Why Jeff Fisher Can Succeed with the St. Louis Rams

With all the excitement surrounding the race for Jeff Fisher between the St. Louis Rams and the Miami Dolphins, there has been a slither of skepticism within the St. Louis fanbase.

Some of the hype surrounding the situation makes it seem as though the two teams are dueling with each other to fill their head coaching vacancy with a Tom Landry caliber legend, rather than Fisher.

With a career record of 142-120 (.542) over 17 seasons as a head coach in the NFL, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is not exactly starting to weld his statue in Canton.

In six playoff seasons over 17 years, Fisher's post-season record is 5-6, with three of those five playoff wins coming in a single season (1999).

However, his team's appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV gives his resume a little more validity.

Since there's nothing overly eye-popping about Fisher's application, it may lead some to believe that he just happens to be the best available option in a bad year for finding a head coach with experience.

Perhaps, the team could hire an up-and-coming coordinator, such as Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, who may possess a more modern train of thought and could prove to have more potential in the long run.

However, the last three head coaches in St. Louis have been flavor-of-the-month coordinators who ultimately failed (Mike Martz, Scott Linehan, Steve Spagnuolo), which makes any option other than Fisher an unpopular one.

But that is not necessarily a bad thing. As it turns out, Fisher might be the best option after all, despite not having an overwhelming amount of success in the past.

Here are some points to bring up regarding Fisher...

Quarterback

Fisher has never had the benefit of a bonafide franchise quarterback capable of consistently leading the team every year.

If Sam Bradford can reach the potential that most people feel he possesses, then he would be providing Fisher with a weapon he's never had—a star quarterback for multiple years.

Here are Fisher's previous quarterbacks that started a significant number of games during his tenure:

-Kerry Collins stared 32 games over five seasons under Fisher, throwing for 33 touchdowns and and 29 interceptions during that five-year stretch. He started in only one playoff game (a 13-10 loss to the Ravens).

-Vince Young started 47 games off-and-on for the Titans with a 30-17 record as a starter, but he greatly benefited from solid defensive play. He threw 42 touchdowns against 42 interceptions and was considered a problematic player in the locker room.

-Steve McNair was Fisher's most consistent starter at the position with 131 starts over 11 seasons. His best statistical season came in 2003 with 3,215 yards and 24 touchdowns, which means the best quarterback production Fisher received was still just above average. McNair led the Titans to a Super Bowl appearance in 1999.

As you can see, Fisher did not have luxury of having both production and longevity out of the most important position.

Fisher's career winning percentage is .542, which equates to approximately an 8-8 season if you condense that record to a single year.

Now, if Bradford can become an elite passer, you can surely imagine how adding someone like him could do wonders for a coach that can basically get to 8-8 without an elite passer.

The Colts

When you look at the fact Fisher has only made the playoffs six times out of 17 seasons, it is a bit alarming at first sight.

However, the Titans often fielded solid football teams, but they had to play the Colts twice a year and frequently played second fiddle to Peyton Manning and his elite passing attack.

It's not often when a team has to bi-annually face a team that has been absolutely dominate for the better part of a decade.

Though the 49ers looked solid in 2011, it's probably safe to say that Alex Smith will not lead a 10 year dictatorship in the NFC West. There will be room for other teams to win some division titles, which is not a benefit Fisher had in Tennessee.

Bud Adams

Fisher has been the face of the Titans ever since they moved to Tennessee from Houston in 1997. He has been the only head coach the team has ever known up until Mike Munchak took over in 2011.

However, owner Bud Adams never fails to make his face known, despite the fact his role as owner states that he would be better off remaining behind the scenes.

Instead, the final years of Fisher's tenure with the Titans was practically a daytime soap opera. Fisher wasn't the cause of the drama, but it was a result of Adams' antics, as well as an egotistical quarterback in Vince Young.

Adams is an overly involved owner, which usually has bad results.

The Rams, on the other hand, do not have any overly dramatic players like Young, and owner Stan Kroenke's nickname of "Silent Stan" says all you need to know about how often he forces himself into the everyday operations of his sports teams.

The general manager (who ever it may be) will handle the personnel, Fisher will handle the coaching, and Kroenke will make executive decisions and sign paychecks.

There won't be an owner putting extra pressure on someone who's already involved in an extremely stressful occupation. 

