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By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
Thursday, Aug. 26 2004
Sixteen days from now, the Rams will be doing this for real. So it's time. Time
for the first-string offense to score a touchdown. It has yet to do so this
preseason.
Time for the defense to come up with a turnover. It has yet to do so this
preseason - first-string, second-string, or any-string.
Time for the Rams to start sharpening their focus and honing their craft.
Because the Sept. 12 regular-season opener against Arizona is right around the
corner.
"At this point, we need to come together as a team," coach Mike Martz said.
"We've spent a lot of time here looking at these players."
As individuals. But tonight against the visiting Washington Redskins, Martz
says: "I want the (starters) to be sharp. When the first group's in there, I
just want them to compete, and be sharp, and perform well."
In other words, do everything they didn't do in Monday's 24-7 embarrassment at
Kansas City. What went wrong against the Chiefs? A lot, according to Martz:
"We made an inordinate amount of mental mistakes. ...
"We didn't play with the enthusiasm and the pizzazz that we would expect us to.
...
"We were disjointed. The calls didn't come in right. It looked like our first
day of practice."
Which is no way to be less than three weeks from opening day.
"So we have to iron it out quick," offensive guard Chris Dishman said. "And I
think we will."
There's plenty to be ironed out, especially on offense in terms of pass
protection, blitz pickup, and hot reads. On Monday, Kansas City blitzed 11
times in the first half. The Chiefs sent seven pass rushers three times, and
six pass rushers on four occasions. On three blitzes, they sent both safeties
at quarterback Marc Bulger.
"Washington is going to come in with a similar defense," to Kansas City, Bulger
said. "With a lot of pressure, and it will be another good test."
It's a test the Rams' offense failed against Kansas City - and not just the
offensive line.
"We as an offense, as a whole, probably could've given it a better effort,"
running back Marshall Faulk said. "But we didn't. Thank God, it's the preseason
and we get to work on it."
Because of a quirky preseason schedule, the Rams get to work on it right away.
Just four days after the Chiefs debacle, the Redskins come calling at 7 tonight
at the Edward Jones Dome.
Most NFL players need a day or two just to recover from the normal aches and
pains of a game. This week, Rams players had Tuesday off, then had lighter than
normal practices Wednesday and Thursday. And now, another game.
"It'll be tough for them," Martz said.
Most of the starters played the entire first half against Kansas City; and
they'll be asked to do the same against Washington. But many of the team's
skill position players were in for only one series against Chicago in the
preseason opener Aug. 12. So they need the work.
"We have faith in each other in the locker room right now, and we are not
panicking by any stretch of the imagination," Bulger said. "We need to get
better, and we know that will come. We are going to work to get it done sooner
rather than later."
Martz spent only two hours last week game-planning the Chiefs, a fraction of
what he would do for a regular-season game. Given the short work week, it's
doubtful he did more for Washington.
The Rams didn't even watch the Kansas City game film as a team, although some
players did so Tuesday on their own. There was simply no time. Instead,
position coaches left comments on grade sheets for the players to examine. All
things considered, maybe that was a good thing. Why dwell on a nightmare?
"Winning is a habit," defensive lineman Tyoka Jackson said after the Chiefs
game. "Good habits are formed on the practice field and in preseason games. And
losing and bad habits are formed the same way.
"We can't afford to play like that. That's just not who we are. ... We won't
put on a performance like that again in front of our fans. That's unacceptable.
It won't happen again
Of the Post-Dispatch
Thursday, Aug. 26 2004
Sixteen days from now, the Rams will be doing this for real. So it's time. Time
for the first-string offense to score a touchdown. It has yet to do so this
preseason.
Time for the defense to come up with a turnover. It has yet to do so this
preseason - first-string, second-string, or any-string.
Time for the Rams to start sharpening their focus and honing their craft.
Because the Sept. 12 regular-season opener against Arizona is right around the
corner.
"At this point, we need to come together as a team," coach Mike Martz said.
"We've spent a lot of time here looking at these players."
As individuals. But tonight against the visiting Washington Redskins, Martz
says: "I want the (starters) to be sharp. When the first group's in there, I
just want them to compete, and be sharp, and perform well."
In other words, do everything they didn't do in Monday's 24-7 embarrassment at
Kansas City. What went wrong against the Chiefs? A lot, according to Martz:
"We made an inordinate amount of mental mistakes. ...
"We didn't play with the enthusiasm and the pizzazz that we would expect us to.
...
"We were disjointed. The calls didn't come in right. It looked like our first
day of practice."
Which is no way to be less than three weeks from opening day.
"So we have to iron it out quick," offensive guard Chris Dishman said. "And I
think we will."
There's plenty to be ironed out, especially on offense in terms of pass
protection, blitz pickup, and hot reads. On Monday, Kansas City blitzed 11
times in the first half. The Chiefs sent seven pass rushers three times, and
six pass rushers on four occasions. On three blitzes, they sent both safeties
at quarterback Marc Bulger.
"Washington is going to come in with a similar defense," to Kansas City, Bulger
said. "With a lot of pressure, and it will be another good test."
It's a test the Rams' offense failed against Kansas City - and not just the
offensive line.
"We as an offense, as a whole, probably could've given it a better effort,"
running back Marshall Faulk said. "But we didn't. Thank God, it's the preseason
and we get to work on it."
Because of a quirky preseason schedule, the Rams get to work on it right away.
Just four days after the Chiefs debacle, the Redskins come calling at 7 tonight
at the Edward Jones Dome.
Most NFL players need a day or two just to recover from the normal aches and
pains of a game. This week, Rams players had Tuesday off, then had lighter than
normal practices Wednesday and Thursday. And now, another game.
"It'll be tough for them," Martz said.
Most of the starters played the entire first half against Kansas City; and
they'll be asked to do the same against Washington. But many of the team's
skill position players were in for only one series against Chicago in the
preseason opener Aug. 12. So they need the work.
"We have faith in each other in the locker room right now, and we are not
panicking by any stretch of the imagination," Bulger said. "We need to get
better, and we know that will come. We are going to work to get it done sooner
rather than later."
Martz spent only two hours last week game-planning the Chiefs, a fraction of
what he would do for a regular-season game. Given the short work week, it's
doubtful he did more for Washington.
The Rams didn't even watch the Kansas City game film as a team, although some
players did so Tuesday on their own. There was simply no time. Instead,
position coaches left comments on grade sheets for the players to examine. All
things considered, maybe that was a good thing. Why dwell on a nightmare?
"Winning is a habit," defensive lineman Tyoka Jackson said after the Chiefs
game. "Good habits are formed on the practice field and in preseason games. And
losing and bad habits are formed the same way.
"We can't afford to play like that. That's just not who we are. ... We won't
put on a performance like that again in front of our fans. That's unacceptable.
It won't happen again
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