Football Outsiders: Rams OL in Cardinals game

[ram007]

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/word-muth/2014/word-muth-rams-collapse-desert

In their words:
"......
And that pretty much sums up the game. Austin Davis' three turnovers were killer, but the Rams had no business being in that game to begin with. The crazy thing is I've seen this Rams unit play well in the past, but this was as bad of a performance as I've seen since I started writing this column almost five years ago. It'll be interesting to see if this offensive line can rebound back to "adequate" moving forward."

 

[BonifayRam]

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/word-muth/2014/word-muth-rams-collapse-desert

In their words:
"......
And that pretty much sums up the game. Austin Davis' three turnovers were killer, but the Rams had no business being in that game to begin with. The crazy thing is I've seen this Rams unit play well in the past, but this was as bad of a performance as I've seen since I started writing this column almost five years ago. It'll be interesting to see if this offensive line can rebound back to "adequate" moving forward."

Whats the definition of an adequate Ram OL? I am beginning to think that this mostly original starting Ram OL is doing nothing else but barely hanging on period & adequate is a wishful goal that the Rams Org. just hopes for.

Bottom line this Ram OL have 5 of its planned top six OL'ers they procured this 2014 season to run with ......presently on the field starting here .........going into week 11 of this season.....where the Rams have only one starting OL'er on the injured reserve........??? IMO the Rams are very fortunate to have such health in their OL in comparison to other NFL teams or even the Rams situations in previous 2012 & 2013 seasons ......so here we are where many of our starters are producing in the past 10 games many misses & a few hits ???? IF you are lucky to have the above situation & IF the Ram OL is really not close to adequate then the Rams planning & player personnel judgement is in total fail mode in this OL unit. Hold on Ram fans pass rushers Demarcus Ware & Von miller are in town.

http://www.ramsondemand.com/threads/rams-offensive-line-your-rank.32087/page-3#post-442211

 

[Dodgersrf]

Whats the definition of an adequate Ram OL? I am beginning to think that this mostly original starting Ram OL is doing nothing else but barely hanging on period & adequate is a wishful goal that the Rams Org. just hopes for.

Bottom line this Ram OL have 5 of its planned top six OL'ers they procured this 2014 season to run with ......presently on the field starting here .........going into week 11 of this season.....where the Rams have only one starting OL'er on the injured reserve........??? IMO the Rams are very fortunate to have such health in their OL in comparison to other NFL teams or even the Rams situations in previous 2012 & 2013 seasons ......so here we are where many of our starters are producing in the past 10 games many misses & a few hits ???? IF you are lucky to have the above situation & IF the Ram OL is really not close to adequate then the Rams planning & player personnel judgement is in total fail mode in this OL unit. Hold on Ram fans pass rushers Demarcus Ware & Von miller are in town.

http://www.ramsondemand.com/threads/rams-offensive-line-your-rank.32087/page-3#post-442211

Yes. Wells, Saffold and Joseph are still playing.
However, Wells and Saffold are playing with bad limbs. Saffold may need Surgery. We'll say be done.
Joseph seams weak. I believe he's still far from 100%.

 

[Fatbot]

Yes. Wells, Saffold and Joseph are still playing.
However, Wells and Saffold are playing with bad limbs. Saffold may need Surgery. We'll say be done.
Joseph seams weak. I believe he's still far from 100%.

Reading that article and especially revealed in the gifs, the problem is not bad limbs or any physical limitations. That was just pure mental ineptitude in technique, calls, teamwork and perhaps coaching. It's the look of a unit that's lost trust in each other and not functioning as a unit.

The Wells-Joseph interplay is indicative of some issue between the two. It's like Joseph isn't obeying the calls on purpose, and Wells looks like he's setting up Joseph to fail on purpose. Barksdale's poor effort and body language is telling that he either doesn't trust the call or doesn't trust his teammate is going to succeed according to the call -- in his mind the play's over before the snap. Pure dysfunction.

Maybe I'm reading too much into a few gifs and this was just some early alignment confusion that got resolved later, but kind of surprising to see a team look so unprepared mentally so late in a season. Like with the bizarre inability to pick up basic stunts in the first SF game, the line seems to be way too confused way too much this season.

