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Rams report: If Sam Bradford delivers, playoffs may follow
By Maggie Hendricks and Chris Korman, USA TODAY Sports
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...am-bradford-jeff-fisher-michael-sam/11353879/
The St. Louis Rams had the opportunity to draft Robert Griffin III in 2012. Last month, they could have taken any of the 2014 draft's top quarterbacks. But they passed, despite having two shots at Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater.
That means incumbent Rams quarterback Sam Bradford needs to justify the club's ongoing faith in him.
The 2010 No. 1 overall pick showed signs of making a leap early last season before missing the final nine games with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He participated in some practice drills — ahead of schedule — and seems poised to lead an offense that appears well-suited to coach Jeff Fisher's style.
As long as left tackle Jake Long (torn ACL/MCL) returns at full strength, the line should be good enough to grind out tough yards in arguably the league's most difficult division.
Of course, Bradford's progress and recuperation won't even be the most-talked-about story surrounding the team.
St. Louis ensured it would be the center of intense national coverage by picking Missouri defensive end Michael Sam, the first openly gay player to enter the NFL draft, in the seventh round. He's likely to play only a minor role on the team — if he makes the roster at all — but the sort of media frenzy he'll generate has caused trouble for teams with more experience than the Rams.
Defensively, Gregg Williams finally takes over as coordinator, two seasons later than planned. He was forced to sit out 2012 for his role in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, but his return is expected to give the St. Louis defense an edge. He's known for motivating players and putting them in spots that maximize their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses. That will be important with a secondary that lacks playmakers.
The Rams are a popular pick to make a playoff run in 2014. Considering they received nine players — at least five who are likely to start this season — by trading the draft pick that eventually became RG3, the talent should be in place to do so. Only the difficulty of the NFC West and the uncertainty brought on by Bradford stand in the way. If the fifth-year quarterback can continue to grow and allow offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to open up the playbook, St. Louis has a legitimate chance to give Fisher his first winning season since 2008, when he was coach of the Tennessee Titans.
Quarterback
Is Bradford the guy who snapped Peyton Manning's record for completions by a rookie, or the guy who hasn't been quite as proficient ever since? True, he had a strong start to last season, completing 60.7% of his passes and throwing 14 touchdowns to only four interceptions. But his career has been marked by the sort of inconsistency and injuries that can't be absorbed from a player scheduled to make $14 million this year and $13 million in 2015.
Running back
Zac Stacy ran for 973 yards as a rookie, starting 12 games, and will go into the season as the presumed starter. Still, the Rams used a third-round pick on Auburn's Tre Mason, a slightly smaller and more agile version of Stacy. It wouldn't be a surprise to see them splitting carries by midseason.
Wide receiver
St. Louis hasn't had a receiver surpass 1,000 yards since 2007. The Rams added former Titan Kenny Britt, a first-round pick in 2009 and an underachiever who joins a group of them. Chris Givens, Brian Quick and Austin Pettis are veterans who have yet to show they are anything more than steady role players. Second-year speedster Tavon Austin should make more big plays this year, and Stedman Bailey, who is suspended for the first four games of the season, showed he can be a viable option.
Tight end
Jared Cook led the team in receiving yards last season (671), and Lance Kendricks was an above-average blocker in a ball-control scheme.
Offensive line
Long is back to protect Bradford's blind side. Rodger Stafford, whose mammoth free agent contract from the Oakland Raiders was rescinded after a medical exam, returns to the team that drafted him to play right guard. The Rams took Greg Robinson with the second pick in the draft and plan to play him next to Long. They also signed Davin Joseph. Center Scott Wells and right tackle Joe Barksdale round out what could be the team's deepest, most dependable unit.
Defensive line
Robert Quinn anchored the defense with an NFC-high 19 sacks. His bookend, Chris Long, will benefit as more teams try to neutralize Quinn. On the inside, rookie Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers, first-round picks like Quinn and Long, are expected to start. Anything Sam might provide would be a bonus.
Linebacker
Williams' arrival means Alec Ogletree should shine. His quick, hard-hitting style fits in well with the aggressive schemes Williams has employed. James Laurinaitis, who had at least 110 tackles in each of his five seasons, will still be the centerpiece of the defense. Jo-Lonn Dunbar, who played for Williams in New Orleans, should round out the starting unit.
Secondary
The Rams were in the bottom half of the league in interceptions and need the overhaul Williams will bring. T.J. McDonald — who struggled last year — is fast and will fit in perfectly with Williams' blitz-heavy defense. With Cortland Finnegan gone, cornerback Trumaine Johnson is expected to have a bigger role. Janoris Jenkins struggled, grabbing one interception last season after getting four in 2012, but a new scheme could benefit him.
Special teams
Punter Johnny Hekker went to the Pro Bowl last season. Kicker Greg Zuerlein missed just two field goals in 2013 and has the leg to become a game-changer. Austin should be one of the best return men in the league.
Coaching
Fisher is among the most well-respected coaches in the NFL, and he appears to have finally built the Rams to suit his philosophy. St. Louis will try to control the ball and keep games close. The defense will be, if all goes according to plan, not overly taxed and therefore able to apply heavy pressure under Williams. The Rams should be involved in many close games that come down to late-game execution. That may be asking a lot of Bradford, but it's time for him to deliver.