Closing Statement

While Fisher has not been the poster child of a Hall of Fame caliber head coach, it's clear that there were factors working against him in Tennessee that, perhaps, prevented him and his teams from reaching their full potential.

There's no guarantee that Fisher will have more success in St. Louis than he had in Tennessee. Actually, there's no guarantee that he'll even have an equal amount of success.

However, Fisher was the longest tenured head coach in the NFL by the time he left the Titans, and you don't keep a head coaching job in the NFL for 17 consecutive years without possessing significant knowledge on how a football team should be run.

The last three coaches in St. Louis were promoted coordinators with no prior head coaching experience, so after watching those coaches "learn on the job" just to ultimately fail, the fans are certainly ready to take a chance on an experienced head coach such as Jeff Fisher.  

Will Spagnuolo Be the Next Coach Fired Before the Season is Over?

The coaching trees of both Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells took a major blow on Monday after Todd Haley of the Kansas City Chiefs and Tony Sparano of the Miami Dolphins were fired from their head coaching jobs. 

Haley's firing was the first to be made public. 

Haley led his Chiefs to a 10-6 record and a AFC West division title in 2010, but injuries to key players such as Eric Berry and Jamaal Charles have slowed the team to a crawl in 2011, which has resulted in a modest 5-8 record. 

The Chiefs' 37-10 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday was likely the final straw. 

Just hours after Haley's firing was announced, the firing of Sparano was made public as well. 

Sparano took over the Dolphins in 2008 and led them to an 11-5 record after the team went 1-15 in 2007. It was one of the best one-year turnarounds in NFL history. 

After a 7-9 record in both 2009 and 2010, along with a 0-7 start to the 2011 season, the Dolphins relieved Sparano of his duties following a 26-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

The two firings came just 13 days after the Jacksonville Jaguars let go of Jack Del Rio, who has been the Jaguars' head coach since 2003 and left with a 69-73 regular season record. 

Is Spagnuolo Next?

Since the Rams have a Monday Night Football matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, Steve Spagnuolo is obviously safe for now and will not be the third head coach to be fired on Monday. 

However, if the Rams leave Seattle with an embarrassing prime-time loss on their hands, then the sudden trend of firing head coaches could continue—this time in St. Louis. 

The Rams already have one embarrassing loss against Seattle this year. They lost in front of their home crowd at the Edward Jones Dome in a humiliating game that ended with a final score of 24-7. 

Furthermore, the Rams have not won in Seattle since 2004, so escaping the state of Washington with a victory is a tall order. 

With the recent firings of Del Rio, Haley and Sparano, Rams owner Stan Kroenke may follow the lead and let Spagnuolo go sooner rather than later if he wants to be in the mix for a top coaching candidate such as Jeff Fisher or Bill Cowher. 

The Spagnuolo era is clearly in shambles, so it might not make sense for Kroenke to merely delay the inevitable. 

Spagnuolo is 10-34 (.294) as the Rams head coach, which actually gives him a worse winning percentage than his predecessor Scott Linehan, who was 11-25 (.306) and widely regarded as a catastrophic disaster of a head coach. 

It made sense for the Rams to keep Spagnuolo on for the remainder of the season since a coaching change with a 2-10 record and only four games remaining would not change the outcome of the season, but now that there's suddenly clear competition in the market for a new head coach, the Rams cannot afford to wait.

The last thing fans in St. Louis want to see is for their team to miss out on a experienced head coaching candidate, which would force them to once again settle for a promoted coordinator with no head coaching experience whatsoever. 

St. Louis Rams: Should They Bring Back the West Coast Offense?

The St. Louis Rams have lost all hope, currently sitting with a 1-7 record in what was suppose to be a season where they made a run at the NFC West title.


Their 31-21 victory over the Saints, which was their first and only win of the season that came after six consecutive losses, provided a temporary numbing effect across the fanbase that caused them to think that maybe the Rams just got off on the wrong foot in 2011.


However, their 19-13 overtime loss against the Arizona Cardinals, a game the Rams dominated in every aspect, put the sour smell back into the air.


At this point, with no playoff hopes to cling to and signs of great regression throughout the team, it's looking more and more like coach Steve Spagnuolo is making a death march with the guillotines waiting for him after the Week 17 finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers.


