Arizona Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb sacked by Rams DT Jermelle Cudjo. 10/04/12 (Courtesy STLouisRams.com)

Isn’t that just a thing of beauty – from a Rams perspective, of course. If you’re Kevin Kolb this was the reoccurring nightmare that haunted him all night as he was sacked nine times at the Edward Jones Dome. In all, seven Rams defensive players took turns bringing Kolb to the turf. Only defensive end Robert Quinn recorded a hat trick for three sacks.

The Rams defense was more or less the story of the Thursday Night Football. They had their way with the Arizona Cardinals offensively scary offensive line. Poor Cardinal tackles D’Anthony Batiste and Bobby Massie had a long night. The only player who had a worse night - Kolb. Bloody lip, multiple hits, and as you can see from the photo above he had a 311 pound defensive tackle just flatten him. Say what you will about Kolb’s play but you can’t deny that he’s one tough son of a gun.

1) A Rams running man needs to show up.

 The Cardinals are giving up on average 101 yards on the ground which ranks them midrange (15th) in the league.  The collective efforts of Jackson, Richardson, and I’m hoping, Terrance Ganaway, will surpass the century mark.

Okay, so Ganaway didn’t see any action on the field but the Rams did manage to run more than 100 yards this game. Jackson managed to get some long runs during this game which helped set up the passing game. I sort of wondered how he’d play considering news of his contract changes had just come out. If this is indeed his last year playing as a Ram then he’s putting on a good show for future teams.

» Continue reading “Rams Beat Cardinals 3-17 To Stay Perfect At Dome Sweet Dome”

The St. Louis Rams host their second of two division opponents, the Arizona Cardinals, in five days. Coach Fisher said after the Seahawks game that they were treating Sunday afternoon as if it were already a Wednesday work day. The man and his coaching staff had a plan in place for the ridiculous turnaround. This is where having the youngest average aged roster works to their advantage physically. But will it backfire mentally? We’ll know in about 24 hours.

Thursday marks the first primetime home game for the Rams since December of 2007 when they hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 16. The Rams lost 41-24 as they ended the year 3-13 under then head coach Scott Linehan. But that’s all ugly history most Rams fans , and to use Fisher-ism here, would love to delete.

This is now the Jeff Fisher era and I have to say it’s started out much better than I had imagined.

Not only the Rams but the 4-0 Arizona Cardinals sitting at the top of the NFC West… I can pretty much tell you that no one predicted that in week 1. That’s why you play the games, folks. And I’m not talking about Madden ’13.

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The Five Things I’ll be watching for in week 5:  Nothing earth shattering here and if anything it’s pretty similar to some of the things I was looking out for in week 4 against the Seahawks.

1) A Rams running man needs to show up.

The entire Rams running game against the Seahawks’ second best rushing defense equaled 75 yards. 55 of them came off of 18 carries via Steven Jackson. Jackson was listed questionable with his bum groin on Wednesday’s injury report. Which means just like last week he’ll give it a go and probably have similar results – i.e. less than 100 yards rushing.

» Continue reading “Arizona Cardinals At St. Louis Rams Week 5 Preview”

Friday, 11-25-11 Cardinals at Rams

LB James Laurinaitis tweeted that he’d be a go for this Sunday even though he’s listed as questionable.  Chris Chamberlain would have taken his spot if he wasn’t able to play.

Word on the street is Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb should be playing on Sunday.

I don’t mean to sound defeated but I’m actually hoping for an injury free game in favor of a win with the rash of players being listed on IR as of late.  

Sunday marks the first all important divisional game for the revitalized St. Louis Rams.  Their first opponent: the Arizona Cardinals minus their star quarterback Kevin Kolb.  John Skelton will be at the helm for the Cardinals.

Rams quarterback, Sam Bradford, is listed as probable and is considered a game time decision.  If Bradford can’t start it will up to back up A.J. Feeley to lead the team just like he did in the win against the New Orleans Saints.

When schedule makers looked into their crystal ball in the spring they did not envision the sexy match up of Feeley vs. Skelton.

But this game goes beyond the dueling quarterbacks.  These two teams are headed in opposite directions from 1-6.

The Cardinals haven’t won a game since their opener against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.  Since then they’ve lost six straight – some very winnable games.  The Rams, on the other hand, are fresh off their victory against the Saints and seemingly directed in the upward direction.

Rams must feed upon the fight and anger they displayed in their first win and take that to Arizona.  Heck, they need to channel that energy into each and every game from here on out.  But Sunday’s game is the first step in catching up with the San Francisco 49ers to take the division title.

