NFC West: Antonio Pittman
The upside: Even the worst defeats tend to feature a bright spot or two.
- Running back Cadillac Williams carried 19 times for 91 yards. Williams joined Marshall Faulk, Antonio Pittman and Brian Leonard as the only Rams running backs other than Steven Jackson to rush for at least that many yards in a game since Jackson entered the league in 2004. Faulk had two 100-yard games when Jackson was a rookie. Leonard had 102 yards in a 2007 game against Arizona. Pittman had 95 yards during a 2008 game against San Francisco.
- The Rams limited Eagles quarterback Michael Vick to 14 completions in 32 attempts. According to Pro Football Reference, this was the 14th time since at least 1960 that a Rams opponent had completed so few passes in so many attempts. The Rams roughed up Vick several times and forced him to hold the ball when receivers were not open.
- Steven Jackson broke free for a 47-yard touchdown run on the Rams' first offensive snap.
- Chris Long, Quintin Mikell and Justin King had sacks for the Rams. Mikell forced a fumble that James Laurinaitis recovered.
- Jerious Norwood had 49- and 29-yard kickoff returns.
- Donnie Jones had a 61-yard punt, and one downed inside the 20.
Catching up with the Rams' cut list
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
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The Rams' depth on the offensive line might be better than anticipated for a team with a 5-27 record over the past two seasons.
The team is carrying 10 offensive linemen, one more than typical, while John Greco recovers from wrist surgery.
An 11th, Phil Trautwein, landed on the Browns' active roster when Cleveland claimed him off waivers. A 12th, Roy Schuening, signed with the Raiders' practice squad. Another, tackle Renardo Foster, would seem to be a candidate for catching on somewhere eventually.
I've gone through the initial NFC West cut lists -- those players released at the 53-man deadline -- to see which ones have returned to their teams or caught on elsewhere.
The chart shows results for St. Louis.
Quarterback Brock Berlin signed to the Lions' practice squad after the Rams released him. Defensive lineman Ian Campbell briefly spent time on the Rams' practice squad before the team released him.
A few veterans -- running back Antonio Pittman, receiver Tim Carter, receiver Ronald Curry and special-teamer Todd Johnson -- remain available.
Around the NFC West: Previewing the Cardinals
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals want more consistency this season. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "For us to become a respected team that can make a run at the playoffs every year, we have to have that consistency week in and week out. We can't have those games where we give up so many points and lose by so many points. You know, where we get blown out. That's the big thing."
Also from Somers: the front office is key in the Cardinals becoming successful.
Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic relates anecdotes involving Whisenhunt and Kurt Warner while saying both are leading the Cardinals franchise.
Greg Johns of seattlepi.com doesn't expect Walter Jones or Chris Spencer to be available for "at least several more weeks" as both recover from injuries. Jones would seem to have a chance to beat that timetable, although the Seahawks haven't updated his status following arthroscopic knee surgery.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times ranks the Seahawks' roster surprises, putting D.D. Lewis' release ahead of Brian Russell's release. Will Herring's strong play apparently made him more than just a special-teams linebacker in the Seahawks' eyes. O'Neil: "When Seattle re-signed Lewis last year, he was considered Seattle's top reserve linebacker, someone capable of playing all three spots among the linebackers. He started for Lofa Tatupu at middle linebacker for a game and later replaced Leroy Hill at the weakside linebacker after Hill was injured. The decision to let Lewis go reflects on the development of Will Herring and David Hawthorne, but Herring specifically."
Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune offers comments for each position on the Seahawks' roster. Williams on the situation at running back: "Overall playmaking ability might be a concern here, but I think the team has enough depth to get them through the year, and I expect Julius Jones to rush for 1,000 yards this season if he stays healthy."
John Morgan of Field Gulls thinks Derek Walker could become a Cory Redding type for the Seahawks.
Rod Mar of seahawks.com updates his photo blog with shots from the team's final game of the 2009 exhibition season.
