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St. Louis Rams decide not to bail on season
Sports Columnist Bryan Burwell
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/21/2009
As Tuesday began to unfold and the clock kept ticking toward the NFL's 3 p.m. trading deadline, the surprise of all surprises was that the winless Rams were still deep in the swirl of all the best rumors.
And as the gossip ensued, the biggest intrigue was whether or not the team would play the role of buyer or seller. Or in more cold and concise language, would they pull out the white flag of surrender, admitting that after an 0-6 start — and with a losing streak that has grown to a hideous 16 consecutive defeats — that this season was already beyond redemption?
The most obvious sign of capitulation would be a desperate fire sale; a wholesale sell-off of anyone of value, hocked for a pittance.
All weekend, we heard the preposterous gossip that Steven Jackson was on the block, and just as soon as that silliness was quelled, two more intriguing names came up — offensive tackle Alex Barron and tight end Randy McMichael. And if either of those rumors proved to be true, it would have been the surest sign of all that the Rams had run the white flag up over Rams Park.
But by the end of the afternoon, general manager Billy Devaney and coach Steve Spagnuolo sent out another signal entirely. They decided to dig their heels firmly into the ground and declare that they were still in a fighting mood.
"We weren't just interested in draft picks," Devaney said in an interview on WXOS (101.1 FM). "We said we are still trying to win football games this year."
So no crazy Jackson trade, and no deal on Barron or McMichael either. The shopping list is long for what the Rams need if they are going to ever edge closer to ending this losing streak. But for the time being, item No. 1 on the list was simple:
They needed a wide receiver in the worst way.
Because of injuries — and a mind-boggling offseason failure to foresee that they hadn't fortified the roster adequately with more proven receiving talent — the Rams' offense has found it a struggle to generate any consistency. The offense was restricted by a group of backups who have yet to prove that they can get open against even the most basic defensive coverage on a regular basis.
That's why the organization had no choice but to deal veteran linebacker Will Witherspoon to Philadelphia for rookie wideout Brandon Gibson (plus a fifth-round pick) in hope that he can be even a modest improvement on what's already here with its kiddie corps of receivers.
Is Gibson the answer to what ails this lethargic offense?
Let's hope he is, because this team needs a receiver who knows how to get open. It needs someone who can line up at wide receiver and defeat a cornerback. It needs someone who can physically beat press coverage off the line, and I repeat ... just ... get ... open.
Gibson couldn't get on the field in Philly because the Eagles are loaded at his position. There was no way he could get any time with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Kevin Curtis and Jason Avant gobbling up all the playing time.
But he made enough of an impression in preseason (eight receptions for 78 yards and a TD) that the Rams' pro personnel department gave Gibson a strong endorsement. It's just seems a shame that Devaney didn't see this coming sooner. I understand why Torry Holt was released (he wanted out, the Rams also wanted to make some cap room). But they never found a sufficient replacement for Holt to provide young Donnie Avery and the other kids on the roster with some schooling on the fine art of NFL pass catching.
Thankfully, Devaney didn't make matters even worse. The trouble with engineering trades when you are 0-6 is that it's like plugging a hole in a leaking dam. The minute you plug up one leak, you spring another one. So adding Gibson helps the offense, but losing Witherspoon will weaken the defense.
But of all the veterans who could have gone, Witherspoon's absence will hurt the least. I can't begin to tell you how dumb it would have been to trade Jackson. Devaney has repeatedly said publicly that the notion of trading away his star running back was too asinine to even dignify with a comment. But when Jackson's name began circulating on Saturday on national TV reports in the trade gossip, several team sources confirmed that team officials met with Jackson to assure him that the rumors were bogus.
McMichael wasn't going anywhere either. When you're already struggling to find people who can get open and catch the ball, why would you even consider trading away one of the few men who can?
Trading away Barron wouldn't make much sense either, unless some team was willing to part with a second-round pick. Regardless of what you may think of his knuckleheaded lapses, you don't give away offensive tackles who can go toe-to-toe with defensive beasts like Minnesota's Jared Allen. He might be a knucklehead, but ever since that benching in San Francisco, Barron has played some of the best football on that offensive line (only 1˝ sacks surrendered in six games).
The Rams might be 0-6, but they are in no mood to raise the white flag on this season. Even if the losing continues, the players and the management have at least let us know that as ugly as it might look, at least they are still trying to put up a fight.
