I cannot tell a lie. This is one game I had circled back in April when the 2012-2013 Rams schedule was released. This and the London game against the New England Patriots. Hopefully this game will have much better results.

I even predicted that by week 11 the famed Jets back up QB/Punt Protector Tim Tebow would be the starting instead of Mark Sanchez.

Tebow may not get the starting nod but I’d bet my money on Jets head coach Rex Ryan using some sort of Tebow package. If the Jets watched any game tape from the Rams-49ers game they’ll know Tebow can run outside a la San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Jason Smith and @TamikaWilliams at Rams Fan Fest (Personal Photo)

Can’t a girl go away for an hour to make dinner? Geesh.  I have to feed my kids, you know.

I casually turn on my phone only to stumble upon the news that the Rams have traded away struggling right tackle Jason Smith.  Hooray?

Until I realized it was for the much talked about – and not in a good way – Jets Wayne Hunter.  I follow a lot of Jets folk and it was quite evident there were parallels between the two guys.  Most notably the fact both were relieved of their respective starting duties.  Smith was replaced by Barry Richardson and Hunter by Austin Howard.

Smith was due $4 million and Hunter $2.45 million for the 2012, saving the Rams $1.55 million in cap space.  More importantly the Rams were on the hook for a $11 million roster bonus in 2013 (which in no way they were going to pay, by the way…).  I doubt the Jets will either.

Still no word on whether there are draft picks involved in the trade.

The Rams are slowly becoming “Jets Midwest” with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, QB Kellen Clemens, C/G Robert Turner, TE Matt Mulligan, DE Vernon Gholston and now RT Wayne Hunter.

For what it’s worth, back up center Turner has worked out nicely in Scott Wells’ absence and TE Mulligan isn’t nearly as bad as my Jets tweeps were yelping about.

I for one will keep an open mind about Hunter.  Looks like Rams great Torry Holt thinks a change for Hunter might not be a bad idea either.

Torry Holt chimes in.

If anything Hunter has value as a jumbo tight end according to our Aerys Jets writer, Kristine.  Hey, there’s an upside.

The Rams O-Line: #62 G Harvey Dahl, #59 C /G Robert Turner, #67 G Bryan Mattison  (Courtesy STLouisRams.com)

Right now these are the most important guys on the field in my book.  They are in charge of holding the pocket and protecting QB Sam Bradford from becoming another sack statistic in 2012.  But other than Harvey Dahl the other two are not projected starters.

Free agent center Scott Wells is finally able to participate in limited amounts at Thursday’s and according to offensive line coach Paul Boudreau he may see playing time in a couple of weeks.

Sam Bradford’s Cabin Fever

Sam Bradford swears he hasn’t heard the criticism that he’s become skittish in the pocket, mostly because he’s found a way to tune out the football media.

But that doesn’t mean he disagrees with the notion completely.

No, the St. Louis Rams’ third-year quarterback isn’t conceding happy feet or, as one ESPN analyst put it, “cabin fever.” What he will cop to is that last year he took too many hits. And that this summer, with new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s help, he’s taking the problem head on.  … Read more at NFL.com >>>>

» Continue reading “Pigskin Cover 3: Friday Edition”

Rams OT Jason Smith. 10/23/11 (Courtesy of STLouisRams.com)

With many NFL teams starting to roll out their first team depth charts it seems like the Rams are doing the exact opposite.  Especially when it comes to the offensive line.

Are the Rams trying to keep everyone else guessing or is it that they themselves are not sure who plugs up which gap?

Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with competition and using that edge but at some point I’d like to see some of these moving segments come together to form a real line.

It’d also be nice to see that line hold so quarterback Sam Bradford doesn’t get a close up view of the playing surface compared to his first two years in the Rams backfield.

Jim Fadler’s Practice Report –Aug. 9

Jim Fadler (a.k.a. @jimirmsboy) has an excellent review of Thursday’s Rams Camp.  Here are his notes about the offensive line.

Focus of much angst and fury today in the local press. Honestly when I have focused on the line it has not by and large been on (Jason) Smith. What I have seen of him was a vast improvement over some of his previous pass blocking. He has always had a balance and footwork problem which (offensive line coach Paul) Boudreau interprets as attacking too much and not letting the play come to him.

(Barry) Richardson has talent but has always lacked discipline. In the past his play has been erratic and resembles our old friend Alex Barron in terms of penalties.

Joe Long took most of the reps at left tackle with Kevin Hughes and Rok(evious Watkins) at guards. Tim Barnes who whiffed badly several times in running plays played center and Ryan Mckee and Jose Valdez split reps at right tackle. The ones and twos got in there early but those guys took the majority of the reps.  Read more at Rams_News.com >>>>

» Continue reading “Pigskin Cover 3: Friday Edition”

Rams Full Back Ben Guidugli (Courtesy STLouisRams.com)

Another installment from my weekly column at 101ESPN.  This week I interviewed Rams second year tight end turned full back Ben Guidugli.