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com goes over the team's roster moves while acknowledging the team isn't done yet.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams rookie Jason Smith appears ready to break into the starting lineup in time for the regular season. Thomas: "Smith might not be totally ready for the right tackle position in the NFL, but it's not like he embarrassed himself in the preseason, either. Sure he's had a few rough plays, including one early in the Kansas City game when Tamba Hali beat him around the edge for a pressure on quarterback Kyle Boller. But he hasn't given up a sack this preseason and has steadily improved over the course of exhibition play." I thought Smith improved after a rough outing against the Falcons. The transition from Baylor requires significant technique adjustments.
Also from Thomas: Youth prevailed for the Rams in the No. 3 quarterback spot and at receiver.
Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says first-year Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo has made a positive impression to this point.
Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams offensive lineman John Greco will miss time following wrist surgery.
Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat sizes up the Rams' situation at running back after the team released Antonio Pittman.
Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers wanted to run the ball 60 percent of the time when Mike Nolan took over in 2005. I'm guessing the 49ers' new offensive coordinator, Jimmy Raye, will come closer to hitting that mark.
John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle looks into the cult of personality -- Mike Singletary's personality -- as it pervades the 49ers. Crumpacker: "Singletary doesn't necessarily like the attention but he understands that at least for now, he is the face and voice of the 49ers franchise."
Matt Maiocco of the San Francisco Chronicle runs a transcript with Singletary's comments following the 49ers' roster cuts. Singletary on Micheal Spurlock winning a spot (for now): "All offseason, I think Spurlock continued to show up. He's a versatile guy. He can help you in special teams areas and continue to better as a receiver and run better routes. And he works at it. It's important for us. Felt it was a good opportunity and a good fit."
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers kept linebacker Diyral Briggs on their roster because they like his "raw" talent and want to work with him.
Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers cut tight end Bear Pascoe because he didn't catch up to the speed of the NFL game.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Biggest surprise: The Rams cut former special-teams captain Todd Johnson, a safety, and they also flushed out two veteran receivers they hoped would contribute, Ronald Curry and Tim Carter. Keeping rookie quarterback Keith Null over the more experienced Brock Berlin made sense because the Rams' top two quarterbacks, Marc Bulger and Kyle Boller, have lots of seasoning. The biggest roster surprise came when the team traded 2006 first-round cornerback Tye Hill to the Falcons. Free-agent addition Quincy Butler stuck on the 53-man roster after a strong training camp and preseason. He looked better than Hill, frankly, and the Rams' new leadership wasn't afraid to part with symbols of past failures. Placing defensive tackle Adam Carriker on injured reserve cleared another spot.
No-brainers: The Rams also released linebacker K.C. Asiodu, defensive tackle Antwon Burton, tight end Eric Butler, defensive end Ian Campbell, linebacker Dominic Douglas, tackle Renardo Foster, fullback Jerome Johnson, center Tim Mattran, running back Chris Ogbonnaya, cornerback Cord Parks, running back Antonio Pittman, safety Mark Rubin, guard Roy Schuening, tackle Phil Trautwein and receiver Sean Walker.
What's next: The Rams still need to make one move by the 6 p.m. ET deadline for complying with the 53-man limit. With only four running backs on the roster, counting fullback Mike Karney, the team probably needs to seek help at the position. Backup Samkon Gado suffered injured ribs in the final exhibition game. The Rams lack quality depth and they are starting over. As a result, the team could pursue players released from other teams.
Update: The Rams placed defensive lineman Eric Moore on injured reserve to comply with the 53-man limit.
The Seahawks' decision to sign 31-year-old Edgerrin James and confer upon him "complementary" status behind "workhorse" Julius Jones showed what the team thought about its quality depth at running back: not a great deal.
The move upgraded the position, in my view, because James is better suited than was T.J. Duckett to step into the lineup on a full-time basis if needed.
But the Seahawks still might be chasing the rest of the NFC West at the position.
James' signing provides an opportunity to size up the position across the division.
