Observations from Rams' Final Preseason Game

Today we'll be looking at the Rams' fourth and final preseason game, a 31-17 win against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Rams came off firing on offense once again, despite playing against Baltimore's second and third team defenses. Quarterback Sam Bradford looked comfortable in the pocket, and the offensive line held up well. The receivers made many acrobatic catches and had good yards after the catch, and Sam was generally accurate in many of his throws. It has also been a pleasant surprise that Bradford has not thrown any interceptions this preseason as well, but we shall see if that will continue during the regular season.

The defense was generally strong, beyond the fact that they were playing against a second team Baltimore offense. A scary moment occurred late in the 1st half when defensive tackle Michael Brockers went down with a leg injury, but all appears to be okay at the moment. The secondary also stepped up from a horrible showing last week against Dallas. Janoris Jenkins managed to get more work in after his terrible outing last week, scoring a touchdown on an interception return. Hopefully Jenkins will be able to mature and develop his skills as the season goes on, since many teams will probably test his side of the field early and often.

Once again, the Rams managed to escape any serious injury (apart from Brockers'), which is always the number one goal in preseason games. Camp battles will be definitively decided tomorrow as the Rams make their final cuts before the regular season. I'll have more updates and analysis after final roster cuts, as well as a complete season game-by-game prediction, starting with St. Louis' first game at the Detroit Lions.

Observations from Rams' Third Preseason Game

Today we'll be looking at the Rams' third preseason game, a 20-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Ahh, there's something that looks familiar. Unfortunately, the Rams resembled the Rams teams of the past few years on Saturday afternoon, evidenced by poor tackling techniques, too many dropped passes, and unstable protection. The best part of the team was arguably the defensive line, who not only brought penetration against the Cowboys on numerous plays, but also managed to provide a good defense against inside runs. It will be fun to watch the young talented group gel and grow as they refine their techniques.

Special teams was another area that shoed improvement. I really liked how the return coverages  really attacked the return man without being too docile in their movements. The kicking game was impressive as usual, with Greg Zuerlein all but locking up his spot as the teams' starting kicker and Johnny Hekker continuing to impress on his punts. The kick return game could use a little work, although Isaiah Pead did impress on one return.

The first team offense was solid but not impressive. Quarterback Sam Bradford did not have time to get the ball off in a lot of cases, and when he did, he usually held on for too long. Sam did not throw a pick, but he had a very low percentage of completed throws. Part of it was the fault of the receivers, who overall had another rough day. It's as if most of them are hesitant to even catch the ball if it's an arm's length away. The receivers must be WAY more aggressive in attacking and latching onto the football. Being too hesitant can arguably lead to more injury.

The running game was mixed. Steven Jackson was his usual self, but was typically brought in only to block. Isaiah Pead was somewhat disappointing. He struggles to find the holes in the line and usual tries to push his way through the middle with brute strength, often ending in one or two yard runs. The Rams must establish the run in order to effectively use a play action (and to avoid the frequent third-and-longs). In the meantime, seventh round rookie Daryl Richardson continues to impress. He finds the hole exceptionally well and does a good job of taking it to the outside when the middle becomes plugged. If Richardson can refine his blocking and pass-catching skills, he could be the change of pace back the Rams have been looking for.

Defensively, the D-line was solid. The linebackers were somewhat underwhelming, considering all the dumpoff passes and big outside runs that the Cowboys completed. Many times, a runningback would be open in the shallow flats or over the middle, and sometimes even a receiver or tight end. Perhaps the Rams leave an open man underneath to leave a linebacker back in coverage, because of the fact that the secondary was HORRIBLE. Janoris Jenkins was badly outplayed on numerous plays, where he was beat and showed poor form. His skills will take time to develop and adjust to the pro game. The safeties didn't provide much help either, and that made Tony Romo look like a star quarterback (I doubt he'll perform that well against any other NFL team's defense).

The Rams played well against the Chiefs last week, but perhaps that was an meaningless sign as the Seahawks pounded Kansas City 44-14 on Friday. With the Rams playing so poorly against the Cowboys, one has to wonder whether they have implemented all their schemes yet or are still playing a very vanilla offense and defense. Next week, the Rams will play their starters into the third quarter against a Ravens team that will probably rest most of their starters. We'll see if the Rams will be really ready against quality NFL talent if they can easily exploit second-team players.

Observations from Rams' Second Preseason Game

Today we'll be looking at the Rams' second preseason game, a 31-17 win against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The first team offense looked sharp, quickly scoring two touchdowns on the first two drives. It seemed that OC Brian Schottenheimer dialed up some more big plays downfield, mixed in with more conservative running. The deep passes quickly set up the advantage of going to play action. Thus, Sam Bradford thrived in his passing game.

Steven Jackson looked good as always, but Isaiah Pead was very concerning. He did have a touchdown, but also had -5 yards rushing. Most of it was due to quick lateral movement, and trying to be too fancy. Pead must learn to follow his lead blockers and take advantage of lanes. That's not to say he should get rid of his lateral quickness, since he is, essentially, a change of pace back from the workhorse Jackson.

The receivers didn't particularly distance themselves too much. Danny Amendola was impressive as a de facto number one to Sam Bradford. Also impressive was Lance Kendricks, although Kendricks looked to be in his 2011 preseason form rather than 2011 regular season form.

The first team defense was multitudes better this game. The D-line constantly forced pressure on the Kansas City backfield, while the secondary made some big plays of their own. The Chiefs still managed to move the ball with their primary running games, so that should be something to work on defensively.

The backup squads also looked better, and special teams play was solid. Greg Zuerlein may be the real deal, booming a 52-yarder during the game. We'll have to see how he does during clutch performances though, as well as unfavorable weather conditions.

Typically the third preseason game is the final dress rehearsal for the starters. The Rams will have a formidable opponent this time in the Dallas Cowboys. This will be a great way to see whether the Rams are truly ready for quality NFL competition.

Observations from Rams' First Preseason Game

Welcome back Rams fans. Today I'll be looking at the Rams first preseason game, a loss to the Indianapolis Colts 38-3.

The offense generally struggled, especially the passing game. Quarterback Sam Bradford looked uncomfortable making reads and threw a lot of forced passes into coverage. Perhaps it was just the ineptitude of the receiving corps, but Bradford himself looked shaky as well. Fortunately, the running game by Steven Jackson, albeit brief, was impressive. Not so much for rookie Isaiah Pead, who had some issues with ball control.

The defense struggled as much as the offense. Granted, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was very on target with his receivers, but the defensive coverages tended to be loose rather than man-to-man. The Colts offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage, and many corners (and even linebackers) were left trailing open receivers. Luck really managed to exploit the open seam routes in between coverages.

Special teams play was generally okay for the most part. The Rams must be good at special teams if their offense and defense continue to struggle. Much-hyped kicker Greg Zuerlein delivered on his only field goal attempt, which came after a pass interference penalty put the Rams in field goal range. Not good...

The rookies generally struggled. Quick and Givens each caught a pass each. Brockers, Jenkins, and Johnson struggled on defense. Pead also struggled on offense, as noted earlier.

Overall, the Rams have a lot of work to do. There was very little optimism to take away from this game, since the Rams did so poorly in all areas. It will be interesting to see how the position battles continue to develop with each game, but eventually the Rams must find a group of 53 guys that will jell and collectively improve together. Next up is a preseason game for the Governor's Cup, against the Kansas City Chiefs.