Fans of minutia and all the Xs and Os that go into a playbook are going to love this site: Blitzology. Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like, a blog dedicated to nothing but the blitz. Though I can't confirm it, I do believe that this is not an offseason pet project of St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo.

It does, however, contain a good look at one of his preferred blitzing tactics, using the linebackers and safeties to create misdirection among offensive blockers and blitz when the offensive line moves in slide protection.

I'm not going to repeat the specifics of how the blitz works since the site does a much better job explaining it than I could. Essentially, the defensive line engages with a man, with one end dropping back. Two linebackers walk up toward gaps and one safety rushes up to the line at the snap and the other stays back to deke the offense's backfield blocker who has to take a minute to read the safety and one of the linebackers. One of those linebackers can stay behind the line waiting for the center to commit himself elsewhere and then rush into the box once that happens, with the running back having taken himself far enough out of the play to prevent him from coming back in to block the linebacker. 

Below the jump, a diagram and an example featuring James Laurinaitis.

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For all of the problems the St. Louis Rams had on defense - and there were many - one thing you can't fault the players for is faulty tackling. In fact, according to Football Outsiders' research examining broken tackle rates for all 32 NFL teams, the Rams defense had the fewest percentage of plays with broken tackles. 

Here's FO's Aaron Schatz:

According to our game charters, St. Louis had the fewest percentage of plays with broken tackles. Quite a surprise, as they were a terrible defense overall, but this data would seem to suggest that there is something to build on there.

Only 4.7 percent of plays against the Rams defense featured a broken tackle. 

In recent years, prior to Spagnuolo's coming on board I remember tackling being citing often on this site and other media outlets as a big problem for the Rams. It's anecdotal evidence, but it would seem to suggest that current Rams coaching regime has moved the sticks as far as instilling the fundamentals in their players. Improvements to personnel have also helped...I'm looking at you James Laurinaitis. 

Like Schatz suggests in the quote above, it's definitely a good sign for the Rams defense going forward. In the months ahead we'll know what difference the team's offseason moves and individual player growth have had on the defense. I suspect that if the offense can stay on the field with some success, we'll see a much improved unit on the other side of the ball. 

Last season, the St. Louis Rams offense failed to do much of anything. Trying to pinpoint a reason for those struggles is as elusive as a Rams touchdown. Injuries to key players, a general lack of experience and battered quarterback syndrome all share some blame. That last factor, poor QB play, is something I keep coming back to as 20/20 hindsight brings the 2009 season into a little better focus. 

Let's take a look at QB play through a statistical lens using the stats from Advanced NFL stats. What it reveals is a Rams offense that suffered for a number of factors, but QB play was a central culprit in the offensive struggles. 

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Nerd alert. Nerd alert. I've been diving head long into a whole mess of updated stats over at Advanced NFL Stats, so expect some numbers-y posts coming in the near future. Today, let's start with jilted defensive rookie of the year James Laurinaitis, the St. Louis Rams shining star on defense. 

As you know, Brian Cushing won the re-vote, and JL got a single vote cast in his favor. Those kind of awards are highly subjective so I thought I'd take a look at the players getting votes in the re-vote based on a couple of telling indicators at Advance NFL Stats.

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For years and years, leadership at Rams Park didn't get the memo that the draft was a great way to renew the talent on your roster, keep a competitive product on the field and move forward. Fortunately, the ship has started to right itself in recent years, and the new St. Louis Rams administration has been able to start using the draft in their favor, rather than an April Groundhog Day where it's always 2006.

Mid-decade poor drafting still haunts this team, jumping out to say "boo" whenever you look at the Rams' records of the last few years. Not so long ago, there was a quote from head coach Steve Spagnuolo (sorry, I can't find the link) expressing his exasperation at just how many players on the roster where late round picks and undrafted guys. So, here, presented for your information is the Rams roster from 2009 broken down by draft pick.

Starting with the defense...position listed with the number of players from the round in which they were drafted, if they were drafted at all. 

When you think about the Rams defense last year, the fact that six of seven linebackers on the roster were seventh round pick or undrafted says much about the team's problems, especially against the run. The origin points for the defensive linemen is equally as telling. 

