St. Louis Rams: 14 Player Who Will Not Be Back in 2012

The St. Louis Rams are now 10 games into a season that was suppose to bring them their first playoff appearance since the 2004 season and their first NFC West title since the 2003 season. 

With their current 2-8 record, they have been bad in so many ways and have been an embarrassment to their fanbase—a fanbase that surely spent the offseason bragging to fans of the opposing NFC West teams, only to be humiliated. 

The defense has been very bad at times, particularly against Baltimore when rookie receiver Torrey Smith caught three touchdowns in the first quarter in a game they lost 37-7. Then there was the Dallas game, where rookie running back DeMarco Murray ran for 253 yards in a 34-7 loss. 

But it's not just the defense. In fact, the defense is the team's strength as pathetic as that sounds. 

Over the last three games, the Rams offense has played about as poorly as an NFL offense can possibly play, with only 33 points combined throughout those three games.

It's still unclear if a coaching change at the end of the year is inevitable, but it's certainly likely. Even if there isn't a change, there will surely be drastic changes throughout the roster. 

Heads will roll and players will be out of work. 

Here are 14 players who are not worth keeping. It's very possible a good portion of these players will be looking for new employers at season's end. 

Fred Robbins (Defensive Tackle)

Fred Robbins has not been a complete bust in 2011, not necessarily, but the team's laughable run defense during the first half of the season is likely a direct result of the Robbins' clear regression. 

The 34-year-old is no longer a difference maker. It's possible he'll retire on his own, or the team may no longer want him, despite the fact he's still under contract in 2012. 

Mark Clayton (Wide Receiver)

Mark Clayton had his first three catches of the season last Sunday against Seattle and saw a few plays against Cleveland the week before, but he missed the first eight games as he's still recovering from his ACL tear from the 2010 season. 

Clayton had a good five game stretch for the Rams in 2010 (23 receptions, 306 yards and two touchdowns), but he has been average for most of his career, and so far in 2011 he hasn't really given the team a reason to offer him a new contract in 2012. 

It's very possible a younger receiver, such as Austin Pettis or Greg Salas, can duplicate Clayton's production without requiring a veteran contract. 

James Butler (Safety)

With only three total tackles on the season, it is remarkable that the team opted to keep a used up veteran such as James Butler rather than saving the roster spot for a very promising late round developmental project like linebacker Jabara Williams. 

With Darian Stewart and Quintin Mikell coming along nicely as a very solid duo at safety, and with Craig Dahl as a mediocre but serviceable backup, it's likely that Butler will be replaced in 2012. 

Al Harris (Cornerback)

Al Harris will be 37 years old in less than three weeks. He was solid once he was forced into a starting role for five games due to a swarm of injuries at the cornerback position, but he is done. 

You don't see defensive backs suffer knee injuries and then return to training camp at the age of 37, not in the NFL. 

He played well during his five games as a starter, which is more than most people thought he would contribute to the team in 2011, so he should be proud for doing his job. 

Harris had a remarkable 14 year career, but there's no need to push for 15 years. 

AJ Feeley (Quarterback)

The job of a backup quarterback is to perform at a level that's just respectable enough to give the team a chance to win, which is exactly what A.J. Feeley was able to do during the Rams 31-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Feeley has not done anything truly negative to where he deserves to be let go, but he'll be a free agent after the season is over. 

Rather than offering Feeley another contract, the Rams will likely realize that Feeley was only brought in due to his experience in the West Coast Offense, which the Rams no longer run. 

The Rams might look for a backup quarterback who's more familiar with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' system, such as Kyle Orton. 

Jacob Bell (Offensive Guard)

In 2008, the Rams signed Jacob Bell to a six-year deal worth $36 million dollars, which was restructured into a one-year deal prior to the 2011 season. 

With Bell entering free agency at the end of the season, the Rams will rid themselves of a player who's been nothing short of awful at left-guard. 

Mike Hoomanawanui (Tight End)

The fifth-round draft pick from 2010, Michael Hoomanawanui (or Illinois Mike) flashed some potential during his rookie season (146 yards, three touchdowns), despite missing eight games due to injury. 