Sports Columnist Bryan Burwell
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/21/2009
As Tuesday began to unfold and the clock kept ticking toward the NFL's 3 p.m. trading deadline, the surprise of all surprises was that the winless Rams were still deep in the swirl of all the best rumors.
And as the gossip ensued, the biggest intrigue was whether or not the team would play the role of buyer or seller. Or in more cold and concise language, would they pull out the white flag of surrender, admitting that after an 0-6 start — and with a losing streak that has grown to a hideous 16 consecutive defeats — that this season was already beyond redemption?
The most obvious sign of capitulation would be a desperate fire sale; a wholesale sell-off of anyone of value, hocked for a pittance.
All weekend, we heard the preposterous gossip that Steven Jackson was on the block, and just as soon as that silliness was quelled, two more intriguing names came up — offensive tackle Alex Barron and tight end Randy McMichael. And if either of those rumors proved to be true, it would have been the surest sign of all that the Rams had run the white flag up over Rams Park.
But by the end of the afternoon, general manager Billy Devaney and coach Steve Spagnuolo sent out another signal entirely. They decided to dig their heels firmly into the ground and declare that they were still in a fighting mood.
"We weren't just interested in draft picks," Devaney said in an interview on WXOS (101.1 FM). "We said we are still trying to win football games this year."
So no crazy Jackson trade, and no deal on Barron or McMichael either. The shopping list is long for what the Rams need if they are going to ever edge closer to ending this losing streak. But for the time being, item No. 1 on the list was simple:
They needed a wide receiver in the worst way.
Because of injuries — and a mind-boggling offseason failure to foresee that they hadn't fortified the roster adequately with more proven receiving talent — the Rams' offense has found it a struggle to generate any consistency. The offense was restricted by a group of backups who have yet to prove that they can get open against even the most basic defensive coverage on a regular basis.
That's why the organization had no choice but to deal veteran linebacker Will Witherspoon to Philadelphia for rookie wideout Brandon Gibson (plus a fifth-round pick) in hope that he can be even a modest improvement on what's already here with its kiddie corps of receivers.
Is Gibson the answer to what ails this lethargic offense?
Let's hope he is, because this team needs a receiver who knows how to get open. It needs someone who can line up at wide receiver and defeat a cornerback. It needs someone who can physically beat press coverage off the line, and I repeat ... just ... get ... open.
Gibson couldn't get on the field in Philly because the Eagles are loaded at his position. There was no way he could get any time with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Kevin Curtis and Jason Avant gobbling up all the playing time.
But he made enough of an impression in preseason (eight receptions for 78 yards and a TD) that the Rams' pro personnel department gave Gibson a strong endorsement. It's just seems a shame that Devaney didn't see this coming sooner. I understand why Torry Holt was released (he wanted out, the Rams also wanted to make some cap room). But they never found a sufficient replacement for Holt to provide young Donnie Avery and the other kids on the roster with some schooling on the fine art of NFL pass catching.
Thankfully, Devaney didn't make matters even worse. The trouble with engineering trades when you are 0-6 is that it's like plugging a hole in a leaking dam. The minute you plug up one leak, you spring another one. So adding Gibson helps the offense, but losing Witherspoon will weaken the defense.
But of all the veterans who could have gone, Witherspoon's absence will hurt the least. I can't begin to tell you how dumb it would have been to trade Jackson. Devaney has repeatedly said publicly that the notion of trading away his star running back was too asinine to even dignify with a comment. But when Jackson's name began circulating on Saturday on national TV reports in the trade gossip, several team sources confirmed that team officials met with Jackson to assure him that the rumors were bogus.
McMichael wasn't going anywhere either. When you're already struggling to find people who can get open and catch the ball, why would you even consider trading away one of the few men who can?
Trading away Barron wouldn't make much sense either, unless some team was willing to part with a second-round pick. Regardless of what you may think of his knuckleheaded lapses, you don't give away offensive tackles who can go toe-to-toe with defensive beasts like Minnesota's Jared Allen. He might be a knucklehead, but ever since that benching in San Francisco, Barron has played some of the best football on that offensive line (only 1˝ sacks surrendered in six games).
The Rams might be 0-6, but they are in no mood to raise the white flag on this season. Even if the losing continues, the players and the management have at least let us know that as ugly as it might look, at least they are still trying to put up a fight.
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