Bleacher Report - Articles by Nathan Grimm

Fighting Illini Ready To Return to Bowl Game in 2009

Nathan Grimm — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:34:13 -0400

The Fighting Illini football team has surprised a lot of people over the course of the past few seasons.

As Illini fans found out, that's not always a good thing.

After a breakout 2007 that ended with their first Rose Bowl appearance since the 1983 season, they stumbled to a 5-7 record in 2008, and missed the bowl postseason.

It's sufficient to say the 2009 season is anybody's guess.

Their struggles in '08 were a result of untimely turnovers and largely ineffective defense, so those two areas will be of highest concern in the coming season.

The offense is still incredibly dynamic with senior quarterback Isiah "Juice" Williams and wide receiver Arrelious Benn as the two biggest weapons.

Williams is the definition of a dual-threat quarterback—he can hurt a team with his arm or his legs.

And, in his two years at Illinois, Benn already has a receiving, rushing, and return touchdown to his name. He had 1,055 receiving yards and three receiving touchdown in 2008, standing out as one of the brighter spots in the down year.

One thing that will be different about the offense in '09 is the coach calling the plays.

After Mike Locksley left to be the head coach at the University of New Mexico, Illini head coach Ron Zook brought in another Mike, Mike Schultz of Texas Christian University, to be the new offensive coordinator.

The TCU offense set single-season school records for points scored and touchdowns in 2008 with Schultz calling the shots.

One thing the TCU offense did especially well was run the ball, ranking 13th nationally. That's a good start for a team that likes to run and utilizes a lot of different looks in their offensive backfield.

After Rashard Mendenhall graduated in 2007, the team turned to a running back-by-committee in 2008, utilizing Jason Ford, Daniel Dufrene, and often Williams on designed scrambles.

While the group was fairly effective, the signings of four-star recruit Bud Golden and three-star Greg Fuller should give the Illini even more options on the ground in '09.

Williams will almost certainly retain his starting role, but he will be pushed by another four-star recruit, Nathan Scheelhaase. Even if Scheelhaase sees limited time in '09, he looks to be the heir to Williams in the future.

With Benn and A.J. Jenkins, the Illini have two top receivers returning, and the addition of Terry Hawthorne, yet another four-star athlete, makes the unit that much more of a strength.

Hawthorne is rated as one of the top deep threats in this year's class by rivals.com.

The Illini also improved on the offensive line, adding four linemen. The group is headed by Leon Hill, a four-star prospect out of Chicago.

The offensive line's improvement will be key in reducing the number of sacks sustained by Williams.

The front five allowed over two sacks per game in '08, putting them in the bottom half of the category nationally. The loss of tackle Xavier Fulton to the NFL won't help, but the unit is still strong with seniors Eric Block and Jon Asamoah returning.

While offensive improvements will help the Illini put up even more points in '09—they were 19th in the nation in total offense in 2008—defensive improvement is what will win the Illini more ballgames.

The defense took a hit when standout cornerback Vontae Davis left early for the NFL.

Davis was the defense's biggest playmaker in his two years, so replacing his production will be a daunting task for the returning athletes and incoming freshmen.

One of those freshman might make the loss of Davis a bit easier, though. Justin Green, possibly the biggest recruit in the '09 class for Zook, seemed certain to be headed elsewhere when National Signing Day rolled around last February.

First it was Kentucky.

Then it was Ohio St.

But, in the end, Green ended up at Illinois and immediately solidified the cornerback spot vacated by Davis.

Green is ranked as the second-fastest and second-best athlete at the cornerback spot in his class by rivals.com.

He, along with returning seniors Donsay Hardeman and Dere Hicks, will be asked to shut down a Big Ten receiving group that regularly produces NFL wide receivers.

Another area of concern for the Illini was the defensive line.

Two four-star athletes, end Michael Buchanan and tackle Lendell Buckner, head an incoming group that should team well with returning linemen Josh Brent and Jerry Brown to make the line a solid group in '09.

Linebacker has been a position that has produced many of the nation's top tacklers in the past few seasons.

Matt Sinclair, J Leman, and most recently Brit Miller have all stepped in and solidified the defense as middle linebackers after their predecessors graduated.

Another Illini linebacker will be asked to do the same this year after Miller's departure.

Martez Wilson is the most likely candidate because of his natural athleticism, but Wilson has struggled to be a consistent force in his time at Illinois.

Ian Thomas has also gotten a look at MLB, so between the two the Illini hope to catch lightning in a bottle once again.

The incoming class isn't headlined with big-name recruits, but junior college transfer Aaron Gress and freshman Eric Watts are solid prospects who should contribute.

On special teams, the Illini struggled in both the punting and the punt return games. Benn will likely handle the punt returns again in '09, and, after a subpar returning year, he should bounce back and be more of a force in that area.

Anthony Santella handled punting duties in '08, but failed to average 40 yards per punt, so he and senior Kyle Yelton could be in an open competition for the job in '09.

