MyRamsBlog

April 28, 2008

Well, the draft is done. How do I feel the Rams did? Not bad. Am I disappointed the Rams didn't select Glenn Dorsey with the first pick. Only mildly. As I mentioned in my last blog entry I think Chris Long is a great player and the Rams couldn't go wrong with him either, although I felt Dorsey was the better all around player. I still feel that way.

I was a bit surprised with the Rams 2nd Round pick. I was fully expecting them to take an Offensive Lineman. I don't think I need to explain why that would've been a good pick (you know 3-13, enough said). I'm a believer that your offensive line, in many ways, determines the success of your team (see earlier posts). But the Rams instead chose to go with Donnie Avery, a Wide Receiver out of Houston. I can tell why the Rams wanted him. He can run a 4.3 40 yard dash. There isn't many that can run faster. He has good run after the catch ability. Not very many "experts" feel this was a good pick, especially since there were other wide receivers available. In my opinion, it doesn't matter. This crop of wide receivers are sketchy at best. Picking any of them would be a gamble. I think Coach Linehan made the correct gamble, because someone with the abilities that Donnie Avery have, have a good chance of working in the St. Louis offense.

Where the Rams didn't pick an OL with pick 2, I knew it was coming with pick 3. John Greco, an Offensive Tackle from Toledo was the pick. I also like this pick. Toledo is a school with an aggresive passive attack and held their own with many of the larger schools. I liked what I saw from him during the Senior Bowl. I think he will do well with the Rams. The sooner the better, wouldn't you agree?

I was a little surprised again with the Rams' 4th pick. They picked Justin King, a Corner Back, out of Penn State. The Rams are probably OK with CB's right now. I felt they needed more help in some other areas, such as Linebacker, an area that wasn't even hardly addressed in the draft, or Wide Receiver. If Justin works hard, he could be a good find. He has good speed. His coverage abilities are pretty good too.

Pick 5 was for Keenan Burton a Wide Receiver out of Kentucky. I really like this pick. Kentucky was a good team this last year and Keenan was part of the reason they were so good. He has good size, good hands, and good run after the catch ability. I'm a little surprised Keenan was even available this late in the draft. The Rams traded up to get him. With Torry Holt around to help him out Keenan could easily become the steal of the draft.

Roy Schuening an Offensive Guard was chosen with the 6th pick. He is a solid player, fought through different sicknesses which he had a hard time shaking. I don't see him starting right away, but if some of the guys on the Rams OL aren't careful, Roy could over throw them and move into their position. I like this pick as well.

Round 7 had the Rams take Chris Chamerlain, a DB from Tulsa, and David Vobora, an OLB from Idaho. Hard to say if either of these guys will make the team. But the both have talent that could give some of the veterans a run for their money. With the Rams being thin at LB, Vobora probably has the best shot.

Overall I feel pretty good about the draft. It does address some of the many needs the Rams have. We'll have to sit back and watch how it all comes together now. I am excited to see how Chris Long does as well as Donnie Avery. Best of luck to all these guys and the Rams as they prepare for the coming season.

April 24, 2008

The draft is here! (Should we say that again?) The draft is here! Now is a chance for the Rams to get some difference makers to get this franchise back in the win column. Until a couple of days ago, before the Miami Dolphins signed Jake Long to a lucrative contract, Jake was my choice for the Rams. The Rams need massive help on the offensive line. Jake Long could've gave it to them.

If you watched Jake Long play at Michigan , then you know this guy is awesome! He only allowed two sacks and had just two penalties during his whole career at Michigan . Folks, you just don't get much better than that. Congratulations on Miami signing him, he will make an immediate impact to that team.

But enough of Jake. He is gone, so we must move on and look at number two.

What do the Rams do now that Jake is off the board? In my opinion, the undisputed number two is Glenn Dorsey. I constantly hear from the “experts” how one guy is a good pass rusher and another guy is a good run stopper. Well folks, this guy, Dorsey, can do both.

I don't know that I remember a guy that has as much potential as Glenn Dorsey in a long long time. Some names that come to mind; Reggie White and Warren Sapp. If Dorsey lives up to his potential he could become as good or better than these two, and as you know that is saying something.

