2, 2011 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions

But the Kroenke has already had success in Pro sports, and gave up control of the NBA team to take charge of the Rams

You realize that Al Davis is another guy who ranked a 3, right?
Just for comparison purposes, you know the Rams ownership isn’t that bad.

by CoachConnors on Jun 2, 2011 5:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Coach...

I still think Kroenke’s rating is more indicative of the scorer(s) having no data on him as an NFL owner. Al Davis has a long track record of incompetence and it shows. With some good player acquisitions I can see him rising higher next year. Maybe the ‘3’ should have been a ‘TBD’.

by Da Rams! on Jun 2, 2011 5:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Why wouldn't success in other pro sports count?

I thought his other franchises were reasonably sucessful, but maybe I’m wrong and just don’t know enough about him. If they are though, then I’d say its the same industry and should count — good or bad.

by CoachConnors on Jun 2, 2011 5:56 PM CDT up reply actions

Until you know something about him

I would think you either say TBD or you give him an average score of 5. A 3 says he is a loser, it doesn’t say that you don’t have data.

by andyhawk on Jun 2, 2011 10:20 PM CDT up reply actions

I think we all have to remember

That these ratings are based not on intimate knowledge of every franchise, but pure perception of probably everyone but us rams fans. Were better than every one of those ratings but no one will judge us by potential. They judge by the 6 wins in three years, disregarding the total overhaul of everything from owner to the angry little jock strap cleaner. I think thats part of our intangibles grade as well. The fact that were on the brink of showing that we are a top franchise.

by Lexxi on Jun 2, 2011 2:25 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

dear God

Devaney has an evil looking face.

Formerly known as Rams07

I cannot stand to watch and listen to Billy Devaney talk T_T

by Horcrux7 on Jun 2, 2011 4:33 PM CDT reply actions

He's the Joker's 2nd cousin

by CoachConnors on Jun 2, 2011 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Hmm

Owner: Stan is pretty much an absentee owner for all his other teams, why would the Rams be any different?
Coach: 6 is about right, it would be lower if he didn’t improve the D so much.
Front Office: Should be a 1, Billy D is a horrible GM. Letting Togs go, treating players who have done so much for this team with blatant disrespect….

by JordansDad on Jun 2, 2011 5:28 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

Coach, coaching staff and front office

should all at least be 8’s. I know there are mixed feelings about Spags on here but honestly, there aren’t many coaches in the league that can teach and coach up players better than Spags can. The guy just gets the most and then some out of an average roster.

"I kind of stepped my swagger up. You look at the Madden game and the swagger's so low, maybe they'll bump me up. Before it was a meatball flex, so you've got to liven it up a little bit." - Animal Jr.

by douchiedude on Jun 2, 2011 5:55 PM CDT reply actions

Still he let too many games

Slip through his hands last year with his conservative play so that brings it back down. i count a 9-7 or 10-6 record if not for it. he’s a good coach but his rating is just right.

Sam Bradford to Austin Pettis
Kinda has a ring to it

by RG31 on Jun 2, 2011 6:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Adam Schein,

is a condisending jackoff. He has always been on the side of the Pats against the Rams from when dirt was young. He has less of than good feelings towards the NFC west division that still thinks that the forty whiners should have won the division last year as well as this, but then again, he knows best. I cannot watch or read anything of his that holds any significance.

We sure need...another Dick Bass!

Go RAMs !!!

by VETT on Jun 3, 2011 6:36 AM CDT reply actions