Turf Show Times: FanPosts

Ask Revenge of the Birds

2009-11-19T05:02:51Z

Hello fellas, Andrew from Revenge Of The Birds here to start our QnA for the week. We currently head down to St. Louis to take on your Rams and trust when I say, the Cardinals won't take the Rams lightly. They started to do that last week against the Seahawks and trailed 14-0 early. That has been the story of our season. We're inconsistent - something that I hope will change soon. We started the season 1-2, won 3 straight, lost to a struggling Panthers team at home, and now have won 2 in a row. If you have any questions for me about the Cardinals I'll be sure to answer them as quick as possible and I'm sure some fellow ROTBers will stop by too. Also, if somebody here can do the same QnA at ROTB, that woud be great. Here's to a good game on Sunday guys.

Cards versus Rams - close game or blowout?

2009-11-19T02:17:52Z

I think this week's contest hinges on which Kurt Warner shows up; the 5 TD pass guy or the 5 INT guy? Unfortunately, about 4 out of 5 times the great passer takes the field. The Cards are coming off a nice whupping of Sheattle and the Rams should feel very good about their performance against the Saints. All we needed was one more break like stopping the kick-off return TD or not having an INT in the RZ to have won against the number 1 ranked team. Beating the Cards will require a plan similar to last week, i.e. run SJax as much as he can take to burn clock and keep Kurt off the field. We're gonna have to score some major points by hook or crook to win. I don't think anything under 28 will get it. Our weak D-Line is gonna struggle getting pressure on Warner and that will give Fitzgerald, Boldin and Breaston time to wreak havoc with our pretty decent secondary. So, our offense has got to step up and score TD's. SJax will carry his load - no worry here. The first thing we should do is sit "jinx" Barron and "stonehands" McMichael. Both are detriments to the team. Bulger will have to play with the intensity he did last week and bring his young receivers along with accurate passes. There's also nothing wrong with an occasional reverse, flea flicker or shovel pass. 4th and 1? Go for it instead of kicking a FG. Three pointers just won't beat a high powered offense. If we'd scored 7 instead of 3 in the one instance last week, we'd have been tied 28-28 in the 4th instead of trailing by 5. It goes without saying that we can't survive turnovers and penalties. Anything that lets the Cards offense on the field hurts us. Anyway, Good Luck Rams, It's about time we got a few more breaks... To win 2-3 games this season against our NFC West rivals would be Heavenly.

The greatness that is Steven Jackson

2009-11-12T01:06:34Z

As Rams fans, we all know that Steven Jackson is one of the best running backs in the NFL. When the national media will start to take notice of the fact that SJ is tied with Adrian Peterson for the third-most rushing yards in the league this season with 784, I don't know. Cameron Hallway of CBS Sports is off to a good start with a great piece on SJ up, and it's certainly worth a read.

What I found most interesting in the piece are some statistics that point to just how good SJ is:

Jackson, 26, has started 57 games in his career (he has missed nine games to injury and was a backup to Marshall Faulk most of his rookie season). In the history of the NFL, among players who have started 57 or fewer games before turning 27, Jackson is No. 1 in career rushing yards, with 6,075 -- and he has eight more games before turning 27 in July.

Take out the games-started criteria, and Jackson is 18th all-time in rushing yards through his age-26 season, again with eight games to go.

If he were to match his first half of 784 yards in the second half, he would climb to 10th on that list, bumping Faulk. The top 10 is a who's who of NFL backs: Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis, Jim Brown, Jerome Bettis, LaDainian Tomlinson, Eric Dickerson and Faulk.

If that doesn't impress you, I don't know what will. The rise of Steven Jackson as a top-tier running back has certainly been fun to watch. To me, he has become the most complete running back in the league, with the ability to do virtually whatever he wants on the field.

SJ's performance so far this season should tell you all need to know about the kind of running back he is. Every defense he faces knows what is coming, and they still can't stop him. Against Detroit in the fourth quarter, for example, he single-handedly won the football game:

With the outcome in the balance in the fourth quarter at Detroit, Jackson had nine carries for 82 yards, including a 25-yard TD burst that was the winning score. Big chunks: 7 yards, 11, 10, 5, 17, 25 ... only two of the nine carries gained less than 5 yards.

What's been most satisfying about his success this season is the fact that he has finally emerged as a true team leader, something he did not show in previous seasons:

As the Rams have loaded up around Jackson, he has reciprocated by becoming accountable as a leader, a trait the team didn't know he had before this season. Jackson has been quick to praise teammates, unwilling to gauge his success in light of the team's struggles, is a full-fledged believer in first-year coach Steve Spagnuolo's system and has become one of the harder-working players on the team.

That last sentence is what makes me smile the most. In the past, we had never heard stories about Steven being one of the hardest-working guys on the team. This offseason, however, that changed. Steven worked harder than ever, and the work is paying off -- he's on pace to rush for a career-high 1,568 yards this season.