What a difference a year makes

Exactly a year ago, I wrote about how the Rams defense needed to develop a focused identity. I specificially put James Laurinaitis on notice and said he needed to take charge in forging a strong Rams defense. (Laurinaitis stepped up to the challenge in 2011 by recording his best season with a combined 142 tackles and three sacks.)

It was also the 91st day of the NFL lockout. Lesser NFL players were taking other jobs to make ends meet, and free agents’ families were in limbo as everyone waited on NFL owners and the NFLPA to agree to a new collective bargaining agreement. On July 25, 2011, all the anxiety and frustration came to an end. Hallelujah!

But the one thing all 32 teams couldn’t get back was the valuable time lost. The 2011 rookie class didn’t have the luxury of OTAs (organized team activities), minicamps and weeks of absorbing the playbook. They basically got a crash course in the ways of the NFL, and for the Rams that wasn’t a good thing. Yeah, I’m trying to delete the 2-14 record from my memory.

It’s pronounced “guh-DOO-lee.”

I remember taking note of Ben Guidugli during a condensed training camp last summer. He was an undrafted free-agent tight end from Cincinnati who, on paper, didn’t seem to have a great shot at making the Rams’ final 53. He was competing for one of four tight end spots. The words “long shot” immediately darted into my head as the catchy pronunciation of his name stuck in my brain. (Say it with me now: The second “g” is silent, “guh-DOO-lee.”)

» Continue reading “One-On-One With Rams Full Back Ben Guidugli”

Kellen Clemens (Courtesy of STLouisRams.com)

“Comfortability” with Schottenheimer

Eleven days in December. That’s all newly signed quarterback Kellen Clemens had to bite off and digest an abridged yet complex Josh McDaniels playbook before getting his first NFL start in two years.

Clemens played a good game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15 considering the circumstances. He threw for 25 completions on 36 attempts for 229 yards and led the Rams on a late-game charge by throwing a 25-yard touchdown to wide receiver Danario Alexander.

But alas, the Rams came up just a bit short and lost the game 20-13. Clemens finished out the season as the Rams starter while Sam Bradford nursed his high ankle sprain and A.J. Feeley sat with a broken thumb.

Now fast forward to OTAs in June of 2012. McDaniels is now back in New England at his old post as Bill Belichick’s right-hand man and the Rams reunite Clemens with his former offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, from his days with the Jets.  Clemens spent five seasons (2006-2010) with Schottenheimer in New York backing up Chad Pennington, Brett Favre and Mark Sanchez.

So how much of those experiences translate into the 2012 offensive playbook that the Rams are installing right now? I would have thought it was more similar than different but it’s not that simple. Schottenheimer has different pieces to work with here, unlike those in New York.

“I think there’s certainly some carry over offensively,” Clemens said. “Schotty has done a very good job of adapting what he does to what Sam (Bradford) does well and what’s here. He’s always done a very good job of putting the playmakers that he has in the best situation possible to make plays.  He’s doing that. There are some tweaks and some different wrinkles that we’ve got going on here.”

» Continue reading “One-On-One With Rams QB Kellen Clemens”

Sam Bradford (Courtesy STLouisRams.com)

Well, it was a long time coming but it happened.  New Rams coaches and staff were finally able to meet with their players for four hours on Monday – two hours of work outs and two hours of meeting time.  The Rams were one of the few NFL teams starting the season with new head coaches so they were allowed to meet earlier than the rest of the league.

In other words, Rams QB Sam Bradford was officially able to get his hands on the new Brian Schottenheimer playbook.  Took long enough if you ask me.  Under the newly signed Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) coaches are able to have contact with players until yesterday.  The old CBA would have allowed them to meet in March instead of April.

» Continue reading “Rams Off Season Meetings Begin”

WR Steve Smith (Courtesy STLouisRams.com)

Rams finally added a free agent wide receiver (Steve Smith) and a tight end (Matthew Mulligan).  But they’re not players most Rams fans were clamoring for.  In fact, I’m not even sure he was really on any fans’ radars but obviously the powers that be at Rams Park had different ideas.

» Continue reading “Rams Agree To Terms With WR Steve Smith And TE Matthew Mulligan”

SI's Peter King, Scotty's Brewhouse, Indianapolis, IN. 01/31/12 (Personal Photo)

SI’s NFL writer, Peter King, hosted a Super Bowl tweet up in Indianapolis Tuesday evening after Media Day.  He answered all sort of questions, most of them NFL related sprinkled in with some baseball questions.  I heard something about Theo Epstein and $20 million?  Baseball buffs will have to fill me in on that.

Despite being one of a handful of women in a tent full of dudes I was still there to talk football.  So I went ahead and asked Mr. King this important question:

Who do you think the Rams should get as their quarterbacks coach?

With the hire of head coach Jeff Fisher, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer the next logical position to fill is the one closest to Sam Bradford‘s heart and arm.

» Continue reading “Peter King: Schotty Will Work Closely With Bradford”