The schedule is always tough in the Big Ten, and the Illini will again open the season against Mizzou in what will be (at least for the immediate future) the last installment of the Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis.

So, nothing will be given to the Illini this season.

But, with the returning talent in the form of Williams and Benn along with incoming prospects like Golden and Green, Zook should have the Illini on the right side of .500 and, barring bad luck and unforeseen injuries, back to a bowl in '09.

Unfortunately with this team, nothing will come as a surprise.

St. Louis Rams: Five Keys to Success in 2009

Nathan Grimm — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:21:06 -0400

When talking about keys to success, some are obvious. A quarterback must throw the ball accurately. A tailback must be agile. A linebacker must wrap up. But the less obvious are things that may not happen in the spotlight, things that don't garner the national attention but are just as vital to a team's success. The big keys to success for the St. Louis Rams aren't cryptic; everyone knows the offense runs through Steven Jackson, and opposing offensive linemen target Leonard Little as the player to watch on the Rams defense. But two players do not a team make. Good teams are instead comprised of multiple players with specific skills all working together to better the whole. If the Rams are going to win in 2009, of course Jackson and Little will be key. But it will also require others to step up and contribute, sometimes with skills they haven't yet shown and in ways they've struggled to previously. Other times, it's showing the ability to revert back to a form they have shown previously, whether it was in college or a year they had particular success. In any case, here are five variables that will be vital to any success the Rams have in 2009:

Begin Slideshow

Why Not Nine; How The St. Louis Rams Can Make The Playoffs in 2009

Nathan Grimm — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:41:32 -0400

He wouldn't have said it if he didn't believe it.

Shortly after being drafted, new Rams offensive tackle Jason Smith had a conference call with the St. Louis media in which he couldn't help but be optimistic about the 2009 season.

“Obviously, they are at the bottom; they want to be at the top," Smith, as quoted by Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, said.

"I could feel that when I was there. I could feel that talking to the guys and then I had the opportunity to go watch the team work out and I’m feeling like I’m part of them. I’m saying, ‘Why not us? Why not us? Why are we not the ones?’ And I was like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, I’m not even there yet.’

"But why not us you know? Why not me? Why not today? Why not this game? Why not this year? Why not this playoff? Why not this Super Bowl? Let’s make dreams and visions become reality.’”

So the question remains—why not the Rams?

The precedent is certainly there. Just a year ago, the Miami Dolphins went from one-win cellar dwellers to 11-game winners and playoff participants.

And they're not the exception. The NFL's salary cap creates a great deal of parity and presents the opportunity for upward mobility for wayward franchises such as the Rams.

Every team, the Rams included, approaches each new season with hopes of a winning season and a Super Bowl ring.

So how can the Rams realistically contend in 2009?

First, it must be established how many wins the team will need to earn a playoff berth.

The woes of the NFC West have been well-documented in years past, but the Arizona Cardinals surprised everyone by making it to the Super Bowl after going only 9-7 in the regular season.

They enter the season as the team to beat in the West, but no team is without its problems.

The Cardinals continue to have contract issues with standout wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who wants to be paid like his teammate Larry Fitzgerald. That can only be a distraction for a team trying to make it back to the Super Bowl.

Kurt Warner is also getting up in age, and his durability is constantly in question. In the event of a Warner injury, will Matt Leinart be able to lead the team to success?

The Seattle Seahawks suffered to a 4-12 record in 2008, and while part of those struggles were due to missing key players on both sides of the ball, they could face adversity with the transition from Mike Holmgren to Jim Mora at head coach and the absence of stud linebacker Julian Peterson, who was traded to Detroit in the offseason.

The San Francisco 49ers went 7-9 in 2008, but they enter 2009 with a quarterback who has only attempted 367 passes in his eight-year career.

Pair that with an underwhelming offensive line on paper and the worst takeaway-to-turnover ratio in the NFL and there is no guarantee the team will duplicate its relative success in the West.

The door may be open for the Rams, but any team winning the West will most likely need another nine-win season.

So that leads us to the next question: How do the Rams get to nine wins?

They've already begun the process by adding veterans Jason Brown and James Butler and drafting Smith and James Laurinaitis, but you don't win games in May.

For the sake of order, lets break the season down into four quadrants and analyze just how the Rams could make a Dolphins-like turnaround.

Quadrant I: Tough schedule right out of the gate

Week 1 the Rams travel to Seattle. The Rams got embarrassed in Seattle in Week 3 of 2008 but should have won the second meeting in St. Louis, which would have given the teams a split on the year.

Split or not, it's Seattle's home opener and most likely a win for the Seahawks.

They travel to Washington in Week 2 to face the Redskins. In 2008, the Rams got their brief two-game winning streak started by going into Washington and winning after the bye week.

The Redskins addressed their 2008 problems the only way Dan Snyder knows how—by throwing money at anyone and everyone. Albert Haynesworth is a beast in the middle, but team chemistry still takes time to develop.

