Briefly, Jackson shows why he’s one of NFL’s best

By Bill Coats

10/28/2007 7:15 pm

The absurd notion by some Rams observers that Steven Jackson is something less than an elite NFL running back should have learned their lesson during Sunday’s 27-20 loss the Browns. With Jackson back in the lineup after missing a month with a torn groin muscle, the Rams were an offensive juggernaut that rolled to a 14-0 lead in the first 10 minutes. They finally were showing off the attack that so many expected before this train wreck of a season began. Jackson pounded out 41 yards on eight carries, caught two passes for 9 yards, and was on pace for a 200-plus yard day when his back went into spasms late in the opening period. The Rams also locked up, mustering only 27 rushing yards and two field goals over the final 45 minutes with Jackson on the sideline. Rookie Brian Leonard is a solid back, but he can’t come close to matching the speed, strength and electricity Jackson provides. Nor can many other backs in the league. “When he’s in there, you can see we’re explosive,” quarterback Marc Bulger said. “When he got hurt, it changed our team, plain and simple.” *** The Rams have a bye next Sunday, although coach Scott Linehan hasn’t called recess just yet. He’s scheduled practices for Tuesday and Wednesday at Rams Park before dismissing the troops. *** The timing of the bye was debated in the locker room Sunday. Some players said that at 0-8, the team might be better served by sticking to the routine and plowing forward. More, however, felt that the break was badly needed. “It comes at a great time,” Jackson said. “I think we need this bye for guys to get away for a while and collect their thoughts, the coaches do the same thing, and hopefully we come back strong.” Added guard Richie Incognito: “It’s 50-50 on the bye week; we can keep pushing or take a week to reflect. Either way, we’ve just got to play better.” *** Notes & quotes: >>Browns WR Braylon Edwards made some eye-popping grabs to overcome generally tight coverage by CB Fakhir Brown. “I felt like I was there, but I didn’t make any plays on the ball,” Brown said. >>Needing 6 inches on fourth down against the NFL’s worst defense to keep their hopes alive late in the final two minutes, the Rams failed. RB Brian Leonard was stuffed by SS Sean Jones for no gain. “I had his leg and wouldn’t let go,” Jones said. >>WR Drew Bennett, finally healthy after thigh and hamstring injuries, had his best day with the Rams, catching six passes for 63 yards. >>Nick Leckey performed adequately at RG after Incognito left in the first quarter with a sprained right knee. Leckey, normally a center, never had played guard in the NFL, although he was a LG for three years at Kansas State. >>The Rams held a 170-47 yardage edge after the first period. The Browns had a 321-223 advantage the rest of the way. >>Unlike the Dolphins, the Rams are winless on only one continent.

Seattle Sacks Rams

By Nick Wagoner

Senior Writer

SEATTLE– While the Rams’ patchwork offensive line couldn’t keep quarterback Marc Bulger protected all day Sunday, it also couldn’t protect the Rams from the worst start in franchise history.

With leaks springing all across the line, the Seahawks feasted on Bulger and the Rams anemic offense on their way to a convincing and thorough 33-6 win at Qwest Field on Sunday.

The loss drops the Rams to 0-7 for the first time in franchise history. Seattle took control of the NFC West Division with the win as it improved to 4-3.

Seattle sacked Bulger seven times, came up with four takeaways and hurried or hit Bulger on countless other plays.

Leading the way was defensive end Darryl Tapp, who made a case for the Pro Bowl with four sacks and a forced fumble.

The Rams offense continued its struggles, finishing with just 202 yards of total offense.

Fourth Quarter

The Rams had another opportunity go by the wayside as Wilkins missed from 44 yards.

Things didn’t get much better in the final quarter as the Rams continued to struggle to protect Bulger. He was sacked and coughed up another fumble early in the final period, giving the ball back to Seattle at the Rams’ 44 with 9:06 to play.

