Rams suffer system shock

By Steve Reynolds  |   Monday, October 30, 2006  |  Comments( 3 )

St. Louis Rams
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The Rams had two weeks to prepare for San Diego. They knew the Chargers' Modus Operandi well: Pound the ball with LaDainian Tomlinson, have solid, mistake-free quarterback play from Philip Rivers and let Shawne Merriman - who received a two-week reprieve from suspension incurred due to the Evil Guild of Rogue Supplement Tainters - wreak havoc in the backfield.

They simply couldn't stop it.

The Rams' offense, although tentative in the first half, scored three touchdowns and played well enough to win the game. However, the defense was absolutely schooled by Tomlinson and must sit at the back of class, a position it should be quite used to after staring at the back of No. 21's jersey all day Sunday.

Despite solid play from the offense, the Rams' defense continues to make a potentially good squad simply ordinary. Poor run defense and a reliance on Jim Haslett's system to create pressure continue to be the Rams' Achilles' heel:

Offense

Quarterback: Marc Bulger appeared a bit shell-shocked in the first-half due to constant harassment from Shawne (insert your own supplement joke here) Merriman. Bulger, ever the unflappable one, recovered and carved up the Chargers' defense for 327 yards and two touchdowns. Bulger seems to have acclimated perfectly to Scott Linehan's offensive scheme, putting up impressive numbers against only a single interception for the entire year. If the Rams can put themselves together in time to make a run to the playoffs, Bulger should receive MVP consideration. Grade: A

Running Backs: Steven Jackson seems to be learning when to hesitate and wait for an opening rather than trying to juke his way past the defense when in the backfield. Jackson has strength and deceptive speed for his size and turned in a solid performance on Sunday. Most impressive is Jackson's ability to be a safety valve for Bulger in the flat; this gives yet another dimension to the Rams' potent passing attack. With the Rams driving to tie the score, Stephen Davis coughed up a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Chargers safety Marlon McCree early in the third quarter. The Rams never recovered. Grade: B -

Wide Receivers: Torry Holt may still be planted somewhere in the turf at Qualcomm Stadium after a vicious open-field tackle by Merriman in the third quarter. The Chargers put emphasis on stopping Holt and limited him to 48 yards receiving, so Bulger turned his attention to Isaac Bruce and Kevin Curtis. Bruce had over 100 yards receiving and Curtis netted 79 yards and a touchdown. Shaun McDonald made his first touchdown grab of the year. Grade: B +

Offensive Line: Aside from a couple of late false start penalties, the Rams' O-line held up pretty well. Merriman's pressure generally came when he could beat a blocking back or on plays that took a long time to develop. Steven Jackson demonstrated patience and waited for the linemen to open holes in San Diego's much-vaunted 3-4 defense. The line definitely held their own against the Chargers' front seven. Grade: B

Defense

Defensive Line: Simply put, the front four is generating zero pressure on the quarterback. Philip Rivers picked his spots and carved up the Rams' defense. Haslett can't afford to rely on schemes to generate quarterback pressure. If the line continues to show an inability to provide pressure without utilizing extra blitzers, then personnel changes must be made. There are times when a team must be able to play "honest" and rely on its front four to hurry the opposition's quarterback; otherwise, the offense knows it can always exploit the hole left by the extra rusher.

However, this problem paled in comparison to the field day enjoyed by Tomlinson. The future Hall of Famer charged through the Rams' front seven to the tune of 183 yards and three total touchdowns. The Rams have had difficulty stopping the run in the last several games (if not years) and the Chargers were more than happy to exploit the weakness. If the line can't generate pressure and stop the run, the Rams will never see the playoffs. Grade: F

Linebackers: The Rams seemed to suffer several coverage mismatches. Brandon Chillar was forced to cover Tomlinson and Antonio Gates in the flat with Rivers taking full advantage. Will Witherspoon was all over the field, but was likewise burned by Tomlinson on more than one occasion. Dexter Coakley filled in for an injured Pisa Tinoisamoa but had no luck, either. Tomlinson was generally five yards beyond the line of scrimmage before the Rams' linebackers could lay a hand on him. Grade D

Secondary: The Rams' secondary did the best it could, considering Rivers had an eternity to find his receivers. They didn't give up any huge plays and did their best to help contain Tomlinson when he burst into the second level (a regular occurrence). Corey Chavous contributed the Rams' lone sack. Grade C -

Special Teams: The Rams' coverage units held up well against the Chargers' return units. The Rams continue to look for a mainstay to return punts as well as kickoffs. Jeff Wilkins and Matt Turk continue to contribute solid performances. Grade: C +

With Bulger enjoying a career year and a rushing attack that must be respected, the Rams' offense is once again instilling fear into opposing defenses. However, the Rams' defense makes the team vulnerable and good teams like the Chargers are going to continue to exploit the defense's weaknesses. If St. Louis' defenders cannot step up their play, the Gateway to the West will continue to be the Gateway to the Mediocre.

Get in-depth postgame analysis of the St. Louis Rams at RealFootball365.com
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