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  • #1

    From Pro Football Weekly...

    • Word is the Rams are excited about the return to the lineup of second-year DT Jimmy Kennedy, who made his season debut vs. the Patriots last Sunday after being sidelined since early August with a broken right foot. We hear Kennedy looked a lot quicker and more explosive in the practices leading up to the Patriots game.
    • Rams OL Chris Dishman, who hyperextended his right knee in Week Three vs. New Orleans, has regained the starting OLG job from second-year pro Scott Tercero, but don’t be surprised if Tercero moves into the starting lineup at right tackle, where we hear Grant Williams is on an increasingly short leash.
    The Rams’ overall performance on defense left a lot to be desired the first half of the season. But one position that our sources believe could become an area of strength during the second half of the season is defensive tackle, in great part due to the steady play of former first-round pick Damione Lewis, who has been completely healthy for the first time in his four-year pro career. “It (being healthy) definitely has made a big difference,” Lewis told PFW last week. “I think I’ve played decently, but I need to continue improving my handling of double-teams, and I always feel I could do better against the run. And I think that we all can do a lot better job of tackling and finishing plays.” When asked about the difference between first-year defensive coordinator Larry Marmie and his predecessor, current Bears head coach Lovie Smith, Lewis said the main thing was that Smith kept things a lot simpler. Said Lewis: “Larry’s playbook is a little thicker. But he really believes in his system, and every week we’re getting a better handle on what he’s looking for from us.”
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  • #2
    Re: From Pro Football Weekly...

    Said Lewis: “Larry’s playbook is a little thicker. But he really believes in his system, and every week we’re getting a better handle on what he’s looking for from us.”
    Ah, now the picture becomes more clear. The defense is having to stop and think about every play (Marmie ball) instead of just making the play (Lovie ball). Having a defensive unit that has to react instead of just going off instinct would make them look slow and sluggish. Time to dumb it down Larry.
    The more things change, the more they stay the same.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: From Pro Football Weekly...

      Originally posted by HUbison
      Ah, now the picture becomes more clear. The defense is having to stop and think about every play (Marmie ball) instead of just making the play (Lovie ball). Having a defensive unit that has to react instead of just going off instinct would make them look slow and sluggish. Time to dumb it down Larry.
      Wouldn't it be nice if it was that simple? It may explain a few things, but, I think most would agree we need to pick up at least one, preferrably two, impact players in the secondary next year in the draft or FA. Still, it is helpful to gain alittle insight from the players perspective.

      GO RAMS!!!

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: From Pro Football Weekly...

        Originally posted by AvengerRam
        Rams OL Chris Dishman, who hyperextended his right knee in Week Three vs. New Orleans, has regained the starting OLG job from second-year pro Scott Tercero, but don’t be surprised if Tercero moves into the starting lineup at right tackle, where we hear Grant Williams is on an increasingly short leash.
        That sounds like some good news to me. I'm excited to see what Tercero can do at the right tackle position, although I would prefer him to take over for Dishman. I guess though when you have two glaring weaknesses on the O-line, you can't fill both of them.

        If Tercero works out at right tackle, that'd clear the path for the Rams to draft David Baas (who I'm now high on apparently, since I drafted him in my Madden 2005 'chise).

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: From Pro Football Weekly...

          Originally posted by viper3
          Wouldn't it be nice if it was that simple? It may explain a few things, but, I think most would agree we need to pick up at least one, preferrably two, impact players in the secondary next year in the draft or FA. Still, it is helpful to gain alittle insight from the players perspective.

          GO RAMS!!!
          It may not be the whole puzzle, but doesn't this sound like a big piece? I mean how else do you explain veterans who have played together since, at least last year, if not longer in most cases, who go from a pretty decent unit one season to absolute crapola the next. Watch them on the field. They look absolutely lost. And I'm not talking about rookies, I'm talking about the Polleys, Littles, Thomases, & Arches that are a step late to every play.
          The more things change, the more they stay the same.

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: From Pro Football Weekly...

            Originally posted by HUbison
            It may not be the whole puzzle, but doesn't this sound like a big piece? I mean how else do you explain veterans who have played together since, at least last year, if not longer in most cases, who go from a pretty decent unit one season to absolute crapola the next. Watch them on the field. They look absolutely lost. And I'm not talking about rookies, I'm talking about the Polleys, Littles, Thomases, & Arches that are a step late to every play.
            I'm with ya HUBison...it could explain alot! I still think we need some help in the secondary though.

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: From Pro Football Weekly...

              If Tercero works out at right tackle, that'd clear the path for the Rams to draft David Baas (who I'm now high on apparently, since I drafted him in my Madden 2005 'chise).
              Keep in mind that Brad Smith (Mizzou's QB) is a top 3 pick in that game. That should be enough to show you the failings of EA with regard to their rankings in NCAA.

              I think Tercero is the answer at Guard for next year, but he hasn't been impressive at all from what I've seen all year at the tackle position.

