So how did Coach Linehan fair during his 1st season as the leader of our RAMS?
Linehan had alot on his plate coming into the 2006 season. He was taking over a team that was on a downward slide. Replacing a coach that had been involved with 2 Superbowl appearances by our RAMS. A coach that had a very big hand in creating the "Greatest Show on Turf". A coach that was an offensive wizard. A coach that ran a very exciting and gambling offense. A coach that paid very little or no attention on the defense and special teams. That coach, Mike Martz fortunately for Linehan had burnt all the bridges between himself and the front office.(the players too?) So as we all know Martz was let go and the reins to our team were turned over to Rookie
Scott Linehan. Sounds funny, when I hear rookie, I think of
Tye Hill our number one draft pick. A rookie running our team? Oh brother this could get ugly!
To sum up the 2006 season, it was a real roller coaster ride. Linehan had us feeling like we were a legitimate playoff contender reaching the the top of that first hill at 4-1. Then we dropped from the top of the hill like a lead sinker going 0-5. The last lost during the losing streak saw us shutout 15-0! The RAMS shutout?! The rookie coach was under much scrutiny and his leadership abilities were being questioned. What had he done to our team? Linehan saved face by leading us to a win over the dreaded Whiners a nice bump in this crazy and wild roller coaster ride. Unfortunately the ride dropped us down to the bottom of the tracks with losses in our next 2 games. We were 5-8 and things were looking pretty ugly. Not to Linehan though. For the next three weeks he kept telling us that we're not dead. To Linehan's credit he never gave up, instilling his never say die attitude onto our team ( he could have easily lost the players) and we finished the ride with 3 wins in a row. A smooth landing? We missed the playoffs by a hair but had improved our won/loss record by 2 games over the previous season.
Here's my Good the Bad and the Ugly.
THE GOOD:
1. We won 2 more games than 2005
2. Offense scored 4 more points than the 2005 team * should have been 7*
Linehan took 3 points off the board against the Seahawks:x
3. Defense allowed 48 less points than the 2005 team
4. Went from a (-10) turnover ratio in 2005 to a (+14)
5. 19 less giveaways by the offense
6. 5 more takeaways by the defense
7. The utilization of Steven (the BEAST) Jackson
8. Marc (our LEADER) Bulger plays a full season. 2005 Bulger played 8 games and had 9 interceptions. 2006 Bulger played all 16 games throwing "ONLY" 8 interceptions.
9. Defense moved up 7 places in the overall rankings (30th to 23rd)
10. Offense moved up 3 places in the overall rankings (9th to 6th)
THE BAD:
1.
Marc Bulger was sacked 49 times. (Peyton Manning 14, Drew Brees 18)
2. Defense had 7 less sacks than the 2005 unit despite gambling with the full bag of blitzes that Haslett had.
3. Rush defense actually got worse (ranked 28th overall for 2005, dropped to 31st for 2006)
4. To many false start penalties by the offensive line (Alex Barron)
5. Drafted 3 tightends, for what?
6. Some very questionable play calling. Especially when Linehan was calling the plays. This leads me into the UGLY!
THE UGLY:
There's one situation that still eats at me. The one that just won't go away.
A true criminal act.
The scene of the crime:
November 12th, 2006 at Seattle
The evidence:
With the score 16-14 RAMS. Jeff Wilkins kicks a field goal to give us a 19-14 lead in the opening minute of the 4th quarter, but just before the ball was snapped,
Scott Linehan throws his red challenge flag to dispute an incomplete pass to Kevin Curtis.:x A replay review overturned the call to give Curtis a 5-yard reception. So take the 3 points off the board,:x back to 16-14 RAMS.:x Linehan now looking at a 4th and 1. He decides to go for it and Bulgers pass to a well covered Klopfenstein falls incomplete.:x
"Yeah our defense was playing good enough that you hate to take points off the board," Bulger said, adding he thought the fullback (Paul Smith) going the wrong way ruined the 4th and 1 play. (Klopfenstein and Paul Smith):x
Don't we have players named
Steven Jackson,
Torry Holt, Issac Bruce? even Stephen Davis? please!!
RAMS lost the game 24-22 on a last second 38 yard field goal by the Seahawks Josh Brown.
Scott Linehan guilty as charged. "ROOKIE"
I admit I feel much better now, getting that off my chest was huge. Hopefully the nightmares will go away?
All in all I like the direction our team is going and can't wait for the 2007 season to start.
ROOKIE
SCOTT LINEHAN: Grade B-
Linear Mode