I ranked each team's situation at running back in my mind before calling Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. to talk through each situation. He felt more strongly than I did about ranking the Rams' situation No. 1, ahead of the 49ers' situation. We agreed on ranking the Cardinals' running backs third, ahead of the Seahawks' backs.
Rankings and explanations follow:
1. St. Louis Rams
Current backs: Steven Jackson, Samkon Gado, Antonio Pittman, Kenneth Darby, Chris Ogbonnaya, Mike Karney (FB), Jerome Johnson (FB)
Williamson's take: "Adrian Peterson is the best back in the league and I would probably give the No. 2 honor to DeAngelo Williams right now, but then Steven Jackson is right there -- if healthy, of course. I think he'll get a ton of touches there. They are installing more of an Eagles-type offense. He'll be a bigger, badder version of Brian Westbrook and catch a lot of balls. He will also be the focus of every defense and there could be a greater chance of injury. Karney is a little more athletic than some of the pure straight-ahead hammer blockers. He has had injury problems, too."
My take: The 49ers' overall depth at running back appeals, but Jackson is unquestionably a special player athletically, more so than any back in the division. Special traits always appeal to the scout, which might explain why Williamson was quick to rank the Rams' running backs ahead of those in San Francisco. From my perspective, the Rams' situation at running back might be best in the division while it lasts. I question whether Jackson can hold up for a full season. The drop-off from Jackson to the next guy -- whoever it might be -- will be more dramatic than elsewhere in the division. That's another reason I'm a little nervous about ranking the Rams' running backs No. 1.
2. San Francisco 49ers
Current backs: Frank Gore, Glen Coffee, Michael Robinson, Kory Sheets, Moran Norris (FB), Bill Rentmeester (FB), Brit Miller (FB)
Williamson's take: "I like Gore as well. I would say he is more of the fifth- to 10th-best back in the league. I do not think his skills are as impressive as Jackson's skills. He is also going to be a jack-of-all-trades and get a ton of touches, but his job will be a little easier because I think their passing game will be more respectable than St. Louis' passing game. Of the fullbacks, I like Norris probably the best in the division. He will help Gore's cause. I don't think that is a determining factor one way or another, though."
My take: Gore has shown signs of wearing down late in seasons. He could be at additional risk as the team commits more fully to a run-oriented power scheme. But his toughness and running style earn him high marks. He's enjoying a sensational summer and offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye has said Gore will matter more than the quarterback. All signs point to Gore revisiting the production level he enjoyed during the 2006 season. And with Coffee breaking out in the preseason, the 49ers appear better protected than the Rams if their starter gets hurt.
3. Arizona Cardinals
Current backs: Tim Hightower, Beanie Wells, Jason Wright, LaRod Stephens-Howling, Chris Vincent, Dan Kreider (FB), Tim Castille (FB), Reagan Maui'a (FB)
Williamson's take: "James is more proven than Hightower, but Hightower is cheaper. I don't think he is a special player at all. He has had a better preseason than I expected, but he does not bring any special quality to the table. He is not an extremely powerful player, he is not going to wear down defense, his pass-catching skills are ordinary, he is not a make-you-miss guy and he is not a speed player. Wells has the most talent of any back in Arizona or Seattle."
My take: Cutting James and adding Wells is like moving money from a savings account into something riskier. James was never going to pay off big at this stage of his career. Wells has the talent to complete an already productive offense, but it's tough to believe he'll be healthier in the NFL than he was in college. I know he didn't miss many games at Ohio State, but he's already missed a bunch of training camp. The burden of proof is on Wells at this point. Hightower has been more productive in the preseason because he has taken the opportunity seriously. He looks leaner and quicker than he was last season. The Cardinals can get more from this position by resisting the temptation to throw so frequently.