Now that the Rams have a competent offensive line, SJ's numbers could get even better in the next two-to-three years. With SJ, the possibilities seem endless.

Ndamukong Suh vs. Gerald McCoy

2009-11-09T22:40:34Z

A little early to be getting too in depth about the draft, I know. I just wanted to throw this out there and see what you guys think. I know most of you believe Suh is the clear choice, but I'm not so sure. I have some concerns with Suh.

I think he relies a little too much on his size/athleticism. This might work in college, but it will not in the NFL. He's only 300 pounds, which in NFL DT terms doesn't exactly make him a behemoth. (For example, I think Clifton Ryan is 320 pounds). I don't know that he'll be able to just lean on the O-Line and bat down passes as easily in the NFL. If you watch him play (I'm talking entire games, not highlight reels), he doesn't really have a lot of technique/pass rushing skills. Too many college players rely too much on athleticism/motor and they really pay for a lack of technique when they enter the NFL. (Just ask Chris Long. Remember his senior year at Virginia? Absolute monster)

Also, when you watch entire games, you begin to notice that Suh doesn't exactly get great leverage. Surprisingly, there are a lot of plays where Suh just gets pushed/lifted back. I know he can't have a sack on every play, but it was surprising to see that happen a lot more than I expected.

Gerald McCoy is a viable option IMO. He's very athletic, and more importantly, has a nice set of pass rushing skills. Technique always translates much better than pure size/strength. McCoy would be great at the 3-technique for the Rams. I think he could really upgrade the pass rush, although he might lack a bit against the run, seeing as how hes under 300 pounds.

I guess it just depends on what the Rams want from the DT position. If they're aiming to upgrade the run D, I guess Suh would be the better pick, McCoy for the pass rush. Not saying one is better than the other, just wanted to see what you guys think.

Saints versus Rams - Trap Game?

2009-11-09T03:00:04Z

If memory serves, wasn't it a couple years ago when a dismal Scott Linehan 0-8 Rams club came off the bye week and beat a pretty decent New Orleans club? I'm not saying it's likely to happen again next weekend, or that there's even the slightest chance the Rams can win. But, NFL teams rarely go undefeated. Even Monsters like the Saints can have a bad day. What we need to have a shot at winning is a Saint's bad day coupled with the Rams playing way over their heads plus getting all the breaks. The Saints did not exactly run away with today's game against the Panthers (whom I consider to be a weak team). This year the Saints have exhibited a superior offense reminiscent, "choke", of the greatest show on turf. But I think the key to some of the Saints wins is forcing the opponent to beat themselves with turnovers. If the Rams go out there next week and throw 50 times with a couple INT's, we'll get slaughtered. However, if the Saints are looking down the schedule to games with teams like NE, we may be able to catch them offguard. If by some miracle the Rams can consistently block and run the ball, SJax will burn some serious clock keeping Drew Brees and co. off the field. There are some other key aspects too; (1) we cannot settle for FGs. Getting 3 points versus 7 against New Orleans is the kiss of death. (2) We cannot turn over the ball - period. The Saints feast on these opportunities. (3) We will have to be both lucky and innovative. That will require some trick plays and gutsy calls like going for it on 4th down. And why not, what's a 1-7 team got to lose? Lastly, (4) we cannot tolerate any foolish "false start" penalties from a guy that should stay glued to the bench. So, if everything goes absolutely perfect, it could be the upset of the year. But, if somehow we're actually leading in the 4th quarter, don't count your chickens before they hatch. Our D-Line is just plain bad and generally gets even worse late in the game. The old vets like Little and Hall are pretty much spent and I still have NO faith in Chris Long. So Brees could bomb us out in the 4th quarter. After all, just two or three more sacks this season and we might be 3-5. That's my take. I don't expect to win or even cover, but it's possible...

O-line grades

2009-11-06T05:58:39Z

i had originally posted this on another fan post, and realized that I should leave the the other post for peoples responses rather than my opinion so detailed. So here is my assesment of the O-line. I try to take a step back and take a neutral stance when I analyze our team. Sometimes better than others. Since the last game where we were victorious against Detroit, people have been so stoked on our O-line, so I figure now would be a good time for mid season grades.

Our “great” performance was against the worst D-line we will see all year. That was apparent. Detroit traded their best D-lineman this offseason (Cory Redding) for Julian Peterson. Now that was not saying a whole lot, so their D-line went from crappy to shitty. And although we did well for the most part, they were by NO MEANS STELLAR. Jackson broke the first tackle in the backfield or at the line of scrimmage way to many times. There should have never been that much penetration. So let’s look at our guys.

Barron- like you said is in a contract year and he has already given the coaches a reason to bench him during a game and even use a 3 man rotation at LT. He has done nothing to solidy his payday in the offseason. In fact, I can recall several times people requesting that we just start Smith since he is the future. Barron has been a disappointment. I give him a C+, because has shown some glimpses of why the team drafted him in the first round, to go along with his boneheaded mistakes (penalties anyone?)

