Preseason is of limited value in terms of showing how well a team will play in the regular season. That said, here are 10 things I'll be watching:
1.
Alex Barron on passing downs. Even more specifically, I'll be looking at his footwork between the time the ball is snapped and when he makes contact with the DE. There is no doubt in my mind that he has the abilty to lock up a defender if he engages him squarely. What I want to see is how well he keeps himself in front of the DEs who are trying to blow by him and rip off the QB's head.
2.
Ronald Bartell in coverage. With the injury to Butler, Bartell no longer has the luxury of slowly adjusting to the NFL game. There is no doubt that he has a rare package of size and speed. The question is whether he can use it effectively.
3.
Martz's playcalling. Obviously, Martz won't truly open up the playbook in preseason, but we may get a few glimpses of some of the twists he's installing. Look for plays involving Jackson and Faulk, expanded role in the passing game for Roland Williams, and formations designed to isolate Kevin Curtis in coverage.
4.
Special Teams. The Rams have a new enthusiastic ST coach and a bunch of experienced ST specialists (Hawthorne, Stone, Ivy). The coverage units should show improvement, even in preseason.
5.
Pass Rush. If the Rams thin/inexperienced DBs are going to survive, the pass rush must improve. It seems logical that if Anthony Hargrove is looking impressive against
Orlando Pace, he should have a field day with average OTs. The Rams also need to improve their push up the middle, and we may see some of that from Jimmy Kennedy and Damione Lewis.
6.
Tackling. I'm hoping that the addition of professional run stoppers Coakley and Claiborne will prompt a vast improvement in the defense's tackling. Again, we'll only get a taste of this in preseason, but my hope is that the "everyone to the ball" approach has returned.
7.
Safety Battle. It seems that, while Archuleta and Carter have the upper hand, the safety position is far from settled. I'm interested to see what players like Stone and Atogwe can do in game situations.
8.
Punter. Often overlooked, an effective punter can be a defense's best friend. All indications are that Reggie Hodges has the leg. We'll see if he has the concentration level necessary to win the job.
9.
Claude Terrell. From all accounts, the guy is a player. I'm curious to see him on the field against competition. If he is as good as advertised, he could be a real draft steal.
10.
Smoker and Fitzpatrick. I think the writing may very well be on the wall for Smoker's departure. He has four preseason games to save his job. I'm betting he does not succeed (though he still may be better than all of the QBs on the Dolphins' roster). Fitzpatrick is intriguing. I'm looking forward to seeing him in action.
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