4. Seattle Seahawks
Current backs: Julius Jones, Edgerrin James, Justin Forsett, Devin Moore, Owen Schmitt (FB), Justin Griffith (FB), Dan Curran (FB), David Kirtman (FB)
Williamson's take: "I don't trust Jones to carry the load. I probably like him better than Hightower, though. I don't like him as a No. 1, but I don't know if either team has a No. 1 right now. Wells has the best chance. Jones is a complementary player, a gets-what-is-there kind of back. I don't think he is a great receiver or anything. He is not tremendously powerful or elusive. Justin Forsett is probably the most intriguing back between Arizona and Seattle. With Edgerrin James, I don't have a lot of faith in him. One thing people don't understand about his game, though, is that he is a great pass-protection back. He will be used more out of the backfield than he was the last couple years, especially with Seattle's offensive line being shaky. He can grind out some yards and could be good in the red zone."
My take: The Seahawks haven't targeted the position early in the draft recently and it shows. Paying Shaun Alexander all that money a few years ago set back the position. The team wasn't going to immediately invest as much in a replacement. Jones and James are both very good in pass protection, though, and I think that will help the offense more than the running stats will show. This looks like a pass-first team on paper. We'll find out whether the zone blocking scheme can manufacture production. Having the same five offensive linemen for more than a week or two would certainly help. Forsett has been the Seahawks' most impressive back this summer.
Numbers games: Rams roster in perspective
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Rams' roster requires additional study after a thorough house-cleaning this offseason. With so many new faces, I feel less familiar with the Rams than with the other teams in the division. This initial look at the roster will hopefully help bring some focus.
Donnie Avery's injury and overall health concerns at receiver could influence how many players the Rams carry into the season at the position.
Marc Bulger's broken pinky shouldn't affect the roster as long as he recovers on schedule. Teams must reduce to 75 players by Sept. 1 and 53 players by Sept. 5. Those initial 53-man rosters sometimes change by Week 1 kickoffs. For that reason, I've been focusing on Week 1 rosters when setting baseline expectations for each position.
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T
he chart provides a framework for how many players the Rams might keep at each position heading into the regular-season opener against the Seahawks.
Here's a quick look at which Rams players I might keep on the cutdown to 53 players:
Around the NFC West: Protection for Bulger
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Marc Bulger has suffered more sacks since 2003 than any NFL quarterback. The Jets sacked him three times in seven dropbacks during the exhibition opener, thanks largely to problems in blitz pickup. The problems running backs had in protection could be addressed through the type of game planning that takes place during the regular season, in my view.
Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Kenneth Darby worked mostly with the third team after a rough outing in the Rams' exhibition opener. Coats: "RB Samkon Gado, who had a big game vs. the Jets, took some snaps with the No. 1 offense. Antonio Pittman, who also had a nice outing Friday, and Gado shared second-team reps. Darby, who struggled in the preseason opener, spent most of his time with the third unit."
Brian Stull of 101ESPN in St. Louis provides a Rams-related injury update, with audio. Stull: "Jacob Bell was still a little fuzzy from his concussion and underwent the testing to compare to his initial baseline results. In his absence, Mark Setterstrom moved to left guard. Tim Mattran took Setterstrom's reps at center with the 2s while John Greco handled the snaps with the 3s."
The 49ers' Web site provides a transcript from Mike Singletary's conference call with reporters Sunday. On rookie linebacker Scott McKillop: "I see a young guy that's trying to have the game slow down for him. He continues to work on his technique and all of the little things that he needs to do in order to make this football team and make a contribution in his first year. He's trying to make calls. So, right now, the game is big for him, not too big, but it's big, and for him, he's trying to get it to slow down a bit so that he can get his eyes in the right place and get the correct reads. I think right now that's the biggest thing for him."
Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle says the Broncos weren't a very good measuring stick for the 49ers in the exhibition opener.
Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the Eagles were thought to be among the teams with interest in Thomas Clayton before the running back suffered a season-ending injury Friday night.
Also from Maiocco: Score the 49ers' exhibition opener for Shaun Hill. Maiocco: "Even into the first week of training camp, I had my questions whether Hill could fit Jimmy Raye's offense. It is essential that the quarterback be able to get the ball down the field to keep defenses from stacking the box against the 49ers' power-running game. Hill is showing more and more every day that he can do that."
