Rams Fall Hard to Patriots

Preseason Pick: LOSS 27-3, 3rd in NFC West (3-5)
Actual Results: LOSS 45-7, 4th in NFC West (3-5)

What began as a promising start for the game across the pond ended just as quickly as the Rams got embarrassed by the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. I must admit, after seeing the Pats last week eek out one against New York, I thought the Rams would put up more of a fight. A quick 50 yard touchdown to Chris Givens was a promising start, but in the end the offense couldn't move downfield and the defense couldn't stop Tom Brady. The Rams came to showcase the parity of American football and ended up coming home licking their wounds. Thankfully, the trip to London will no longer be a distraction for the foreseeable future. And with the Rams getting a much needed bye, it's time to recapture that early divisional magic just in time for the home stretch.

The offense struggled at times, to say the least. Sam Bradford was competent but never completely comfortable. It looked like he forced too many balls down the stretch, but in reality, his receivers simply could not get open. The running game wasn't much to boast about either, as the Patriots quickly sniffed out the likes of Steven Jackson and Daryl Richardson, although Isaiah Pead performed admirably late (against second stringers nonetheless). The receiving corps will get a much-needed boost from the likely return of Danny Amendola just after the bye ends. The O-line continued to shuffle around a bit, but hopefully the Rams will figure out some semblance of stability after the bye. Their best combo seems to be Hunter, Williams, Turner, Dahl, and Richardson, although the potential return of Rodger Saffold could move Hunter to the right. We'll have to wait and see what they decide.

The defense looked lost at times, but it was simply outperformed by the tenacious Patriot weapons on offense. There was little to no pressure on Tom Brady all day, and his receivers masterfully weaved into open seams in which Brady could deliver perfect balls. The defense never really got a groove and spent too much time on the field, becoming tired as the Pats continually harassed them over the top. Too many weapons can cause slip-ups, and loose coverage was prevalent as the game went on. The Rams have a quality defense that can play tough most of the time, but the Patriots figured out how to smash them in the mouth and then some.

Special teams play was average at best. Johnny Hekker had a busy day but performed well once again. Greg Zuerlein barely had a chance to show off his powerful leg. Kick returns and punt returns were good but not game-changing. Nothing to like or dislike in this department, really.

Overall, the Rams were demolished, destroyed, and whatever other word can be used to describe a 45-7 beatdown. The Patriots found their groove and the Rams didn't. It just goes to show how the Rams measure up to other sorry teams in the NFL. They really need to step up and figure something out on offense. Rolling pockets, play actions, whatever works. Simply put, this team could be in for a long second half of the season.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Rams have a bye week to analyze their season thus far before facing the San Francisco 49ers in 2 weeks. At 3-5, the Rams have certainly made progress this season. But a 3-13 record shows little to no improvement from going 2-14 the year before. The Rams had a signature win against the Cardinals earlier in the year, but the Cards just got crumbled by the 49ers tonight on MNF. The 49ers offense is slowly coming along, and their defense is always spectacular. If the Rams can't figure out a way to score points on this 49ers squad, a win will be out of the question. The Rams don't have the necessary tools to stall San Francisco on many drives, so they must convert first downs and whittle down as much time as possible. It's an ungodly task, and I expect the Rams will need a few more weeks to nurse their wounds and the laydown in London.

Rams Get Thumped by Rodgers and the Packers

Preseason Pick: LOSS 37-17, 3rd in NFC West (3-4)
Actual Results: LOSS 30-20, 4th in NFC West (3-4)

Remember this?

