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.
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