There are many first round picks on the Rams offensive roster from last season as there are first and second rounders on the defense. Think about that for a minute. Not that either unit was a glowing success, but the struggles on offense were epic. The Rams got a much better bang for their buck on defense. The first round QB on the list: Kyle Boller. 

Thirty players on the roster last year were undrafted or seventh round picks. 

The first year of the St. Louis Rams rebuilding project is in the books. Fans swallowed the early returns, a 1-15 season, with surprising amount of optimism due to their confidence in the vision of the franchise's new leadership. As the makeover continues and before roster gets any more reconfiguration, TST delves in for a look at the positions and players, grading their performance from the 2009 season and assessing their status for the next season. The review turns its eyes today to the quarterbacks. QB represents the last skill position on the offense we have left to cover, having put the receivers, tight ends and running backs under the microscope previously. 

Marc Bulger

2009 Season: 9 games, 8 starts, 140 completions, 247 attempts, 56.7%, 1,469 yards, 5 TD, 6 INT, 14 sacks, 70.7 rating
Bulger's career continued its downward spiral this season, a glaring reminder that the human body can only take so much punishment. I feel kind of bad for the guy. This year, he actually had time in the pocket, thanks to the team's decision to finally bolster the offense line, but he had no weapons to work with, a new offensive system and most of his ability beaten out of him. It's easy to forget that Bulger was once a pretty good quarterback. And he had his moments this year, replacing Boller against the Vikings, the Jacksonville game, and a near upset of the undefeated New Orleans Saints.
Contract Status: Signed through 2013
Outlook: As first reported here at TST, word is that Bulger is leaning toward retirement. That's probably the best course for him at this point. I have a hard time imagining the situation in which he would have success. The possibility remains that he could return to the Rams for a renegotiated contract, mentoring whatever youngsters the Rams bring in at the position. I doubt either the team or Bulger would go for that. 
Grade: D

Kyle Boller

2009 Season: 7 games, 4 starts, 98/176, 55.7%, 899 yards, 3 TD, 6 INT, 17 sacks, 61.2 rating
Kyle Boller used his 2009 season to remind everyone that he was, in fact, still Kyle Boller. This seemed like a good move when the Rams signed him after pursuit of Gus Frerotte didn't work out. Boller was young, had some tools and maybe just needed a fresh start. Nope. Boller still had the tools, but didn't show the head for the game.
Contract Status: Free agent
Outlook: Out of the league in 2010
Grade: F

Keith Null

2009 Season: 4 games, 4 starts, 73/119, 61.3%. 566 yards, 3 TD, 9 INT, 13 sacks, 49.9 rating
Null became a rallying cry, sort of a great white hope for Rams fans long disgruntled with the team's QB play. It was a rough debut, throwing 5 INTs in a blowout loss to the Titans. It wasn't all bad though. Null had poise and toughness, and showed some ability to read his receivers well. The completion percentage alone is impressive for a greenhorn from a Division II school. We all chortled as the coaches kept saying he wasn't ready. Uh, yeah, they were right.
Contract status: Signed through 2012
Outlook: Null has some ability, and I look forward to what he can do with some time and work in spring practices and camp this year. He needs to show that he can adjust to the NFL game. That said, I wouldn't pencil him in as the Rams starter. 
Grade: D

The Rams need a QB, desperately, for the 2010 season and beyond. There will be, there should be, a healthy debate around who the Rams will select in the draft this year. They have an adequate developmental prospect in Null, so taking another QB beyond the first round just doesn't make much sense, especially since they could always wait a year for guys like Locker or Mallet. GM Billy Devaney could pursue a veteran, but the team can't afford to give up a pot full o' draft picks for Mike Vick. It's just not worth it with all the needs we have. The free agent market could be thin too, leaving the Rams with very few options, so they'd better do their homework on Clausen and Bradford, just in case. There's no bigger need for the Rams than QB going forward.

The first year of the St. Louis Rams rebuilding project is in the books. Fans swallowed the early returns, a 1-15 season, with surprising amount of optimism due to their confidence in the vision of the franchise's new leadership. As the makeover continues and before roster gets any more reconfiguration, TST delves in for a look at the positions and players, grading their performance from the 2009 season and assessing their status for the next season. Today, we continue TST's Rams Review with the running backs, having covered tight ends and wide receivers recently.