Week 7: GREEN BAY @ RAMS

Already considered a good season by Rams standards, St. Louis returns home to face a tough Packers squad. Aaron Rodgers has a field day against an injured St. Louis defense, passing for nearly 350 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Rams keep the game close at first, but the Pack eventually pulls away with a big win.
LOSS 37-17, 3rd in NFC West (3-4)

Okay, so the Rams defense wasn't exactly all that banged up, and the final score margin wasn't quite as big, but Aaron Rodgers did indeed have a field day against the Rams, passing for nearly 350 yards (342) and 3 touchdowns. The Rams did manage to keep the game close (it was a one-touchdown game in the forth), but the Rams just could not stop a brilliant Rodgers and offensive attack from the Pack. In a game that felt like a road game (seriously, with the Rams in their road unis and the crowd chanting Go Pack Go), the Rams again missed an opportunity to upset the always dangerous Packers. With a two game losing streak and New England coming up next, this will be a key time for the Rams to hunker down and play hard before the bye.

Offensively, this team is still struggling to move the ball. Steven Jackson scored the first Rams rushing touchdown of the season, but the ground game was only okay at best. The Rams must establish a passing attack if they have any hope of pushing through on third downs. With the offensive line being a revolving door of injuries and washed-up talent, the blame can't all be put on Sam Bradford. But the entire offense was to blame in this one. Apart from the long drive at the end of the game in garbage time, this offense has never really been able to sustain drives that end in touchdowns. Frequently the receivers are running low underneath routes to compensate for bad protection. The coaches seem to trust their receivers a bit too much in YAC completions, and I cringe every time Bradford checks down to a tightly covered slot man in front of the first down marker. These receivers just do not know what it takes to get open or even adjust to the play. I think the Rams should use more QB rollouts, as it allows a certain degree of improv to receiver route-running. But as it stands now, there is little to nothing coming from simple dinking-and-dunking. Might as well just go for big plays every down.

Defensively, this team is still stout. You can't blame them for not being able to hold the illustrious Aaron Rodgers out of the endzone. Rodgers made some incredible throws, and his receivers (imagine if some of those guys were on our team) made amazing plays to attack the football. Frequently corners played tight, but simply got beat on the outside. The touchdown pass to Cobb late was particularly crazy. The defense managed to stop the running attack somewhat at least, but it was nothing to get excited about since the Pack returned to their signature passing game on the very next play. I think the Rams have found their defense that can certainly keep them in games. However, their offense is in need of huge improvement.

Special teams redeemed themselves this week, with Greg Zuerlein hitting 2 long field goals after missing some key ones in Miami. Johnny Hekker continues to punt well, which is always a good thing for a team that frequents 4th downs. Kick returns and punt returns were nothing to get too excited about, although they did manage to hold the dangerous Randall Cobb in check for most of the game.

Overall, this game was an expected loss, but I was pleasantly surprised that the Rams played until the final whistle, scoring a late touchdown in garbage time. Perhaps it was simply a glorified scrimmage in order to prepare for the next opponent in what will surely be the toughest test of the season. Nevertheless, the Rams offense certainly needs a lot of work.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Rams travel to London next week to take on the New England Patriots. Although I believe the Patriots aren't as good this year as they have been in years past (Tom Brady looks like he's lost a step), it will still be a tough team to face in what essentially amounts to a road game. The Rams made some interesting moves today, releasing much-maligned guard Quinn Ojinnaka and replacing him with the former Bear Chris Williams. It will be interesting to see if Williams' presence will bring some solidity to the line, or whether he will fall back to his injury-prone ways. The Rams will certainly need to keep the dangerous Patriots offense in check, but even more so keep it out of their hands. If they can establish their running game and even a semblance of a passing attack, they may have a chance for an upset heading into the bye. But don't count on it.

Rams Fall to Dolphins in Game of Lost Opportunities

Preseason Pick: WIN 20-13, 3rd in NFC West (3-3)
Actual Results: LOSS 17-14, 4th in NFC West (3-3)

The St. Louis Rams are back at .500 after a somewhat heartbreaking loss to the upstart Miami Dolphins. Although the Rams managed to run and pass pretty well on a stout Dolphins D, they couldn't manage to take advantage of opportunities as the game quickly slipped away from them. Mistakes and penalties really cost the Rams on this one. The ever efficient Greg Zuerlein missed three important field goals. The Dolphins managed to escape with a win under an impressive effort by Ryan Tannehill. But the Rams should've won this one.