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals running back Beanie Wells was back at practice Sunday, but coaches held him out of team drills. Wells wanted to do more in his first practice back from an ankle injury. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "I think Beanie is going to be begging to get some reps off here in the near future. So be careful what you wish for, right?"
Also from Somers: Receiver Early Doucet could return from a shoulder injury this week.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Steve Breaston's right knee has some swelling. The bone bruise is more problematic than the posterior-cruciate ligament sprain. The Cardinals have not ruled out Breaston for their next exhibition game, however.
Greg Johns of seattlepi.com had this to say about the Seahawks' exhibition opener: "I wasn't impressed by young Deon Butler on kick returns as he didn't look comfortable yet and Brandon Coutu's kickoffs weren't as long as he'll need to be to beat out Olindo Mare, though he continues to be very accurate on medium-range field goals."
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times looks at the Seahawks' numbers at defensive end, where Nick Reed is making a push for a roster spot.
John Morgan of Field Gulls offers five observations from Seattle's opener. He also noticed fullback Owen Schmitt's cut blocking in the run game.
Also from Morgan: Brandon Mebane's speed set up Cory Redding for a sack on the Seattle defense's first play of the game.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Three quick hits on the St. Louis Rams:
In the interest of continuity: The Rams have shuffled their offensive linemen too many times for quarterback Marc Bulger to count. The idea this season is to settle on five guys, build continuity and improve over the course of the season. Signing center Jason Brown from the Ravens in free agency gave the Rams badly needed stability in the middle. First-round choice Jason Smith will presumably replace Adam Goldberg at right tackle sometime soon. "There is just something about the line when they are together and working together that makes everyone look good," Bulger said.
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Insurance behind Jackson: The Rams know they're in trouble if something happens to franchise running back Steven Jackson. They need all the insurance they can get from his backups. Samkon Gado and Antonio Pittman made a positive first impression in the exhibition opener. Kenneth Darby, the favorite heading into training camp, needs to show improvement after a rough performance in the opener. Gado's 77-yard touchdown run was impressive even though it came against the Jets' backups. Pittman also helped his cause. It's too early to know whether any of the Rams' backup runners can provide quality depth at the position.
Delegating responsibilities: The Rams hired coach Steve Spagnuolo based largely on his record coordinating the Giants' and Eagles' defenses. Spagnuolo suggested Saturday that he mostly stood back while defensive coordinator Ken Flajole called plays in the exhibition opener. I had assumed Spagnuolo would probably call the defense this season. "I am going to try not to step on toes," Spagnuolo told reporters. "You hire people to do their jobs and I thought they both did a good job of it." Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will obviously call the offense. Spagnuolo is ultimately responsible for how the defense performs. For him to trust defensive calls to a first-time coordinator shows great faith in Flajole.
Around the NFC West: MRI for Cards' Breaston
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals feel as though they are taking steps toward improvement on defense. Strong safety Adrian Wilson: "I thought we played well. We can take a lot of positives from this game defensively. I think we executed what we wanted to execute, which was not to give up big plays, not to give up big running plays and try to keep everything in front of us and get off on third down."
Matt Levin of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals receiver Steve Breaston will undergo an MRI exam on a stiff knee. Coach Ken Whisenhunt did not sound concerned.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals expect rookie running back Beanie Wells to return from an ankle injury in time to play in the next exhibition game. Also, Whisenhunt was generally pleased with the Cardinals' performance against the Steelers.
Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says 49ers coach Mike Singletary didn't see much from the quarterbacks Friday night. He also called the pass rush non-existent. On the injury front: "Fullback Zak Keasey sustained a fractured right forearm. Running back Thomas Clayton sustained a right knee injury and was carted off the field in obvious pain."
