It's Not Sam Bradford's Fault

[ZiaRam]

by Cliff Saunders

No beating around the bush here. My message to Rams fans is very simple.

Lay off of Sam Bradford.

At 0-4, the Rams are a disorganized mess. They have lost every game this season using the same formula. There have been dropped passes. There have been stupid penalties that have killed drives. There have been turnovers. The defense has been gashed by the run. The cornerbacks (OK, Justin King) have been a weekly target of the opposition. It has been an ugly start to the 2011 season.

I have heard more than one person take Bradford, the franchise quarterback and future of this organization to task. He's been inaccurate, the critics say. He holds on to the ball way too long according to the naysayers. I won't go any further with the things that Bradford's detractors have said. You know why?

Because it's a completely ridiculous argument.

Has Bradford been nearly as good as he was last year? No, he hasn't. I'm not a fool. I see how he has played. I see the numbers. He's definitely taken a step back from where he was a year ago. But it's not all his fault, and if you think it is then you are out of your mind.
Let's address some of the criticism that is out there, starting with Bradford holding on to the ball too long. There are good reasons for that.

First of all, the new offense requires it. This is not the same offense that was in place last year. This is not the West Coast offense, where you take three steps back and get rid of the ball. This offense requires the quarterback to take more time before throwing to allow his receivers to run longer routes.

The problem is that the receivers aren't getting open. With the exception of Danario Alexander, none of these receivers break into the clear. Not a single one. Bradford's been getting killed while waiting for his receivers to break free.
And when they do get open, they drop the ball. Mike Sims-Walker was brought in here to be a pass-catching threat. The only thing he's threatening is his own football future. If a ball hits you in the hands you have to catch it, and too many times he is dropping balls that he gets his hands on.

Rookie Lance Kendricks has also been a culprit. How many balls has he dropped? Too many to count. I don't know what has happened between the end of the preseason and now, but he better figure it out quick or he is going to find himself on the sideline watching the action.
The new offense also requires that the well-paid offensive line hold their blocks for a second or two longer. Simply put they aren't getting the job done. Jason Smith is getting dangerously close to properly being labeled a bust after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in 2009. Rodger Saffold has struggled all season long after playing well in his rookie campaign. (I'm being kind here, because the fact is he's done a lot more than just struggle.)
The rest of the line just doesn't seem to fit the system they are playing in. Jason Brown has been only adequate. Jacob Bell has had the same issues he has had for the last few years. And Harvey Dahl, while doing a decent job in run blocking, has been getting beat regularly in passing situations.

The scheme, receivers and the offensive line are the reasons Bradford has been holding on to the ball. Yes, he has been inaccurate at times. But that's because he is always throwing under duress! Even when he isn't being sacked, he is being pressured, hit and forced to get rid of the ball before he wants to.

That's why he is inaccurate.

I don't know what the answers are, but I know that if things keep going like this, Bradford is going to take the beating of his life. McDaniels has two weeks to come up with some solutions, whether it's using max-protect schemes or incorporating some quicker plays into the offense. It certainly won't get any easier for the Rams because their next game is against Green Bay at Lambeau Field. Packers' defensive coordinator Dom Capers is going to bring heat all day long. I am honestly afraid of what might happen to Bradford if they don't get these protection issues worked out.

If the Rams don't get this straightened out they will be putting their future, and the future of their franchise quarterback, in jeopardy. We all remember what happened to David Carr in Houston. Some of the older fans reading this column will remember what happened to Jim Plunkett early in his career. I don't want that to happen to Bradford.

Again, he's not totally blameless here. But I'd say that 90 percent of his struggles are because of the failures of his receivers, the offensive line and the new offense.
One last thing for those that now want to take shots at Bradford. Ask yourself this.
Would you rather have Marc Bulger under center?
I didn't think so.

[C-Mob 71]

This is no disrespect to you Zia, but it makes me sick that an article with that heading has to be posted on a Rams fan website. Anyone who thinks we are 0-4 because of Bradford needs to open their eyes and watch the damn game.

[ZiaRam]

This is no disrespect to you Zia, but it makes me sick that an article with that heading has to be posted on a Rams fan website. Anyone who thinks we are 0-4 because of Bradford needs to open their eyes and watch the damn game.

Have you not read some of the posts on here bagging Bradford? I don't get it at all and agree with you. I feel very bad for Sam and you can just see his frustration after 3rd down walking off the field after a dropped ball that could of moved the chains.. pathetic

[C-Mob 71]

Have you not read some of the posts on here bagging Bradford? I don't get it at all and agree with you. I feel very bad for Sam and you can just see his frustration after 3rd down walking off the field after a dropped ball that could of moved the chains.. pathetic

Oh I've read them, I'm not saying it doesn't need to be said, I'm saying it shouldn't need to be said.