Bell-There was a reason why I was so pissed we didn’t go after Faneca in the offseason prior to the 08 season. Bell has shown me nothing to convince me I was wrong. He has been inconsistent, ineffective, and disappointing way too often. He is getting paid premium dollars and producing at an average level. I wanted the rams to draft Duke Robinson this last offseason to try and push Bell, and if he didn’t respond, bring in the young buck to take over. Setts even replaced him after he was concussed (what a great word) and showed us how to play the position effectively. I give him a D+ this is due to a two year disappointment from someone that we had such high hopes for.

Brown- I was a little skeptical in playing him at OG money but the kid has looked good for the most part. He was definitely not the biggest offeason transaction with Haynesworth bringing in what he did, but he has been arguably the most impactful. He has been very effective in preventing the pocket from collapsing in front of Bulger. He and Incognito have played very well together. I give him a B+. The best part is that he is young and that he is still learning he position.

Incognito- besides keeping a lid on his emotions, he has transitioned into a Professional. He used to struggle with dumb penalties and allowing his personal vendetta to look past his task at hand on the line. I love the fact that he is a bargain, a blue collar hard worker, and that he plays with a mean streak. I give him a B, wish he didn’t get hurt.

Smith- Well I think it is still too early to tell, considering the kid is still learning. He is coming along well, but still needs to focus on his technique. He is obviously a specimen, and I will be watching closely as the season goes on. He has struggled against some of the elite of the league (Freeney anyone?) but that is part of the learning curve. Maybe I am a little critical considering I really wanted Curry, but I do think that he played well this last weekend. I give him a B-. As long as he continues to progress I will be happy.

The bench has been great, they have filled in for the starters quite well and when called upon they responded. Setts and Goldberg have gotten the job done and been versatile. I look forward to Greco coming in and helping this group. I give the bench an A-. They have surpassed expectations and often times surpassed the performance of the person they filled in for.

Please thank Mike Karney and the offensive line for their job this season

2009-11-05T21:57:43Z

Steven Jackson has been a beast this year. He has shown up as a leader, on and off the field. He is having a career year. He is the Rams offense, and he will continue to do so until Week 17 is over. Jackson deserves 85% of the credit on his runs. The other 15% goes to those who are blocking him.

Think about it, Jackson has his best career year in 2006 when Madison Hedgecock was his fullback. Then, stupid Scott Linehan cut him from the team and Jackson suffered. Any great running back needs a solid fullback (unless your name is Marshall Faulk). Then he hear that the Saints release FB Mike Karney, and quickly who scoop him up, and we know he hasn’t shown much in the stat book, but he makes holes for Jackson every week.

Also, the Rams offensive line has stunk over the past few seasons, by along with the regime and some good by new Gm Billy Devaney, the Rams have one the best O-lines in the league. Along the line, you have ex-first round pick Alex Barron at LT, who has something to prove in a contract year. Jacob Bell who was signed last year who plays LG. Then, probably the biggest off season signing of the year, is Jason Brown the center who they signed from Baltimore. Although Richie Incognito is a big mouth, he is still a productive RG. Then you have the future, 2009 1st round pick tackle Jason Smith from Baylor. So far this year, he has shown he has quick feet, energy, and run blocking ability. Now that’s a pretty good offensive line to me.

So with these 2 pieces, Jackson is a MVP candidate and it’s due to teammates. I personally praise the offensive line, and Mike Karney.

Sent SJAX An "Honorable Tweet" + Shower Loofa

2009-11-03T23:52:04Z

Anyone here use Twitter? I was looking around SJAX web site and came across his honorable tweet page and low and behold I made the list!

http://www.sj39.com/news/tweet-response-sj39-vs-lions/2009/11/03 (second one Honorable Tweet section PeterDunbar)

Steven really is a BEAST. Anyone who feels different needs to go play with a Barbie Doll, and give up football entirely.

He had one run that many older Rams fans would say looked strikingly similar to Roger Craig's run against US where our players got posterized for decades... and it appeared in highlight reels in just about every NFL "greatest" type videos as well.

Legs moving, grinding, dragging people, shoving players to the ground... Steven looked like me heading to the buffet at Ponderosa...

But seriously, it was breathtaking... and I hope those runs get appreciated by everyone in the league at the talent we have in the backfield.

NOW on another note, Steven snapped a picture of his Locker just before the season started and I, along with others, gave him crap for having a pink shower loofa...

http://twitpic.com/c3lu8

NOW because Steven looked like a mad savage beast on Sunday (I can still hear the Detroit villagers screaming), I felt I now needed a shower loofa too... bottom line, if using a shower loofa can make you even half the man Steven was Sunday, I'm owning one:

My apologies to you Mr. Jackson for giving you crap about your shower loofa... although if you look at the bottom left corner, mine is officially called a "Deck Scrubber Shower Tool" whatever to hell that means... but it still sounds better than loofa...