My feeling is the Rams need to keep the 2 nd pick and get Dorsey. They would be foolish to let him get by, for the reasons mentioned above.

I've been reading how some of the “experts” think that Chris Long would be a better choice for the Rams. I emphatically disagree. Don't get me wrong, if the Rams decided to select Chris Long, it wouldn't be a bad choice. I just feel that Dorsey is the kind of player that only comes around once a decade. The Rams need to get him now.

Go RAMS!

March 26, 2008

As you can tell, I decided to wait a little while before posting a new entry to my Rams blog. A little while ago I looked through some of the previous entries I had made and realized that I was sounding a lot more negative than I ever wanted. The reason for the negativity is because I was nervous about things happening within the Rams organization and I just didn't feel things were being done that would help this team get back to the point where it could win games again. So I decided to wait and see what the Rams would do and keep my mouth shut for a time.

I have been a Rams fan for many years. I have stuck with them through the good times and the bad. I have a couple of Rams T-Shirts and Hats. I have continued wearing them despite being ridiculed for supporting a team that just doesn't seem to have it together at times. If you look at the Rams' history, you can see why people might think that. Since 1990, the Rams have only had four winning seasons. 1999-2001, 2003. You can see why Rams fans are getting ansy. They want to be proud of their team. They want to be able to wear those Rams Hats and T-Shirts with pride. It has been hard to do that the last few years. So things need to change. They've got to change.

Since I last commented on the blog, much has happened. Not the least of which is the release of Isaac Bruce. This is a move that I cannot understand. I sure hope the Rams knew what they were doing when they released him. He was the icon for the Rams. Whenever anyone talked of the Rams, the talked of Isaac Bruce. Whenever he would catch a ball, no matter how simple the catch, the crowd would errupt yelling "Bruce! Bruce! Bruce!". Rams fans everywhere adored him! I am not real supportive of this move. If they needed cap space, they should've reworked Bennett's contract instead of releasing Isaac Bruce.

Free Agency has been relatively quite at Rams Park. I am totally psyched at the signing of Jacob Bell. I am a strong believer that an entire football teams success begins on the offensive line. With a good offensive line, the defense gets to rest more, they make your running back look good (right Marshall?), and not the least of which, points get scored. That isn't to say that you don't need a good defense, but a good offense makes a good defense even better. Jacob Bell is a step in that direction. He is young, tough and agile. He will make this team better. If Orlando Pace and the rest of the offensive line can stay somewhat healthy through this next season, I think we'll have a good offensive line.

Besides the signing of Jacob Bell, the Rams really haven't done much in free agency. That doesn't really bother me. At least they didn't run out and sign a bunch of guys for money that they aren't worth. I know they need some serious help on the Defensive Line and I look forward to seeing and discussing what the Rams will do to fill that need in the draft.

February 1, 2008

Coach Scott Linehan made the right move; he hired Coach Al Saunders to be the Offensive Coordinator for the Rams. This move was so important. Best of Al Saunders is not a friend of Coach Linehan, at least not yet, hopefully they will become friends.

Al Saunders was running the offense in Kansas City under Coach Dick Vermeil. You might recall that offense when Trent Green, Priest Holmes, and Larry Johnson when they were at their best. That offense lead the NFL for several years. Kind of like the “Greatest Show on Turf” did. Al Saunders was working with the Rams Offense during that time as well.

As a fan I feel good about Coach Linehan's decision to hire Al Saunders and at the same time give him total responsibility for the Offense.

Knocking on wood, I believe the Rams turn around has begun. Coach Linehan needs to be a head coach and not try to run other aspects of the team. In hiring Al Saunders, he has done this…finally. Now they need to concentrate on patching up that make shift offensive line and get some healthy, tough players so that a different offensive line doesn't take the field each week.

The Rams offense has talent. The problem is that when even just one lineman can't keep their guy out, you can't get the ball to those talented players, or in the case of Steven Jackson, he can't even get beyond the line of scrimmage.

