Until we get leaders on the other side of the ball....

**txramsfan** · #1 (**permalink**) -05-10-2005

From HUbison on the Torry Holt article:

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What a pleasure it is to have him on this team. Sometimes I don't think we know just how good we have it with team players leading this squad.....guys like Holt, Bruce, Faulk, Bulger.......when you look around the league at all the problems, it's good to see just how great the player leadership is on the Rams.

Not one mention of a defensive player. It's been that way since Fletcher left. You can't name Little without getting berated for his DWI problems and granted it's a legit beratement.....however, the underlying problem with all this "we have the talent to win the Super Bowl" or "look at the leaders of this team" is that it's all on the offensive side of the ball. The Rams need to take some of the freed up dead money at the end of the year and go after a top notch defensive type. They can't do anything about it now, as it's too late in the season and they didn't have the money to begin with. Coakley and Claiborne may turn out ok, but they are not of the elite that it takes to win the whole thing.

We don't have enough talent on the defensive side of the ball to be Super Bowl contenders. Fans can moan and groan about the reverse all they want, the Rams defense is what is going to be the achilles heel. I blame Shaw and Zygmut for that. They went too deep into the salary cap on the offensive side of the ball so that the Rams could be exciting. Trouble is, excitement tends to teeter both good and bad. It's great when the offense is clicking and the Rams are winning 38-35. However, when the offense struggles and the Rams have to rely on the defense it just isn't there for more than a game or two.

*thoey* · #2 (**permalink**) -05-10-2005

I can't believe that you have really given up on this defense already. I think they have players, I think they need heart...

**txramsfan** · #3 (**permalink**) -05-10-2005

Who do the Rams have in the secondary? Arch? He's inconsistent. One week he's picking off a pass and going 80+ for a TD the next week he let's Burress get behind him for a 48 yard TD.

Hawthorne? Carter? uhhh....no.

Fisher? He's ok, decent cover guy but has been hurt every year. Groce? see Arch.

Pisa? maybe. He's the heart of this defense. Give him one more year and he could be the leader. Coakley/Claiborne? not when combined you have 1 tackle and 2 assists FOR THE GAME against the Giants.

Little? Can't be. Fans won't let that happen. Hargrove? Hasn't proved he can play yet. Kennedy/Pickett/DLew? uhhh...no.

So, where should I look for a bright spot? Pisa maybe.

**HUbison** · #4 (**permalink**) -05-10-2005

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Not one mention of a defensive player.

True...unfortunate, but true. There's plenty of potential. Aeneas is gone. Tyoka is great, but it's hard to lead as a backup. I think guys like Pisa & Kennedy will be leaders but they're young. Claiborne & Coakley could be in the future, but they're still using a map to get to the Dome on Sundays. Little should, but....well we know. Arch should be, but for some reason he just hasn't stepped into that role IMHO.

They have to have someone. It's hard to look to leaders on the opposite side of the ball. Someone has to step up now.

**txramsfan** · #5 (**permalink**) -05-10-2005

This is from the power rankings on CBSSportsline. Dropping from 15th to 19th.

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The defensive performance was terrible against the Giants. Don't expect that to change. The talent isn't there.

*RAMMAN68* · #6 (**permalink**) -05-10-2005

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The defensive performance was terrible against the Giants. Don't expect that to change. The talent isn't there.

B.S; this from the same people who said AZ would win the division.

We had a bad game. Time to move on.

As for a a D leader, TJ is one of the Captains but I think that Claiborne or Coakley need to step up and take charge of the D.

We will win this week.:clanram:

**txramsfan** · #7 (**permalink**) -05-10-2005

I agree, we had a bad game and it's time to move on.

I'm just very tired of hearing how we have Super Bowl talent but it's all Martz's fault. No, it isn't. You can blame Shaw and Zygmut also for spending all the money on offense just to fill up the Dome. That's the crux of why we are a "middle of the road" team IMHO. We don't have Super Bowl talent on the defensive side of the ball. We don't.