Some felt that the injury bug would pass and Illinois Mike would continue to grow into his potential in 2011, but he has still been unable to avoid injuries. 

So far in 2011, he has had injuries to his ankle, calf, back and head, but thankfully (for his sake) he finally found himself on injury reserve with a knee injury. 

With the staggering number of injuries on his resume, it's clear that Illinois Mike is not built for NFL football.

Billy Bajema (Tight End)

Billy Bajema was brought on board back in 2009 as a blocking specialist out of the tight end position, which is great, except for the fact that he's a terrible blocker.

He makes a habit out of getting schooled by defensive ends while pass blocking, while he has no receiving abilities whatsoever to fall back on. 

He'll be a free agent at the end of the season and the Rams have no reason to bring him back. 

Jerious Norwood (Running Back)

Jerious Norwood, despite possessing some explosive playmaking abilities, has been struggling with injuries for the past three years. 

Sometimes teams will sign a player like Norwood hoping that they can turn their career around, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. It's no one's fault and there's no real harm, but teams just take gambles like that on occasion and it didn't work out for the Rams this time around. 

Norwood has been battling a hamstring injury and has only contributed 18 total rushing yards in 2011, so the Rams will likely look elsewhere for help at running back in 2012. 

Ben Leber (Outside Linebacker)

Ben Leber was brought to the Rams prior to the 2011 season as an answer to one of the defense's most glaring needs—a starting outside linebacker. 

Leber has only 15 total tackles on the season and has started in only three games. The 32-year-old has been very slow on the field, which has resulted in him getting absolutely killed against the run.

The Rams will be looking for a younger linebacker with more speed in 2012.

Brandon Gibson (Wide Receiver)

Brandon Gibson is the very definition of an average NFL receiver—he doesn't have particularly amazing hands, speed, strength, height, quickness or route running, he's just average all around.

With Danario Alexander, Greg Salas, Austin Pettis, Danny Amendola, Dominique Curry (a special teams star) and hopefully soon-to-be free agent Brandon Lloyd, along with possibly a rookie receiver if they opt to use a high draft pick on one, there's really no roster spot left for an underwhelming receiver with zero special teams value such as Gibson.

Gibson has 28 catches for 332 yards and touchdown in nine games, so he has not been awful, but there's just not a lot of upside with him.

Justin King (Cornerback)

Third-year corner Justin King has been forced into action due to an unnatural wave of injuries to the cornerback position.

He was exposed during his third start against the Baltimore Ravens, giving up three touchdowns to receiver Torrey Smith in the first quarter alone.

Since then, he has improved his game steadily week-to-week, but is still leaving a lot to be desired. 

With Ron Bartell, Bradley Fletcher, Jerome Murphy, Marquis Johnson and Josh Gordy all hoping to return next season, it's possible King will not make the team again in 2012. However, with his newly gained experience as a starter, he would not be a terrible option as a fourth or fifth-string corner. 

Jason Brown (Center)

Despite signing a five-year $37.5 million contract prior to the 2009 season, center Jason Brown was benched two weeks ago due to poor performance. 

With such an enormous contract and such horrid play, it's likely the Rams will cut all ties to the free agent bust regardless of any dead money that will count against the salary cap. 

Jason Smith (Offensive Tackle)

Jason Smith was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 draft, but his career so far has been nothing short of a catastrophic disaster. 

Smith's rookie year was plagued with injury, but he bounced back with an average season in 2010 with 15 total starts and seemingly decent play at right-tackle. 

However, Smith's play has plummeted in 2011. His pass blocking has been amateur hour and even got him benched during the Baltimore game, while his run blocking has been average but not nearly enough to warrant any real recognition. 

He suffered a serious concussion during the Dallas game, which is alarming given his history with concussions dating back to his rookie year. It's possible the concussions could be a long term problem and could even end his career prematurely, but that's purely speculation. 

Even if he does return to full health, his whopping $61.7 million contract is just too disgustingly disproportionate to justify bringing him back. If he does not restructure his contract, then the team will cut him and take a cap hit that won't be nearly as harsh as the $10 million that he's due in 2012. 