BUT back to my point...

After Sunday, it's scary to think about what we could have going for us if we can get a few more pieces in place (WR, QB, D-Line).

BEAST (had to say it again)

A Link to the Jim Rome Radio Show

2009-11-03T20:11:11Z

Before the season started, I was all fired up to get the game day HD package so I could watch the Rams play every weekend, but things changed in August and I’ve really had my hands too full to ever really know that I will be able to watch the game until Sunday comes. (Boo hoo for me, right?)

Anyway, when I can relax on Sunday I always appreciate it when guys post a video link to the Rams game on Sunday. That makes my day, it really does.

So in the spirit of sharing links, I wanted to tell you that you can listen to Jim Rome Is Burning on your computer, every weekday for free, with this link right here: http://player.play.it/player/player.html?v=4.7.124

I’m not a huge Rome fan and this isn’t to debate his show’s entertainment value, but it’s the best thing I can find to get me through the morning charge. Weekdays 9am-noon, Pacific Time. Put on the headphones and work away.

If you listen to something better, please post it in the comments so we can all enjoy.

thanks

The Draft

2009-11-03T15:26:24Z

As I said in my last post the win was nice but back to business.

I know it's early but it's something stuck in my mind.

Bernie at Stltoday.com has given a list of 10 in my mind good QBs.

But this post is about the first 2 rounds of the draft.

I say that we need a DT and I know some agree and I like Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska. Though the Rams had a problem with Adam Carriker (also from Nebraska).

Here are some of Suh's Stats (bottom of the page)

Compare with Adam Carriker stats (bottom of page)

Back to the QB's since there are 10 I am almost positive that not all of them go in the First Round.

I am undecided on who they IMO they should take in the first round of the draft.

I would love Suh.

But I'm not sure if a QB is worth passing up to the 2nd round.

In that list my top 5 are Tim Tebow, Jake Locker, Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, and Dan LeFevour.

I say they take Suh in 1st round

and then one of the 10 QB's suggested by Bernie.

I added Tyrod Taylor I'm A VT fan. (If he goes out for the draft)

Finnaly choose who you think should be the Rams 1st round pick.

Poll

who should they take in 1st round?

Suh

41 votes

Bradford

9 votes

Tebow

5 votes

Locker

16 votes

Clausen

12 votes

Lefevour

0 votes

Brown

0 votes

Hiller

0 votes

McCoy

10 votes

Pike

0 votes

Snead

1 votes

Tyrod Taylor (not on Bernie's list)

1 votes

95 votes | Poll has closed

Keys for success (with Boom Boom Pow help)

2009-11-03T01:32:38Z

While it was nice to win a game it is time to get back to business

IMO I have some crucial keys to success.

1. While I was listening to the radio Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed peas and during that time I was thinking about the Rams . I was like that was exactly what the defense needed. Boom Boom pow is what they need to do to the run especially since they'll face Reggie Bush.

2. We need to pass more to Donnie Avery deep. He's no good at slants but his speed is outstanding. He'll be a huge compliment to the running game when Shurmer realizes Avery's speed going deep.

3. Give SJ39 the ball!

4. Marc Bulger is throwing the ball way to late. Like in the song Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed peas It's 3008 you so 2000 and late In this case though to Marc Bulger It's 2008 your 2000 and late.

Thats my opinion Please comment

we here alot about the draft but...

2009-11-02T04:50:33Z

How about the free agency? I really think the free agency is equally important as the draft. The pick ups we've acquired have been a real success I do realize their has been disappointment in some maybe but they defiantly have helped a lot. Jason Brown, Mike Karney, and the safety James Butler (literally) are all true nfl starters and have had a positive impact i think we can agree.

This is my opinion and a pretty simple one. Fill your needs in the free agency and Draft by the best available player mindset. Because in the NFL and especially the rams players get injured all the time and some do not rebound after it and you do not know when this is going to happen or at what position so mine as well go with a safe approach. With free agents you know a little more about what you're getting. You know how they play, how productive they are, and you can make an assessment to see if he fits into your system.

My real reason for writing this is to see who you guys think we should pick up. Heres just a couple guys that come to mind.

Arron Kampman, he doesn't belong in a 3-4 defense i really believe he was a lot better in the 4-3 and he is a pass rushing nightmare age might be a little bit of an issue, 29 years old still has some good years in the tank.

Johnny Jolly, Ray Edwards, Seymour, Winston Justice, Chase Blackburn,Miles Austin?, and Vincent Jackson

Sorry the list was so vague im watching the world series and im getting really sleepy so please comment on who you guys think would be a good pick up?

Special Teams May Shine Today - Amendola

2009-11-01T14:25:33Z

It's no surprise I'm a huge Amendola fan and have a "man crush" as 3k would say. However, if you're a Rams fan, how can you not at this point? Amendola has posted some really crazy return numbers in only a few games so far this season.

