| Jeff Risdon. 12th July, 2007 - 4:26 pm
 Last season: 8-8, 2nd NFC West
Coming: DE James Hall, WR Drew Bennett, TE Randy McMichael, CB Lenny Walls, KR/WR Dante Hall, P Donnie Jones, LB Chris Draft
Going: WR Kevin Curtis, CB Travis Fisher, G Adam Timmerman, WR Shaun McDonald, DT Jimmy Wilkerson, LB Dexter Coakley, CB Jerametrius Butler
Key Rookies: RB/FB Brian Leonard, DE/DT Adam Carriker, DT Clifton Ryan
What I like: The Rams have as much talent as any team in the league at the offensive skill positions. QB Marc Bulger is very accurate and can make all the throws. He showed improved leadership and better decision making last year and is entering the age when most QBs hit their prime. RB Steven Jackson is coming off a season where he posted the 5th highest total yards in NFL history. He’s a punishing runner with breakaway speed, and few backs can match his hands or open-field ability. The WR duo of Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt is getting up there in age, but both guys still run great routes, and Holt is still one of the top 3 WRs in the game. Adding Drew Bennett and Randy McMichael gives Bulger targets with much-needed size, and TE Joe Klopfsenstein showed he is a receiving threat. Brian Leonard is a great fit, a versatile back that can block, catch, and grind for power yards. The offensive line has a lot of attitude, and LT Orlando Pace still has plenty left in the tank.
DE Leonard Little is an elite pass rusher, and adding James Hall to the other side will only help him. Hall is talented enough to be NFC Defensive Player of the Week once in each of the last 2 seasons. Rookie Adam Carriker has the bulk and physicality to move inside and will help shore up the run defense as well as providing some up-the-gut pass rush. Will Witherspoon is a steady playmaker at MLB, and the depth of the front 7 is solid if unspectacular. CB Tye Hill is an emerging star, and his secondary mates all play a physical style and noticeably improved as the year progressed. The Rams’ backfield depth on offense is enviable. The coaching staff, new last season, returns basically intact. That means cohesion and familiarity in the offseason instead of learning new systems and assignments.
What I dislike: While there is talent on the OL, a lack of discipline and trouble handling the pass rush plagued the unit last season and probably will once again. All the OL except Pace are below-average pass protectors, and none of the TEs or RBs offer much blocking help. There is absolutely nothing behind the top 3 WRs, and Bruce and Bennett both have alarming injury issues. Other than barely adequate vet LaRoi Glover, the rest of the DT rotation is all in their 1st or 2nd seasons. Those guys have a lot of potential talent, but the Rams have an inglorious history of having talented DTs fail miserably. Too often in 2006 the DL allowed blockers to get to the LBs (and beyond) with little effort, and it’s asking a lot of the young players to fix that by themselves. There is very little skill behind the starters in the secondary, and #2 CB Fakhir Brown is prone to giving up big plays. The punt and kick coverage units have been dreadful for years and the team doesn’t have the kind of athletes to overhaul that issue. Dante Hall is a waste at WR and hasn’t been an elite KR for 3 years. The roster features many players of ill-temperament and questionable maturity
Best case: Bulger and all his weapons keep clicking on all cylinders; the OL cuts down on mistakes and coalesces into a well-rounded unit; the youngsters on D are ready for prime time and make a strong impact; James Hall and Drew Bennett stay healthy; the Rams come out of their bye week and don’t blow any early momentum from the easier part of their schedule. There is enough here to win the NFC West and do some playoff damage if everyone stays healthy and focused.
Worst case: The two biggest potential downfalls are the lines. If the OL doesn’t reduce the dumb gaffes and improve pass protection, it’s hard to believe Bulger and Jackson can produce like they did in 2006, and if they don’t this team is going to regress. The DL must improve run stuffing and generating pass rush from someone aside form Leonard Little. If they fail to step up and the CBs don’t make lots of plays, it’s going to be a long season.
Prediction: The more I look at this team, the more I think the Rams are a team that is going to surprise a lot of people and win a lot of games. I think the OL will be good enough for the great talent at the skill positions to produce enough to outscore the opponent more oft than not. Their level of success will be defined by turnovers and sacks; if both of those balances are solidly positive the Rams will win the NFC West, but if they are negative, last year’s 8 wins will be tough to match. I’ll predict a 9-7 finish and potential to win one playoff game. |