 

[iced]

The Offensive line position to the Rams is like the Quarterback to the Browns

No matter how much we invest, we just can't seem to get it right

 

[Dodgersrf]

Reading that article and especially revealed in the gifs, the problem is not bad limbs or any physical limitations. That was just pure mental ineptitude in technique, calls, teamwork and perhaps coaching. It's the look of a unit that's lost trust in each other and not functioning as a unit.

The Wells-Joseph interplay is indicative of some issue between the two. It's like Joseph isn't obeying the calls on purpose, and Wells looks like he's setting up Joseph to fail on purpose. Barksdale's poor effort and body language is telling that he either doesn't trust the call or doesn't trust his teammate is going to succeed according to the call -- in his mind the play's over before the snap. Pure dysfunction.

Maybe I'm reading too much into a few gifs and this was just some early alignment confusion that got resolved later, but kind of surprising to see a team look so unprepared mentally so late in a season. Like with the bizarre inability to pick up basic stunts in the first SF game, the line seems to be way too confused way too much this season.

You may be spot on. Even with the middle line at less than 100% health, it's tough to see the lack of team play from these guys. It's tough to watch.

 

[BonifayRam]

Here's what Ram fans have dealt with this season . OL Health as well known subject here & discussed here forever.

#1-Saffold has been constantly injured since his rookie season in 2010. Rams contracted & purchased Saffold back in this yrs free agency ...an well known often injured & damaged goods OL'er. So Saffold playing injured & in need of surgery is not new information ....that's the point the Rams purchased this injury problem. This is a ongoing negative.

#2-Jake Long who is back on the IR for the second straight season was another purchased UFA.....in 2013 free agency he had an extra long resume of surgeries in his past. Rams purchased Jake knowing that it was a very good bet that the possibility Jake would be injured again was extremely high....did not stop them. This is a negative.

#3-Scott Wells was purchased in the 2012 UFA'cy with full knowledge that he was to go under the knife on his knee. Scott Wells case was a lot different that with Longs & Saffold's...Scott did not have an injury history period. That changed dramatically when the Rams contracted & purchased him. Yes currently he is battling through another injury this time an elbow but earlier this season Scott was battling for his life due to a dangerous illness. But Scott Wells has been a injury train wreak the last 3 seasons for the Rams. Wells was IR's in 2012 & 2013. This season is his best as far as being on the field playing. Looks to me this particular veteran UFA signing has not been all that positive either, is this seasons performance due to him undergoing another series of health issues? Whatever it may be its very close to an ongoing negative.

#4-In addition to OG Saffold's signing back with us the only other new veteran addition starter to this Rams OL was when they signed FA Davin Joseph who's past two seasons were plum full of health issues before he was released. Joseph play has been very poor not sure if its health or he is just plain done in the NFL. This is also another ongoing negative.alm:

So in theses four main top Ram purchased OL additions have not gone well...understatement! Has there been any positive stuff this season with the OL? When Jake Long went out in the game due to injury & was IR'd what occurred ? Rams had finally utilized a first or second day drafted OL in Greg Robinson, having done this when Jake went out Greg went in! That's a positive. yes there is some learning ongoing but it still a positive. If OLG Saffold departs the field again what OG will go in? If Barksdale leaves the field what ORT will take his spot? I sure would like to suggest that the Rams in the future please plan to do a repeat of what happened a the OLT post with Greg Robinson & do not repeat the previous above listed four negatives. PLEASE?

 

[jrry32]

Reading that article and especially revealed in the gifs, the problem is not bad limbs or any physical limitations. That was just pure mental ineptitude in technique, calls, teamwork and perhaps coaching. It's the look of a unit that's lost trust in each other and not functioning as a unit.

The Wells-Joseph interplay is indicative of some issue between the two. It's like Joseph isn't obeying the calls on purpose, and Wells looks like he's setting up Joseph to fail on purpose. Barksdale's poor effort and body language is telling that he either doesn't trust the call or doesn't trust his teammate is going to succeed according to the call -- in his mind the play's over before the snap. Pure dysfunction.