Also from Maiocco: running commentary from the first half of the 49ers' game against Denver.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says injuries to the 49ers' running backs could mean more playing time for scoring machine Brit Miller.
Also from Barrows: some in-game notes.
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says 49ers quarterbacks Alex Smith and Shaun Hill looked OK -- particularly compared to Kyle Orton.
Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News quotes 49ers president Jed York as saying the team will eventually sign first-round choice Michael Crabtree. Not that York was going to say the team likely never would sign Crabtree.
Also from Brown: Dre Bly was quite pleased to pick off a pass against his old team.
Andrew Davidson of Niners Nation provides a 49ers game overview. Was that Brit Miller or Leonard Weaver out there?
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams were generally pleased by their performance against the Jets -- and ecstatic for rookie quarterback Keith Null. Marc Bulger even retrieved the ball Null threw for his first NFL touchdown pass. Bulger: "I said, 'Who cares if it's preseason? It's still your first touchdown pass in the NFL. It was a great throw. That pass looked like it was (thrown) by a 10-year vet." Sounds like a little camaraderie.
Also from Thomas: Samkon Gado and Antonio Pittman were far better than Kenneth Darby. All three are battling to be the second-team running back.
More from Thomas: positives and negatives from the Rams. Rookies Brooks Foster, Sean Walker and Null made big plays.
Turf Show Times' VanRam saw improvement from the Rams' linebackers.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times sizes up the competition for one or two spots at receiver on the Seahawks' roster. I would think the team would find a spot for Ben Obomanu.
Also from O'Neil: The Seahawks are unapologetic about adopting cut-blocking techniques even though defensive linemen despise them.
Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune explains how the Seahawks identify the strong side, thereby determining where Aaron Curry lines up.
John Morgan of Field Gulls sizes up the Seahawks' offensive line heading into the team's exhibition opener at San Diego. Morgan: "The other matter is seeing the team's progress zone blocking. Everyone matters, but I will pay special attention to Rob Sims, because he never looked good pulling in Mike Holmgren's system, and Ray Willis, because he has potential to be an elite run-blocking right tackle. Overall, the line must move and slide and block as a unit."
Also from Morgan: a look at attempts to project Matt Hasselbeck's production in 2009.
Initial thoughts from Rams training camp
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The Rams appear content moving forward with their current receivers after learning Donnie Avery suffered a broken fourth metatarsal bone. They added safety Mark Rubin to replace the injured Eric Bassey.
I arrived at Rams camp in time to watch most of their afternoon practice. This was a non-contact practice without pads. I did not see pass-rush drills and did not see enough from the healthy receivers to get an initial feel for them. Nate Jones and Sean Walker caught deep passes. Friday will provide a much better opportunity to get a feel for the Rams.
Running back Kenneth Darby and quarterback Keith Null botched a handoff exchange. Running back Antonio Pittman dropped a short pass from Kyle Boller. Rubin picked off a pass from Null after a teammate whose identity eluded me batted it near the line of scrimmage.
Adam Goldberg was still working with the starters at right tackle, ahead of No. 2 overall choice Jason Smith. Smith won't get a break in this camp as long as Leonard Little is healthy. That's a difficult matchup for the best veteran tackles, let alone a rookie. I'll be watching Smith very closely in the Rams' exhibition opener against the Jets.
Mailbag: All-decade outrage, allegations fly
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Drew from Fife, Wash., writes: Sando, normally I agree with a lot that you write, but you are clearly showing your bias towards Seattle if you think Shaun Alexander is the better choice of running back over Marhall Faulk. Yes, Alexander scored a lot of touchdows over the years. But that was a product of what might have been the strongest left side of an offensive line ever. Once Hutch went to the Vikes, Alexander's carrer was over.
Mike Sando: You really think I'm so lazy in my analysis to consider Alexander over Faulk for the all-decade team because I covered the Seahawks? Was I then secretly covering for myself by taking Kurt Warner over Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback? Jeremy Newberry over Robbie Tobeck at center? It makes no sense.