With the seemingly inevitable departure of Spagnuolo, it's more than likely offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will be sent packing as well, especially since his offense is currently one of the worst in the NFL with an average of 12.5 points per game (31st) and 314.1 yards per game (23rd).


If McDaniels is gone, then that means quarterback Sam Bradford will be forced to learn his third different playbook in as many seasons.


Continuity is important for a young franchise quarterback. San Francisco's Alex Smith is a perfect example of how constant change can greatly hinder the development of a quarterback. Smith went through five different coordinators in his first five seasons and was considered a colossal bust as a No. 1 overall pick until now.


The Rams cannot expect Bradford to reach his potential if he is bombarded with a new playbook every single year. He has to be able to enter 2012 with some sense for the playbook and some experience in the system.


He has had some struggles with the current Josh McDaniels offense, even if he does look sharp at times. He may be able to eventually grasp the finer points of the offense and excel, but then again, maybe he won't.


So if the Rams must change coaches once again, then why not bring back the same West Coast offense that Bradford excelled in as a rookie in 2010?


The 2010 offense, coordinated by Pat Shurmur at the time, is a very common system in the NFL that is used by teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cleveland Browns, the Green Bay Packers, the Atlanta Falcons, the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers.

If owner Stan Kroenke feels the need to rid the team of Spagnuolo and McDaniels, it is crucial that the Rams not only bring back the West Coast system, but make sure the new coaches alter the playbook to meet Bradford's needs, such as using the same terminology that he used in 2010.


It's also important that they revoke Bradford's freedom to call out blocks for the offensive line. Give that responsibility back to center Jason Brown and allow Bradford to just focus on the play without being mentally overwhelmed. Maybe when he's a six or seven year battle-tested veteran he can have complete control, but not now.


The most important thing is that Bradford enters 2012 with a system he already knows rather than being brought back to square-one for the third time in a row.


It looks like Philadelphia could fall short of the playoffs, so if they are foolish enough to fire Andy Reid then he would make an excellent head coach for the Rams. The Rams' 2010 offense basically came directly from Reid's offense, so it would be a smooth transition.


If not Reid, then there are plenty of other coaches out there who rose through the ranks under teams running the West Coast offense.


Is it realistic to believe that widely hyped offensive players such as Rodger Saffold, Jason Smith, Jason Brown and even Bradford went from being rising stars to jokes within ten months, just "because"?


No, it's not realistic. It's a problem with the coaching and the scheming. It needs to be fixed, which can be done by bringing back the 2010 offense that Bradford excelled under. He may be great in McDaniels' system someday, but we know he can be great in the West Coast system as early as next season.

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

The St. Louis Rams (0-6) fell short once again this season, this time against the Dallas Cowboys (3-3) at Jerry World in Arlington, Texas. 

Not only are the Rams winless in 2011, but they have lost nine of their last ten games dating back to the 2010 season. They have not even been competitive in a single game this season. It could be argued that their game against the Redskins was close given the 17-10 score, but the score is deceiving; they were completely overwhelmed throughout that game. 


Steve Spagnuolo is on the hot seat. There's no question or debate about it like there was two or three weeks ago. 


Really, the only question is whether to fire him during the season or afterwards. 


It's possible that owner Stan Kroenke will see how the team performs in the second half of the season against weaker teams before making a final decision, but it's also possible that he'll just get fed up with the embarrassment and send him packing after one or two more losses. 


But for now, here's what the Rams did against Dallas, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly...


THE GOOD

Well, the Rams scored a touchdown against the Dallas defense. That's been a rare feat for a Rams team that only scored four total touchdowns in the first five games. With six games played so far in 2011, they have yet to score two touchdowns in a single game. So the good news is they met their peak against Dallas. 


And Donnie Jones sure can punt the ball, he's a hell of a punter. 


Other than that, the offensive line allowed only one sack (but took a step backwards in run blocking), Brandon Lloyd had a solid debut with the Rams (six catches, 74 yards) and Steven Jackson had a solid afternoon with 70 yards a a score, despite having no run lanes whatsoever.  




THE BAD

The Rams managed to get an assortment of stupid penalties, once again, such as putting 12 men on the field and jumping offsides, proving once again that this team has very little discipline (although it was still one of their better games in 2011 penalty wise).  