[ZiaRam]

Oh I've read them, I'm not saying it doesn't need to be said, I'm saying it shouldn't need to be said.

lol ohh I got ya... amen brotha amen

[NY RAMFAN]

It is not ENTIRELY his fault, but he has a share of it...
NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY, is exempt of this pathetic showing...
remember back in the days when we were claming for bulger to scream at barron...?
so what now? it is ok to miss a 3rd down and leave the field with "sadness" in your face?
I do hope there are serious talk in the locker room and I expect Sam to be the starter of them, and I wouldn't mind some helmet throwing during a game.
Sam got it... just need to make it happen

[Rambos]

It is not ENTIRELY his fault, but he has a share of it...

"I expect more out of myself. I expect more out of our wide receivers. I expect more out of everyone," Bradford said. "I think if you look at our production on offense, it's definitely been way lower than what it should be."

Sam Bradford hunched in a blue folding chair in front of his locker still dressed in full uniform, his left pant leg stained with blood. He stared forward. He untied his left shoe. He leaned back again. He didn't move.

The second-year St. Louis Rams quarterback sat on the chair as teammates dressed around him mostly in silence. He didn't say a word.

He had taken a beating on the field as well as on the scoreboard during the Washington Redskins' 17-10 victory at the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday. He was sacked seven times and hit 10. He finished 20-of-43 passing for 164 yards with one touchdown. But individual stats were far from his mind after the Rams' continued spiral.

"It is getting frustrating," Bradford said. "When we put ourselves in situations where we get behind, we've got to throw the ball to get ourselves back in the game, and we've got to pick up chunks of yards. . . . We've got to have time to go through the progressions and read it."

I think Bradford has played ok this year... he has missed WR open at times BUT can you say the WE would have caught the ball?

Really we lead the NFL in dropped balls! I know of three TD passes dropped right off the top of my head. As I watch the highlights around the league and see all these great catches for TD and big plays. Sam can't get credit for taking a shot in the pocket and hitting a WR right in the hands. Who know what our record would be IF we did not drop so many balls!

How many INT has he thrown?

The answer is One! He has thrown the ball 151 times and has one INT and a Ton of dropped balls!

Is that the play of a QB that is playing bad?

To be honest I'm more impressed with Sam this year then last, we have a stud at QB period.

If the FO missed something going into the year was the REAL need for at least one big time sure handed number one WR.

Sam needs help and I did not even get into the fact he is taking a beating behind the two young Tackles.

[laram0]

Get ready....here it comes.....YEAH BUT! Bradford has to hold onto the ball when he's getting hit or sacked. His lost fumbles are killing us!
I know it's not 100% his fault that he's getting hit alot and sacked way too much but he still needs to hang onto the rock!

GO RAMS!

[Rambos]

laram0

Re: It's Not Sam Bradford's Fault
Get ready....here it comes.....YEAH BUT! Bradford has to hold onto the ball when he's getting hit or sacked. His lost fumbles are killing us!
I know it's not 100% his fault that he's getting hit alot and sacked way too much but he still needs to hang onto the rock!

GO RAMS!

Yeah no doubt, BUT lol one of those fumbles he was in the act of handing the ball off,,, Williams looked like he missed the play called, But yeah that would help.

[Agrajag]

McDaniels needs to adjust. Plain and simple. His offense obviously isn't working with the personnel he has to work with.

I don't care how good his system is, you have to work with what you have and all good coaches do that. McDaniels hasn't and if anyone is on the hot seat it should be him.

[BM_Face]

This team is clearly failing Bradford, not the other way around.

[Trammer035]

I don't get to watch a lot of the games since I am out of state, so I usually settle for radio calls. However, when they played Monday night, I almost couldn't believe how impressed with Bradford I was. He got sacked a few times, but they brought the heat every down, and he would drop back and hit the hot receiver every time. Snap, drop, and the ball was gone. (The receiver often dropped the ball, but again, not his fault.) It was artistic; a thing of beauty, and in spite of losing, I felt like the team had a future.

This kid is literally as smart as they come. He's brilliant- could have been a medical doctor if he'd wanted to. He's a quality man too- not once has he mentioned drops or a HORRIBLE O-line- every week saying some variation on "I've got to do better." I can promise you that by now, I'd be giving reporters a list of my receivers and how many drops they had. He's also big, strong, and tough- I don't know why anyone would want any QB in the league over Bradford.

Anyway, he may not act like the highest paid and most important player on the team when he's in front of the media, but he totally is, and this team needs to find a way to help him out because right now, they're killing him. How much longer before he pulls a Carson Palmer and demands a trade to a team that could actually help his career?

[ZiaRam]

It is not ENTIRELY his fault, but he has a share of it...
NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY, is exempt of this pathetic showing...

I agree that he could of thrown a couple of balls better and i'm sure Sam would tell you that firsthand but with people trying and throw him under the bus...those people aren't watching the same games I have.