Rams @ Jaguars: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The St. Louis Rams completed the preseason with a perfect record, which they have not done since 1979—the year they went to the Super Bowl and lost to Terry Bradshaw and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Rams traveled to Jacksonville to take on Jaguars for the preseason finale, which resulted in a Rams victory by the score of 24 to 17.  

However, the preseason is basically meaningless, and the team is more concerned with what they’ll be bringing into the regular season, which is why there was panic when it seemed for a moment that they would not be bringing defensive end James Hall.

Hall was on the ground early in the first-quarter in what seemed to be a somewhat serious injury, but he eventually got back on his feet and exited the game. He later announced during the broadcast that he left the game with a back injury, but that it was not serious.

So since the Rams dodged that bullet, they were able to successfully escape the preseason with no major injury, which is always a major goal in the preseason.

And with that, here is “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly”…

The Good

Once again Sam Bradford was alert and productive. He completed 63.3 percent of his 11 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

There were a few miscommunications on the first drive of the game, but for all we know the receivers are completely at fault. Other than that first drive, Bradford was elusive and made intelligent decisions in the passing game.

However, Sam was not the only quarterback to shine. Thaddeus Lewis had another solid preseason outing, and he’s giving A.J. Feeley a good fight for the No.2 quarterback job. Lewis was 12-for-15 with 164 yards.

Outside of the quarterbacks, rookie tight end Lance Kendricks was clearly the most potent offensive weapon of the game.

Kendricks had three catches for 73 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown reception on third-and-short.

Kendricks is obviously safe for the 53-man roster, but the same doesn’t ring true for everyone.

Out of the wide receivers still fighting for spots, apparently Donnie Avery is the only one who really wants employment this season. He finished with a pair of catches for 42 yards, but this brings us to the next segment…

The Bad

The starting receivers were not good enough tonight.

The running backs and tight ends saved the passing game in the first half, but the wide receivers were almost completely absent.

In the first half, other than Avery’s 27-yard catch within the two-minute warning, Danny Amendola was the only wide receiver to catch a pass in the first half—a modest eight-yard dump from Bradford.   

Danario Alexander became part of the subpar receiver performance after dropping a deep pass from A.J. Feeley that hit him in the hands, but he made up for it later in the game with a 43-yard reception in the fourth quarter, which set up the Rams third touchdown of the game.   

Mardy Gilyard was completely absent as a receiver. He had a dropped pass that should have been an easy catch, and he even fumbled two punt returns (both were recovered by the Rams).

However, Gilyard had a first-down reception midway through the fourth-quarter for his only real positive play of the night.  

The Ugly

The Rams starting defense was getting great penetration against the Jaguars offensive line in the first-half.

Chris Long recorded a sack, while Jaguars quarterback David Garrard was feeling heavy pressure constantly while he was in the game.

In fact, the Jaguars didn’t play first-round draft pick Blaine Gabbert in the first-half. 

They went straight from their starter, Garrard, to their third-string quarterback Luke McCown, which suggests that perhaps the coaches were concerned about putting the future of their franchise in against the Rams pass rush.  

Rams vs. Chiefs: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The St. Louis Rams (3-0) took on the Kansas City Chiefs (0-3) at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and they were able to win the Governor's Cup in the process.

The annual preseason competition between the two teams for the Governor's Cup trophy is usually a minor accomplishment for the winner, but this year's game had an increased significance as some of the proceeds went towards aiding the victims of the Joplin tornado disaster last April.


This year the Rams were able to take home the trophy with a 14-10 victory over the Chiefs.


The win wasn’t quite as dominate as their performance against the Indianapolis Colts during the first preseason game, but it was certainly a great improvement over their disappointing display last week against the Tennessee Titans.


So without further ado, here is “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly”…


The Good


-Other than an interception while the Rams offense was backed up deep in their own territory, quarterback Sam Bradford had a solid outing going 9-for-16 with 95 yards and two touchdowns. And when the quarterback is rolling, the team is rolling.


- Steven Jackson had a questionable game last week against the Titans with a 1.7 yards per carry average, but he turned it around tonight with 72 rushing yards on 15 carries, including a 25-yard run on the first drive of the game.


-It was only a single six yard reception, but after a 25-yard reception against the Titans last week, receiver Mike Sims-Walker was able to get involved once again with his six yard touchdown reception tonight against the Chiefs.



-Newly drafted tight end Lance Kendricks came on strong in the first preseason game with five receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown, but he was a non-factor last week against the Titans. However, he was able to continue his progress tonight with two receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown.


-The offensive line showed up to play tonight, as oppose to the pitiful performance they put on against the Titans last week. The run lanes were wide open and Sam Bradford had enough time to make plays.

