Bernie Bytes: Rams Need Better Play From Laurinaitis

[r8rh8rmike]

Bernie Bytes: Rams need better play from Laurinaitis

5 hours ago • BY BERNIE MIKLASZ, Post-Dispatch Sports Columnist

Take Five:

1. We respect Rams middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, but he has to play better than we’ve seen so far this season. Laurinaitis makes a lot of tackles, but that doesn’t mean he’s playing well.

The issue is the tackles that JL doesn’t make. According to the data (based on game-film review) at Pro Football Focus, Laurinaitis ranks 26th in tackling efficiency among the 35 NFL inside linebackers that have played at least 50 percent of their team’s snaps.

2. Got a few tweets and emails yesterday, ripping Rams QB Sam Bradford for not being “clutch.” I simply adore the loons. They are like clockwork. They have transferred their bizarre “clutch” fetish from Matt Holliday to Bradford in accordance with the change of seasons. Nicely done.

However … these damned facts are tricky little devils.

So I suppose this is the part where I must go ahead and ruin the nonsensical blather by introducing a pertinent number, and in advance please allow me to apologize for my sanity.

Anyway:

In the fourth quarter this season, when the Rams are down by no fewer than 7 points or ahead by no more than 7 points, Bradford has completed 31 of 43 passes (72 percent) for 374 yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. His passer rating of 119.7 in “clutch” situations ranks fourth among NFL starting quarterbacks.

In the 4th quarter and overtime at San Francisco on Sunday, Bradford completed 14 of 19 passes (73.7 pct.) for 126 yards, 1 TD and nine first downs passing.

On third down vs. the Niners, Bradford completed 8 of 12 passes for 102 yards and picked up seven first downs.

In the 4th quarter and OT this season, Bradford ranks 3rd in the NFL (behind Peyton Manning and Matthew Stafford) in ESPN’s advanced Total Quarterback Rating Rating (QBR).

3. The New York Jets play the Rams in St. Louis on Sunday. After last season the Jets fired Brian Schottenheimer, because as we all know from reading the reports out of NY, he was the worst offensive coordinator in the history of organized football, and responsible for all that went wrong with the J-E-T-S.

This season, having been freed from Schottenheimer’s insidious influence, the liberated Jets are averaging 19.4 points per game, which ranks 24th among the 32 NFL teams. The Jets are also 31st in yards per game, 28th in average yards per play from scrimmage, 32nd in pass completion percentage, 30th in passer rating, 28th in yards per passing attempt, and 22nd in yards per rushing attempt. And Mark Sanchez is arguably the worst starting QB in the NFL this year.

Is this still Schottenheimer’s fault? In his spare time away from his post as the Rams’ offensive coordinator, is Schottenheimer installing the Jets’ game plan each week?

Just wondering.

4. The Jets defense is giving up 25.3 points per game, which ranks 24th. They’re allowing a 44 percent conversion rate on third down, which ranks 30th.

I’m guessing this is Schottenheimer’s fault, too.

Head coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum have nothing to do with the Jets’ 3-9 record in the last 12 games.

It’s on Schotty.

5. The Jets are sticking with Sanchez at quarterback, even though he’s (A) 3-9 in the last 12 starts; (B) completing only 53 percent of his passes in the last 12 starts; (C) has more INTs than TDs in the last 12 starts; (D) has a horrible passer rating of 67.5 over the last 12 starts; (E) has thrown more red-zone INTs than any NFL quarterback this season.

If the Jets have any inclination to give a chance to Tim Tebow, this is probably a good week. The Rams defense has struggled against mobile quarterbacks that take off and run. Washington’s Robert Griffin ran it 11 times for 82 yards and two TDs against the Rams. Miami’s Ryan Tannehill had a 10-yard run. On Sunday, San Francisco backup Colin Kaepernick ran eight times against the Rams and collected 66 yards and a TD.

But if the Jets' players have any say in it, the Rams are likely to see a lot of Sanchez on Sunday.

Thanks for reading …

— Bernie

[AvengerRam]

I disagree with Bernie.

Whew!

The world makes sense again.

[Curly Horns]

I disagree with Bernie.

Whew!

The world makes sense again.

Nice recovery!

It's not as difficult for me to just go ahead and say I agree with what he is saying here.

[bradwill]

I sort of agree with Bernie on JL also.

Now, as far as his bit ranting against the "loons on Bradford not being clutch," didn't he have a column two weeks ago saying the same thing? I'm used to Bernie being a total hypocrite, but usually he can control it to where it's not a week or two later and can space it out a little further.