Seattle didn’t muster much offensively, but it was enough for Brown to kick his fourth field goal, this time from43 yards out to make it 26-6 with 7:02 to play.

Julian Peterson intercepted Bulger and Seattle scored two plays later when Hasselbeck hit Heller again this time from 11 yards out to give Seattle a 33-6 lead.

Third Quarter

The second half started in the worst way possible for the Rams. An improving special teams unit got burned on the opening kickoff as Nate Burleson had his second return for a touchdown in as many games against the Rams.

Burleson raced 91 yards among some missed tackles for the score, giving Seattle a 17-3 lead with 14:47 to go in the quarter.

The Rams offense put together its best drive of the day as Bulger used Torry Holt for the first time all day. Holt went to work to the tune of four catches for 53 yards, but dropped a potential 17-yard touchdown. That drop helped kill the drive deep in Seattle territory and the Rams settled for a 29-yard field goal from Wilkins. With 10:33 to go in the quarter, Seattle is up 17-6.

Seattle answered again, driving in to St. Louis territory to set up a 48-yard field goal from Brown. That kick gave Seattle a 20-6 lead with about six and half minutes to go.

The Rams gave it right back on the ensuing possession as defensive end Darryl Tapp came up with his fourth sack of the game, causing a fumble that was recovered by Jordan Babineaux at the Rams’ 21.

The defense held Seattle to a field goal again, as Brown converted from 45 yards out to make it 23-6 Seahawks at the end of the quarter.

Second Quarter

Seattle opened the second quarter with another long drive, but the Rams tightened up in the red zone and held the Seahawks to a 38-yard field goal from Josh Brown. That kick made it 10-3 Seattle with 10:15 to go in the half.

The Rams defense kept them in the game as they bent, but did not break. Cornerback Ron Bartell came up with an interception to thwart another Seattle drive.

But the offense continues to struggle as Bulger has had little time to throw and when he has had a little, he has been unable to get rid of it. On the bright side, the Rams aren’t getting beaten in field position because of the continued excellence of punter Donnie Jones.

Jones booted an 80-yard punt late in the quarter, the third longest in the history of the Rams.

At the half, Seattle leads 10-3.

First Quarter

After winning the toss, the Rams took the ball, but immediately went three and out, giving the ball to Seattle at its 29.

The Seahawks wasted no time marching down the field, going 71 yards on 11 plays for a 1-yard touchdown pass from Matt Hasselbeck to tight end Will Heller. The extra point gave Seattle a 7-0 lead with 7:40 to go in the opening quarter.

After another drive ended quickly, the Rams defense came up with a big stop on fourth-and-inches to take over at Seattle ’s 48.

Marc Bulger hit Isaac Bruce on third-and-9, but Bruce slipped on what would have been a touchdown. The 31-yard gain gave the Rams a shot in the red zone and a 12-yard gain from Brian Leonard set up first-and-goal from the 4. But the Rams went backward on a sack by Julian Peterson and had to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Jeff Wilkins.

That kick made it 7-3 Seattle with 1:02 to go in the first.

Pregame Notes

Greetings from one of the best places to watch football in the NFL, Qwest Stadium. The Seahawks have found a way to build a great game day atmosphere and the stadium itself is a wonderful place.

Here’s a shocker, it’s probably going to rain sometime today in Seattle . The Rams practiced in rainy and windy conditions earlier in the week so nothing should take them by surprise.

The Rams have almost completely returned to health and that makes the inactive decisions a little more difficult.

Running back Steven Jackson (groin) and returner Dante Hall (ankle) are inactive today. Jackson is expected to return next week and Hall won’t likely be back until after the bye week.

Receivers Dane Looker (thigh) and Drew Bennett (hamstring) are also inactive. They showed signs of recovery during the week but neither will play today. That means newly signed Travis Taylor will be involved in the offense with Marques Hagans serving as the third receiver behind Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce.

Tight end Dominique Byrd, safety Bhawoh Jue, defensive end Trevor Johnson and center Nick Leckey are also inactive.