I've always been of the belief that the offensive line is the first factor that determines the success of your football team. If you have a good offensive line, you'll drive the ball down the field, score points, which in turn keeps your defense off the field allowing them to stay fresh longer which gives you the advantage in the fourth quarter when so many games are won and loss in the NFL. I think the Rams found this out first hand last season.

The Rams still have a lot of work ahead of them in signing players that can help them win games. First off, Coach Linehan needs to patch things up with his players. After having Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, and Steven Jackson fire off at him, on the sidelines, at different times during the season, shows that some "quality" time needs to be spent together to regain trust between everyone.

Then, if they are going to be a playoff team next year, they won't be able to do it within the draft alone. They are going to have to get some talented free agents. This should be next on their list. We'll talk more about this in the coming weeks.

January 26, 2008

Good news Rams Nation! Coach Scott Linehan appears to be going after an incredible Offensive Coordinator! St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that NFL Owner Dan Snider has fired both the Offensive and Defensive Coordinator, looking to take the Washington Redskins in a different direction. The Offensive Coordinator is Al Saunders. He runs a Mike Martz style of offense.

This is great because we know what a Mike Martz style offense is capable of. Of course we'll have to wait and see if this pans out, but according to the Dispatch, Coach Linehan is aggresively going after Saunders. I love this for several reasons. I like the Mike Martz style offense. With Martz being in San Francisco, the Rams don't have any time to waist to get the offense fixed. I hate it when the Rams lose, but I especially hate it when they lose to the 49ers. ;)

I like the fact that Coach Linehan is not attempting to hire one of his friends, but instead is going after someone who can fix this offense, something that needs to happen NOW!

The big question now, does Saunders want to come to St. Louis? There are so many things happening right now with the Rams that would make any Coordinator ask themselves if taking their family to St. Louis is truly the right thing to do. With the death of owner Georgia Frontiere leaving the ownership of the team up in the air, the fact that Scott Linehan really only has one year to turn this team around or he's out, the blowups that have happened between Scott Linehan and his star players indicating a loss of confidence from the players, all would cause any coordinator to question if St. Louis is the best opportunity, and you can't blame them.

We all need to hope that Scott Linehan is a good salesman and can sale the coordinator job to Saunders. We need him and we need him now!

January 18, 2008

Well, surprise! The Rams made a move on hiring an Offensive Line Coach Steve Loney. Steve is, again, a personal friend of Coach Scott Linehan. As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, this concerns me because when Coach Scott Linehan has hired "friends" previously, it hasn't worked out.

My hope is that when Coach Linehan gets around to hiring an Offensive Coordinator, that he doesn't make "friendship" the reason for hiring, but that he hires someone who has experience and is qualified. Rumor has it that Ken Zampese and Hue Jackson are the front runners for the job. I mean no disrespect to either of these candidates, but in my opinion, the Rams need an experienced Offensive Coordinator, one that has a history of running winning offenses. Neither of these guys have that kind of experience.

The Rams have incredible talent on the offensive side of the ball. Incredible talent. Despite what the media has been saying Torry Holt is still one of the top three receivers in football. I know the stats don't show that this last season, but that is because the offensive line didn't hold together long enough for him to create the kind of stats that show his abilities. As for his chronic knee, Torry is a tough hombre and he will work through that and not allow it to slow him down. Issac Bruce, even at his age, is no slouch either. Even at his age, he is still a top 10 receiver. I don't think for one minute that we have seen the true potential of Steven Jackson. He has had one breakout year, and I don't think that that is his best. He is capable of so much more. We need an Offensive Coordinator that will bring out the best in this talented offensive. If Coach Linehan hires someone with that potential, the Rams will put points, and wins, on the scoreboard.

January 16, 2008

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it is now January 16, 2008, and the Rams have yet to do anything. Sure, the heads of the household are meeting right now on the West Coast at the LA Summit. Is anything happening? Not as far as I can tell.