A.J. Feeley was not terrible in the backup role. He went 20-for-33 with 196 yards and an interception. But he was unable to establish any rhythm whatsoever despite being sacked only once. 


The defense, the group that was suppose to be a strong point in 2011, was humiliated. They held Tony Romo to only 166 yards, but he threw for a pair of touchdowns. The run defense was gutted for 295 rushing yards, with 253 of yards coming from a rookie running back (DeMarco Murray). 


THE UGLY


It's becoming increasingly clear that the Rams' coaches are in over their heads. They are so overwhelmed with the task at hand that they cannot even begin to know where to start or what to focus on. 


The group is not improving week after week like they should, in fact they are worse in many aspects. 


The look on Steve Spagnuolo's face on gameday is that of a lost child in a grocery store, checking every aisle for his inattentive mother. 


Whether it was the challenge of Cadillac Williams' fumble, running the ball for the third time in a row on third-and-long, or the refusal to utilize weapons such as Danario Alexander and Lance Kendricks in the game plan, it was perfectly clear that the coaches were outmatched. 

St. Louis Rams: Five Keys to their Loss vs the Cowboys

The St. Louis Rams (0-6) fell short once again in a 34-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys (3-3). 

The Rams had a lot of factors working against them, such as quarterback Sam Bradford missing the game due to injury, as well as being on the road in Texas. However, excuses are getting very old for Rams fans and patience is running very thin.

The Rams needed a win, regardless of who was playing quarterback, and regardless of where the game was being played. But they failed to get it done. 


Here are the keys to their loss against the Cowboys...




1. Incompetent Coaching


The game was not only a loss for the Rams, but it was flat out boring. 


It was a snooze fest. You'd think that their 0-5 record would inspire the players to at least put up a thrilling fight regardless of the outcome, but that didn't happen. They continue to be by far the most disappointing team in the NFL this season. 

The team was completely uninspired, but apparently the players deserved a trip to Disney Land (aka tickets to the baseball Cardinals' World Series game) for their hard work, because clearly the players on an 0-5 team (now 0-6) should be rewarded. At least that's what head coach Steve Spagnuolo believes. 


The coaching staff also believes in running the ball for a third time in a row on 3rd-and-long, despite being down by two touchdowns. 


And you'd think that a coach who's been labeled as a "defensive guru" in the past would be able to get his defense to hold a rookie running back under 250 yards, but apparently scheming is not the current coaching staff's strong suit. 


Barring a spectacular second half to the season, Steve Spagnuolo will be one of two head coaches who will certainly be fired after the season (the other obviously being Tony Sparano of the Miami Dolphins).      


2. A Career Journeyman Starting At Quarterback


Sam Bradford was held out of the game with a high ankle sprain, so the Rams gave the nod to backup A.J. Feeley.


Feeley didn't have an awful games with all things considered. He went 20-for-33 with 196 yards and an interception. 


However, he frequently under or over threw his receivers, and the offense never showed the slightest bit of rhythm. Even their one scoring drive of the game was not a result of the offense finding rhythm, but rather the result of a big gain on the ground by Steven Jackson. 


Feeley has a career quarterback rating of 69.3 and a career completion percentage of 55.7 percent. The Rams never really had a legitimate shot at beating Dallas with Feeley under center. 


With Bradford's 328 yard performance against the Green Bay Packers last week, and not to mention the addition of Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Lloyd (who had a solid game with 74 yards), it's hard to believe that the offense wouldn't have gained some extra pop with Bradford in the game. 


3. Inability to Stop the Run


James Laurinaitis and Quintin Mikell can only to so much on defense. They need support from the guys in front of them and beside them. 


Outside linebackers Chris Chamberlain, Bryan Kehl and Brady Poppinga looked like the Three Stooges when it came to tackling. 


Also, it's clear that defensive tackle Fred Robbins, despite his nearly Pro Bowl worthy 2010 season, has aged to the point of being useless.  There have been plenty of fans commenting on how the Rams should use their 2012 first round draft pick on a cornerback or receiver, but the team will be getting relief at cornerback after their top three guys return from injury in 2012, and they are already seeing relief at receiver with Brandon Lloyd and Mark Clayton (who should be ready to play soon enough). Therefore, it's possible that defensive tackle is the biggest hole on the team. 

Giving up 253 rushing yards to a rookie running back is nothing short of pathetic, and the members of the Rams' front eight should be ashamed for the further embarrassment they've brought upon their city.