With so many additions and subtractions, it's unclear what this Redskins team will look like early on.

Call it a hunch, but I'll give this matchup to the Rams.

The Rams play their home opener in Week 3 against Green Bay.

The Packers are in the midst of a conversion to a 3-4 style defense and might be starting two rookies in the front seven when they come to St. Louis.

The Rams will be young, too, but the Packers had their share of struggles in 2008 and this game certainly isn't a lock.

The Renewed Hope of a Franchise + Home Opener Energy = Rams Win. (Come on, I'm trying to find nine wins here. I've got to be somewhat of an optimist.)

In Week 4 the Rams again travel, this time to San Francisco.

The story on the Rams-49ers 2008 matchups reads like Seattle Seahawks Redux—a bad loss on the road and a botched lead late at home. But unlike the Seahawks, the 49ers didn't really deal with many injuries, just poor play.

I feel like this is a toss-up, but I'll respect the home-field advantage and give the edge to the 49ers at home.

Quadrant II: North and South

With a hypothetical 2-2 record entering Week 5, the Rams get Minnesota at home.

The Vikings are dealing with the (as of now pending) suspensions of defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams for use of banned substances.

Currently the two are still able to play while the case is under appeal.

As it stands, though, the Vikings have two giant question marks in their interior line and a quarterback situation that could be complicated by the eternal indecision that is Brett Favre's football career. Advantage: Rams.

Two AFC South teams, Jacksonville and Indianapolis, follow the Minnesota game, and in the interest of time, I've decided the Rams will lose both.

Indianapolis isn't even worth a discussion; Jacksonville could be a contest, but the AFC South is such a tough division that the level of play will have to be high to compete.

In Week 8, the Rams head north to take on Detroit.

The Lions will be improved, but it's hard not to improve on 0-16. Mathematically impossible to get any worse in a 16-game season, in fact.

And any team that allows 517 points and subsequently uses its two first-round draft picks on offensive players deserves to lose, anyway. And lose they will.

Quadrant III: Home Sweet Home

After the Week 9 bye, the Rams have three consecutive home games and a hypothetical 4-4 record.

New Orleans is a dome team as well, so they should feel right at home in the Edward Jones Dome.

Neither team showed the ability to stop opposing offenses in 2008, so whichever defense shows the most improvement should win the battle. After a bye, the Rams should be the fresher team and therefore get the win.

The next two games are against divisional opponents, Arizona and Seattle.

The importance of winning home games within the division is well understood, so the Rams shouldn't have any problem getting up for the games.

Before the last few years, home field was a definite advantage for the Rams, so a return to contention should prove valuable again. The Rams can realistically win both games.

The final game of the quadrant is in Chicago. The Bears feel that they've improved by acquiring Jay Cutler to be their quarterback, but the truth is Cutler hasn't won anything.

The Bears will require an unlikely contribution from someone on the wide receiving corps—much like the Rams—if they're going to be greatly improved, Cutler or no Cutler.

It's another toss-up, but the Rams are going to need an unexpected win somewhere along the line. Rams win.

Quadrant IV: The Final (Playoff!) Stretch

Our hypothetical journey nears the end and finds the Rams at 8-4. Only one more win is needed to reach the imaginary playoff bar, but it won't be easy.

The Rams travel to Tennessee in Week 14, and barring a Music City Miracle or unforeseen injury the Titans should roll.

Week 15 brings Houston to the Ed.

Houston has been poised to break out for a few years now, and something tells me 2009 might be the year it finally happens.

They're not terribly flashy, but Andre Johnson is one of the best receivers in the game and Mario Williams is looking more and more like the right choice with the first pick in the 2006 Draft.

I think Houston wins and drops the Rams record to 8-6.

In Week 16, the Rams are in Arizona. Sticking with my pattern of home divisional games, I'll give the win to Arizona.

So here it is. Week 17 and the Rams need a win at home against San Francisco to reach nine.

In a game of far less hypothetical importance, the 49ers visited St. Louis late in the 2008 season. The Rams led most of the game and with 4:04 left they led comfortably 16-3.

In the ensuing 4:04, the 49ers went on to score two touchdowns and win the game 17-16. The loss was an exclamation point on the disaster that was the 2008 season.

But as Jason Smith pointed out, these Rams are not the 2008 Rams. They don't have to repeat the same history. They don't have to have the same issues.

A win and they're in, a loss and they're devastated. What would Smith say?

He'd probably say, "Why not us? Why not this game?

"Why not nine?"

With Spagnuolo, Rams Headed in a Winning Direction

Nathan Grimm — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:46:03 -0400

It's fairly easy to describe the play-calling tendencies of the new coaching regime for the St. Louis Rams.

Non-existent.

That's because the head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator have been at the helm for a combined zero regular season snaps for their new team.

After the past two seasons in which the team won only five games total, the Rams organization cleaned house this past offseason.