              Comment

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              • RamWraith
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                BY JEFF GORDON
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              • RamDez
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                Due for a makeover


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                Middle linebacker Chris Claiborne, in place of Robert Thomas.

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                ...
                -08-28-2005, 03:48 AM
              • RamDez
                Veteran steps in for his injured teammate
                by RamDez
                Veteran steps in for his injured teammate
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                He suffered a torn quadriceps tendon in his left leg and underwent surgery in February. Which is hardly the best way to begin the offseason as an unrestricted free agent.

                Because of the surgery, Holsey wasn't expecting to hear from NFL teams until the start of training camp. Much to his surprise, the Rams signed him to a one-year, $660,000 contract on June 18.

                "I really wasn't expecting that," Holsey said. "The Rams came out of the blue on that one. I really appreciate their trust and faith in me that everything's going to work out for the best."

                For the most part, Holsey had been a spectator during the first nine days of camp as he continued rehabilitation work on his leg. Now, it's time for Holsey to reward the Rams for that "trust and faith."

                Thursday afternoon, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy was lost for 10 to 12 weeks with a fractured foot. On Friday afternoon, Holsey took part in his first full-scale practice with the Rams.

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                Given Lewis' injury history, Holsey could play even more than he thinks. An eight-year veteran from Duke, Holsey has played for the New York Giants, Indianapolis, New England and Washington. He has started only 33 of 104 games over that span, but started all 16 games last season for the Redskins.

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                ...
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              • Rambos
                If the Shoe Fits
                by Rambos
                Wednesday, September 21, 2005

                By Nick Wagoner
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                For a group that has had its development slowed by a number of injuries, particularly to defensive tackles Ryan Pickett, Damione Lewis and Jimmy Kennedy, the solution to keeping the defensive line healthy and productive might have been in their feet this whole time.

                “The first two years they were here, injuries were always an issue,” coach Mike Martz said. “We took care of a lot of that just with the shoes. We started looking at their shoes and they were wearing a pair because they felt light and they looked pretty. Here’s this guy that’s 325 pounds with a pair of slippers with cleats on. He puts his foot on the ground and there’s no support. No wonder he fractures his feet. We made a big deal out of it with the league and Nike and Reebok were kind enough to come out with charts with weight limits on shoes.”

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                Martz even took the results from a study to the competition committee and told them about the problems the narrow shoes were causing to the bigger players.

                “We’ve asked all our linemen to wear hightops and they’ve expanded the shoes,” Martz said. “It’s made all the difference in the world. We haven’t had an ankle injury or, knock on wood, a foot injury since then.”

                The debilitating injuries along the defensive line have made it nearly impossible for the group to find its groove as a unit. You could almost set your watch to one guy getting healthy followed by someone else getting injured.

                Coincidentally, most of those injuries were foot or toe or ankle injuries that might have been prevented by having a better, wider, more-cushioned shoe.

                Perhaps none of the defensive linemen have been as affected as tackle Damione Lewis. Lewis was the team’s 12th pick in the 2001 NFL Draft out of Miami and was known for his quick burst off the line.

                But his progress has been slowed by a number of injuries, most of them in the feet and ankle. He broke his right foot in his rookie year after nine games and missed the rest of the season on injured reserve. He made it through 2002 without a problem, but suffered an ankle sprain that caused him to miss four more games in 2003.

                Lewis recovered to play in every game last season, but Lewis says the change of shoes has made him more comfortable.

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                -09-21-2005, 04:19 PM
              • Tony Soprano
                Have you noticed this phenomena?
                by Tony Soprano
                Have you noticed this phenomena with Rams fans or any fans in general?

                When you speak about players individually they defend them all (or almost all), yet they readily admit we are bad.

                Fans have attachments to players or associate them with positive scouting reports when they were drafted, but, in total, they have no problem with labeling us bad.

                I had a conversation with a guy and Archuleta was a former all-pro with rare talent. Jimmy Kennedy was a bull of a man - a very rare athlete - going to be a great player. Daimone Lewis was from a long line of highly sought Miami players. Anthony Hargrove had the rare speed/size combinations that all NFL teams covet. Claiborne didn't get a chance. He was brought in and then never got to show what he can do. We don't need a new middle linebacker with Claiborne. Pisa's a piece of work.. Flies to the ball with a great attitude.. Heart of a Lion. Ryan Pickett is a pro-bowler - no doubt. We are lucky to have gotten Dexter Coakley with veteran leadership and his LB skills. And on and on.

                And then I say, yeah bet we're like 30th on Defense and they say - Yeah, we stink.

                I have been saying for 3 years that Marmie is terrible. He should've never been promoted. However, even I don't operate under the perception that it's all the coaches fault.

                This guy didn't either but when you walked down the Ram's starting DEF he defended every one of them individually and I've noticed that on here also to an extent.

                .
                -12-31-2005, 02:47 PM
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