Rams pack on penalties, outlast Green Bay

By Steve Reynolds  |   Monday, October 09, 2006  |  Comments( 1 )

St. Louis Rams
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A win is a win.

With the Rams now holding a 4-1 record, it is tempting to ignore the cons and focus on the pros, not to mention the fact that they are currently in sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

But there are so many cons.

Make no mistake, the Rams have been playing hard and are deserving of their record. However, they have won their games by a meager average of five points per contest. In three of four victories, the outcome was contingent upon a single play. The Rams must cease the penalties that are keeping their opponents in these close games. With next week's division showdown with Seattle looming, the Rams must find a way to produce solid offense and defense in the same game, rather than relying on one or the other.

It is difficult to get a handle on just how good the Rams are when you don't know whether to praise or ridicule any given performance. Fortunately, the grades allow us to do both:

Offense

Quarterback: Statistically, Marc Bulger had an excellent performance, completing 64 % of his passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns. However, the stats do not reflect the errant passes that were simply dropped by Green Bay defenders. In the third quarter Bulger threw a perfect strike to Green Bay's Al Harris. Fortunately, Harris was thinking about watching himself celebrate on Sportscenter and forgot that one needs to actually catch the ball before he can score. As a result, it is safe to say that Bulger is not quite as accurate as his zero in the interceptions column would suggest. Nonetheless, overall Bulger is playing very well and appears more measured than he ever did under former head coach Mike Martz. Bulger is among the better quarterbacks in the league, but is consistently underrated. Bulger stands head and shoulders above quarterbacks such as Eli Manning and Michael Vick who undeservedly receive more press. If he can stay healthy, he will force the pundits to change their tune. Grade: B

Running Backs: Steven Jackson is leading the league in rushing and seems to finally be maturing. Jackson was just shy of 100 yards rushing on Sunday and has yet to fumble this year. Jackson limited his tendency toward pirouetting in the backfield against Green Bay and opted to plunge into the line when no openings were evident. Jackson missed the holes a couple of times on Sunday; opting to cut away from openings and run into Green Bay defenders, but this can be corrected with time and coaching. Jackson is proving to be the type of player that the opposition must respect, forcing defenders to account for him at the expense of the potent Ram passing attack. Tony Fisher made an impact against his former team, including a 40-yard reception that led to the game-deciding field goal. Grade: B +

Receivers: Torry Holt and Kevin Curtis each found the end zone and the Rams' quartet of receivers all had multiple catches. Defensive coordinators are hesitant to stack the box against Steven Jackson for fear of being burned deep by the talented receiving corps. This is precisely what head coach Scott Linehan wants. Grade: B +

Offensive Line: The line turned in another workmanlike effort on Sunday. Despite allowing two sacks, the line gave Bulger the time he needed. Green Bay defenders were able to collapse the line and snuff some interior runs, but Jackson was still productive. The return of Orlando Pace was a welcome sign. Grade: B

Defense

Defensive Line: The Rams can't seem to stop the run. Noah Herron is the latest back to eclipse the 100-yard mark against the Rams. The Rams are generating little pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and Brett Favre had all the time he needed to complete passes. Strangely, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett went against type and opted not to offset the lack of pressure with constant blitzing. Jimmy Kennedy is slowly proving that he can be a factor. Kennedy added a sack and provided the pressure on Favre which led to Leonard Little jarring the ball loose to seal the victory. However, this was one of few bright spots. Grade: C

Linebackers: Brandon Chillar forced a fumble early in Green Bay territory that led to the Rams initial touchdown. Will Witherspoon injured his ankle and continued playing as did Pisa Tinoisamoa with only one functional elbow. The linebackers did a decent job of covering receivers in the flat but are partly to blame for the poor run defense. A gutsy, if unspectacular, effort. Grade: C +

Secondary: Tye Hill is learning what it is like to play in the NFL after being picked on by Favre all day. Jerametrius Butler took advantage of injuries to the secondary and recovered the game-winning fumble. The secondary played reasonably well considering the dearth of pressure on Favre. Grade: B -

Special Teams: The Rams' special teams decided to show up this week. They were solid on kick coverage and Shaun McDonald had a nice punt return. Jeff Wilkins and Matt Turk were excellent in their respective kicking duties. The Rams cannot afford to show up one week and disappear the next, they must continue with the solid types of performances displayed against Green Bay. Grade: B +

St. Louis has left the "Greatest Show on Turf" behind in favor of a horror show of penalties and ugly victories. Such Jekyll and Hyde performances won't sustain the Rams through the season. They are capitalizing on turnovers, but multiple penalties directly led to Green Bay's first touchdown.

The Rams' offense, at times, seems unstoppable, but in any given week the opposition's offense is equally unstoppable. If the Rams can continue to improve in the red zone and learn to play consistent defense, it will lessen their reliance on turnovers. Yes, a win is a win, but we have yet to determine if the Rams are for real.

We'll find out next week.

Get more St. Louis Rams insight at RealFootball365.com
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