What the Rams offense needs to do:

I think we can pretty much take a similar approach to this game as they did with the Saints – RUN THE ROCK.

RB Steven Jackson must come out roaring again and establish the running game.   My guess is Feeley will start and play the game so the aerial attack will be somewhat limited.

But don’t count out Feeley just yet.  He will have a good game against the Cardinals’ league 30th pass defense.

Trey Wingo of ESPN’s NFL LIVE made his bold prediction this week:  Rams WR Brandon Lloyd will tally 7 receptions for 150 yards and 3 TD’s.

I can go along with the 7 receptions but will take it easy with the TD count.  I see at least one and maybe two at best.  But still look for Brandon “You can’t see me” Lloyd to have a solid outing.  I’m so confident that I have him as my WR2 for my fantasy team.  Many of us are counting on your BL.

Names to watch out for on the Arizona defense are the usual suspects:  DE Calais Campbell, DE Darnell Dockett (this dude is mad man), and LB Carlos Dansby.

What the Rams defense needs to do:

Back up QB John Skelton is not a bad passer.  He’s not great but he’s but to underestimate him would be to make the same mistake the Saints did in A.J. Feeley.

Remember the Cardinals have this guy Larry Fitzgerald who can make up for most QB’s faults.  Just toss it up there and Fitz will get it.  Look for the them to test out our newly devised secondary.  It will be interesting to see who gets the fun job of trailing Fitz throughout the game.  I wouldn’t want that job, that’s for sure.

Obviously the Cardinals are less of a threat with Skelton than the Saints were with Drew Brees.  But the Rams should not take anything for granted.  Continue with the rushing the passer model which worked extremely well to disrupt Brees.  Lots of outside pressure brought on by DE’s Chris Long from one side and Robert Quinn from the other.  Look for them to get at least one sack each.

As for the Arizona running game their starting RB Beanie Wells is probable (knee) so there’s some good news there.  LB’s James Laurinaitis and Chris Chamberlain will have to pick up the extra slack with Brian Kehl (ankle) and Brady Poppinga (calf) listed as probable.

The Special Teams

The Cardinals first round pick, CB Patrick Peterson, is a duel threat.  He returned a punt for 82 yards against the Ravens for a touchdown.  There’s a reason the Cardinals took him at fifth overall in the draft.  Watch out for him to potentially be the difference maker in this game.

My pick:

The Rams will win this one in the desert by a score of 24 to 17.

Looks like a rainy one today in St. Louis.  Grab a cup or two of coffee and let’s go through some of the news around the league, shall we?

The Rams very own first round pick, rookie DE Robert Quinn.  His second quarter block of Morstead’s punt lead to the Rams scoring on a 3-yard TD by Steven Jackson.  The Rams built upon their lead 10-0 with about a minute to play in the first half.

We are getting to see Robert Quinn starting to get loose and more comfortable with his roles on the team.  He also recorded two solo tackles and a sack on Drew Brees.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says quarterback Kevin Kolb feels like a “weenie” for being sidelined by a turf-toe injury.

Who uses the word “weenie” anymore?  Apparently, Kevin Kolb does.

Remember the free agent signing of WR Mike Sims-Walker?

The Rams released Mike Sims-Walker during the bye and he resigned with his old team the Jacksonville Jaguars.  But only two weeks and one catch later we learned yesterday that he was placed on IR with a knee injury.  We wish him a speedy recovery.

That would explain these crytpic tweets from Tuesday:

Cryptic Tweet #1

Cryptic Tweet #2

Unleashing the Beast!

Rams players have today off but there’s always Rams news – Check out a few stories from this morning.

(Sorry, not much commentary today.  I’m typing on my laptop at home sick in bed…)

Ramsherd has a great write up on Laurinaitis’ contribution to the Rams’ victory.

One of the big reasons why the Rams were able to record their first win – and a convincing one at that – was due to linebacker, James Laurinaitis.

You had me at “linebacker,” Will.  It’s no secret that linebackers have a soft spot in my heart.

STLToday.com catches you up on the happenings at Rams Park as well as Spags’ relationship with former Cardinals manager, Tony La Russa.

Mike Sando of NFC West ESPN takes you around the division as they take a look at the week 9 match up between Arizona Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb and Rams QB Sam Bradford.

Both could be out for the game this Sunday in Arizona.  What’s the fun in that???

If you’re a fan of Mike and Mike in the Morning you know it’s that time of the year again.  Greeny and Golic do their own two-a-days each fall.  Haha, and before you start laughing at the prospect of Greeny doing anything close to something athletic, calm down.  They cover two teams a day answering 5 questions surrounding two NFL teams and give their predictions for the final season record.