There's been nothing but positive things said about him as a person, and Rams fans are hoping for a full recovery from his concussion, but it still doesn't change the fact that he is the maybe the biggest roster obstacle for the team moving forward. 

Rams vs Seahawks: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The St. Louis Rams (2-8) fell victim to the Seattle Seahawks (4-6) with a final score of 24-7. It was an absolute embarrassment for the Rams in front of their home crowd at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. 


Prior to the Seattle game, the Rams had won two of their last three games, and even the one loss during that three game stretch came against the Arizona Cardinals in a close battle that ended in overtime. 


For a moment it seemed as though the Rams were done rolling over for second-tier NFL teams, but just when things began to improve, Seattle came to town to serve a big plate full of reality. 


The Rams, as a team, are completely lost. The offense they put on the field against Seattle was nothing short of an embarrassment to the fanbase and the entire city of St. Louis. 


Putting up only seven total points against a beatable opponent on your home field is unacceptable even for a high school team, but when it happens to a professional team it's just a shining example of how lost and incompetent the leadership really is. 


But for now, here is the breakdown of Sunday's game against Seattle...

The Good

The fact that Seattle scored 24 points might suggest the defense had a below average game, but that's not the case. They actually played an excellent game. 


The pathetic Rams offense can only have so many three-and-outs before the defense gets winded and starts coughing up points. If the Rams were capable of fielding even a half-competent offense then the defense would have likely held Seattle to less than ten points. 


Safety Quintin Mikell had a solid start to the game, recording a forced fumble and an interception on back-to-back plays. The other safety, Darian Stewart, continued to look like a rising star with eight tackles and a sack. 

James Laurinaitis was a madman with 13 tackles, while defensive ends Chris Long, James Hall and Robert Quinn each recorded a sack (Quinn had a blocked punt as well). 


Linebacker Chris Chamberlain had an interception early in the first quarter, but was very average for the remainder of the game.


Brandon Lloyd is the only offensive player worth mentioning—he had five catches for 67 yards, including a 30 yard touchdown reception for the Rams' only score of the game.  




The Bad



Sam Bradford had an awful game. It was just absolutely terrible, but that's not to say he was even given the opportunity to succeed to begin with. 


The pass blocking was atrocious. For every play Bradford had decent protection, there were three where he could feel Seattle's defensive line breathing down his neck. His blindside was completely vulnerable for the majority of the game. 


Also, the receivers struggled with dropped passes once again. 


You can't blame Bradford when his line is committing stupid personal foul and false start penalties (all while providing no protection), and his receivers drop passes and have zero physical presence. But it is fair to say he wasn't on top of his game.


Steven Jackson was another player that didn't play up to his full potential. He had 42 yards on 15 carries (2.8 yards per carry) and no touchdowns. But like Bradford, Jackson is only as good as his linemen allow him to be.

The Ugly

This doesn't necessarily involve the Seattle game alone, but here are some ugly thoughts concerning the current state of the Rams offense...


Josh McDaniels was brought to St. Louis because he was thought of as an offensive guru that ran an offense that was compatible with the strengths of Sam Bradford. 

The Rams refused to hire a quarterback coach to guide Bradford. The team was under the impression that McDaniels would take Bradford under his wing while simultaneously operating the entire offense. 


Not only has Bradford regressed under McDaniels' watch, but the entire offense has seemingly been reduced to debris. 


Bradford has only five touchdown passes in eight games, while the rest of the offense has been equally awful:


- Yards per game (297.9, ranked 30th)


- Total points (120, ranked 32nd)


- Points per game (12.0, ranked 32nd)


- Yards per play (4.5, ranked 31st)


- Third-down efficiency (29.1 percent, ranked 32nd)


- Penalties (74, ranked 24th)


Another offensive coach, besides McDaniels, who should not be overlooked is offensive line coach Steve Loney. Loney was the only coach retained from the Scott Linehan era, which is mind-boggling considering the line was equally bad during those years. 


Here's what old Steve has been given to work with...