The offense was vastly improved from last week. Against the Cardinals, the Rams could only establish their running game with little to no passing attack (apart from 3 or so throws). This week, Sam Bradford looked like his old self, throwing the ball with zip and confidence that he established earlier in the season against the Redskins. Of course, he still suffered in his pocket awareness, taking a critical sack late in the game that all but took the Rams out of a potential tying situation. Steven Jackson and Daryl Richardson ran extremely well; they are a great change-of-pace tandem. The receivers had some good catches, but several (notably a fumble by Chris Givens as he tried to turn upfield) were very close to being turnovers or drops. It seems that Brandon Gibson is Bradford's new favorite target with Danny Amendola out, but time will tell which receiver steps up. The O-line was very average. Good but not great. They overall performed well, but they didn't give much time in several critical situations. Still, they are pretty good considering the talent (or lack thereof) up front.

Defensively, the Rams played stout, but were exploited on several long drives by the Dolphins. Tannehill managed to get the ball out very quickly, giving the D-line little time to force pressure on the young rookie. When they did manage to penetrate, Tannehill frequently passed short over the middle or in the flats to uncovered runningbacks or wideouts. The key to stopping Miami's offense was forcing them into 3rd down situations. Unfortunately, they managed to move great late in the game, giving the Rams little time to tie the game. The linebackers were okay in coverage, but their tackling, once again, could use work. Same goes for the corners and safeties. There were some plays that could have been made, but the Dolphins exposed the Rams on several key plays to sustain drives.

Special teams, which was usually the strong point of the Rams, was terrible on Sunday. As said before, Greg Zuerlein was perfect on the season before missing his last three kicks. Johnny Hekker performed admirably in limited time. Janoris Jenkins and Chris Givens both fumbled returns, and the Dolphins took advantage on the Givens fumble. Brit Miller also made a costly error on a kick return that resulted in a Dolphins score. Special teams was certainly nothing to be proud of on Sunday.

Overall, the Rams should've won this game. The offense had its groove back, the defense was strong and kept the game close, and special teams made a few recoverable missteps. But the Rams just couldn't pull it out and let the Dolphins slip away as the South Florida rain drizzled down late in the game. Fortunately, the Rams head back home next week. Unfortunately, that game will be against the even more upstart Green Bay Packers.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Rams have played well at home this season, winning all 3 home games. That could change next week, as the Packers (who just got finished destroying the previously undefeated Texans) could have a field day in another dome. I don't think this game will be as close as I thought. The Rams have a good defense that maybe could've beaten the Pack earlier in the season. But if Green Bay is really out of their funk, the Rams could be in for a long day of passing and getting rocked. And if that's not enough, they have a London game against New England to look forward to (although that one may be close...but more on that next week).

Rams Go Over .500 under Primetime Lights

Preseason Pick: WIN 27-7, 3rd in NFC West (2-3)
Actual Results: WIN 17-3, Tied 3rd in NFC West (3-2)


The Rams continued their excellent play at home by defeating the previously undefeated Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football. The story of this game was undoubtedly focused on the Rams' stifling defense. St. Louis combined for 9 sacks on Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, who frequently looked dazed and confused as the tandem of Chris Long and Robert Quinn assaulted the weak Cardinals line.The offense scored all the points, but after a fast start they quickly cooled. Teamed with the loss of Danny Amendola, this offense could struggle even more in the coming weeks.Here's a quick look at all phases of the game.