Looking at the stats, 'Danny Boy" is averaging a nice 24.3 yards per attempt on KO returns, and took one back 58 yards at one point.

And let us not forget the long return of 90+ that got called back due to a stupid penalty that had no impact on the play whatsoever.

On punt returns, he's averaging 8.1 yards per attempt.

Another interesting factoid, is that he accomplished all of this against some of the very best teams in the NFL (excluding Jacksonville).

The scary part? Danny also feels the best is yet to come...

“I always have something to prove,” Amendola said. “I think there will be some long returns to come and I am looking forward to them. We are just on the brink of breaking one so it will be nice when it happens.”

On the brink? Danny you've already broke 2, (one was called back). You have to love the confidence he shows. He's clearly a bright spot on this struggling team. Now if we can just keep him around longer than Kevin Curtis.

Danny has also impressed with some nice numbers at WR as well. in the past 3 weeks he has posted 13 catches for 103 yards. He has indeed picked up the system quite well.

Detroit has been struggling on special teams, particularly on kickoff returns. Amendola + improved overall special teams play could spell trouble for the Lions.

Could today be the day our special teams unit shines? I can almost picture, somewhere in Detroit, Amendola smiling and licking his chops waiting for 1pm EST.

The one concern is the loss of Massey... our Mr. Reliable, out with a knee injury ending his season. This was a really big blow for the Rams no question.

We brought in Ryan Neill to fill those HUGE shoes... is there a concern? So far it's hard to gauge.

"There’s a lot of adjustment," Neill said. "There’s timing issues where there’s different calls, different terminology, different types of sets. It’s getting used to the timing and all of us getting comfortable."

Neill spent 3 seasons in Buffalo, 2 of which he was their long snapper. Although it doesn't appear he whiffed any snaps, it's still a different system, new scenery, and he's been with the team through only a few practices at best.

He has experience, but we'll see if that experience means anything. Obviously there is a learning curve, but I'll stay positive for now.

I happen to believe with all the focus on our O and D I think special teams could be the sleeper that will play a big part in a win today.

What do you think?

"Oh Danny Boy!"

If you really think about it, the Rams receivers aren't "that" bad

2009-10-30T20:55:32Z

Yes, the Rams are 0-7. Yes, Marc Bulger stinks. Yes, we have no offense. Yes, our receivers can't do crap. This is all true, but think about it for a minute....

Donnie Avery when healthy can be a major threat at any time during the football game. You can throw a screen to him and just let him run. Or as I hoped this year, they can throw him deep (flea-flicker against Indy). Avery is a great weapon when you have someone next to him to help out (go to Laurent Robinson.)

Wow, what a great move by Devaney to get Laurent Robinson from the Falcons. This guy was the #1, then he's out for the season. He's got the size, he's got the athletic ability, and he's got the smarts. I think he's the perfect candidate to be Donnie Avery's counterpart.

Another good move was little known Danny Amendola from the Philadelphia practice squad. This guy has been the best returner we've had since Tony Horne. I think he could be a great slot receiver in this league, and a great speed burst off the line. He has definitely been one of the rays of light this year. If you still don't know about him: read http://www.stlouisrams.com/article/76035/

Keenan Burton has been OK this year, better probably than expected for this year. He looks mature out there, and so far this season he's the only receiver that wasn't dropped a ball (looking at you Tim Carter). Solid player, could be a solid guy like Ricky Proehl.

Ruvell Martin comes from a pass-happy offense in Green Bay where it seems like every receiver on that team could be a #1 or #2 somewhere else. Martin has good size, solid build, and could be very explosive. Martin just has also been hurt and is probably has the most experience on the wideout team.

Tim Carter, who cares, he stinks, he couldn't catch a cold in Alaska, and he should be cut. Next receiver..

Brandon Gibson, he better be good if we traded Will Witherspoon for him. He has to be on that field Sunday in Detroit. Many people in Philly started wondering why this guy wasn't on the field on Sundays. Well, he is a light for the future.

Also, don't forget that the Rams still have 5th round pick Brooks Foster on the IR. He's back next year. And you still have the 2010 NFL Draft. And you have the tight ends, with Randy McMichael and Daniel Fells, and even Billy Bajema can catch a few passes.

But the most important thing you must have for good receivers are quarterbacks that get the ball to them. Marc Bulger just can't do that anymore, and in the first round you will hear either Sam Bradford, Jake Locker, Jimmy Clausen, or Colt McCoy's name called going to the Rams.

Here's a formula for next year: Solid o-line + franchise QB (1st rounder) + solid receiving corp + pro bowl runner, Steven Jackson = pretty good offense.

Add that to the defense that Spags is putting together, and you could actually have a winning season..