Maybe I'm reading too much into a few gifs and this was just some early alignment confusion that got resolved later, but kind of surprising to see a team look so unprepared mentally so late in a season. Like with the bizarre inability to pick up basic stunts in the first SF game, the line seems to be way too confused way too much this season.

I think you're 100% correct.

The thing that a lot of people don't realize with OL play is that the best OLs aren't 5 individuals. It's one unit. Joe Barksdale's play has fallen off significantly since Saffold got flipped to the left side and Joseph reinserted. Maybe Joe isn't playing well but I think Barksdale doesn't trust Joseph. And you need trust on the OL to work as an unit.

For an OL to be effective, it has to be a well oiled machine with every guy on the same page expecting the guy next to him to do his job. It's like a zone defense. It's only effective if the entire unit is working together and trusts each other. Because feeling like you have to compensate for the guy next to you is going to make you less effective.

 

[Fatbot]

For an OL to be effective, it has to be a well oiled machine with every guy on the same page expecting the guy next to him to do his job. It's like a zone defense. It's only effective if the entire unit is working together and trusts each other. Because feeling like you have to compensate for the guy next to you is going to make you less effective.

Yeah that's what I was trying to say! I didn't mean to make my initial post so accusatory/negative. It's most likely simple frustration that has them out of sync, but yeah there needs to be that trust and teamwork. They've had it at times, just not consistently.

 

[LACHAMP46]

The thing that a lot of people don't realize with OL play is that the best OLs aren't 5 individuals. It's one unit.

Like a movie I remember:

ONE FIST!!!!!

 

[Mojo Ram]

Continuity breeds trust.

 

[Alan]

ram007 with this nugget:
"......It'll be interesting to see if this offensive line can rebound back to "adequate" moving forward."

That's what I said in Shane's thread!

I should start copywriting my stuff cause that's already once they're stolen my stuff this decade.

 

[Athos]

Continuity breeds trust.

Indeed. And talent helps trump all. Which is why is why I'd get my QB this year, and pick up 2 OGs in the draft. And a C.

Want continuity? Don't sign over the hill FAs who suck. Or FAs with big injury ?s.

And it isn't like ARZ has had a great pass rush this season. Which is why I bet on DEN. I fear the havoc Ware and Miller are gonna wreck on our O-Line and Poor Shaun Hill. I don't think it's gonna be pretty.

Only way we stand a chance is multiple TEs and RBs ALL GAME LONG.

 

[Thordaddy]

Indeed. And talent helps trump all. Which is why is why I'd get my QB this year, and pick up 2 OGs in the draft. And a C.

Want continuity? Don't sign over the hill FAs who suck. Or FAs with big injury ?s.

And it isn't like ARZ has had a great pass rush this season. Which is why I bet on DEN. I fear the havoc Ware and Miller are gonna wreck on our O-Line and Poor Shaun Hill. I don't think it's gonna be pretty.

Only way we stand a chance is multiple TEs and RBs ALL GAME LONG.

Posted this elsewhere but IMO what we have to do to win is sack Manning more than they sack Hill ,there's a chance of that ,isn't there ?

 

[Athos]

Posted this elsewhere but IMO what we have to do to win is sack Manning more than they sack Hill ,there's a chance of that ,isn't there ?

There may very well be something like 18 combined sacks in this game by both teams. I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Thordaddy]

There may very well be something like 18 combined sacks in this game by both teams. I wouldn't be surprised.

I'm thinkin you could be right

 

[Dieter the Brock]

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/word-muth/2014/word-muth-rams-collapse-desert

In their words:
"......
And that pretty much sums up the game. Austin Davis' three turnovers were killer, but the Rams had no business being in that game to begin with. The crazy thing is I've seen this Rams unit play well in the past, but this was as bad of a performance as I've seen since I started writing this column almost five years ago. It'll be interesting to see if this offensive line can rebound back to "adequate" moving forward."

 

[yrba1]

Continuity breeds trust.

And the coaching staff insists that we should continue shuffling our O-line, which blows assignments and reeks of inconsistency. I hope Fisher finally gets that continuity is essential for a successful O-line.

 

[ram007]

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