Gone were any remnants of those losing seasons, replaced with arguably the hottest head coaching commodity on the market and a pair of coordinators from successful organizations.

Floundering franchise, say hello to Steve Spagnuolo, Pat Shurmur, and Ken Flajole.

Spagnuolo is most recognized as the defensive mind behind the Giants' immovable object that caused problems for the Patriots' irresistible force in Super Bowl XLII.

Spagnuolo wasn't just a defensive genius overnight, though. Heck, his blitz-heavy scheme, while executed very well by his Giants defense, isn't even unique to Spagnuolo.

Spagnuolo got his start in 1982 as a graduate assistant at the University of Massachusetts, but it wasn't until 1999, when he caught on with the Philadelphia Eagles, that his star started to rise.

With Philadelphia, Spagnuolo got to learn from Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, one of the game's most aggressive play-callers.

Johnson's defenses are notorious for their relentless pressure on the quarterback, and Spagnuolo put that philosophy to work in New York when he became the defensive coordinator in 2007.

With the likes of Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and Antonio Pierce, Spagnuolo and the Giants were able to conquer the previously undefeated Patriots by disrupting quarterback Tom Brady all game long.

Spagnuolo spent 2008 with the Giants as well and again earned a trip to the postseason, but this time the Giants fell to Spagnuolo's former mentor Johnson and the Eagles in the divisional round.

Spagnuolo hopes to continue his success in St. Louis. The Rams haven't been to the postseason since 2004.

To help try to bring back a winning tradition, Spagnuolo hired as his coordinators two men who have been winners in their time in the NFL.

Shortly after his hiring, Spagnuolo announced that Shurmur and Flajole would be joining his staff as the offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively.

“Both are very strong leaders, character people,” Spagnuolo said in an interview with Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch shortly after the hirings in late January.

“They’re exactly what I laid out (Monday) in terms of faith, character, core values, and team first. I’m looking forward to working with both of those guys.”

And they have one more thing going for them: Both have also been to the Super Bowl. Flajole went with the Carolina Panthers in the 2003 season. Shurmur went the following year with the Eagles.

Both teams lost to the Patriots—something Rams fans can relate to—but with Spagnuolo as the team's new leader, the Rams have hopes that those losses will be a distant memory.

It won't be the first time Spagnuolo has worked with Shurmur.

Shurmur was also hired in 1999 to be part of Andy Reid's staff in Philadelphia. He began as tight ends coach and quickly worked his way up to quarterbacks coach, the position he's held for the past seven years.

The biggest change that Shurmur brings to the Rams is the implementation of the West Coast Offense, which was chronicled in an earlier article.

In Philadelphia, Shurmur was able to work with one of the best in Donovan McNabb. Now he will get to try to revive the career of Marc Bulger.

Defensively, Flajole comes from the Panthers, where he was the linebackers coach for the past six years. Recently, he's helped Jon Beason and Thomas Davis become quality linebackers for the Panthers.

While Flajole might not come in and have a huge impact on Spagnuolo's defensive ideology, Spagnuolo said Flajole will still be counted on for a new perspective, according to Bill Coats of the Post-Dispatch.

“One of the great things about hiring a new staff on defense is, there are a lot of other ideas that come into play," Spagnuolo said.

"I certainly don’t think we had all the answers in New York. Now we can just beg, borrow and steal, and do it officially, because the guys are here. That’s all you do in the league. You steal good ideas from other people.”

Beg, borrow or steal, one thing is certain―the Rams need a new look in 2009 to help everyone forget their 2008.

Now that the structure is in place, it's time to see if this regime can be more successful than the last.

It starts with Snap One.

Josh Brown: Q & A with Rams Kicker

Nathan Grimm — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:07:47 -0400

In football, the kicker often plays the role of unsung hero or public scapegoat Monday morning.

Josh Brown is no exception.

But Brown earned himself the title of Public Enemy No. 1 to Rams fans by kicking two game-winning field goals as a member of the Seahawks in 2006.

The Rams got so tired of Brown beating them that they signed him to a five-year, $14.2 million contract after the 2007 season.

Hey, if you can't beat him, have him join you, right?

Now, after making a career-best 31 field goals in his first year as a Ram, Brown and the revamped Rams have hopes for better days in St. Louis.

With past achievements and future ones in mind, I came up with a list of questions I'd ask Brown in an interview"

"As an Oklahoma kid who went to the University of Nebraska, were there conflicting feelings within your family about your choice of college?"

"You majored in communications at Nebraska. What would you be doing if you weren't a football player?"

"When you were drafted by Seattle in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft, you moved from the Midwest to the Pacific Northeast. What was the biggest shock about moving to the West Coast?"

"You played in a Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2005, an experience all football players live for. What is the one thing about that week that you remember most?"

"You were arguably the biggest nemesis of the Rams in the last few years—it seemed every time Rams fans looked you were kicking a game-winning field goal against them. How were you received by the fans in your first year on the home sideline?"