Why our WRs are not Good

2009-10-30T18:26:15Z

What ever happened to wide receivers wearing numbers in the 80's? Here is our list of current WR's.
# 17 Donnie Avery
# 14 Keenan Burton
# 16 Danny Amendola
# 11 Brandon Gibson
# 15 Tim Carter
# 82 Ruvell Martin
and #19 Laurent Robinson

Our WR's in 1999.
# 80 Isaac Bruce
# 88 Torry Holt
# 81 Az Hakim
# 87 Ricky Proehl
# 82 Tony Horne
# 83 Chris Thomas

I have single handedly found the root of all our WR problems! Wide receivers catch balls according to the number they wear on their jerseys!

The State of the Team

2009-10-30T17:18:15Z

Happy Friday, TSTers. I'm not sure what I want to achieve in this fanpost, but I need to say a few things regarding the team and this blog. I'm not going to get personal in this fanpost and I ask the same of everybody who reads this.

About ten years ago, the Rams were emerging as perennial front runners in the league after 10 years of just plain bad football. Some guy named Kurt Warner was throwing the ball to some rookie receiver named Torry Holt and newly acquired running back Marshall Faulk was running all over the place. The Rams were scoring at a record pace, and life was good.

The Rams obviously won the Super Bowl that year and gave some of us the best Rams memories we have to date. I remember the Super Bowl like it was yesterday, and would give anything to return to those days of downright awesome football. The passing game was good, the run game was good, the defense was good. Hell, even the special teams were good with Jeff Wilkins in his prime (if there's such a thing for kickers) and Tony Horne returning kicks. Those were the days.

That team was coached by none other than Dick Vermeil. If you remember correctly, some fans were calling for Vermeil's head after the '98 season. They believed he had run his course and the Rams hadn't gotten any better with Tony Banks et al playing for the team. Well, management stuck with Vermeil and finally gave him something to work with in the offseason. As mentioned, they went out and traded for both Marshall Faulk and Trent Green. We all know how the Trent Green story ended, but it signaled to Vermeil and the rest of the team that this front office was willing to do something for the benefit of the team.

Not only did those acquisitions help, but the Rams were drafting well. The first few drafts may not show it (with really only Kevin Carter and Ernie Conwell to brag about the first three years or so), but when the team got the first overall pick in the 1997 draft, the "hits" started coming. In the next three years ('97, '98, and '99 drafts), the Rams drafted Orlando Pace, Dexter McCleon, Ryan Tucker, Grant Wistrom, Robert Holcombe, Leonard Little, Az Hakim, Roland Williams, Torry Holt, Dre Bly, Rich Coady, and Cameron Spikes. All within three years. If you remember, all of those players were key members of the Super Bowl team.

If you look back on it, it makes sense that the Rams were able to have such a successful tenure for the time they did. After three drafts like that, it's easy to see why the Rams were able to turn it around so quickly. Obviously Kurt Warner coming out of nowhere and acquiring Marshall Faulk helped tremendously, but the team was honestly built on the superb drafting of the past three years, which is no surprise.

Anyway, as I'm sure you all know, Vermeil "retired" after winning the Super Bowl that year and Mike Martz was handed the team. The defense sucked in 2000 before Lovie Smith arrived and the Rams exited the playoffs in the first round. Lovie Smith turned it around during the offseason that year before putting the best team I've ever seen on the field in 2001. The Rams suffered a fluke year in 2002 before turning it around in 2003. That team went 12-4 and had a heartbreaking loss to the Panthers in the second round.

However, a disturbing trend was developing that a lot of us were oblivious to at the time. Rams draft picks since 1999 were either not playing or not on the team anymore. The ones that were able to make the team for a couple years simply were not performing well. After the Super Bowl, the Rams took Trung Candiate with their first pick. Also drafted that year was Jacoby Shepard and John St. Clair. The next three years, the Rams drafted Damione Lewis, Adam Archuleta, Ryan Pickett, Tommy Polley, Jerametrius Butler, Robert Thomas, Lamar Gordon, Chris Massey, Jimmy Kennedy, Pisa Tinoisamoa, Kevin Curts, Shaun McDonald, DeJuan Groce, and Kevin Garrett.

Some of these picks were good picks, don't get me wrong. But none of these picks (except maybe Ryan Pickett) turned out to be great players. If you look at the 1997-1999 drafts, the Rams drafted great players. In the 2000-2003 drafts, the Rams drafted good-but-not great players. In tune with that, the Rams had some good-but-not-great years. In 2004, the team went 8-8 and had a second round blowout loss to the superior Falcons team. The 2004 draft reaped both Steven Jackson and Brandon Chillar, but the rest of the draft was terrible. The 2005 team was a team in transition with Martz sick most of the year and went 6-10. Martz was fired after the year was complete and the team moved forward.