I can’t think of a time, as long as I have been a Rams fan, that the need to act is more important than it is right now. With the exception of the 1999-2001, 2003 seasons, the Rams have done nothing but…you know…lose. Before the superbowl year of 1999, the Rams went to the NFC championship game where they lost to the 49ers in…1989. If my math is correct, that is 10 years between winning seasons! Now, we are in a major slump again. We just finished the 2007 campaign. The last winning season was 2003. That is 4 years folks. Do we really have to wait another 10 years before someone within the Rams organization will get it together? For myself and the rest of the Rams fans out there, I sure hope not.

I noticed that for the first time since the Rams came to St. Louis that they have been unable to sell out the tickets for home games. When they did sell out, it was because of the visiting teams fans buying the tickets! What is wrong with this picture? Do the uppers at Rams park really think this going change next season if the don’t make some action RIGHT NOW? If I were a professional football business man, the issue of losing fans would greatly concern me.

John Shaw says it concerns him. If it really does, let’s see some action! Let’s see you make the moves necessary to get this team back on track. So far, all we’ve seen is a couple of coaches fired, which from my stand point makes it look like John Shaw is passing the blame! Sorry Mr. Shaw, the blame is yours alone to bear! You need to get moving now! Do whatever it takes to show the most qualified coaches that the Rams aren’t messing around. That coming to St. Louis is the right choice. This is your burden to bear. You must bear it and bear it now!

I’ll bet if you ask most available coaches out there right now, they don’t want to come to St. Louis. Why? Because John Shaw and Jay Zygmunt don’t show, at all, like they’ve got together. Their free agent signings, for the very most part, have been pathetic. Their draft picks are not far behind.

I’m not sure what it will take to get John Shaw and Jay Zygmunt to understand that major changes are needed and needed now. If action is not taken now you will probably see them blame the city of St. Louis and the fans there for not being more dedicated to their team, and they’ll end up moving again because the team continues to lose. They’ll have to do this because a new fan base will allow them to continue to bring money in, where right now, the money coming in is slowing, because they’re losing. If things continue as they have for the last 20 years, that new fan base will eventually stop bringing money in as well. You see a pattern?

John Shaw and Jay Zygmunt have to look in the mirror and understand that what they’re doing isn’t working. They have to. Will they? That answer will start to play out in the coming weeks with them either acting or postponing. If more postponing is their answer, you’ll see empty seats in the Edward Jones dome and another 3-13 record or maybe even worse.

January 9, 2008

Alright, the Rams seem to be making some moves. They fired offensive coordinator Greg Olson and the offensive line coach Paul Boudreau. The firings took place at the end of last week but were not announced until Monday. I don’t disagree with the moves the Rams have made here. The Rams have a potent offense that didn’t do anything this last season and the main reason is the offensive line. Even though there were a lot of injuries, the offensive line coach must come up with a way to keep the team competitive. This simply wasn't done.

The problem I have now is that it is Wednesday and though there are rumors the Rams have been talking to Cam Cameron to replace Greg Olson, that is all they are, rumors. The Rams front office seems to be incapable of moving quickly. Considering the current situation within the Rams franchise, if I were an offensive coordinator being looked at by the Rams, I’m not sure I would be that interested. Think about it. The Rams finished 3-13. Second worst in the league. The Rams front office has a reputation around the league of not being very supportive of its coaches.

What does this mean for the Rams? It means that John Shaw needs to get moving and prove to Cam Cameron that the St. Louis Rams are indeed a good investment for his future and his families future. They need to GET MOVING! Otherwise Cam Cameron will be gone and so will anyone else who is worth having.

As a Rams fan, I would love to see Coach Cameron come to St. Louis. Despite his showing in Miami, he is a good coach. Look at what the San Diego Chargers did while he was OC down there.

Here is hoping that John Shaw and Jay Zygmunt do whatever it takes to get a decent Coach, like Cam Cameron to come to St. Louis. The team is in dire need of a good “football doctor”. They wouldn’t go wrong with Coach Cameron. They would go wrong by just sitting around and hoping that someone just falls in their lap, because it isn't going to happen.

In the meantime, coaches are being snatched up all around the league. Waiting much longer will cause the Rams to miss out.