Alexander's production sets him apart. His selection to this team was as easy for me as selecting Torry Holt as a receiver and Bryant Young as a defensive lineman.
Faulk had three great years this decade. Alexander had five. Both benefited from superb supporting casts. The Rams put two offensive linemen on the all-decade team, same as the Seahawks. Faulk had the better career and was the better player over the course of his career. This was not an all-career team. It was specific to the years 2000 through 2008.
As for Hutchinson, yes, his departure hurt the Seattle offense. But it wasn't the primary factor in Alexander's demise. Remember, that was Alexander carrying 26 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns during a playoff game at Soldier Field on Jan. 14, 2007 -- with Rob Sims at left guard for Seattle.
Rams' weakness: Offensive skill positions
Posted by Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson
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| Jeff Curry/US Presswire | |
| Outside of Steve Jackson, the Rams are short on weapons. |
The Rams have several areas of great concern. But outside of Steve Jackson, there is a real shortage at wide receiver, tight end and complementary running backs in St. Louis. Actually, it might be prudent to add Marc Bulger to this equation as well, as he has thrown 22 touchdowns and 28 interceptions over the past two seasons. But let's just focus on the pass catchers and backup runners for the moment.
Jackson isn't the most durable player around, so having a quality back behind him is of paramount importance. There might not be a team in the league that has worse running back depth than the Rams. Jackson has missed four games in each of the past two seasons and the best options behind him are Antonio Pittman, Kenneth Darby, Samkon Gado and this year's seventh-round pick, Chris Ogbonnaya. Also, this is supposed to be a power, run-first offense with Steve Spagnuolo as the head coach. The backs are going to take a pounding.
The Rams used an early second-round pick last year to make Donnie Avery the first wideout selected in 2008. He is incredibly fast and had a more than respectable season in his rookie year. There is a lot to like about Avery, but is he ever going to be a true No. 1 guy who can dominate in tight quarters, the red zone and when coverages are rolled his way? Like most of St. Louis' wide receiver corps, he is best suited to the dome environment, which is fine -- when the Rams are playing in a dome.
While it is extremely early in his career and he has yet to be productive, Keenan Burton may end up being a solid No. 2 wideout in time. He has decent size, knows how to use it well and is a secure hand-catcher. Still, there is a learning curve here.
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St. Louis also wisely traded for Laurent Robinson, who could be another very good dome player. He has a vertical aspect to his game and should develop further. Either Robinson or Burton will start opposite Avery.
While these three young wideouts have upside and very well could develop into solid pros, they are not there yet and there certainly is no guarantee that they will excel. Avery and Robinson aren't particularly physical. And learning the wide receiver position at this level tends to take a fair amount of time.
Also, these are really the only three wideouts of consequence presently on the roster. Brooks Foster might be OK as a fourth wideout and he does have ability, but forgive me if I don't get overly excited about Derek Stanley or Tim Carter. The lack of star power at wideout is the most troubling.
Randy McMichael would be a suitable starting tight end -- if the Rams were better stocked at wide receiver. Or, if St. Louis had a superstar tight end to go with their present group of wideouts, that would be fine. But neither is the case. Expect somewhat of a resurgence from McMichael this season after missing the final 12 games last year with a leg injury. He will be needed, and there is little behind him right now on the tight end depth chart, so throwing out of double tight end sets could be compromised. Keep an eye on Daniel Fells, a relative unknown. He has a chance to make an impact to some degree.
Finding questionable areas on the Rams is not a difficult chore. Both lines still have a chance to be weaknesses and the cornerback position is rather unstable as well, but the lack of offensive playmakers outside of Jackson is most troubling.
Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Brian Leonard's two-year run with the Rams ended when the team traded him to the Bengals for defensive lineman Orien Harris. The move, which the Rams confirmed, was another reminder that the team is rebuilding.