By Maggie Hendricks and Chris Korman, USA TODAY Sports
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...am-bradford-jeff-fisher-michael-sam/11353879/
The St. Louis Rams had the opportunity to draft Robert Griffin III in 2012. Last month, they could have taken any of the 2014 draft's top quarterbacks. But they passed, despite having two shots at Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater.
That means incumbent Rams quarterback Sam Bradford needs to justify the club's ongoing faith in him.
The 2010 No. 1 overall pick showed signs of making a leap early last season before missing the final nine games with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He participated in some practice drills — ahead of schedule — and seems poised to lead an offense that appears well-suited to coach Jeff Fisher's style.
As long as left tackle Jake Long (torn ACL/MCL) returns at full strength, the line should be good enough to grind out tough yards in arguably the league's most difficult division.
Of course, Bradford's progress and recuperation won't even be the most-talked-about story surrounding the team.
St. Louis ensured it would be the center of intense national coverage by picking Missouri defensive end Michael Sam, the first openly gay player to enter the NFL draft, in the seventh round. He's likely to play only a minor role on the team — if he makes the roster at all — but the sort of media frenzy he'll generate has caused trouble for teams with more experience than the Rams.
Defensively, Gregg Williams finally takes over as coordinator, two seasons later than planned. He was forced to sit out 2012 for his role in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, but his return is expected to give the St. Louis defense an edge. He's known for motivating players and putting them in spots that maximize their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses. That will be important with a secondary that lacks playmakers.
The Rams are a popular pick to make a playoff run in 2014. Considering they received nine players — at least five who are likely to start this season — by trading the draft pick that eventually became RG3, the talent should be in place to do so. Only the difficulty of the NFC West and the uncertainty brought on by Bradford stand in the way. If the fifth-year quarterback can continue to grow and allow offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to open up the playbook, St. Louis has a legitimate chance to give Fisher his first winning season since 2008, when he was coach of the Tennessee Titans.
Quarterback
Is Bradford the guy who snapped Peyton Manning's record for completions by a rookie, or the guy who hasn't been quite as proficient ever since? True, he had a strong start to last season, completing 60.7% of his passes and throwing 14 touchdowns to only four interceptions. But his career has been marked by the sort of inconsistency and injuries that can't be absorbed from a player scheduled to make $14 million this year and $13 million in 2015.
Running back
Zac Stacy ran for 973 yards as a rookie, starting 12 games, and will go into the season as the presumed starter. Still, the Rams used a third-round pick on Auburn's Tre Mason, a slightly smaller and more agile version of Stacy. It wouldn't be a surprise to see them splitting carries by midseason.
Wide receiver
St. Louis hasn't had a receiver surpass 1,000 yards since 2007. The Rams added former Titan Kenny Britt, a first-round pick in 2009 and an underachiever who joins a group of them. Chris Givens, Brian Quick and Austin Pettis are veterans who have yet to show they are anything more than steady role players. Second-year speedster Tavon Austin should make more big plays this year, and Stedman Bailey, who is suspended for the first four games of the season, showed he can be a viable option.
Tight end
Jared Cook led the team in receiving yards last season (671), and Lance Kendricks was an above-average blocker in a ball-control scheme.
Offensive line
Long is back to protect Bradford's blind side. Rodger Stafford, whose mammoth free agent contract from the Oakland Raiders was rescinded after a medical exam, returns to the team that drafted him to play right guard. The Rams took Greg Robinson with the second pick in the draft and plan to play him next to Long. They also signed Davin Joseph. Center Scott Wells and right tackle Joe Barksdale round out what could be the team's deepest, most dependable unit.
Defensive line
Robert Quinn anchored the defense with an NFC-high 19 sacks. His bookend, Chris Long, will benefit as more teams try to neutralize Quinn. On the inside, rookie Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers, first-round picks like Quinn and Long, are expected to start. Anything Sam might provide would be a bonus.
Linebacker
Williams' arrival means Alec Ogletree should shine. His quick, hard-hitting style fits in well with the aggressive schemes Williams has employed. James Laurinaitis, who had at least 110 tackles in each of his five seasons, will still be the centerpiece of the defense. Jo-Lonn Dunbar, who played for Williams in New Orleans, should round out the starting unit.
Secondary
The Rams were in the bottom half of the league in interceptions and need the overhaul Williams will bring. T.J. McDonald — who struggled last year — is fast and will fit in perfectly with Williams' blitz-heavy defense. With Cortland Finnegan gone, cornerback Trumaine Johnson is expected to have a bigger role. Janoris Jenkins struggled, grabbing one interception last season after getting four in 2012, but a new scheme could benefit him.
Special teams
Punter Johnny Hekker went to the Pro Bowl last season. Kicker Greg Zuerlein missed just two field goals in 2013 and has the leg to become a game-changer. Austin should be one of the best return men in the league.
Coaching
Fisher is among the most well-respected coaches in the NFL, and he appears to have finally built the Rams to suit his philosophy. St. Louis will try to control the ball and keep games close. The defense will be, if all goes according to plan, not overly taxed and therefore able to apply heavy pressure under Williams. The Rams should be involved in many close games that come down to late-game execution. That may be asking a lot of Bradford, but it's time for him to deliver.