-Prior to tonight, the Rams defensive line had zero sacks in the preseason, but defensive ends Robert Quinn and James Hall were both able to record a sack each. The front four looked less like the pushovers we saw last week and more like the line we were expecting to see in 2011.


-On top of Quinn's quarterback sack, he also came up big with a field-goal block in the second-half. It's good to see the Rams 2011 first-round pick making plays in the preseason. He should be fun to watch. 


The Bad


-Wide receivers Mardy Gilyard and Danario Alexander both had drops tonight. They’re both supposedly fighting for a roster spot, but unfortunately neither of them was able to clearly stand out tonight. Of the two, Gilyard was probably the most impressive with three catches for 18 yards, including a 14-yard catch, as oppose to Alexander and his single three yard reception.

-The backups looked phenomenal in the first two preseason games, and they actually won the game for the Rams last week against the Titans with a last second field-goal. However, they were not nearly as dominate tonight, as they allowed a 32-yard touchdown catch to Chiefs receiver Cody Slate. But in the end they kept the Rams in the game and secured a win.


-Donnie Avery looked solid for a second week straight. He had two catches for 26 yards against the Chiefs, including an 18-yard catch. However, for the second consecutive game he played with the backups as oppose to the first-team offense. Perhaps next week they’ll stick him with the Bradford and try to make something happen.


The Ugly


If you were watching the game tonight either on television or through the online NFL preseason package, then you experienced some technical difficulties during the first half.


There was supposedly a power surge that interfered with the broadcast, but it’s hard to not get frustrated with a situation like that, especially since Rams fans missed a Lance Kendricks touchdown during the blackout.

The blackout also caused a change in momentum. The first-string Rams offense was dominating before the blackout, but the game returned just in time for Bradford to throw an interception. It was a nightmare for those who believe in superstitions.         

Sneak Peak at the Rams Wide Receiver Position in 2011

The signing of Mike Sims-Walker has not only excited a fanbase that was desperate for news of a big signing, but it also shakes up the wide receiver position for the Rams in 2011.

The Rams were very desperate at the position during the 2010 season after their top two receivers (Mark Clayton, Donnie Avery) were sidelined with season-ending knee injuries.

Some assumed that the Rams would instantly improve at the position after the return of Clayton and Avery, as well as the addition of their third and fourth round draft picks Austin Pettis (Boise St.) and Greg Salas (Hawaii).

However, no one can predict if Clayton and Avery will be able to play at the same level that they were at prior to their injuries and rookies are just too unpredictable, especially mid-round draft pick rookies.

Also, Clayton is a free-agent and has not been re-signed as of yet, although the Rams are reportedly negotiating a deal with him.

But with the addition of Sims-Walker, along with the other receivers, the Rams have an intense training camp battle in the makings, possibly one of the most intense camp battles in the NFL.

Danny Amendola, No.1 Slot Receiver

Amendola was the top receiver for the Rams in 2010 with 85 receptions and 689 yards and the chemistry between him and Sam Bradford was undeniable.

With the injuries to Donnie Avery and Mark Clayton, Amendola was the only quality receiver remaining on the team. Some of the other receivers had good games occasionally, but lacked consistency.

But Amendola’s quality was not enough— team’s were able to stick double coverage on him and he did not have the size to make a difference downfield on deep routes, although he was stellar on short and intermediate routes.

Amendola will return in 2011 in a Wes Welker type role under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ offense, which is certainly a role he can excel at. He’ll be an important weapon in the 2011 offense.

Mike Sims-Walker, No.1 Wide Out

The Rams could possibly catch a break with the development of young receivers Brandon Gibson and Danario Alexander, but until they show that they can consistently perform, then Sims-Walker will instantly be the most talented receiver on the team, especially on the outside.

Sims-Walker only has only played three seasons in his career, with 2009 being the only season that really stands out, but that was enough to show that he is a talented receiver.

Remember, in Jacksonville he had an average quarterback throwing to him in David Garrard. There also were not any other receivers to take the attention away from him. Mike Thomas and tight end Marcedes Lewis did not burst onto the scenes until last year.

Sims-Walker will provide a level of talent at the positiono that the Rams have not seen in recent years. Also, at the age of 26, it’s possible that he has not peaked yet, meaning he could potentially be talented enough to be a No.1 wide receiver.

Donnie Avery, No.2 Slot Receiver

Donnie Avery is not a pure slot receiver like Amendola, as we’ve seen him run plenty of routes on the outside in the past.

It’s unclear how McDaniels will choose to utilize Avery, or if he has recovered all of his speed after rehabbing his knee injury from 2010, but his quickness would be beneficial in the slot against slow linebackers.

But even though his role is not cemented as of yet, it will be interesting to see if he can live up to his second-round draft status and have a break out year.

Avery has not had a chance to play with a quarterback like Sam Bradford, so we’ll see if Marc Bulger and the terrible Rams offense were holding him back all along.

