St. Louis Rams: Why Sam Bradford Has No Excuse for Sophomore Slump

Entering the season, many experts were picking the St. Louis Rams to win the NFC West. This team was one win away from winning the division last season. They were returning the majority of the team, and it would be the second season for Sam Bradford. The expectations in St. Louis were very high, but things have not gone as planned.

St. Louis is sitting at 0-6, looking like a team that could struggle to win any football games. A lot of the struggles have been due to the sophomore slump of quarterback Sam Bradford. There are a lot of reasons to cut Bradford some slack, but he should still be playing better.

The Rams are breaking in a new offensive system, which has been tougher than usual because of the lockout. This system is very different than the one ran last season. The change in systems is a legitimate reason for some offensive struggles.

Sam Bradford might have the worst receiving corps in the entire NFL. The unit consists of rookies, undrafted free agents and other teams' castoffs. He has not had the opportunity to play with top level receiving talent. This is something that definitely can contribute to a sophomore slump.

St. Louis has also struggled to find a consistent running game. Steven Jackson has been in and out of the lineup with injuries. Jackson's presence is a big help for a young quarterback, as he is someone defenses need to account for. With Jackson out of the lineup, defenses are able to drop more men into coverage.

The offensive line play has not been as expected. They have struggled to provide consistent protection for Bradford, resulting in some hurried throws.

Sam Bradford has a ton of things working against him, but none are an excuse for his poor play. He was able to have a successful rookie season with basically the same supporting cast. His new offensive system is very quarterback friendly. Josh McDaniels may not have been a good head coach, but he has a great offensive mind.

The biggest concern is Bradford's completion percentage. He is only completing 53 percent of his passes, a stat that isn't except able.

A slight sophomore slump is expected, but this has been a disastrous season. Sam Bradford has no excuse for his play; there is no excuse for a 0-6 start.