"Speaking of game-winning field goals, you've kicked six in your career. Is one more memorable than the others?"

"When things don't go well, kickers often draw the ire of fans for their mistakes, maybe more than any other player on a football team. How do you stay mentally tough when you have a bad game?"

"With the Rams in 2008, you kicked a career-high 31 field goals. How much do individual achievements matter when the team is struggling as a whole?"

"Are kickers affected by coaching changes—like the one the Rams organization underwent this past offseason—as much as offensive or defensive players?"

"Athletes are notorious for being superstitious. Do you have any rituals or superstitions that you go through on gameday?"

"Finally, with the new additions and coaching changes, what do you think is a realistic expectation for the 2009 Rams?"

Your 2009 St. Louis Rams: The New (Mid)West Coast Offense

Nathan Grimm — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:07:17 -0400

Marc Bulger would be the first to tell you he's not Donovan McNabb.

McNabb, after all, is strong, mobile and possesses a cannon for a right arm. Bulger is a pocket quarterback who thrives on accuracy and would probably rather wilt like Brett Favre in the face of an NFL sack record than try to shed a defender.

So it's safe to say new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur can remove the naked bootleg from his playbook.

Shurmur left the Philadelphia Eagles after being with the team since 1999 to become the offensive coordinator for new Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo. Shurmur most recently served as quarterbacks coach for the Eagles.

The biggest thing Shurmur brings with him is the West Coast Offense system.

The offense is pass-first and places an emphasis on gaining small chunks of yards each down, thus eliminating the ideology that first and second down are necessarily running downs.

Instead, short, quick and often precisely timed passes help set up the run by forcing the defense to stretch themselves along the defensive line.

This sort of play-calling has been employed by the Eagles in recent years with much success and goes back to Bill Walsh's days with the Cincinnati Bengals and later the San Francisco 49ers.

It's a system that Bulger should excel in. Bulger has always relied more on his accuracy than his arm strength, so the quick three-and five-step drops will allow him to get rid of the football quicker and (hopefully) avoid taking so many sacks.

One thing the system does require, though, is quick decision-making, something Bulger has had some trouble with in recent years. In the West Coast Offense he will have to think fast and throw to empty spaces, trusting that the receiver will be there.

That trust may be easier said than done in 2009. Bulger will be throwing to a very young group of receivers led by sophomore Donnie Avery, and it remains to be seen how the existing group will adapt to the new system.

It will be interesting to see how the new system fits into Coach Spagnuolo's plan to play a more smash-mouth style of football on offense. The commitment was reinforced when the Rams took offensive lineman Jason Smith with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

In an ideal world, Bulger will have a return to his 2004 form, when he completed 66 percent of his passes. The young receivers wouldn't miss a step, catching everything thrown their way and showing promise for the future as well.

And, of course, Steven Jackson would average six yards-per-carry with the defense being unable to put nine men in the box.

Hey, everyone can dream.

On the opposite side of the ball, new defensive coordinator Ken Flajole will team with Spagnuolo to tighten up a defense that hasn't been respectable since Lovie Smith left.

Flajole was most recently the linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers. Under his tutelage, Jon Beason has become one of the better linebackers in the NFL.

Of course, Spagnuolo came to the Rams after two years as the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.

Spagnuolo is from the Jim Johnson School of Blitzing, so it won't be a surprise if the Rams bring pressure considerably more than they have in recent years.

That includes bringing linebackers, which explains the recent release of Pisa Tinoisamoa. Tinoisamoa led the team in tackles in 2008 but lacked the size to be successful in Spagnuolo's system.

It may also explain the choice the Rams made with the 35th pick in the recent NFL Draft. When the Rams' turn to select came up in the second round, both top-flight middle linebackers were still on the board and they had a choice to make: Rey Maualuga or James Laurinaitis?

The Rams went with Laurinaitis. It may have been due to concerns about Maualuga's character that scared the team away, but Laurinaitis was also considered the better tackler and leader of the two.

Whatever the reason, Laurinaitis will now more-than-likely be roaming the middle for Spagnuolo when the season starts.

The new system may also produce more playing time for Leonard Little, who specializes in getting to the quarterback. In a defense that preaches the importance of pressure, Little should see a lot of playing time with his ability to rush the passer.

It's fair to say Rams fans will see a lot of different things from the team in 2009.

Hopefully for the Rams faithful the sum of all those parts will produce one more new thing: wins.

St. Louis Rams 2009 Position Battles: This Is Sparta!

Nathan Grimm — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:46:04 -0400

The traditional understanding of a positional battle in professional sports is when two or more athletes are vying for one spot, usually a starting role.

When your entire team is comprised of players trying to earn regular playing time, that's not a series of positional battles. That's a war of attrition. Those left standing at the end are the ones with roster spots.

So before the Leonidas-like cries start rising from Rams camp this summer, lets take a look at how the battles break down, combat-style.