1) Does the entire 2011-2012 season rest entirely on the arm of QB Sam Bradford?

Not entirely, but with all those rookie records, yes, a lot will be riding on Sam.  He will have a lot of help from RB Steven Jackson though.  The Rams have to expect Sam Bradford to take that next step in his development and lead the team to the division title.

Sam Bradford's 2010-2011 Stats

2) Can Steven Jackson rush over 1,000 yards with the additions of Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood?

Being the competitive athlete he is, Steven Jackson will not want to give up playing time and reps to his back-ups.  But to his chagrin those few breathers on the sideline will give him fresher legs to prolong his NFL career.

Jackson had a team high leading 330 carries.  His back-up, Kenneth Darby, only 34.  Look for Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood to take a bite or two out of that pie.

Rams 2010-2011 Rushing Leaders

3) Which Rams WR will have a breakout season?  Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson or Mike Sims-Walker?

Obviously, they haven’t been paying much attention to what’s been transpiring at training camp.  If they had even taken a quick looksie they would have discovered the other targets that Sam has at his disposal.

Second round draft pick TE Lance Kendricks has been getting lots of reps with the first team offense as well as third and fourth round picks WR’s Austin Pettis and Greg Salas.  But don’t turn a blind eye to the veterans on the team either.  Mardy Gilyard, Donnie Avery, Danario Alexander, and Dominique Curry are all still lurking in the background.

Look for McDaniels to have Sam spread the ball around to as many receivers as he can.

Rams 2010-2011 Receiving Stats

4) Do you expect to see DE’s Chris Long and James Hall maintain their level of performance from last season?

Chris Long had 8.5 sacks and James Hall with 10.5 sacks.  The Rams actually had 43 sacks putting them #7 in the league.  Most of those sacks coming from the D-line.

Expect the Rams first round draft pick, Robert Quinn, to ease into the lineup this season.  He’s still learning his way around an NFL D-line.  But from what I saw he’s got potential and could make a contribution to that sack total this season.

5) How will the Rams finish this season?

Greeny and Golic both have the Rams 9-7 and winning the division.  *Seattle’s line is blank as they will be covered on August 29.

Mike and Mike's (& Liam's Mum's) Projections for the 2011-2012 Season

Greeny was not at all banking on any of the other QB’s in the division: the 49ers QB Alex Smith, Seahawk’s Tavaris Jackson, and even Arizona’s Kevin Kolb.

By the way, Liam’s mum has NO IDEA about football (or horse racing and basketball for that matter) yet she was eerily good at predicting such things.  Should we feel some comfort in the fact that she loves the Rams?

A stat you didn’t know:

Sam Bradford‘s favorite target, Danny Amendola, tied Cardinal’s WR Larry Fitzgerald for the league lead in red zone targets.  Greeny didn’t say exactly how many and I for one am looking into this.  I’ll get back to you guys once I get an answer from the stat guru Mike Clay.

Well, there you have it.  Mike and Mike’s Rams two-a-days.  Sounds like they’ve partaken in the Rams kool-aid.  What do you guys think?

Woke up Tuesday frantically trying to get everything done early morning.  I had to gear up for what was supposed to be a historic crazy day of free agency.  Dozens of players were supposed to be signed and the big names, Kevin Kolb and Nnamdi Asomugha, supposedly had their ducks all in a row just waiting for the “go” signal.

9:01 am CT comes and…. meh.  What happened to the Twitter frenzy?  What, no fail whale?  I have to say it was kind of a let down.  Quite anti-climatic for the most part as far as the signings were concerned.  The entire day has passed and both big names have yet to make any waves.

The bigger news came from teams letting players go to make salary cap room.

Bloody Tuesday…

Giants announce half their offensive line would not be brought back - Shaun O’Hara, Rich Seubert, and Shawn Andrews will have to seek employment elsewhere.  Any guesses as to whether Spags would bring in some of his old guys?

The Ravens weren’t lacking in their cutting skills either.  WR Derrick Mason, TE Todd Heap, RB Willis McGahee and DT Kelly Gregg were among today’s body count.  Although, I do hear rumblings that Mason and Heap might have their contracts restructured and brought back if possible.

Other notable cuts from Jerry’s World include WR Roy Williams, RB Marion Barber, and OL Mark Colombo.

Of course, these cuts and waives don’t become official until Thursday.

So, who are the Rams’ newest additions and salary cap casualties on day one post-lockout?

Making A Big Splash

O.J. Atogwe, who?  In a somewhat surprising move by Billy Devaney, the Rams have agreed on a four-year, $28M contract with former Eagles 8-year veteran safety, Quintin Mikell.