For the Rams there's Steven Jackson and everyone else, and that's where the problem lies. No credible backup and a flaccid passing game left the Rams with a one dimensional offense that was easily shut down by opponents week after week. Lacking a legitimate threat behind Steven Jackson also puts SJ39 at greater risk of injury and the Rams at risk of averaging 3 points a game as opposed to the league-worst 10 points per game in 2009. Jumping in...

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The first year of the St. Louis Rams rebuilding project is in the books. Fans swallowed the early returns, a 1-15 season, with surprising amount of optimism due to their confidence in the vision of the franchise's new leadership. As the makeover continues and before roster gets any more reconfiguration, TST delves in for a look at the positions and players, grading their performance from the 2009 season and assessing their status for the next season. Now, we turn our attention to the tight ends as we continue our look at the roster, following up on the review of WRs last week. 

With the notable exception of RB Steven Jackson, the Rams desperately need playmakers on offense. We've experienced and discussed that need at WR, but for a team implementing a West Coast offense a quality tight end is a must-have component. This season, Rams tight ends caught most of their passes in short yardage, which is part of their job. However, the Rams lack a TE capable of threatening with his speed on seam routes and the ability to go anywhere on the field, especially down it after catching a pass. Rams tight ends didn't match up well against linebackers and defensive backs either, limiting their role and effectiveness in the offense. Let's take a look.

Randy McMichael

2009 Season: 34 receptions, 332 yards, 1 TD
McMichael's age really started to show itself this season. Maybe it was age, maybe it was the injuries that put him on IR last year, but with slower legs a key facet of McMichael's game was gone. Only three of his 34 catches went for 20 yards or more. The dropped passes stand out even more in the minds of fans. 
Contract Status: Free agent
Outlook: It's unlikely the Rams will keep McMichael.
2009 Grade: C-

Daniel Fells

2009 Season: 21 receptions, 273 yards, 3 TD
After making Billy Devaney look like some kind of waiver wire savant last year, Fells broke out of a slow start with a two TD game against Green Bay in week 4. Of course, you can't forget his special teams TD on a fake kick against Detroit in the Rams only win of the season. He faded after a strong middle part of the season, but much of that can be attributed to the Rams struggling offense. He ended his season with a trip to the IR list after fracturing his thigh bone and spraining a knee ligament in week 15 against Houston.
Contract Status: Restricted Free Agent
Outlook: RIght now, he's the best TE on the roster. The top of the depth chart probably isn't the right spot for Fells though. Fells has good hands (60% catch rate this season) and size to create mismatches against smaller linebackers. What he lacks is the speed to expand his role as a receiving threat, and as such is limited to the more traditional TE role of blocking and check downs, though his strengths make him a legitimate target in the end zone.
2009 Grade: B

Billy Bajema

2009 Season: 8 receptions, 94 yards
The Rams signed Bajema as their blocking TE, part of their effort to upgrade blocking up front. The move worked. Bajema proved himself to be a useful contributor, and until the OL started to suffer injuries, the Rams QBs had time in the pocket. He even subbed for FB Mike Karney some. Pat Shurmur even made use of Bajema's hands a few times. 
Contract Status: Signed through 2011
Outlook: Bajema will be 27 when the season starts. He's a solid, important young role player whose contributions will always fly under the radar.
2009 Grade: A

Eric Bulter

2009 Season: Butler was signed to the practice squad after the final roster cutdowns came in early September. He made it to the active roster late in November, working some as a backup FB in the wake of Mike Karney's injury.
Outlook: Butler's a blocker. It's reasonable to think he'll be in camp this year as an insurance policy for Billy Bajema. I'd be surprised if he made the final roster next September though.

Finding a receiving threat at TE will be a big priority for Devaney and Spagnuolo this offseason. The right guy would mix well with the current crop of Rams receivers, helping get them open more and mitigating the need to find a true blue #1 WR. Keep an eye on the draft as there are some good names in the mix at TE. Oklahoma's Jermaine Gresham would be a great addition to the Rams, if he proves to be healthy after missing this season, and might be an option in the second round.