Jacob Bell ($36 million free agent), Jason Smith (No. 2 overall pick, 2009), Jason Brown ($37.5 million free agent), Rodger Saffold (No. 33 overall pick, 2010), Harvey Dahl ($16 million free agent). 


Every lineman Loney has put his hands on has regressed dramatically. He should have been fired three different times by now. 


When you consider the less than brilliant moves made by the team, such as not hiring a quarterback coach and retaining Loney, it's really not that hard to believe how bad the Rams offense has been. 

Rams @ Browns Live Blog: Score and Analysis

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/937829-rams-vs-browns-live-score-video-and-analysis

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.

St. Louis Rams: 1st Half Report Card for Sam Bradford

With nearly half of the season underway and with five games completed so far for Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, let's take a look at what he has done this season by grading his individual games as well as his overall grade so far in 2011.


Rams vs. Eagles  Grade: D+


During week one, Bradford took a lot of abuse in the backfield from Jason Babin and the Philadelphia Eagle's defensive line. He was sacked four times. Also, the dangerous cornerback duo of Nnamdi Asomugha and Asante Samuels held him and the receivers in check as he had only 188 yards and completion percentage of 56.7.


Though his ability to move the ball was hindered, he still did not throw any interceptions, although he did cough up a fumble that resulted in an Eagles' touchdown. Not a good start to the season by Bradford.


Rams at Giants  Grade: A


With Steven Jackson absent from the game with a quad injury, the Rams were forced to make their offense one-dimensional, but Bradford answered to the challenge.


Bradford helped receiver Danario Alexander complete a breakout game with 122 yards and touchdown. Bradford was not bad himself with 331 passing yards and touchdown with no interceptions, resulting in a very solid outing despite a 28-16 loss.


Rams vs Ravens  Grade: C-


Bradford was harassed in the backfield with five total sacks and he had no support from his defense in a 37-7 blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens.


Bradford threw his first interception of the year, but that came as a result of Danario Alexander tripping during his route and missing an accurate pass. Bradford also had only 166 yards and completed only 50 percent of his passes.

However, what saved his game was a beautiful spiral over the heads of the Baltimore defenders that was perfectly placed in the hands of Brandon Gibson for a 34-yard touchdown. It was arguably the best throw of his career and a clear reminder of why he was drafted No. 1 overall.   


Rams vs Redskins  Grade: D


This was most likely Bradford's worst game of the season. He completed only 47.8 percent of his passes for 164 yards and a touchdown.


Bradford once again avoided any interceptions, which is pretty remarkable considering he was smothered in the pocket all day thanks to an overwhelmed offensive line that allowed seven sacks. But it wasn't just the offensive line, Bradford was also hurt by his receivers, particularly Mike Sims-Walker, who dropped multiple passes.


Overall it was still a bad game for Sam. He held the ball too long at times, showed little pocket awareness and missed open receivers on a few occasions.




Rams at Packers  Grade: B+


Bradford's game against the Packers was a solid outing, but you wouldn't know it from glancing at the 24-3 score.


Despite the score, Bradford moved the ball well and was in sync with slot receiver Greg Salas (seven catches, 77 yards). He was able to hook up with Danario Alexander for a 32 pass and Alexander finished with 91 total receiving yards. Other than Alexander and Salas, Bradford also got tight end Lance Kendricks involved in the passing game (71 yards).


Bradford finished the day with 328 passing yards and an interception. Penalties and a stiff defensive performance by Green Bay kept the Rams out of the end-zone all day, but it was still a respectable performance by the quarterback.




Overall


Bradford finished the 2010 season as one of only three rookie quarterbacks in history with over 3,000 passing yards. He also set the NFL record for completions (354) and was the offensive Rookie of the Year.


Given his rookie year, it's obvious that expectations were high for Bradford entering 2011, maybe even too high since the Rams were the popular preseason favorites to win the NFC West, but it wouldn't be fair to say that he has fallen completely short as far as meeting those expectations.


No quarterback is going to post gaudy numbers when their team is struggling greatly with penalties, dropped passes and poor offensive line play. Bradford hasn't been perfect either. He still needs to go through his reads rather than locking onto a single receiver and he needs to have better awareness in the pocket.