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo knows Mikell from his days as Philadephia’s DB/LB coach.

Mikell was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Eagles back in 2003 and has played his entire career with in Philadelphia.  He made his only Pro Bowl appearance in 2009.  Mikell finished last season only missing one game and accumulating 88 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 3 INT’s.

Gregg Rosenthal report sums up Quintin Mikell’s contract the best.

Auf Wiedersehen

As I posted earlier today, LB Larry Grant tweeted the following:

He had a sense that his time was up in St. Louis and knew he was about to move on.  Larry Grant was picked up late in the 2008 season.

Undrafted Free Agents

One area where things moved fast and furious was last night when teams were able to talk to and agree in principle with undrafted free agents.  The Rams weren’t out at the start of the gun but made pretty good progress at the night went on.

Here are the eleven UDFA’s they picked up:

1. Taylor Potts – QB Texas Tech
2. Dionte Dinkins – CB Fort Valley State
3. Arthur Thomas – DT Arkansas-Pine Bluff
4. Bryant Browning – OG Ohio State University
5. Schuylar Oordt – TE Northern Iowa
6. Randell Hunt – OG Illinois
7. Travon Bellamy – CB Illinois
8. Beau Warren – C Virginia Tech
9. Karri Kuutila – OT Lock Haven
10. Pete Fleps – LB Southern Methodist
11. Eddie Wide – RB Utah

I don’t know much about Eddie Wide but his signing doesn’t strike me as an answer to the “Who’s Steven Jackson’s backup” question.  Hopefully, the next few days will produce a better, more proven answer.  I hear Reggie Bush is available.

That was day one in a nutshell.  So much to cover and so little time.  Let’s see what’s in store for today!

Today officially marks the end of the excessive heat warnings we’ve had all week in St. Louis.  I haven’t left the house much in fear of melting into the asphalt.  The heat was so unbearable a little birdie decided to seek shelter in my garage the other day when the door was left open.  But unfortunately, the sweltering temperatures got the best of him and passed away.  RIP little one.

But when one door closes (bad news) another one opens (good news).  I’m hearing this morning the players have more or less agreed to terms and if all goes as planned they will be meeting in D.C. tomorrow to vote.

Mike Freeman is reporting:

The new proposal stipulates the league year starts on the fifth day after the agreement is ratified, I’m told by a player source. Training camps cannot start until seven days after agreement is signed by both parties.

So we are still over a week away until camps start.

It’s slow but it’s moving forward.  Looks like this will be the last week of the lockout.

Then just when we thought it was safe…

1) I think I’m not even going to address the “You-know-who” un-retirement rumors.  I defer them to @sports_muse.  Next item!

2) I think the Fab Four’s play to squeeze out what they could from this last leg of the CBA really bit them in the butt.  Then again, was it really them or the lawyers?  Drew Brees and Peyton Manning were just trying to get what they could while Logan Mankins and Vincent Jackson may have had real reasoning behind their demands.  They felt like they got screwed last year and was trying to recoup their loses.  That being said…

3) I think the some of the players were unhappy that those four tried for a personal cash grab.  Don’t think so?  Then just check out what Vikings punter Chris Kluwe had to say:

Vikings Punter  Chris Kluwe

Personally, he just said out loud what I’m sure others were thinking but didn’t have the cajones to come public.  That and I admire the fact he stood behind his tweet.  No, “my account got hacked” crap or “it was taken out of context” backpedalling.  Good for you, @ChrisWarcraft.

4) I think the possibility of a Saturday double opening for free agency and training camp is going to crazy fun for the teams, coaches, and writers.  Isn’t this what we’ve all been waiting for?  Some scribes have already resigned to the fact that they won’t be getting much sleep once free agency starts.  As they say, be careful what you ask for – because you just might get it – and not necessarily in the way you thought.  Words to live by the next time you whine about something you don’t have.

5) I think we will see which teams/coaches have done their homework.  If rumblings are correct, deals have already been worked out for the top free agents and should go quickly.  Kevin Kolb to Arizona is a poorly kept secret.  I’m sure Nnamdi Asomugha has his ducks all lined up as well.  Can’t wait to see which have been breaking the “no contact” rule.  Spags being the “Four Pillars” guy that he is probably didn’t get a head start.  But I’m not putting anything past Kevin Demoff.  I could see him knocking over a pillar or two to get ahead.

6) I think it’s smart of the Rams to have their training camp in town.  They’ll also be opening most of the sessions to the public – to make amends for the PR mess the lockout created.  The logistics of trying to run camp and free agency away from home turf was just too impractical.The fans win in this case and know I’ll be there to get any scoops if I can!