January 4, 2008

As I watch the off season for the NFL take off, I see teams making change after change. The Miami Dolphins, who ended their season at 1-15, wasted no time making changes in an attempt to improve their team for next season. They have a new Executive Vice President in Bill Parcells. They have a new GM in Jeff Ireland. The two have a history together. They worked together with the Dallas Cowboys. In case you fell off the face of the earth, the Cowboys finished the season 13-3. Seems to me like that is just what Miami needs. The Dolphins will soon have a new head coach. They are working hard to get this team back on track.

The Atlanta Falcons, who ended the season at 4-12, are forced into hiring a new head coach because of the departure of Bobby Petrino to Arkansas. The Falcons will be hiring a new GM because team President Rich McKay has announced he will relinquish the GM duties he has been responsible for up to this point. Again this team is making changes to get back on track.

It is way to early to tell if these changes are enough to make a difference for these teams, but you can tell that they are convinced that going down the same old path is the wrong thing to do.

Now let's look at the Rams. They finished the season at 3-13. What have they done to make changes that will him them get back on track?? ... ... ... You guessed it. Nada. The St. Louis Post Dispatch has reported that Jay Zygmunt President of football operations has said that he “resolves to get the Rams on the right path”.

Didn't Mr. Zygmunt resolve that last year? The year before that? Now to his credit he was primarily responsible for getting Marshall Faulk and getting the Rams to the Superbowl in 1999, which truly was a miraculous feat. But to do that the Rams had to take serious action. Beyond Marshall Faulk they brought in Mike Martz as the offensive coordinator. They brought in guard Adam Timmerman and Quarterback Trent Green. They took action.

This is what is needed now. The front office needs to get heavily involved. I realize it's early, but when you see other teams making major changes to get back on track, while the Rams haven't done squat, you start to wonder.

Let's hope that the Rams front office knows what they're doing. If they don't and we end up with another 3-13 season or just a plain 'ol losing season, they need to be held accountable and look for work elsewhere.

December 30, 2007

Has this been an interesting year for the Rams or what? In my opening post for myramsblog, I am going to concentrate on how this season has been so disappointing and some potential reasons for this disappointment.

No matter how you define “interesting”, it hasn’t been a lot of fun. As I’ve watched the Rams play this year, I have been real disappointed with how they have all just not reached their full potential. I know that there have been injuries galore, but I don’t think the injuries all by themselves have brought the Rams to a 3-13 season, though they were a big factor.

When the injury plague hits a team, often times it brings the team together. Most teams understand that you have to rely, most especially on, your big play makers. In the Rams case, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger on the offensive side of the ball. If you were coach, with the experience these guys have, wouldn’t you use their input to help this team make plays? I know I would. But as you look through the season, does it look to you as if Coach Scott Linehan even cares about input from these guys?

Think about it. Marc Bulger rolls his eyes at Coach Linehan. Both Steven Jackson and Torry Holt have public blow up sessions at Linehan apparently due to their dislike with the progress of this team. Which I might add is totally understandable. Each time Coach Scott Linehan has blown it off as a heat of the moment incident.

If it happened once, with one of your top three offensive players, I could understand that. However, with incidents such as these happening with three of your top four players it needs to be a wakeup call. Coach Scott Linehan needs to realize he is losing the respect of his top players and as such, their confidence as well.

When you lose the confidence of your top players, it is just a matter of time before the rest of the team follows. In my opinion President John Shaw needs to rethink what is happening with Coach Scott Linehan. I am always one to be patient and allow a Coach time to work things out. I just don’t see any promise coming from what has happened this year. I’ve been a Rams fan since I was young. I stuck with the team through the difficult 90’s and I fear a repeat of those 90’s with the attitudes being reflected with the Rams players towards their Coach.

I remember at the beginning of the season, many picked the Rams to go deep in the playoffs. When the struggles started 0-2, then 0-4, and so on, the Rams coaches seemed to be giving up. At each press conference after those loses when the question was asked on how they were going to change things around, the response was usually “I don’t know”. Not good. A change needs to be made so this franchise can get back on track.