The Rams have a lot of holes on the team, such as defensive tackle, offensive line and outside linebacker, but Sam Bradford is not a reason for the Rams' losing.

When he returns from injury he'll be playing behind an offensive line that has seemingly turned a corner. He'll also have a true No. 1 receiver in Brandon Lloyd to throw to. The second half of the season should provide everyone with a much better gauge of where Bradford truly stands in his development.

OCTOBER MIRACLE!

In a season that will never be duplicated, a fight against odds nearly impossible to overcome, the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals have won their 11th World Series title tonight against the Texas Rangers in Game 7.


The Cardinals were 10 games behind the Atlanta Braves for the Wild Card berth on August 27th, but they clawed their way back through the month of September and clinched the Wild Card on the very last game of the regular season against the Houston Astros.


Just making the playoffs was thought to be the climax of the Cardinals' run as they were set to the face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. The Phillies led the MLB in wins with 102, so naturally many national media outlets wrote the Cardinals off.


The Cardinals, after falling behind 2-1 in the NLDS, won Game 4 and 5, which advanced them to the NLCS to face their division rivals for the Pennant in the NLCS, the Milwaukee Brewers.


The Brewers finished with 96 regular season wins and won the Central Division, boasting an explosive offense as their backbone. The Cardinals beat them in six games and took home the NL Pennant.


Despite the Red Bird's wild ride through the first two rounds of the playoffs, they were once again considered the underdogs against a Texas Rangers team that was making their second consecutive World Series appearance.


The Cardinals jumped ahead early in the series with a 2-1 lead, including a historic Game 3 that was dominated by Albert Pujols and his three home run performance. He became just the third player in baseball history to hit three homers in a single World Series game, the other two being Reggie Jackson and Babe Ruth.


But the Cards fell behind after losing back-to-back games in Arlington, which gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead in the series.


However, the series returned to St. Louis for Game 6 and 7, and that's when things got wild.


The Cardinals were losing Game 6 by three runs (5-3) entering the eight-inning. Allen Craig chipped away at the lead with a solo shot in the eight, but the Rangers still entered the bottom of the ninth with a two-run lead.


A David Freese triple with two strikes, two out and two on sent the game into extra-innings.


The Rangers again took a two run lead in the top of the 10th, but the Cardinals were able to battle back in the bottom of the inning with and RBI by Ryan Theriot and a two-out RBI by Lance Berkman, which kept the game alive.

The Rangers were not so lucky in the 11th as they were unable to put any runs on the board. David Freese led off the bottom of the 11th and ended the game with a heroic walk-off home run that forced Game 7.




Do You Believe In Miracles?


The fantasy of a juggernaut run towards a World Series title was present in the minds of Cardinal Nation ever since the team squeaked into the playoffs, but making it a reality was far from feasible.

That is, until they won the pennant. And once the team stubbornly refused to end their season in Game 6, it was already over and written in stone. The dramatic victory in Game 6 made Game 7 nothing but a formality.  


Chris Carpenter went six full innings on short rest and finished with only two runs and five strikeouts. It was the exact type of performance the team needed out of him.


Both of the runs off Carpenter came in the top of the first-inning, but a two-RBI double by David Freese in the bottom of the 1st tied it up.


Allen Craig hit a solo home run in third-inning, which gave the Cardinals their first lead of the night (3-2).


Things began to get out of hand in the fifth-inning when the bases were loaded and the Rangers walked in a run. Furcal was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and the two-run inning gave the Cardinals a 5-2 lead. Yadier Molina then made it 6-2 with a RBI single in the 7th.


A dominate eigth-inning shutout by Lance Lynn set up Jason Motte with an opportunity to close it out in the 9th and he came through with three up and three down.


Craig made the final catch, Yadi fell to his knees, Motte was mauled on the mound, Furcal reached for the sky, Lance Berkman hugged the nearest thing in sight, LaRussa was smiling for the first time this decade and Freese won the MVP, as well as a nifty Corvette.


Questions remain regarding 2012, particularly whether or not Albert Pujols will stick around and finish his career under the Gateway Arch, but for now the Cardinals are on top.