Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/wp-content/themes/flex-mag/functions.php on line 939
Notice: Trying to get property 'count' of non-object in /var/www/wp-content/themes/flex-mag/functions.php on line 1008
Share
Share
Share
Email
On Sunday, August 12, the St. Louis Rams lost 38-3 at the Indianapolis Colts in their first game with Jeff Fisher at the helm. Austin Davis was 12 of 18 for 84 yards and an interception for the Rams.
Here are three thoughts on the game:
The Colts are far ahead of the Rams in their rebuilding project
The Colts and Rams were the two worst teams in the NFL last season, and it makes sense to use this game to gauge each franchise’s rebuilding progress. I know it was only the first game of the preseason, but it appears that the Colts are on track.
Rookie quarterback Andrew Luck was impressive in his debut with the team as he led the offense down the field for three touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Colts’ defense swarmed to the ball and consistently pressured the Rams’ quarterbacks. Overall, Indianapolis looked like a team that is well on its way back from a horrible 2-14 season.
Sam Bradford
There aren’t many good things to say about the Rams’ performance, but Sam Bradford was solid. It was important to see how well he’d deal with pressure from the Colts’ defense, and I’m happy to report that Bradford stood in the pocket and delivered the ball instead of rushing his throws. He looked much more comfortable running the offense than he did at any point in 2011. That’s a good sign for the rest of the season.
However, there is a slight problem. We really only got to see Bradford throw one deep ball in this game. It’s good to know that he’s going to be fine with short and intermediate passes, but I want see him stretch the field this season.
Isaiah Pead
The Rams drafted rookie running back Isaiah Pead to add some speed to the offense while giving long-time starter Steven Jackson rest. However, after watching Pead’s first game in a Rams’ uniform, it’s clear that he has a long way to go before becoming a solid contributor to the team.
Pead carried the ball 11 times for 33 yards and lost a fumble against the Colts. His biggest problem appeared to be a lack of decisiveness. Pead often seemed to be confused on whether or not he should bounce the ball outside after he took a handoff. This resulted in the Colts’ defense getting one step ahead of him on most of his running plays. I believe that this problem will grow away as he grows more familiar with the offense and matures as a player, but it was a rough start for the young rookie.
Overall, the Rams were horrible in their preseason opener. I know the game was meaningless on paper, but it did show that there is much work to be done both offensively and defensively if the Rams are going to have better results than they did last year.
Derek Ciapala has been a Rams fan since he was a child and the team was in Los Angeles. His favorite Rams moments include Flipper Anderson’s 336-yard receiving night against the Saints in 1989, and their 1999 run to their first Super Bowl victory. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala and Facebook.
(Originally published on Yahoo! Sports)
Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/wp-content/themes/flex-mag/functions.php on line 939
Notice: Trying to get property 'count' of non-object in /var/www/wp-content/themes/flex-mag/functions.php on line 1008
On Sunday, August 12, the St. Louis Rams lost 38-3 at the Indianapolis Colts in their first game with Jeff Fisher at the helm. Austin Davis was 12 of 18 for 84 yards and an interception for the Rams.
Here are three thoughts on the game:
The Colts are far ahead of the Rams in their rebuilding project
The Colts and Rams were the two worst teams in the NFL last season, and it makes sense to use this game to gauge each franchise’s rebuilding progress. I know it was only the first game of the preseason, but it appears that the Colts are on track.
Rookie quarterback Andrew Luck was impressive in his debut with the team as he led the offense down the field for three touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Colts’ defense swarmed to the ball and consistently pressured the Rams’ quarterbacks. Overall, Indianapolis looked like a team that is well on its way back from a horrible 2-14 season.
Sam Bradford
There aren’t many good things to say about the Rams’ performance, but Sam Bradford was solid. It was important to see how well he’d deal with pressure from the Colts’ defense, and I’m happy to report that Bradford stood in the pocket and delivered the ball instead of rushing his throws. He looked much more comfortable running the offense than he did at any point in 2011. That’s a good sign for the rest of the season.
However, there is a slight problem. We really only got to see Bradford throw one deep ball in this game. It’s good to know that he’s going to be fine with short and intermediate passes, but I want see him stretch the field this season.
Isaiah Pead
The Rams drafted rookie running back Isaiah Pead to add some speed to the offense while giving long-time starter Steven Jackson rest. However, after watching Pead’s first game in a Rams’ uniform, it’s clear that he has a long way to go before becoming a solid contributor to the team.
Pead carried the ball 11 times for 33 yards and lost a fumble against the Colts. His biggest problem appeared to be a lack of decisiveness. Pead often seemed to be confused on whether or not he should bounce the ball outside after he took a handoff. This resulted in the Colts’ defense getting one step ahead of him on most of his running plays. I believe that this problem will grow away as he grows more familiar with the offense and matures as a player, but it was a rough start for the young rookie.
Overall, the Rams were horrible in their preseason opener. I know the game was meaningless on paper, but it did show that there is much work to be done both offensively and defensively if the Rams are going to have better results than they did last year.
Derek Ciapala has been a Rams fan since he was a child and the team was in Los Angeles. His favorite Rams moments include Flipper Anderson’s 336-yard receiving night against the Saints in 1989, and their 1999 run to their first Super Bowl victory. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala and Facebook.
(Originally published on Yahoo! Sports)
Recommended for you