Quarterback

Status: Skirmish

Even with Marc Bulger's poor play in recent years, his contract (and ostensibly the new regime's faith in him) was big enough that he survived the cleaning of house this offseason.

Rather than opt for the veteran backup a la Trent Green again this year, the Rams instead brought in some new blood in Kyle Boller.

The rap on Boller, as per his old teammate and new Ram Jason Brown, is that he got skittish in Baltimore and began hearing footsteps, a story Rams fans are all too familiar with.

Boller is still young and possesses ridiculous arm strength, though, so he has the ability to push Bulger this season. In the end, the job is still Bulger's to lose.

Running Back

Status: Olive Branch

See: Steven Jackson. An interesting backstory could be who backs up Jackson. Antonio Pittman is the incumbent and with Brian Leonard now gone, he looks to be the odds-on favorite as well.

But seventh-round pick Chris Ogbonnaya was drafted for a reason, and if he impresses enough, he may supplant Pittman and serve as the thunder to Jackson's...well, bigger thunder.

Kenneth Darby is the dark horse of the group, but he's the darkest of horses at this point.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Status: War

When your best returning receiver has 53 career receptions, there may be some roster spots up for grabs. Donnie Avery is the apparent No. 1 receiver in Rams camp, but after that, it's anybody's guess.

Laurent Robinson, Keenan Burton, Derek Stanley, Tim Carter and Brooks Foster are all names that could, at best, emerge as weapons for the Rams in 2009, and at worst it looks as thought one of them is at least going to have to man the No. 2 position until help is found through the draft or free agency next year.

Of the group, Robinson has the best combination of size, speed and experience, so I'll give him the edge early.

At tight end, a healthy Randy McMichael will handle the pass-catching duties and newly signed Billy Bajema should serve as backup and run-blocker extraordinaire.

This might leave Joe "Clippety" Klopfenstein on the outside looking in. Klopfenstein has had multiple chances to win the starting job but repeatedly gets lost in the shuffle. His time might be near.

O-Line

Status: Scuffle

The front five seem to be set, but there are still potential pitfalls that could shake up the starting roster.

Jason Smith, though highly touted, is still a rookie. Alex Barron is moving back to the left side after spending most of his professional career at right tackle. Barron has also struggled with false start penalties in his career.

Richie Incognito's temper and inability to stay healthy has left him on the sideline more than once in the past few years, so he's never an absolute guarantee to be on the field. Still, talent-wise, the line has its starters.

In 2008 the Rams learned the value of quantity as well as quality, though. With last season's train wreck that was the offensive line still fresh in their minds, the team has a few viable options at backup.

Adam Goldberg, John Greco, Mark Setterstrom, and Roy Schuening all should make the team and provide valuable depth. Rookies such as Phil Trautwein and Ray Feinga will be trying to earn a spot as well.

Where the starters lack excitement, the battle for reserve among the O-linemen should be good to watch.

D-Line

Status: Attrition

The defensive line is simply in need of warm bodies. The youth movement ran La'Roi Glover out of town, and the recent Leonard-for-Orien Harris trade could be one viewed as a trade out of necessity.

Chris Long was drafted as a member of the Rams' future, so his spot on the end is secure; Leonard Little on the other side will be in on almost all downs considered passing downs.

James Hall was a starter before Long arrived, and Victor Adeyanju has established himself as Little's other half on running downs. Adam Carriker and Clifton Ryan are established inside players, with Harris and fourth-round pick Darell Scott serving as the primary backups.

Eric Moore and C.J. Ah You stand the best chance to stick at end, but only one might survive the cuts.

Linebackers

Status: More Attrition

Before the release of Pisa Tinoisamoa, the linebacker corps was thin on experience. Now they're downright baby-faced. Will Witherspoon and Chris Draft are the only linebackers likely to make the team who have more than two years experience in the league.

The presumed third starter, James Laurinaitis, was drafted in the second round of the 2009 Draft. Guys like Chris Chamberlain, David Vobora, and Quinton Culberson were all either rookies or second-year players on last year's team.

All six 'backers listed should make the team, and without any unforeseen circumstances it should be Witherspoon, Draft and Laurinaitis starting the opener.

Secondary

Status: Brawl

The Rams defense as a whole in 2008 was nothing to write home about, but the defensive secondary actually had a few bright spots emerge. Ron Bartell and Oshiomogho Atogwe both emerged as starters and future stars, and only Corey Chavous' “wet paper bag” approach to tackling and the merry-go-round at the other cornerback spot kept the unit from being a strength.

There's no lack of able bodies at the position, so this may be one of the few battles that could actually result in a "he earned the job"-type situation.

Tye Hill is a former first-round pick who has shown some signs of potential, but who needs to produce on a more consistent basis. Justin King could surprise—he was a contender for the job last year before tearing a ligament in his left big toe.

Third-round pick Bradley Fletcher could contribute right away, but probably isn't more than a nickel back candidate for 2009.

