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by: Keith Kidd
posted: Monday, September 24, 2007 | Print Entry
As if the 0-3 start for the Rams couldn't get any worse, head coach Scott Linehan found out Monday that star RB Steven Jackson will miss this week's game against Dallas with a partial tear in his left groin.
It's just another blow to an already banged-up team, but one that affects every seemingly aspect of the offense. While it looked like the running game appeared to be heading in the right direction -- Jackson had a season-best 115 yards on Sunday -- the passing game and QB Marc Bulger continue to struggle. Part of that is due to injuries on the offensive line, which in turn has limited Jackson's involvement in the passing attack as he's been forced to stay in and block more often. Last season he caught 90 passes for 806 yards. This season, he has just eight catches for 57 yards.
Jackson has a very good combination of size, strength and burst. He is a workhorse back who can wear down a defense and take pressure off the QB position. He is a powerful inside runner that is very elusive for a power back. He runs with good pad level and can be very effective in his run after contact on the second-level. He has the speed to bounce outside and get to the edge of the defense. On top of that, he has the ability to put a lot of pressure on opposing defense due to his three-down value in the passing game as a receiver.
Linehan now turns to second-round pick Brian Leonard. Leonard was a Linehan favorite in the preseason due to his blue collar mentality, run skills and his versatility within the offense. He showed good size, speed and the power to be effective as both an inside and outside zone runner in the preseason. He also has value in the passing game as a receiver out of the backfield. However, Leonard still lacks experience as a starter and one thing he may have a problem with is his dual reads within the Rams' pass protections schemes. Depending on the protection calls by Bulger, he has various responsibilities. Is it an inside-out call or a zone block? Does he stay and block or does he release out? These are hard things for first-year players to pick up.
Look for Linehan to alter his approach this week and design a plan that attacks the Cowboys secondary with a short, quick passing attack that relies on Bulger getting into rhythm with an up-tempo style that focus on the short and intermediates areas of the field. The Rams must rely on their playmakers Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Drew Bennett and TE Randy McMichael to produce in a big way. Using the pass to set up the run will get the Cowboys on their heels and allow more spacing between the tackles for Leonard.
LINK
posted: Monday, September 24, 2007 | Print Entry
As if the 0-3 start for the Rams couldn't get any worse, head coach Scott Linehan found out Monday that star RB Steven Jackson will miss this week's game against Dallas with a partial tear in his left groin.
It's just another blow to an already banged-up team, but one that affects every seemingly aspect of the offense. While it looked like the running game appeared to be heading in the right direction -- Jackson had a season-best 115 yards on Sunday -- the passing game and QB Marc Bulger continue to struggle. Part of that is due to injuries on the offensive line, which in turn has limited Jackson's involvement in the passing attack as he's been forced to stay in and block more often. Last season he caught 90 passes for 806 yards. This season, he has just eight catches for 57 yards.
Jackson has a very good combination of size, strength and burst. He is a workhorse back who can wear down a defense and take pressure off the QB position. He is a powerful inside runner that is very elusive for a power back. He runs with good pad level and can be very effective in his run after contact on the second-level. He has the speed to bounce outside and get to the edge of the defense. On top of that, he has the ability to put a lot of pressure on opposing defense due to his three-down value in the passing game as a receiver.
Linehan now turns to second-round pick Brian Leonard. Leonard was a Linehan favorite in the preseason due to his blue collar mentality, run skills and his versatility within the offense. He showed good size, speed and the power to be effective as both an inside and outside zone runner in the preseason. He also has value in the passing game as a receiver out of the backfield. However, Leonard still lacks experience as a starter and one thing he may have a problem with is his dual reads within the Rams' pass protections schemes. Depending on the protection calls by Bulger, he has various responsibilities. Is it an inside-out call or a zone block? Does he stay and block or does he release out? These are hard things for first-year players to pick up.
Look for Linehan to alter his approach this week and design a plan that attacks the Cowboys secondary with a short, quick passing attack that relies on Bulger getting into rhythm with an up-tempo style that focus on the short and intermediates areas of the field. The Rams must rely on their playmakers Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Drew Bennett and TE Randy McMichael to produce in a big way. Using the pass to set up the run will get the Cowboys on their heels and allow more spacing between the tackles for Leonard.
LINK