4.   Turnovers


Before the game got out of hand, the Rams were only trailing 17-7, and ten of the Cowboys' first 17 points came as the result of turnovers by the Rams. 


A fumble by Cadillac Williams resulted in Dallas scoring their second touchdown of the game, while A.J. Feeley's interception resulted in a field goal. 


It might not seem like much considering the final score of 34-7, but if the Rams entered halftime with the game tied at 7-7 (maybe even winning if they scored points on the two drives they turned the ball over), then the momentum of the game in the second half could have been entirely different. 


5.  Playing On the Road


The Rams are struggling to win a single game, regardless of where the game is being played. 


It's not like the current Rams have a huge advantage at the Edward Jones Dome given their overall inferiority as a professional football team, but home field advantage could have helped them limit the damage. 


The Rams are struggling to even be competitive in their games. Outside of their game against the Redskins, they haven't even come close to winning a game. So asking them to win on the road in Dallas was asking for the moon. 

Rams Trade For Pro Bowl Receiver Brandon Lloyd

The St. Louis Rams made a trade with the Denver Broncos today which made the Rams the new home for Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Lloyd.

Lloyd led the NFL in receiving yards in 2010 with 1,448 yards. He also had 11 touchdown catches.


Lloyd's career year in 2010 with Denver was the result of head coach Josh McDaniel's offense. McDaniels is now the offensive coordinator for the Rams, so Lloyd should fit nicely into the team's current scheme.


The Rams have been desperate for playmakers, especially after losing Danny Amendola for the season during Week 1.


The Rams figured their offense could get a significant boost with both Lloyd and Danario Alexander lined up on the outside. Lloyd's 18.8 yards per catch average in 2010 hints that that the Rams are getting a downfield threat, which they've needed for a long time.


It's unclear whether or not Lloyd can match his 2010 production, especially since he was pretty average during his first eight NFL seasons, but even if he doesn't bring that same production, he still offers something that the other Rams receivers clearly don't have— the ability to consistently catch a football.


Lloyd has only dropped one pass in five game for the Broncos in 2011. If he can be just as sure-handed in St. Louis, then he will immediately be an improvement.


Lloyd is not a Calvin or Andre Johnson caliber receiver, despite being the top receiver in 2010, but he's certainly worth the gamble. A sixth-round pick (which could turn into a fifth-round pick based on his production) is a small price to pay for a player that could potentially payoff huge dividends.

St. Louis Rams Week 4 Report Card: Grading Every Unit

Another week and another loss for the St. Louis Rams (0-5) at Lambeau Field against the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers (6-0). 

Despite 441 total offensive yards by the Rams, their only score came on a Josh Brown field goal. The final score was 24-3. 


Green Bay entered the game averaging 34.6 points per game, so the fact the Rams held them to 24 points was a positive. In fact, the Packers scored less points against the Rams than any other team they've faced in 2011. 


If you're a Rams fan and watched the game already at peace with the fact that they would not win, then you saw a lot of positives and some familiar negatives, but overall you saw a considerable amount of improvement. 


But if you were holding out hope that the Rams would somehow upset the Packers, igniting a juggernaut run to the NFC West title, then chances are you were emotionally crushed for the fifth time in a row.


The Rams did some good things on the field, but there was obviously some slackers as well, given the 21-point loss.


Here are the Week 6 grades for each unit...




QUARTERBACK: B



Sam Bradford is on an 0-5 team and threw for 321 yards against the defending Super Bowl champs and has fewer interceptions (two) than the quarterback of that team, Aaron Rodgers (three).

It's pretty obvious that he's not a problem for the Rams. 


There's are unintelligent people from every NFL fanbase, so the Rams are no exception. You might find a Rams fan out there willing to throw Bradford under the bus, but it's completely unwarranted. 


However, he's not perfect either.


Despite his 321 yards, his grade get knocked down a bit for having no touchdowns as well as for under throwing Danario Alexander in the end-zone, resulting in an interception.


The Rams might be dying for weapons at receiver, or for lineman who can block. They may even be panicking a bit when it comes to finding Steven Jackson's eventual replacement at running back. But the last thing anyone should be concerned with is the quarterback position, the Rams have solidity at that spot moving forward.