Between King and Hill, I'll give Hill the advantage. Someone obviously saw something in him at Clemson that warranted a mid-first round pick, so if the new coaches can find that again, he could be just as good or better than Bartell in time.

New SS James Butler knows head coach Steve Spagnuolo and the system already, so he should be an on-field leader immediately.

Backup Todd Johnson is a veteran and should be safe in his role. Johnson even started a few games near the end of 2008, so he's more-than-capable of filling in if need be.

Punter/Kicker

Status: Death Match

Just kidding. Come on, it's not like we’re talking about the Cowboys here. Josh Brown and Donnie Jones are the Rams' only kicker and punter, respectively. No battles to be found here.

So before you call the local authorities and report a Gerard Butler-esque growl coming from Rams Park, pause and ask yourself: Didn't that sound a little bit like Coach Spags?

2009 St. Louis Rams Preview: Or, Steven Jackson's Man-Sized Shoulders

Nathan Grimm — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:16:05 -0400

The Miami Dolphins finished the 2007 season with one win and a bleak future. After firing their head coach, they brought in an assistant coach from a more successful team as the replacement.

With the new regime in place, they drafted the highest-rated offensive tackle to solidify the line, acquired an accurate but less-than-flashy quarterback to lead the offense and cut ties with some of the team’s biggest stars, including a linebacker who had previously led the team in tackles in a season.

The new-look Dolphins went on to win 11 games in 2008 and earn a playoff berth.

For the St. Louis Rams, all that’s left to do is start hiking the football to Steven Jackson.

After a 2008 season in which the Rams won only two games, they followed an off-season plan that was eerily similar to that of the 2007 Dolphins.

The removal of interim head coach Jim Haslett paved the way for the hiring of Steve Spagnuolo, superstar defensive coordinator for the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

Spagnuolo was brought in to revamp a defense that was 28th and 31st in the league in yards and points allowed, respectively, in 2008.

And revamp he did, saying goodbye to strong safety and locker room leader Corey Chavous, veteran DT La’Roi Glover and leading tackler OLB Pisa Tinoisamoa while bringing in one of his own, former Giant James Butler, to man the safety position.

He also drafted James Laurinaitis in hopes that he will prove himself to be the middle linebacker of the future. The Rams haven’t had a true middle linebacker since London Fletcher left for greener pastures in 2002.

But the defensive overhaul was only the beginning. On the offensive side of the ball, the Rams parted ways with WR Torry Holt and OT Orlando Pace, two fan favorites and two of the few remaining holdovers from the 1999 Super Bowl champions.

This off-season also saw the end of the Drew Bennett Era in St. Louis, a mere 15 games, 34 catches and $10 million after it began.

The rebuilding process started with the signing of C Jason Brown to anchor an offensive line that hasn’t been healthy in years.

For the second time in two years they held the second overall pick in the draft, and they used it on Jason Smith, a tight end-turned-offensive tackle from Baylor.

The Rams also brought in QB Kyle Boller to push incumbent Marc Bulger, who is a few years removed from his Pro Bowl days and in danger of being a cap casualty if his 2009 is as bad as his 2008 was.

The Rams may not realistically be in position to challenge for the playoffs like the 2008 Dolphins, but an improvement is certainly expected (if not altogether unavoidable) in 2009.

It starts on offense, and it starts with the line. With the signing of OG Jacob Bell last offseason, the Rams front five is expected to be much improved in ’09.

The Rams return starters Bell, Richie Incognito and Alex Barron to play along the Jasons, Brown and Smith. Mark Setterstrom, Adam Goldberg, John Greco and Roy Schuening all can contribute as well, but will most likely be used in reserve roles barring injury.

It’s been said that NFL games are won and lost in the trenches, and the Rams are hoping to win a few more this year with the new additions.

Behind the new line, the Rams hope to find an old Steven Jackson. Jackson hasn’t played a full 16 games since 2006 and yet he’s still managed to reach the 1,000 yard mark in each of the last two seasons.

The biggest difference since 2006 may not be on the ground, though. Jackson had 90 receptions for 806 yards in 2006, his first and only Pro Bowl appearance of his young career.

But in the two years since, he’s had only 78 receptions and 650 yards combined. Spagnuolo has stated an intention to commit more to the running game in 2009, so Jackson’s effectiveness is likely going to be directly linked to the team’s overall success.

Jackson carrying the load may be just what the doctor ordered for Bulger and his young group of receivers. The quarterback has had his own problems in recent seasons and needs a big year to ensure a job in 2010.

At his best, Bulger is an accurate passer who makes good, quick decisions. At his worst, he’s skittish and erratic, often holding the ball too long and taking unnecessary sacks along the way.

Jackson’s big 2006 helped Bulger also have a career year, so it stands to reason that a good Jackson will also produce a good Bulger.

Unfortunately for Bulger, the receivers he will be throwing to are largely unproven. The wide receiver corps is led by Donnie Avery. Avery, a rookie in 2008, had a good year as the second receiver behind Holt.

