STL Rams vs. TEN Titans

When you think of Rams vs. Titans one memory instantly comes to mind.  Super Bowl XXXIV.  The Greatest Show on Turf congers up that last second reach by Titans WR Kevin Dyson one yard short of the goal line to prevent a potential game-tying touchdown.  That game’s hero in my book: Rams LB Mike Jones.

Fast forward 12 years later.

Sam Bradford is the new Kurt Warner.  Steven Jackson is the new Marshall Faulk.  But who’s going to step it up and be the Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce of the new Rams?

Tonight’s game should give us a closer look into the continuing battle for the last couple of roster spots for the WR position.

My locks for WR’s are: Danny Amendola, Mike Sims-Walker, Austin Pettis, Greg Salas, Brandon Gibson, and Danario Alexander.

This leaves the likes of Mardy Gilyard and Donnie Avery on the bubble if the Rams want to carry more than 6 WR’s.  Then there’s Joe West, Greg Matthews, Jared Jenkins, and Dominique Curry on the outside looking in.

Gilyard’s strength comes in his versatility as a special teams contributor and Donnie Avery, if he can show he still has the speed, will give him a leg up.

But this second game is going to showcase the starters a bit more.  Coach Spags indicating the first team could see significant more playing time – maybe up to the entire first half of the game.

I’m looking to see who they will utilize to stretch the field and how effective they’ll be.  My eyes will be on Mike Sims-Walker, Danario Alexander, and Donnie Avery.

Another position I will be keeping an eye is the secondary.

Veteran (Ok, I think they could call him Grandpa Al…) CB Al Harris is slated to play tonight probably rotating in between Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher.

With Titans start RB and the lifeline of the team holding out for a mega contract most of the focus will on a familiar NFC West mug of newly aquired QB Matt Hasselbeck.  I’m sure Hasselbeck will have a few notes or two about the Rams from over the years.

Look for Spags to be aggressive in going after Matt Hasselbeck with plenty of pressure from the D-line.  I think rookie DE Robert Quinn will chalk up his first NFL preseason sack tonight.  I’m calling it now.

One Titan we need to look out for is Cortland Finnegan.  He could be wreaking havoc down field.

I’d like to see a repeat of last week’s “almost no penalties” by the Rams.  For the most part they played a clean game.

I’ll be in attendance at the game tonight again courtesy of Mr. Kevin Demoff and his Twitter trivia questions.  Thank you, Mr. Demoff!

Good morning!

It’s another Monday morning and another day of football news.  To start it off right let’s take a look at Rams headlines from over the weekend.

1) Here are notes from a national football writer’s perspective on what he saw during the Rams scrimmage at Lindenwood yesterday.  Pete Prisco, the Social Assassin, graced the Lou for the weekend.

2) For a more local view of the scrimmage check out Tony Softli’s take on the practice.

3) There’s a familiar face back on the O-line for the Rams.  Fresh off his duties as the Rams player representative Adam Goldberg is happy to be back and playing.

4) Is Isaac Bruce shopping around for a coaching job?  According to Peter King’s MMQB this morning Bruce was expected to be at Jets camp to lend his WR services.  What gives?

Wednesday: New York Jets, Florham Park, N.J.

The Jets don’t sit still. Look out on the field: Old-timer assistant coaches Tom Moore and Jim McNally were out at practice; Isaac Bruce, of all people, was due in camp in a few days to give pointers to the wideouts.

a) Does anyone know why the Rams won’t hire him?  I know he’s made his desire to coach here very well known.

b) Would you be upset if another team hired him as their WR coach?

Seems like a shame to me if he doesn’t coach for the Rams where he made history.

5) And if you didn’t get enough of Marshall Faulk’s HOF weekend, here’s a link to my most recent post about him.

Here’s the most up-to-date Rams practice schedule for this week:

Coach Spags on August 1 Training Camp

It was another very hot day at Rams Park.  It was their first day in pads and was able to get some hitting in today.  He said,

I think they enjoyed it, got a little bit tired at the end. But I thought they fought through it.

What we’ll look for tomorrow, because it’s another padded practice in the afternoon, is to see how they bounce back after a day of getting kind of worn down.

Injury report for today:

• SS Travon Bellamy: Illness. Kept indoors by trainer.
• LB Jabara Williams: Knee tweak.
• DT Darell Scott: Hand. (No further information was given)
• WR Mardy Gilyard and WR Brandon Gibson (and “a bunch of guys”): Heat/cramps.

Does Spags have any concerns of overworking the players?

There’s a fine line. I’m always thinking about it, I’m always asking Reggie (trainer). We put the break in there, try to get them under the tent.

You have to balance the not overworking them and not working them enough. I’m not sure I have the answer. I just hope when it’s all over…

The significance of practicing in pads and what it tells about the receivers.

The obvious thing is which guys are going to not shy away from contact. And which guys know how to play behind pads. I think it’s pretty revealing initially. And then sometimes the guys without the pads just kind of fade away, and vice versa. So we find out a lot when they put them on.