Then it just got ugly. After Martz was fired, Jay Zygmunt and John Shaw rose to the top in the organization and were making all the football decisions, even though they were businessmen in LA. The oversaw the hiring process in 2005, and came upon Scott Linehan. I'm not going to go into detail about him, because we all know how that turned out. Linehan was able to reap the benefits of a great 2005 draft (OJ Atogwe, Ron Bartell, Richie Incognito, Alex Barron, and Madison Hedgecock) as well as a declining base of talent from the younder days to go 8-8 in 2006 and almost make the playoffs. The front office felt good, as they believed this was due to good drafting and Scott Linehan's good coaching.

Then it got really ugly. The 2006 draft produced Tye Hill, Joe Klopfenstein, Claude Wroten, Dominique Byrd, Victor Adeyanju, Marques Hagans, and Mark Setterstrom. The 2007 team went 3-13. The 2007 draft produced Adam Carriker, Brain Leonard, Johnathan Wade, Clifton Ryan, and Derek Stanley. Hardly something to write home about. The 2008 team went 2-14. The 2008 draft produced Chris Long, Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton, Justin King, John Greco, Chris Chamberlain, and David Vobora. The jury is still out on this draft, but currently the 2009 team is 0-7 and simply not compeitive, but this is due to years of poor drafting by the team.

After the 2008 season, the Rams cleared house. Linehan was gone, Zygmunt was gone, Shaw was in a severley reduced role, and much of the roster over the age of 30 was let go. Billy Devaney was promoted and now oversees all the drafts the Rams make. The 2009 draft produced Jason Smith, James Laurinaitis, Bradley Fletcher, Brooks Foster, and Keith Null. Obviously the jury is still out on this draft, and we will see what they have in them next year.

What was left for Steve Spagnuolo et al in 2009 was a roster devoid of much any talent not named Steven Jackson. Spagnuolo knew what he was getting himself into, and he was fine with that. Otherwise, he would not have taken the job. Years and years of poor drafting had caught up to the Rams, and he knew it was going to be rebuilding time for the depleted team. Some players from previous drafts are still producing for the Rams (2005 most notably), and are some of the better players on the team. But the overall failure of drafting is extremely evident on the team today.

My point here is that the NFL is all about drafting. You can lie to yourself and others that it's mostly about coaching and/or free agency, but that's simply not true. The more young, great, NFL quality players you can bring in through a draft is the better team you're going to have down the line, five or ten years from the fact. The reason the Rams were good from 1999-2003 was because of those three great drafts in the late '90s. The reason the Rams are terrible now is because of terrible drafts since then.

Steve Spagnuolo was hired to oversee this rebuilding process. With him and Devaney in charge, I'm confident the drafts and subsquently the play of the team will improve. But you can't build in an empire overnight. This rebuidling process is going to take 3-5 years before you can honestly say the Rams are back to where they should be. I would argue the Rams started that process with a decent draft last year and a decent draft this year, but that remains to be seen.

With that being said, there's no reason to be calling for Spagnuolo's, Devaney's, or anybody else's head right now. Everyone knew what could happen this year, and unfortunetly it has. Has it been a little worse than expected? Of course. But are the Rams still making the committment to move forward with the team and reverse the trends of poor drafting the past 8 years? Yes.

And that's why I remain optimistic. If you look at the Rams on paper, they are a piss poor team. I know that, you know that, and Peter King knows that. But if you look at what they are trying to do, they are succeeding. That's why I take the actual results of the game lightly and instead look at how the team played. For example, I don't care if the Rams lost the game if it means that Steven Jackson, James Lauranaitis, and Jason Smith had good games but Marc Bulger threw three pick-sixes. Marc Bulger isn't the future of the team, James Lauranaitis is. You have to look at this year with an eye to the future, and that's what I'm able to do. This year is a lost cause is the won-loss coulmn obviously, but it's not a lost cause to developing players and getting them some experience. It's pointless to keep hoping for this team that's so devoid of talent to succeed because you know they're not. However, it's not pointless to hope for a big game from a young player the next game, because you know that big game could actually mean something one or two years down the line.

In the culture of what have you done for me lately, the Rams are easy to target. I don't think everybody should be as optimistic as I am, but I think everyone should at least have a realistic view of where the team is at the moment and where they are going. You can't blame today's regime for yesterday's mistakes, but you can hope today's regime will fix today's problems and become yesterday's problem.

all draft information courtesy stlouisrams.com

Lions vs Rams, on paper

2009-10-28T21:48:29Z

Lions fan here...I just posted this on Pride of Detroit, in case anyone there is interested. I picked what I thought were the most relevant stats and tried to stay unbiased, but it's not perfect. Good luck on Sunday, but not too much...

...

Looking at this Sunday's game, I decided to cherry-pick thirty-six or so different overall stats from this season year-to-date to compare how the Lions and Rams stack up against each other.

For each stat, I decided to measure each team's "Advantage" by subtracting the other team's overall NFL rank from their own. For example, St. Louis' Passing Offense ranks 27th in the NFL in Yards-per-Game, while Detroit's Pass Defense ranks 30th...therefore: Advantage: St. Louis + 3

Stats after the jump...

via img297.imageshack.us

*one correction: DET rush offense vs STL rush defense should be STL+2, not DET+2

Summary...

