Linehan: Rams need some help at kick return position

[RamWraith]

By Jeff Gordon
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Nov. 06 2006

Running back/kick returner Tony Fisher is finished for the season because of
his knee injury.

Given his value as a third-down running back and in all phases of special
teams, the Rams will have shop for some help.

“We’re short a running back now, and a guy that has had a pretty significant
role for us, so we’re looking at some options there, bring a couple of guys in
here tomorrow and look at them,” Rams head coach Scott Linehan said. “We have
to have help in our special teams as well. Fish was a big, core special teams
players. We’ll have to add a player or two to our roster by Wednesday.”

Linehan is also unsure whether linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa will be ready for the
Seattle game. His broken hand is still healing, as is his elbow injury.

“We’re closing in on him being ready to go,” Linehan said. “He missed the last
two weeks. He’s not quite two weeks out of the injury. It’s more probable he
would be able to play some snaps and protect it and not re-injure it.

“He actually tested pretty good Friday. He did some tackling-type drills where
he felt comfortable. He certainly felt more comfortable had he been called on
to play.”

Also on the injured list are Leonard Little (mild knee sprain), Kevin Curtis
(bruised chest, abdomen), Tye Hill (mild ankle sprain), Jerome Carter (elbow
sprain), Dexter Coakley (knee strain), Isaiah Kacyvenski (hip pointer) and
Jimmy Kennedy (thumb sprain).

Here are some other thoughts from Linehan at his Monday news conference:

On whether Curtis would replace Fisher as the kick returner: “I would say no,
right now. Obviously he was our back-up going into the game yesterday. The
(chest) injury itself wouldn’t necessarily be the reason, but it does factor
into it right now because he’ll be limited this week.”

On whether Marques Hagans could move up as the kick returner: “He would be
another possibility. One of the problems with that, that would be the only
thing he would do. That is what we talked about with Willie Ponder last week.
That is the only issue. Now you are carrying six receivers on your (active)
roster and you’re short in your number in the secondary.”

On noting that Fred Russell has a crack at the kick return job: “One of the
reasons is the position he plays. We now have a position open at running back.
He has been actually working, along with Marques, on returning kicks in
practice. In his case, we’re short a running back, so that would be a definite
possibility now.”

On the offensive pass interference penalty against Isaac Bruce: “Pass
interference is judgment. The one on Isaac, he runs such a crisp route, the guy
actually has his hands on him down the field, he runs such a good route cutting
out of the cut, the guy falls down. (Bruce) doesn’t put his hands on him at
all.”

On the defensive pass interference penalty against Coakley: “There was a little
bumping going on, that occurs in man coverage. I really think it was fairly
incidental. It was a judgment call and one that went against us.”

On Travis Fisher failing to sack Damon Huard on a blitz, allowing a TD pass to
Tony Gonzalez: “I think Travis was a little surprised he came in free. When he
got in there, I don’t think the quarterback expected anybody to come. It was a
good disguise. I think the quarterback felt it and stepped up and (Travis) just
took a bad angle and actually stumbled.”

On Alex Barron taking repeated false start penalties: “Certainly not
acceptable. We talked about it as an offense. It’s an offense goal to eliminate
the pre-snap penalties. They are hard to overcome. We certainly can’t allow
them.”

On the inability to stop the run: “Watching the film, it was a different feel
in this game than last week. Last week, the number count was more favorable for
San Diego. We gave up three or four big runs this game that really affected
field position. The run defense itself was in much better position. It just had
a better look, a better feel for how we hitting our fits. We were in better
position to stop the run, we didn’t execute it. That ultimately cost us this
game.”

On the defense getting caught in some critical misalignments: “If we get lined
up properly every time, we’re going to have more success. A lot of our problems
this game is we had three or four critical misalignments that cost us big
plays.”

On how the team stands at 4-4: “We would certainly like to be in better
position than we are right now. You don’t want to lose, you don’t want to lose
two or three in a row like we have. The important thing is, we’re here. We’re
halfway through with a .500 record. We have to get ourselves ready to play the
most important division game of the year so far.

“Take care of business and by performing well and winning this game, we could
certainly put ourselves back in a very good position.”

[Varg6]

Is this honestly our biggest f'n concern? (Sorry about the language, I get carried away :P) Kick returners? I know its important, with Dane Looker fumbling and all that crap, and KC a few weeks before, but come on, I'd be saying, let's start working on the DEFENSE!

[ramsbruce]

Is this honestly our biggest f'n concern? (Sorry about the language, I get carried away :P) Kick returners? I know its important, with Dane Looker fumbling and all that crap, and KC a few weeks before, but come on, I'd be saying, let's start working on the DEFENSE!

I'm sure they are concerned about the D, but we are short a running back now and if we can get one that returns kicks also, that helps. What do you suggest Linehan and company do to improve the defense? Who can they bring in? Nobody is the answer, we are what we are and have to live with it this year on defense. We still need to fill our holes at RB/KR no matter how bad the D is.

[r8rh8rmike]

On noting that Fred Russell has a crack at the kick return job: “One of the reasons is the position he plays. We now have a position open at running back. He has been actually working, along with Marques, on returning kicks in practice. In his case, we’re short a running back, so that would be a definite possibility now.”

This sounds great to me. I'd really like to see Russell get a shot.

Is this honestly our biggest f'n concern? (Sorry about the language, I get carried away :P) Kick returners? I know its important, with Dane Looker fumbling and all that crap, and KC a few weeks before, but come on, I'd be saying, let's start working on the DEFENSE!

I'm sure they're going to work on the defense, but the immediate concern here is filling Fisher's roster spot and return duties.

[BigGameMN]

I've been wanting to see Fred Russell get a shot at returning kicks for a while now. With the injury to Fisher, it seems like this is the best time to try him out.

[jkramsfan]

I've been wanting to see Fred Russell get a shot at returning kicks for a while now. With the injury to Fisher, it seems like this is the best time to try him out.

i'm ok with that, someone call linehan and tell him the Clan has decided on Fred Russell,it seems as though the coaching staff is struggling with this,using multiply people,decision made.

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

Is this honestly our biggest f'n concern? (Sorry about the language, I get carried away :P) Kick returners? I know its important, with Dane Looker fumbling and all that crap, and KC a few weeks before, but come on, I'd be saying, let's start working on the DEFENSE!

You have to remember he is answering questions the reporters ask him, not reading a speech he wrote. If they ask about STs he talks about STs. I can't recall a time where a coach voluntarily started talking about an issue without being asked about it; they like to keep stuff as in house and private as possible.

[laram0]

i'm ok with that, someone call linehan and tell him the Clan has decided on Fred Russell,it seems as though the coaching staff is struggling with this,using multiply people,decision made.

I have the phone number, unfortunately I'm not near a phone.

The number is 1-800-lin-ehan.

Give it a shot