Sam Bradford and 7 Players Having Awful Sophomore Slumps

The sophomore slump is a pretty well documented phenomenon in sports. 

Each case is unique but it's a safe bet that it stems from one of two things: either the player enjoyed a tremendous rookie season, thought success was going to come easy, and didn't work quite as hard that offseason or the opposition finally caught up and figured out how best to slow down the burgeoning superstar. 

Whatever the case, there are a handful of second-year NFLers in 2011 who are struggling mightily for one reason or antoher. And while a few are obvious, some aren't.

Just to clarify, I'll give players who have been routinely sidelined by injury a pass for not being able to produce in their second season: that's players like Jordan Shipley in Cincinnati and Chris Ivory in New Orleans.

And as far as Jimmy Clausen goes, because of the presence of Cam Newton, it's hard to say he's in a "slump" so he'll also be mercifully left off this list. Unlike the other positions on this list, only one quarterback can play so Clausen gets a pass. 

No. 8: Taylor Mays, S, Cincinnati Bengals

2010 stats: 16 games (6 starts), 38 tackles (31 solo), 1 forced fumble

2011 stats:  1 game, 1 tackle

I just said in the previous slide that injuries will keep a player like Jordan Shipley or Chirs Ivory from earning a spot on this list.

Still, Mays is obviously a special case. Yes, he's been sidelined a good  portion of this season because of knee injury. 

But considering the zeal with which the 49ers wanted to unload Mays and the fact that he's been unable to work his way past special teams suggests that he's fallen fast and hard from his level of play last year. 

No. 7: Riley Cooper, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

2010 stats: 7 catches, 116 yards, 1 TD

2011 stats: 0 catches

Cooper wasn't exactly circa 1998 Randy Moss during his rookie season, but he did make an impact on offense: at least he was on the field running routes. 

This year, that really hasn't been the case: he doesn't have a catch and has been relegated to the fifth receiver, even behind the rehabbing Steve Smith. 

The Eagles passing game hasn't been nearly as explosive as it was a year ago, and since the rushing attack is ranked first in the NFL, Cooper hasn't been given tons of chances to make an impact, but still, zero catches? 

No. 6: Keiland Williams, RB, Detroit Lions

2010 stats: 65 carries, 261 yards, 3 touchdowns. 39 catches, 309 yards, 2 touchdowns

2011 stats: 19 carries, 49 yards, 1 touchdown

Williams had a few big moments in 2010 in Washington, including back-to-back games in which he carried the ball 39 times for 157 yards and two scores.

But that apparently didn't impress Mike Shanahan enough and he was cut in September, only to be picked up by the running back needy Lions.

In Detroit he's at least carried the ball a few times and even scored in Week 1. But look at the tremendous drop off in overall production: last year in Washington he was fifth on the team in receptions, but this year he doesn't even have one. 

No. 5: Anthony Dixon, RB, San Francisco

2010 stats: 70 carries, 237 yards, 2 touchdowns

2011 stats: 4 carries, 10 yards, 1 touchdown

With Frank Gore sidelined during most of the end of the 2010 season, Dixon had ample opportunities to carry the rock for the playing-out-the-string 49ers. And he did in the month of December. 

But this August, Dixon basically lost the backup's gig to rookie Kendall Hunter—who has shone in spurts as Gore's truncated replacement—and he has been a non-factor for San Francisco.

And since Gore has been on fire lately and Hunter is clearly improving each week, Dixon doesn't seem likely to snap his slump anytime soon. 

No. 4: Mark Mariani, WR, Tennessee Titans

2010 stats: 1,530 yards, 1 touchdown (Kick Returns); 329 yards,  1 touchdown (Punt Returns) 

2011 stats: 141 yards, 0 touchdowns (Kick Returns); 72 yards, 0 touchdowns (Punt Returns)

Not only was Mariani selected to the All Rookie team last year for his special team prowess, he was selected to the Pro Bowl.

That great start, prompted the Titans to try him more and more on offense—especially since Kenny Britt's season-ending injury—but they didn't take him off of return duties. Yet, aside from one decent return against the Steelers, he hasn't been able to break through at all for another game-changer.

That's pretty surprising considering how many punts and kicks have been converted into touchdowns (Devin Hester, Ted Ginn Jr., etc) this season. 

No. 3: Carlos Dunlap, DE, Cincinnati Bengals

2010 stats: 9.5 sacks 

2011 stats: 0 sacks

The Bengals surprising resurgence—I'll bet you didn't know their defense was ranked third against the pass, sixth against the run and fifth in scoring—is even more stunning given the fact that their leading pass rusher from a year ago, Dunlap, has been repeatedly shut out on the stat sheet.

He hasn't been invisible, collecting several pressures and frequently occupying two blockers, but when they square off against the better teams in the AFC (they still have Houston, Pittsburgh twice and Baltimore twice) Dunlap is going to need to bring down the opposing quarterback to really make an impact. 

No. 2: Devin McCourtey, CB, New England Patriots

2010 stats: 82 tackles (68 solo), 7 interceptions, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 17 pass break-ups

2011 stats: 38 tackles (32 solo), 0 interceptions, 0 sacks, 0 forced fumbles, 3 pass break-ups.

Had it not been for Ndamukong Suh, McCourtey would have won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2010. He was all over the field and a tremendous weapon for the team with the NFL's best record. 

But this year, his production is way down. And while it's too simplistic to measure a corners value simply in terms of interceptions (look at Nnamdi Asomugha, who didin't collect a single pick last season) McCourtey has been picked on a great deal this year.

As the Boston Globe noted a few weeks back McCourty "has already been targeted 36 times this season, with 24 receptions, meaning two-thirds of the passes thrown to receivers he’s covering have been caught. Last year, he was targeted 104 times, with a reception percentage of 55.8."

The entire Pats defense has been pretty atrocious this year (they are dead last against the pass) and McCourtey is a part of the reason why. 

No. 1: Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis Rams

2010 stats: 354-for-590 (60% completion), 3,512 yards, 18 touchdowns, 15 interceptions

2011 stats: 103-for-195 (52% completion), 1,170 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions

One of the most overlooked departures this offseason had to be Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmer leaving St. Louis to take over the head coaching job in Cleveland.

Few national members of the media looked at that move and expect it to cost Sam Bradford and the Rams from contending for the NFC West title. After all, they were so close last year with a rookie quarterback that it seemed only natural that Bradford would take the next step to stardom.

Obviously, that hasn't happened and the Rams are pathetic. 

Now it would be insane to blame Bradford exclusively. He's learning a new system, his favorite receiver from a year ago (Danny Amendola) has been out all season and the Rams offensive line has surrendered a league-high 22 sacks. 

But that doesn't fully excuse Bradford either. He has made poor decisions, missed open receivers and is barely completing half of his passes.