OFFENSIVE LINE: D+



The Rams offensive line gave up six sacks when they faced the Washington Redskins two weeks ago, so in comparison to that game they looked pretty good.

But then again, five shopping carts lined side-by-side would've performed better against the Redskins than the Rams' offensive line. 


All-in-all, they made some strides during the bye week and looked like a much more respectable unit, but they were still very average. Combine that with some false starts and holding penalties and the group is still leaving a lot to be desired.

RUNNING BACK: B+

Steven Jackson entered the game against the Packers completely healthy. It was his first time entering a game healthy since the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. 


Jackson rushed for 96 yards on 18 carries (5.3 yards per carry) against a defense who's much stronger against the run than the pass. 


Cadillac Williams also had some success against the Packers in a relief role. He had 24 yards on four carries (6.0 yards per carry) as well as a nine-yard reception. 


It was a solid effort by the backfield, but their biggest gain was only 13 yards, and they failed to find the end zone (not that they were ever in a position to score), so there was some room for improvement.




RECEIVER: B-



The receivers had a solid outing when considering how poorly the Rams offense has been moving the ball at times this season. 


After some impressive moments in 2010, everyone knew Danario Alexander possessed some big-play talent. At 6'5" with a solid 4.3 second 40-yard dash, he was considered a potential weapon, but the major concern was whether or not his knee would hold up after numerous operations. 

Not only has his knee held up fine since starting the 2011 season, but he's been phenomenal in an offense that's been starving for more playmakers. 


Alexander had six catches for 91 yards against the Packers and is leading Rams receivers with 287 yards. He didn't play receiver during the team's Week 1 match-up against Philadelphia, but if he continues his production, he could eventually be on pace for a 1,000-yard season.


He wasn't the only one with a solid game. Rookies Greg Salas and Lance Kendricks both had over 70 yards. Salas led the team in receptions with eight.


Brandon Gibson also contributed with four catches for 43 yards.


It would've been a great outing if they pulled in a few touchdowns, but instead, they had none. Combine that with a few dropped balls, which is a recurring theme with them, as well as a false start penalty on Kedricks, and the group loses some points.




DEFENSIVE LINE: C



The Rams defensive line was incapable of pressuring Aaron Rodgers. 


The pocket was solid and edges were secure. When a quarterback as good as Rodgers feels comfortable, you cannot expect to win. 


Green Bay receivers were running wild, which is partially on the secondary, but the line is to blame as well. When Gary Gibson is the only one to record a sack, something is wrong. 


However, it wasn't all bad—for the first time in 2011, the Rams defense did not allow a team to rush for more than 100 yards. The Packers are not known for their running game, but holding them to under 100 yards on the ground (96) is a moral victory at the very least.




LINEBACKERS: A



Throughout the first, third and fourth quarters, the Rams defense held the Packers to only three combined points. The difference was the 21 points scored in the second quarter. 


It was mentioned in the introduction to this article that the Rams defense held the powerful Green Bay offense to fewer points than any other team that has faced the Packers in 2011. 

Surely someone had to do something positive on defense to accomplish this. 


The answer: the linebackers, particularly James Laurinaitis. 


Laurinaitis and Chris Chamberlain, who started in the place of Ben Leber, were flying around the field. 


They are the primary reason the Packers converted only four of their 13 third-down conversions. They also played a major role in limiting the Packers run game and holding them under 100 yards.




SECONDARY: C-



The Packers produced very little offense on the ground, which obviously means the majority of their offense came through the air. 


Aaron Rodgers threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns, and the Green Bay receivers ran wild.

Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings combined for 186 receiving yards. Throw in a 35-yard touchdown catch by James Jones and it's clear it was not the secondary's finest game. 


The only thing you need to see to get an idea of their performance is watch Jordy Nelson's 93-yard touchdown catch. Darian Stewart and Al Harris were in the area, but they collided with each other while attempting to make a tackle, which allowed Nelson to break free. It was very symbolic of the groups overall performance.

Safety Quintin Mikell, as usual, was an exception. He was solid, as expected, and he had a great tackle for a loss in Green Bay's backfield, which denied the Packers on a third-and-one conversion.


Safety Craig Dahl had an interception, which also does something to help the secondary's grade as well. 
Overall, the group is really hoping cornerback Rod Hood is ready to play as soon as he gets up to speed.