What progress has been made in finding the RB2 and the importance of the RB.

I mean, we’ve got some guys there to work. They are getting a lot of reps. Steven Jackson didn’t get any of the live work there, just right now. Those guys have got to show us what they got, and they’ll have plenty of opportunity.

I think it’s important. It’s important on any team.

What he thinks about reducing Jackson’s workload this season.

I don’t think we’re going to do a numbers count. I’d never go in and say, ‘At the end of the year we want it to be this.’

We’re going to give him the ball, throw him the ball as many times as it takes to win football games.

Sam will throw it as many times as we have to. We don’t really have a number in mind.

Positive comments about S Darian Stewart

He came in here last year at this time as an undrafted free agent, surprised some people and earned a roster spot. He has some unique qualities, fought through some injuries halfway through the season and then kind of came on. And now he has an opportunity to grab a spot. So far so good.

His impression of TE Lance Kendricks

Yes. He’s gotten a lot of work with the first group, you know with Sam. Sometimes for a young guy that makes your abilities jump up a little bit quicker to show a little bit.

What was it like having Isaac Bruce at practice today?

Yeah Isaac and I were talking the last couple weeks and I really appreciate him coming because he’s a busy man. He’s got a busy schedule, but he squeezed a couple days in here and he was here last night which was great to see. And I see him out there with guys right now. Love having Isaac around.

I thought he said he could only stay in until Tuesday. What is today? Monday. So you got it, a couple of days.

How is Sam Bradford is doing with reads?

‘If I’m not mistaken we only had the one live period. I think we ran 8 running plays, and 4 passes. He completed more than that, which I thought was pretty good, that’s what I read. I’d have to watch the film.

How are younger players are doing mentally:

The struggle from that standpoint, the safety struggle, because the OTAs would have given them a lot of opportunity for adjustments.

I could see that they were spinning today when we got in the nickel defense.

The receivers, just with alignments and routes, those skills guys seem to struggle a little bit more. I’m sure every team in the league is going through it, it will take a little while.

Coffee Roasting Grades (via Y Tambe Wikimedia Commons)

Good afternoon, guys.  Did everyone get through last night’s round of storms?  Don’t get me wrong, I love the rain in smaller doses, but these severe and deadly tornadoes and hail are just plain scary.

After lunch, I’ll have to go outside and survey the fallen tree limbs and other damage which may have happened.  I remember one year where my neighbor’s hot tub cover (huge plastic lid) was blown off, carried over the tall fence, and landed in my yard.

Yes, it’s going to be another heavily caffeinated day for me.  Might even have to make a trip to Starbucks for something really serious like a double shot.

But before I head out I’ll have to give you the headlines for today.

1) Torry Holt coaching the Rams WR’s: Rams fans should be thanking Ron Bartell for giving a shout out to Torry Holt and bringing him here to help out the young receivers during the voluntary workouts at Lindenwood University.

Holt did make an interesting comment in that he’s still open to returning to the NFL.  Chew on that and think what you will…

2) Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt to be honored: Two former Rams WR’s will be taking their place in the St. Louis Sports Hall of fame.  Holt and Bruce along with 14 other St. Louis sports icons will attend ceremonies which will take place some time mid-November at the Millennium Hotel.

3) Kroenke gets outmaneuvered by Usmanov for Arsenal shares: Arsenal’s second-biggest share holder, Alisher Usmanov, has offered a staggering  £14,000 per share to other minority share holders in hopes of keeping the club out of Stan Kroenke’s hands.  Kroenke had previously offered £11,750 per share.

Looks like Kroenke’s got his hands full with business issues in the UK.  Good thing there’s not much to deal with here, right?

The St. Louis Rams have just announced their number assignments for the rookie class. 

Also, a quick  look at what other famous NFL players have worn those numbers.  Maybe the rooks can channel the number’s football history.

Robert Quinn (DE) – #94 : DAL OLB DeMarcus Ware

Lance Kendricks (TE) –  #88 : DAL WR Michael Irvin & PIT WR Lynn Swann.

Austin Pettis (WR) – #83 :  NE WR Wes Welker.

Greg Salas (WR) –  #87 : OAK TE Dave Casper.

Jermale Hines (S) – #21 : OJ Atogwe’s old number.  As well as Prime Time’s. Lots to live up to.

Mikail Baker (CB) – #41 : Rams CB Todd Lyght’s old number.

Jabara Williams (LB) – #52 : The late great PIT C Mike Webster.

Jonathan Nelson (S) – #26 : OAK/HOF CB Rod Woodson.

Numbers that have been retired by the Rams:

#7 – Bob Waterfield (HOF)

#28 – Marshall Faulk (HOF)

#29 – Eric Dickerson (HOF)

#74 – Merlin Olsen (HOF)

#75 – Deacon Jones (HOF)

#78 – Jackie Slater (HOF)

#80 – Isaac Bruce

#85 – Jack Youngblood (HOF)