[Guam rammer]

I have to admit that i do expect more from jlau. Can't remember when he's been involved during crucial moments of close games and at the middle LB position you have to expect game changing ability from that spot on the field. I expected to see more production from him as soon as Brokers returned to the lineup. He's not a disappointment but i think he can do more.

[mcpeepants232003]

^ I honestly don't think he can do more. He just doesn't have the athletic ability to be more than a average to good middle linebacker.

Bradford has obviously played very well in clutch time and it's honestly amazing the Bradford haters have now focused on this. None of us believe Bradford is perfect but he's played very well for 4 or 5 weeks now and even if he was struggling his play in the clutch wasn't one of his weaknesses anyways.

I also agree about Schottenheimer. There weren't many of us who approved of his signing this offseason(proud to say I was one I told you guys I know everything) but he's done a very good job imo and he did a far better job than Jets fans or anyone gave him credit for last year. The Jets do not have a lot of playmakers. They had a mediocre to poor QB, a mediocre to poor line, an average running back, a pretty solid tight end and a very poor receiving corps. Their best offensive playmaker was Santonio Holmes who is, at best, an inconsistent #2 receiver. Plaxico was washed up(though still dangerous in the red zone, and Kerley was a rookie learning the system. They pretty clearly had one of least talented offenses in the NFL yet Schotty milked that lineup to almost 24 ppg. He did the best he could with that talent. I'm glad the Jets were dumb enough to believe it was his fault and not the fact they had terrible offensive talent.

[sosa39rams]

Why would you post this? Are you stupid? Did you not address this with AV yet? Wow.. wouldn't you know, read those first few sentences Avenger..

[cfh128]

Why would you post this? Are you stupid? Did you not address this with AV yet? Wow.. wouldn't you know, read those first few sentences Avenger..

Um... what?

[AvengerRam]

Why would you post this? Are you stupid? Did you not address this with AV yet? Wow.. wouldn't you know, read those first few sentences Avenger..

Yes, and it shows that Bernie read the same piece from PFF. Big deal.

As for your continued need to try to antagonize with your posts... enjoy your time out.

[TheBritishRam]

3. The New York Jets play the Rams in St. Louis on Sunday. After last season the Jets fired Brian Schottenheimer, because as we all know from reading the reports out of NY, he was the worst offensive coordinator in the history of organized football, and responsible for all that went wrong with the J-E-T-S.

This season, having been freed from Schottenheimer’s insidious influence, the liberated Jets are averaging 19.4 points per game, which ranks 24th among the 32 NFL teams. The Jets are also 31st in yards per game, 28th in average yards per play from scrimmage, 32nd in pass completion percentage, 30th in passer rating, 28th in yards per passing attempt, and 22nd in yards per rushing attempt. And Mark Sanchez is arguably the worst starting QB in the NFL this year.

Is this still Schottenheimer’s fault? In his spare time away from his post as the Rams’ offensive coordinator, is Schottenheimer installing the Jets’ game plan each week?

Just wondering.

This bit is actually pretty good....

[HUbison]

We walk into San Fran and come out w/o a loss. And the Clan complains.
Some internet monkey says Bradford is no good. And the Clan concurs.
Some other internet monkey says JL is no good. And the Clan agrees.


What the flip is going on around here?

[AvengerRam]

We walk into San Fran and come out w/o a loss. And the Clan complains.
Some internet monkey says Bradford is no good. And the Clan concurs.
Some other internet monkey says JL is no good. And the Clan agrees.


What the flip is going on around here?

Monkey love?

[UK Ramfan 83]

I agree.

JL is playing a little under par compared to other seasons, but I'm sure he'll turn it up again. A few block sheds and the odd bone crunching stop for no gain in the middle will silence the doubters.

We came out of San Fran without a valid result really. A tied game is pretty worthless, unless the division comes down to the wire, which I can't see happening this year tbh.

[AtlantaRamFan]

I'm in graduate school up here in NJ and I have a bit of a drive to school. It's the only time I really listen to sports talk radio, but it's quite fascinating listening to the Jets coverage. To say their team is in disarray would be vast understatement.

Now, rather than focusing on playing better, there was this "big" news story about how more people think Tebow sucks. Well the good news is, there's no way he's playing much on Sunday. I would honestly be shocked if the Rams lost this game. No game is a certainty, but the Rams should be able to get after Sanchez. Their WR's aren't very good either, and they don't have much of a running game.

[Haste]

We are currently 80% favored to win on Yahoo Pro Pickem by the public.

Highest % of picks in a long while