Brandon Gibson, No.2 Wide Out

You can make an argument for Danario Alexander, or perhaps the two rookie receivers Pettis and Salas, but the Rams will likely stick to the more experienced Brandon Gibson until someone else dethrones him by earning playing time.

Of course it’s also possible that Gibson will surprise us all, because after all he was the second leading wide receiver with 620 yards and 53 catches.

Actually, he already is surprising people—there hasn’t been enough time for Sims-Walker to get settled in, but as of now, Gibson is supposedly the unquestioned top receiver so far in training camp.  

While his stats were not too impressive, it’s also easy to forget that he lacked playing time in the beginning of the season, and it was also only his second season after entering the NFL as an undrafted free-agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009.

He’ll get competition, but for now, it’s his job to lose.

Backup Receivers

Danario Alexander

There’s a chance that second-year player Danario Alexander could earn himself a starting job in 2011, but he still has a few hills to climb before that will happen.

Alexander impressed fans during his NFL debut last October against the San Diego Chargers in St. Louis—he had four catches for 72 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown reception. He also had a 45-yard catches against the Denver Broncos in Week 11, as well as a 46-yard catch during Week 16 against the San Francisco 49er’s.

His 6’5” 220 pound frame could be put to great use by Sam Bradford and the offense, but he needs to do something well other than the long ball.

For the most part, Alexander was not a major threat to opposing teams because the long ball was the only route he was able to run.

If Alexander wants to be a starter, then he needs to become a weapon on short and intermediate routes, as well as the long routes.

Alexander also has a lengthy history with knee injuries, which is another factor working against him. It’s something the coaching staff will carefully watch.  

Austin Pettis

Pettis was the Rams third round pick last April and he’ll bring a fairly wide skill set to the group if development pans out.

The Rams struggled with dropped passes in 2010, so that is something they wanted to fix. Forget speed, size and other traits, the Rams just wanted to find someone capable of hanging on to the ball no matter what, because they are confident that Bradford can hit his targets.

That’s exactly what Pettis was drafted for—his sure hands. Although, he also brings decent size at 6'3" and 209 pounds.

Pettis was also drafted because he at the tools to play each wide receiver position, which greatly increases the chance of him earning playing time.

Expect him to see the field in 2011 and expect his playing to increase towards the end of the season, but don’t expect any major contributions, at least not yet.

Greg Salas

Salas and Pettis are very similar prospects who were drafted for almost the exact same reasons.

Like Pettis, Salas has decent size at 6’1” and 210 pounds, but he lacks dangerous speed. However, he has dependable hands and is capable of playing each wide receiver position.

It’s clear that the Rams drafted guys like Pettis and Salas because they feel they don’t need an elite receiver to excel.

They feel that they can get by with just surrounding Bradford with multiple targets that are reliable, but not overwhelming, which is basically the same strategy that has been used recently by the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots.

Mardy Gilyard

Despite being only a fourth round pick in 2010, fans still had a lot of high expectations for Mardy Gilyard last season, especially since he was such an electric player in college at Cincinnati.

However, Gilyard barely saw the field last year after he struggled to learn the playbook and he only recorded six catches for a modest 63 yards all season long.

Gilyard has mostly been an afterthought, but recent training camp reports have suggested that he’s showing up ready to play, so there’s a chance that he can turn it around.

However, it’s still early in training camp, so there’s time for things to change. Also, there’s a lot of competition at the position this year, so nothing is going to be guaranteed for Gilyard, no matter how regenerated he is.

Gilyard is ineligible for the practice squad, so it's do-or-die time for him this preseason. 

Dominique Curry

Dominique Curry joined the Rams in 2010 as an undrafted rookie with promising potential.

His size (6’2” 224 pounds) and strength makes the coaching staff hopeful that he’ll be able to contribute at some point in his career.

Actually, he was already contributing as a rookie, just not as a receiver—he was a valuable asset on special teams throughout the preseason and for part of the regular season.

His season was cut short after Week 3 in 2010 due to a torn ACL , which is particularly unfortunate because the Rams had multiple wide receivers go down with injuries in 2010, so he would have been given a chance to show off his skills as a receiver.

The Rams will try to make room on the roster for Curry, they would love to have him on special teams if nothing else, but the most likely scenario is a trip to the practice squad.     

Where do the Rams stand now?

Having possibly the best QB and defense in the NFC West gives the Rams an advantage.