It still remains to be seen how good Avery can be, but with Holt now gone, Avery will have his chance to be the No. 1 receiver sooner than later.

Behind Avery is a group that consists of fellow 2008 rookie Keenan Burton, recently signed veteran Tim Carter, Laurent Robinson, whom they acquired in a trade with Atlanta, and rookie fifth-round pick Brooks Foster.

Bulger’s second-best option may very well prove to be TE Randy McMichael, whose signing is in danger of entering Drew Bennett territory if he doesn’t produce results soon.

If the Rams are going to be successful in 2009, someone other than Avery has to emerge as a weapon in the passing game.

Defensively is where the Rams are really going to have to show improvement, though. With the release of Tinoisamoa, the Rams lost their leading tackler in 2008, not a terribly impressive feat when your team goes 2-14, but it still is a loss, statistically speaking.

The addition of Laurinaitis allows Will Witherspoon to move back to outside linebacker, a switch that should benefit Witherspoon and the defense.

Chris Draft, arguably the odd man out before the release of Tinoisamoa, will almost certainly man the other OLB spot as the Rams lack any other proven players at the position.

Laurinaitis is the X-factor of the group. If he performs beyond his years, the linebacker corps could be a strength; if there’s a learning curve, it could be a long year.

If there’s one thing the Rams have failed to do well in recent years it’s draft and develop quality interior defensive linemen. Damione Lewis, Ryan Pickett, Jimmy Kennedy…the list goes on.

Adam Carriker hopes he’s the exception. Carriker, a first round pick in 2007, has been less-than-spectacular in his first two seasons at defensive tackle. He played defensive end at Nebraska, but the Rams saw him as better suited for the interior and drafted him with the intention of moving him inside.

Carriker still has time to prove he’s not another bust, but he’s got to show marked improvement in 2009 first.

Clifton Ryan, taken in the same draft as Carriker, has emerged as the other starter at DT, but the position is remarkably thin with the loss of Glover.

In fact, fourth-round pick Darell Scott (yes, Darell with an “a”, contrary to previous spellings that suggested his name was spelled “Dorell”) immediately becomes the team’s third tackle and recently acquired Orien Harris (in the deal with Cincinnati for Brian Leonard) is the team’s fourth option.

The team is deeper and more talented at the defensive end spot. Chris Long was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft and performed well enough in his rookie season to be considered a lock on one side.

Comparing his rookie numbers to Mario Williams’ in 2006, Long had 33 solo tackles and 4.0 sacks to Williams’ 35 solo tackles and 4.5 sacks.

Remembering that 2007 was Williams’ breakout year and the fact that Spagnuolo comes from a system known for developing defensive ends (see: Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, etc.), Long may be primed for a big 2009.

On the other side, Leonard Little, now the Rams’ longest-tenured player, will continue to be a force on passing downs. Victor Adeyanju is capable as a run stopper, and James Hall led the team in 2008 with 6.5 sacks. The two of them give some much-needed depth to the line.

The secondary is arguably the defense’s greatest strength going into the 2009 season. The Rams return free agents Ron Bartell and Oshiomogho “you can just call me O.J.” Atogwe, both of whom are considered rising stars at their respective positions.

The addition-by-subtraction of Chavous and the addition-by-addition of Butler is an upgrade at strong safety as well.

Opposite Bartell, the Rams have a number of capable contenders for the starting cornerback spot. The front-runner should be Tye Hill, who is only three years removed from being a first-round pick, but injuries have limited him to only 12 games total over the past two seasons.

Behind him are guys like Justin King, a second-year player out of Penn State, Jonathan Wade and this year’s third-rounder Bradley Fletcher.

King impressed enough in minicamp last year that he looked to have earned playing time, but an injury forced him to miss all of 2008. If Hill doesn’t win the spot, expect King to have something to do with it.

The kicking game was the only area in which the 2008 Rams actually excelled. Josh Brown went from tormenting the Rams as kicker for the Seattle Seahawks to scoring points for them, making over 30 field goals for the first time in his career.

Donnie Jones was kept busy in 2008 punting 82 times, but he averaged 50 yards per punt without having a single one blocked.

The Rams return both Brown and Jones, so kicking once again may be one of the few bright spots. The problem with trying to predict a team’s success is that you can’t foresee everything that will happen in a season, both with your own team and the teams around you.

Players get hurt. Players get suspended. Trying to look at a 16-game schedule and figure out which team is going to win each game is futile.

Will the Rams follow in the footsteps of the 2008 Dolphins and win 11 games? Probably not. But they will improve. They will win more than the two they did last year. And even when they don’t win, they will be competitive in a lot more games than 2008 as well.

So what’s a realistic expectation? I’ll give them six wins. If not for late collapses in back-to-back weeks at the end of 2008 the Rams would have finished 4-12, and this team, behind their rebuilt offensive line, should be able to finish off some of those games they couldn’t in ’08.

And if all else fails, there’s always the Wildcat.