Two years ago, Leonard was a promising second-round choice, a player then-coach Scott Linehan thought had the size to hold in pass protection as a third-down back in addition to getting carries as Steven Jackson's backup. Linehan envisioned Leonard as a durable backup and situational player. Instead, injuries slowed and sidelined Leonard, limiting him to two games last season.
In retrospect, the coaching change from Linehan to Jim Haslett to Steve Spagnuolo diminished Leonard's value to the Rams. In Harris, the Rams are getting a 300-pound defensive tackle who played sparingly for the Bengals last season. Harris entered the NFL as a fourth-round choice of the Steelers under Bill Cowher in 2006. Is he a 3-4 end or a 4-3 tackle?
Harris has bounced from the Steelers to the Browns to the Saints to the Bengals to the Rams in less than four NFL seasons. Perhaps he can earn a spot in the Rams' rotation.
For the Rams, this trade appears to be about getting something in return for a player who didn't fit into the team's plans under a new staff. Leonard was listed as a fullback, but at 226 pounds, he wasn't a bruiser in the Mike Karney mold. The Rams used a seventh-round choice on Chris Ogbonnaya from Texas. They also have Antonio Pittman, Kenneth Darby and Sam Gado behind Jackson. Jerome Johnson, a rookie free agent from Nevada, gives the Rams two true fullbacks.
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Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Jon Rand's story about Larry Johnson's prospects in Kansas City past age 30 got me thinking about decisions teams face with older running backs.
The Cardinals' Edgerrin James is the only NFC West halfback in his 30s. He almost certainly will not return for another season in Arizona.
The second-oldest halfback in the division, 28-year-old T.J. Duckett, is not an every-down runner. He's built more like a fullback and he spent last season as a short-yardage specialist.
The two best backs in the division -- the Rams' Steven Jackson and the 49ers' Frank Gore -- are 25 years old. And we all know what happened to Shaun Alexander as he approached 30.
By my count, NFL teams feature only 10 halfbacks in their 30s: James, Ricky Williams (Dolphins), Thomas Jones (Jets), Sammy Morris (Patriots), Fred Taylor (Patriots), Kevin Faulk (Patriots), Kenny Watson (Bengals), Correll Buckhalter (Broncos), LaMont Jordan (Broncos) and Michael Bennett (Chargers).
Three of the 10 play for the Patriots and five of the 10 are in the AFC East.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Rams' problem areas span top to bottom. The team began its shakeup at the top by forcing out longtime executive Jay Zygmunt. At the bottom, the team levied a $25,000 fine against backup running back Antonio Pittman for missing practice Saturday, the day after his birthday.
Meanwhile, interim coach Jim Haslett wants everyone to know that a coach can't change an organization's culture midway through the season. That is undoubtedly true in some cases. It might be true in the Rams' case.
But the Rams lost Sunday to a team that can make case to the contrary. The 49ers, 2-5 under Mike Nolan to start the season, have posted a 4-4 record under Mike Singletary. The record is 4-3 since the bye week, when Singletary made a clean break from J.T. O'Sullivan to Shaun Hill at quarterback.
The Rams' problems run so deep that ownership might decide this is the time to start fresh with a new coaching staff and significant roster changes.
The Rams are an older team. Heading into Week 16, the Rams had the third-oldest 53-man roster in the league. Their starters were the third-oldest in the league. Older players can become jaded, making it harder for a coach to sell his philosophy.
The Rams have 15 players in their 30s, one off the league high, and nine starters in their 30s, tied for the league high.
Every team needs veterans, and some of the Rams' older players are assets, but I'll be interested in seeing how many are back for another season in St. Louis. New England led the league with 16 players in their 30s entering Week 16, but the Patriots have an established program. They also run a 3-4 defense, which often works best with veterans.
A quick look at Rams players in their 30s heading into Week 16: Trent Green, La'Roi Glover, Leonard Little, Cory Withrow, Orlando Pace, Corey Chavous, Jason Craft, Chris Draft, Dane Looker, Torry Holt, James Hall, Marc Bulger, Anthony Becht, Fakhir Brown and Todd Johnson.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