The Rams are only half a game out of first place with a 4-4 record. It took a little luck today, with Arizona losing a close one to Tampa Bay 38-35; and the first place Seattle Seahawks got blown out by the Oakland Raiders 33-3. Here are the standings:
Seattle Seahawks       4-3 .571
St. Louis Rams          4-4 .500
Arizona Cardinals      3-4 .429
San Francisco 49ers  2-6 .250

Technically the Rams could be in first place a week from now. All it would take is a little luck in the form of Arizona losing to Minnesota (in Minnesota), and Seattle losing to the New York Giants (in Seattle). If that happens, then the Rams and Seahawks would have equal records at 4-4, but the Rams would own the tiebreaker (due to their 20-3 victory over Seattle back in week 4).

If the Rams do exit their bye week in first place, then they will certainly be in a good position to win the NFC West. Why wouldn't they be? They have the best quarterback in the division, as well as the best defense, and those are two major factors when it comes to winning a division.

There are only two crystal clear obstacles that stand in the Rams' way. The first obstacle being their receiving core. The season ending injuries to Donnie Avery and Mark Clayton have left the undersized Danny Amendola as only receiver with any value. Danario Alexander gave fans a glimpse of hope, but he is out 2-4 weeks with another knee injury. So other than Amendola, one of the other receivers (Brandon Gibson, Laurent Robinson, Mardy Gilyard) needs to step it up. Also, if tight-ends Mike Hoomanawanui and Daniel Fells can elevate their game, then it would certainly help the Rams overcome their woes at receiver.

The other clear obstacle is the Rams inability to win on the road. The road games against Arizona, Oakland, and Tampa Bay, were all close games that could have gone either way. Even so, the Rams have yet to finish the job on the road. Five of their eight remaining games are on the road, including a tough three game road trip that will take them to Atlanta, Denver, and New Orleans.

When return from their bye-week on the road against San Francisco. If they Rams are serious about making a run at the West, then it would be very helpful if they won that game. Their ability to win on the road should improve after they get that first road victory out of the way. They need to establish an ability to play on the road BEFORE that tough three game trip, not during it.

If the Rams win just two of their away games, then they will be in good shape. If that happens, they should be able to earn an 8-8 record pretty easily, and that record could be enough to win the division. If they can't find a way to win on the road, then their best case scenario is a 7-9 season.

It is going to be a close race in the NFC West. The loss to Tampa was huge, because if they would've won, then they would have some room for error. Since they lost that game, they can't really afford to lose any home games, because now you have to assume that they will lose the majority of their remaining road games.

One thing is for sure, which is that the Rams have showed major improvements over their 2009 campaign. If the Rams do fall short of the playoffs in 2010, then it shouldn't matter. No one was expecting a Super Bowl trophy this season, so the major improvements should be appreciated no matter what the outcome. It is hard to not be anxious for 2011 and beyond, but all I know is that it's good to still be excited about football in November for a again.

Rookie receivers will try to step up

With the unfortunate injury to the Rams' wide-receiver Mark Clayton, there are some shoes to fill at receiver. Clayton, a former 1st round pick for the Baltimore Ravens, was acquired by the Rams just before the start of the season. Clayton was meant to be the replacement for the injured Donnie Avery. Clayton was a more than suitable replacement, racking up 306 yards and 2 touchdowns throughout the first four games. However, last week against the Detroit Lions, Clayton left the game with a serious knee injury, and he will not return for the rest of the 2010 season.

Avery started the season as the number one receiver, then Clayton took over, so now the Rams will be looking for their third "number one" receiver only five games into the season. Danny Amendola figures to be the most talented receiver at this point, but he fits well in the slot, and doesn't have to size to line up on the outside.

Brandon Gibson is the receiver that needs to step up. At 6'0" and 210 lbs, Gibson has the size to play on the outside. He also has the potential to be a decent red-zone threat (although his height is not as ideal as his weight).

Other than Gibson, and Amendola, the Rams will be focusing on their rookie receivers. Mardy Gilyard, the Rams' 4th round draft pick in 2010, has seen some playing time at kick-returner, but he does not have much playing time at receiver. Gilyard has only five catches on the season, for 42 yards. Gilyard has the moves to become a big play threat, but he has not been able to turn his potential into game-day production as of yet.

The more interesting option, as far as rookie receivers, is Denario Alexander. Alexander is an undrafted free-agent out of Mizzou; it is widely believed that Alexander would of received a late 1st-4th round draft grade, had it not been for his troubling history with knee injuries. In 2009, Alexander led the NCAA in receptions (113), as well as receiving yards (1781), and he also had 14 touchdowns. He has ideal speed (4.4 40-yard dash) and size (6'5" 215 lbs) to be a solid down-field threat, as well as a big red-zone threat.

Alexander was activated from the Rams' practice squad, to the 53-man roster. The promotion took place on Monday, as a result of Clayton's injury. Head-coach Steve Spagnuolo said that the Rams' trainers are comfortable with Alexander's knee, and believe he is ready to see action. According to Alexander, his knee feels better than it did during last season at Mizzou.