As their records and recent history would indicate, both teams are below average in most statistical categories, and near rock-bottom in a few.

St. Louis' biggest advantage might be on Special Teams (no surprise to Lions fans here). The Rams are punting the ball more than five yards farther per attempt than the Lions, and St. Louis' punt return YPA, kick return YPA, punt return defense, and kick return defense, each wins in a match-up against Detroit's punt return defense, kick return defense, punt return YPA, and kick return YPA, respectively.

Expect the Rams to consistently start with better field position and do a better job pinning the Lions back. The Lions do have the advantage in the field goal game though, with all-time leading Lions scorer Jason Hanson having made 90% (and we're all surprised it's not 100%, after he was 8-8 from 50+ yards last year), compared to only 66% this season for Rams kicker Josh Brown.

Measured in both Yards-per-Attempt and Yards-per-Game, St. Louis' overall offense is slightly better than Detroit's overall defense in every phase, and the same can be said for Detroit's offense against the Rams Defense.

The biggest advantage here would be held by the Rams and their rushing offense, being 10th in the league at 4.4 yards a carry, against a 28th-ranked Detroit rush D, allowing 4.6 YPC. Detroit is not, however, the pushovers that they were last year, especially with upgrades to the linebacking corps over the offseason, and having the bye week to heal up many of their injured defensive starters. Steven Jackson could have a very good game against Detroit's D, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Lions step up and match up well against the Rams offense.

Detroit's rushing offense (23rd YPA, 21st YPG) is about even with St Louis' rushing defense (21st YPA, 27th YPG)

In the passing game, both teams' offenses holds a slight--very slight--advantage over the other team's defense. I expect an above average passing game from both teams.

I think there are some key overall game stats other than yardage that favor the Lions:

While neither team has impressed overall, especially after their most recent games (Detroit being shut out 26-0 against Green Bay, and St Louis getting blown out 42-6 by Indy), Detroit comes out just a little bit ahead in the all-important measure of points. Detroit is scoring 17.2 points per game (23rd), while St Louis is allowing 30.1 (30th). The Rams are scoring only 8.6 PPG (NFL worst) while the Lions are allowing 31.3 (31st). It's a battle of ugly and uglier so far this season, so anything could happen here.

One other area where Detroit holds a significant advantage is third-down conversion. The Lions are converting 40% on third down (16th in the NFL), while the Rams are dead last, giving up 51.6%. The Lions will need to push this advantage and stay on the field longer, especially since special teams performances indicate that they'll be starting with a longer field. Of course, everything the Lions can achieve on offense depends heavily on the health of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson and whether those two can get on the field and produce.

The biggest advantages for Detroit are, most obviously, the much-needed bye week to heal up from injuries and home-field advantage, but I think this will be a close game that either team can win. Winnable games for both teams in these rebuilding seasons are rare, and they'll obviously both look to capitalize on a game against a beatable opponent.

Bradley Fletcher's injury

2009-10-28T04:17:24Z

What a horrible injury...an ACL tear and a meniscus tear? I can tell your from personal experience (I've had both injuries) that that sort of injury isn't pretty.

I'm not saying he won't be able to come back, but I don't think that knee will ever be the same. Just my 2 cents

Rams sign Long snapper and more about David Vobora

2009-10-27T20:08:27Z

The Rams signed long snapper Ryan Neill

sad to say that though b/c Massey was pretty good

hope Massey will be fine after the surgery he is going to have

The Rams chose Neill over three other long snappers who worked out Monday at Rams Park, including Belleville East High and University of Illinois product Nathan Hodel.

though he is not a huge deal he is a Ram.

More News;

Vobora is back

And he gets a one-week roster exemption. He doesn’t count against the team’s 53-man roster until Nov. 2, or the day after the Rams’ game this Sunday in Detroit.

Thank you Rams fans

2009-10-27T14:26:14Z

In all seriousness, thank you for a great week of blogging leading up to Sunday's game. As I told 3K and VanRam many moons ago on one of their excellent podcasts, the Rams are re-building and part of that process is getting beaten badly by good teams. We went through it for two loooooooooong seasons in 1997 and 1998.

The Rams have a great back and some good pieces on defenses. DO NOT GIVE UP ON CHRIS LONG! None other than Bill Polian himself talked about how Long was a difference maker on defense. If Polian is saying that, then start looking to point fingers at the coaches if Long doesn't develop. He has the tools, and they pay coaches a lot of money to develop those tools.

I also like your new left tackle, Jason Smith. Don't start comparing him to Michael Oher, who is on a team with a much stronger base of players. The Rams have the building blocks to start moving in the right direction. Now, they need a real franchise QB, and they will be set.

Thanks for the great blogging and the excellent questions. Also, congrats to 3K on the birth of his new baby daughter.