7) I think the NBA players, fans, and writers think they know what their lockout holds.  But in reality they have no idea what they’re in for.  Have fun and enjoy the roller coaster.  I have a feeling your ride is going to be a lot longer than the NFL’s.

.8) I think I totally missed the WNBA all-star game.  I had no idea the league was still in existence to be honest with you.  Do people actually watch the games?

9) I think it’s finally time to start thinking about fantasy football!  I have four invitations and I’ve accepted three of them.  Can’t wait for my first mock draft!

10) I think despite my allergic reactions to the Patriots I have to take this moment to mention Patriots owner Robert Kraft and his late wife, Myra Kraft.

Very few knew that Robert Kraft, who has been a mainstay in these negotiations, had been going back and forth between the talks and his ailing wife.  He could have been spending those last precious moments with his wife but instead he was at the table trying to get this deal done.  Say what you will about the owners in general but I have to commend the sacrifice he made to keep these talks moving along.

The outpouring of support from all sides of this labor mess makes you take a step back to see the bigger picture.  Here are some who loved and admired the late Myra Kraft.

Commissioner Roger Goodell:

Just a remarkable woman. Someone that meant so much to all of us. She’d always find a way to give back and make the world a better place.

Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones:

It seems so appropriate to recognize what Myra has been to everyone that she touched. For some 15 years, she was a personal inspiration to me and my wife. She just seemed to grow as time went along with her will to help others.

Also former Patriots guard, Joe Andruzzi:

She was a big influence on myself, my wife, Jennifer, and my whole family. She touched our lives in many ways. Being here as a player, and reaching out to my wife during my time in the hospital, and going through my cancer treatment, and offering her help. . . . We looked up to her for what she did in the community, just the person she was. . . .

Life isn’t about what you can get from it but what you can give back.  Myra Kraft did just that.

King Kamehameha at the Capitol Building

I’m finally back home.  There’s nothing better than sleeping in your own bed with your own pillow.  Nothing.  I could do without the St. Louis summer heat but hey, can’t have it all.

One thing I did notice is the change of pace.  The east coast is definitely in a hurry.  People are either speeding in their cars, rushing pass others, and sometimes just don’t seem to stop to smell the roses.  Slow down, folks.

As my attempt to slow down despite being in the east coast my family and I took some time out to visit the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.  This was one of my favorite pictures to the right.  King Kamehameha was the one statue that stood out amongst the rest.

Even though our country has a short history compared to others it’s still rich and deep.  I learned a great deal during those two hours and came out with a better appreciation for those who paved the way for all of us.

I’m not the only one who seems acknowledge their appreciation for those who went ahead.

1) Adam Goldberg, Rams OL, comments on the NFL retirees claim that they are not being heard during the negotiation process.  He was on the Bernie Show yesterday with Howard Balzer.

To say that we’re trying to somehow shortchange the former players is ridiculous, especially when the players’ organization is run by a bunch of players, myself included, who are much closer to being former players than we are to being rookies, for one. Two, we’ll be former players much longer than we were active players. So why would we essentially shortchange ourselves because those are the benefits that we are ourselves going to be reaping? Why would we shortchange a benefit that we’re going to get for a much longer time trying to help out players that we haven’t even met?

My point EXACTLY!

2) So here’s the retirees’ side of the story: They basically want their own permanent seat at the negotiation table.  Somewhere they feel their voice is being lost throughout this process.

Our history is our future, gentlemen.  Take a look at the retirees and treat them fairly because that will be you someday.  Show the younger players how you want to be treated later on.  Set a good example now.  Pay it forward – for your own sakes.

3) More Kevin Kolb rumblings from local Tony Softli:  He actually has a nice breakdown of Kolb’s pluses and minuses.  Good to read up on just in case he lands in the NFC West.

If I were the Eagles and could afford it, I’d keep Kolb.  Neither Vick or Kolb have proven they can be full time (complete season) starter yet – see what happened last year.  Seems silly to stack your QB slots like that but nothing wrong with having a great insurance policy like Kolb.  The only regret is Kolb would waste away another year if Vick stays healthy throughout the season.  But something tells me Vick won’t so Andy Reid if you’re reading this: Don’t trade Kolb.

If you haven’t seen this yet here’s a time lapse footage of the dust storm that hit Phoenix: Absolutely amazing!

I missed about two weeks of marathon training… Not good.  Starting week 5 today and playing catch up!  Have to pound out about 20 miles this week.  Heading out for a run now.  Have a great day, everyone!