Notables out for the Seahawks include receivers Deion Branch and D.J. Hackett and tight end Marcus Pollard.

Magic can't save Rams season, but problems shouldn't linger

By Jeff Gordon


It’s been a tough Sunday here in cyberspace. Duty forced your correspondent to
watch the entire Rams game, which was an uncommonly painful experience.

Then duty required a lengthy chat session with disgruntled and disgusted fans.
About 100 replies later, I’d like to make two overriding points.

The local NFL souvenir shops don’t sell magic wands. The Rams are 0-6 and
riddled with injuries. Coach Scott Linehan hasn’t found many answers, but
hiring an ex-coach from the broadcast booth isn’t feasible in October.
Improvement during this season will have to come within the current group, one
way or another. The current coaches must coach better and the surviving players
must play better.

Turning around the Rams after this season shouldn’t be a long-term project.
Dramatic reversals of form are the norm in the Not For Long league. Green Bay
is 5-1 this season and Tampa Bay is 4-2. Conversely, the Saints went to Seattle
winless and the explosive Bengals lost four of their first five games. Things
change in a hurry in the NFL.

Believe it or not, the Rams do have some young players to build around. Clifton
Ryan and Adam Carriker were forceful in the middle of the defensive line the
last two weeks. Tye Hill, Jonathan Wade, O.J. Atogwe, Victor Adeyanju, Mark
Setterstrom, Richie Incognito, Brian Leonard -– these kids all have some value.

This is a different offense when Steven Jackson, Orlando Pace, Marc Bulger,
Isaac Bruce, Drew Bennett and Dante Hall are all healthy. We never saw that
scenario this season and we never will.

Defensive veterans Leonard Little, James Hall, Fakhir Brown and Will
Witherspoon are worthy players, although Witherspoon would be more forceful
playing outside linebacker.

Before players began to fall, I believed the Rams would start this season by
winning four of their first six games. Instead, they lost all six as their
casualties mounted.

The difference between 4-2 and 0-6 isn’t as great as you would think. Better
health, better coaching, better effort and better luck could have kept these
same players in contention.

But this season, Linehan reminds us, “is what it is.” The Rams failure is, as
Linehan says, “humbling.”

(“Embarrassing” is another word for it, but Linehan objected to that adjective
at his news conference last Monday.)

In the near term, Linehan and his assistants must coach every day as if it is
their last. They must try new strategies and different motivational tactics.

They must turn Rams Park upside down. Business as usual won’t cut it anymore.
This is an emergency. Players should feel the sense of urgency when they walk
in the door Monday -– and they should feel it every day through the end of the
season.

If urgency brings a few volcanic eruptions along the way, then so be it.
Composure is an overrated quality on 0-6 teams. Just ask the Vikings, who
knocked off the Bears after an, um, exciting week of preparations.

In the longer term, the Rams should heed Bernie Miklasz’s advice. The current
way of running this football operation does not work. John Shaw and Jay Zygmunt
really want to win -– and that’s great -– but their operating method has failed.

This franchise must hire the most capable football man it can woo to chart its
future course. That could come in the form of a team president, general
manager, head coach -– or some combination of all those jobs. The Rams need
stronger leadership at the top.

We all know there is a fine line between winning and losing in the NFL. The
talent is evenly spread. Over the long haul, teams with better management and
better coaching prevail.

Injuries and luck are unhappy X-factors, but well-run teams have a much better
chance to plow through those variables. The Rams are NOT a well-run team.

The Rams are NOT giving themselves their best chance to win with the players
left standing.

In the near term, the current coaches and players need to try everything to
salvage some good things from this season. They owe that to themselves, their
employer and the fans. In many cases, their careers are on the line.

For the long term, Georgia Frontiere, Stan Kroenke, Shaw and Zygmunt must come
up with new and better ways of doing things. Hiring Dick Vermeil turned out to
be a masterstroke -– and now this far-flung leadership team needs another one.