The Rams quickly got a touchdown on the opening drive with 3 nice passes from Sam Bradford. A long bomb to Danny Amendola along the sideline set up a nice touchdown pass to Lance Kendricks. But the Rams quickly feel under after that, going flat on the passing offense and slow in the run game. A couple of bad drops definitely fueled the offensive struggles throughout the rest of the game, but the loss of Danny Amendola was also a contributing factor. Amendola went out with a collarbone injury (which could have been life-threatening), a will be out until the last few weeks of the season. That leaves the Rams back a square one, with a plethora of average number 2 receivers that don't quite match Amendola's skill set. Steve Smith could get a look in Amendola's place, although I doubt he's as fast or sneaky underneath as Amendola. Austin Pettis could also get some looks, but his possession receiver skills come with routes downfield rather than underneath. It will be interesting to see how the Rams will handle this situation, given the talent they have downfield. Fortunately, they re-discovered the running game late, with the ever-talented Steven Jackson bulldozing his way for extra yards against the tough Cardinals defense.

Defensively, the Rams played with a tenacity that hasn't been seen in a long time. The D-line mauled the weak Cardinals, and the linebackers and cornerbacks continued to fuel an agressive attack that kept Kevin Kolb pressured all night. The only weakness in the defense seemed to be coverage downfield, but the Rams' secondary did a generally good job containing the Cardinals' receivers. With so much defense prevalent in the NFC West nowadays, the Rams must continue to assault opposing offensive lines and forcing pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The run defense is still a bit shaky, but the Rams were lucky that the Cardinals had issues at running back.

Special teams also impressed, with rookie punter Johnny Hekker booming long kicks to keep Cardinals return ace Patrick Peterson at bay. Peterson is shifty in the return game but doesn't seem to play with as much enthusiasm on the defensive side (his pick notwithstanding). Greg Zuerlein continued to boom field goals like extra points. The return game suffered a bit after Amendola's departure, but Janoris Jenkins served it well enough.

Overall, the Rams were very impressive on defense, but got really lucky on offense. Had they been stymied late in the game, the Cardinals could have easily tied the game. It's nice to see the Rams keeping these games close and taking advantage of the home crowd, but they must learn to advance their offensive philosophy a bit. They must learn to win on the road and take advantage of opportunities if they want to stay in games.  Especially with several offensive juggernauts coming up real soon.

LOOKING AHEAD: After a semi-bye week, the Rams head to Miami to take on the suddenly tough Dolphins. The Dolphins have greatly improved their offense under Ryan Tannehill in recent weeks, and their defense is also tough on the inside. The Rams will need to put pressure on the rookie and put up some points, as the Dolphins could potentially exploit the Rams on the outside. With a dangerous running tandem of Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas, the Rams' weak run defense could also be exploited. I think this could be a tough game, but if the Rams can keep it close and pull it out on the road, it would provide a huge boost going into the next two weeks against Green Bay and New England. The Rams also can't afford to lose much ground against the tough NFC West.

Rams Get Second Win Behind Young Kickers

Preseason Pick: LOSS 30-24, Tied 3rd in NFC West (1-3)
Actual Results: WIN 19-13, Tied 3rd in NFC West (2-2)

Rd. 6, Pick 171: Greg Zuerlein, K, Missouri Western

What's with all these indie picks the Rams are making? Never heard of Zuerlein, but the fact that he's a kicker doesn't help either. The Rams have a greater need at punter, where Tom Malone currently holds his spot. Are the Rams trying to send Josh Brown a message?

GRADE: C-

The above is from my immediate post-draft commentary regarding Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein. At the time, Josh Brown was still on the team, and it seemed unlikely that Zuerlein would play considering how solid Brown has always been. Also, the fact that the Rams actually drafted Zuerlein was a surprise as well, considering the large pool of college kickers that perform admirably in school but regularly end their careers once they graduate. But on this Sunday against the Seahawks, Zuerlein proved his worth and then some. Already perfect on the season and very impressive in the preseason, this kid has become the team MVP. He scored 12 of the Rams' 19 points, two field goals coming on a 58-yarder and a 60-yarder. He seems to kick the ball with ease every time, somehow getting a lot of power that almost looks, pardon me, Janikowski-esque. Considering how well he performed, it's easy to forget how well fellow rookie Johnny Hekker has been on punts. Up until yesterday, he was just a solid punter. But by throwing the Rams' lone touchdown pass, he became a "dual-threat" that the Rams can use on several trick plays. Granted, Hekker played QB in high school and threw some at Oregon State, but the fact that the Rams possess a weapon like that is great. Here's a look at all the units from Sunday:

The offense was a bit inconsistent, noticeably not being able to score any touchdowns throughout the whole game. Sam Bradford looked much improved from last week against Chicago, throwing the ball with touch and flair. Some passes were a bit sloppy, but he only had one interception on the day. The running game was better than last week as well, with Steven Jackson looking like his old self on severally running plays. But compared to Seattle's Marshawn Lynch, Jackson no longer possesses the speed or brutality to escape the first hit. If he tries to be too tenacious, he tends to hold the ball a bit loosely. Still, he did well considering the O-line's troubles recently. The O-line was efficient, only letting Bradford get sacked twice against Seattle's rough front. As long as they can perform well but not great, the Rams can improvise with shorter patterns in the passing game. They must, however, improve in run-blocking if this offense is to become a formidable one. The receivers were reliable but not always there. Danny Amendola led the game with catches once again, but several tight ends made big plays as well. Of course, Amendola caught the only touchdown of the day, on a pass from Hekker.

Defensively, the Rams continued to play extremely well. I thought that they would soften up a bit after the real refs came back, but they continued to execute and penetrate. The only problem seemed to be tackling, specifically bringing down Marshawn Lynch. Lynch ran with power and ease, frequently breaking tackles. Even counterpart Robert Turbin continued to evade the grabbing arms of Rams tacklers. Tackling has been a problem in recent (and forgettable) years, but the fact that Lynch kept getting positive yardage means the Rams must do a better job covering underneath. That was evident last week as well when the Bears kept gaining yards on underneath routes and screens to the flats. The corners performed well, forcing three picks on Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson and generally keeping the receivers at bay. A lucky game-clinching interception from Bradley Fletcher came when the Seahawks receiver slipped.

Special teams ruled the day. Zuerlein nailed four field goals, and Hekker threw a touchdown as well as kicking several great punts. There was a time or two when Hekker almost looked like his punt may have been blocked, but the Rams punt coverage team did an exceptional job all around. Kickoff returns were okay, excluding the end-around play that put the Rams on their own 5. The one key play came on an onside kick recovery after Seattle tried to get the ball back early in the second half. This Rams' special teams unit must continue to impress and avoid injury in order to perform as well as they did on Sunday. But for one day, they looked awesome.

The Rams managed to escape another close one. They put pressure on Wilson all day, and forced him to wait for windows to open. On several instances, a taller or more aware quarterback may have seen the openings underneath that Wilson frequently got. The Rams have gotta work on this and not bite on the great receivers that they will face next week.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Cardinals are a surprising 4-0, one of the last 3 in the NFL. They escaped a flawed but dangerous Dolphins squad last week, winning 24-21 in OT. With both teams on a short week, the Rams will have a lot of work to do. A win over Arizona will certainly attract the attention of national pundits, as the Rams break last year's 2-win season by winning their 3rd game in 5, and gain a step up in the competitive division. Of course, the Rams will have to improve greatly on offense. Arizona's dangerous D has managed them to an undefeated record, and the Rams will need to move the ball on this team if they wish to survive. The Rams D could face problems against a seemingly improved Kevin Kolb and the always dangerous Larry Fitzgerald, but they shouldn't bite on the deep passes. If the Cards really want to exploit this Rams D, they'll establish a run then play-action. But that's what this chess match will be all about: Running hard and stopping the run. This won't be the blowout I predicted over the preseason, but it will be a hard fought contest for both teams.