08.13.2009 10:31 am

Rams pre-season opener: What will it tell us?

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

THE WATERCOOLER:
How much will we really be able to tell from the Rams pre-season opener against the Jets on Friday?

JIM THOMAS: Rule 1 of preseason football: Pay attention to the score when the starters are in; watch individuals when the reserves are on the field. Trends in August usually carry over to September and beyond. To wit, the Rams yielded 340 yards rushing in their exhibition opener against Tennessee last season. They surrendered a franchise-record 2,475 yards in the regular season.

BRYAN BURWELL:
I think this is the first true glance at what the “new” Rams can be. Of course it won’t be a definitive look, but we can surely see if the revamped offensive line can protect Marc Bulger and open holes for Steven Jackson. We get a glimpse at how Steve Spagnoulo’s defense will improve the unit that struggled mightily last season.
But these are only glimpses, not full portraits. But I think it is important from a fan base standpoint for the Rams to look good. Sports fans in St. Louis are preoccupied with the Cardinals now. If the Rams have any hopes of sharing any of that attention in the early fall, they have to show people that there is hope.

BILL COATS:
We’ll get an idea of what the Rams’ depth might be this year, and that’s a big issue for them. It’ll also be interesting to see if the units are relatively crisp and keep the mental errors down, as Spagnuolo has been preaching throughout camp.

JEFF GORDON:
Fans will want to see how well Marc Bulger is adapting to the new offense, because this is a big change for him. This will be a test because new Jets coach Rex Ryan will want to make a good first impression with his group. Rams fans will also want to see if rookie right tackle Jason Smith is making any progress as a pass blocker. And will any of the wide receivers or back-up running backs separate from the pack. Otherwise, this game is all about identifying the team’s depth — or lack thereof. Most of the lineup is set. The guys trying to win the last 8 to 10 spots on the roster must rise to the occasion.

Tags: Jason Smith, Marc Bulger, New York Jets, Rex Ryan, St. Louis Rams, Steve Spagnuolo, Steven Jackson

15 comments

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Blog Comments: Rules of the Road

How about scoring some tds in the preseason; that will be a good sign!

— akeman

12:59 pm August 13th, 2009

The Rams haven’t had an identity in the past few years. I think tomorrow night will be the first step in developing a new identity and hopefully removing the franchise from the “Greatest Show on Turf” mantra and into Spags Smashmouth/Error Free style. Look for the Rams to pound the ball on the ground from the get go and utilize their tight ends in the passing game along with their receivers with quick hitters utilizing their size and (using a basketball term here) their “box out” ability.

Look for the defense to be more agressive than we’ve ever seen, getting after it big time!

— Chad B.

1:09 pm August 13th, 2009

Honestly, I’m hoping the RAMS come out with a bit of an attitude. It would be nice to see them RUN with authority, and tackle with some tenacity. I’m not expecting a whole lot as I can only imagine how much has to get ready with a completely new staff from the water boy to the communication from the booth…. either way… pop Rex Ryan’s squad in the mouth, that’ll go a long way in starting this whole thing over.

— Sherman

1:24 pm August 13th, 2009

Same old sorry sheep

— joe

1:45 pm August 13th, 2009

The last 3 seasons the Rams did nothing on offense and stopped nothing on defense. The coaches said, publicly at least, that we weren’t to worry. WRONG! Win loss doesn’t matter. The way you play does. I want to see the starters score some points (not settle for a 45 yard field goal), I want to see Steven Jackson run more than 3 plays in a row before taking himself out, and I want to see the defense stop somebody.

— tubastarr

1:59 pm August 13th, 2009

Same old sorry sheep
— joe
1:45 pm August 13th, 2009

Joe, you’re ‘almost too lame to respond to…but, I will. What same old, sorry fan - an unknowledgeable one at that. (Male body part)

— vermicellishelly

2:24 pm August 13th, 2009

To Joe’s point, you’re right, we are the same old sorry ass rams UNTIL we go do something about it. Starting tomorrow night the talk is over and now it’s time to walk the walk. Do something about it boys and ounch somebody in the mouth!

— Chad B.

2:29 pm August 13th, 2009

I will probably only watch as long as the starters on in but I want to see a touchdown scored, I want to see the defense just punish somebody for a change, TACKLE THEM, don’t just try to trip the running back as he runs by you. I want to see Long put pressure on the QB.
I to want to see a team with an ATTITUDE that says we may not be a playoff caliber team yet but by god you will know you’ve been in a dog fight.

— kdunlap

2:40 pm August 13th, 2009

Did somebody say dog fight?

— Mike Vick

3:29 pm August 13th, 2009

Agree with JT’s perspective. I believe the preseason performance of our first team can foreshadow what we’ll see early on in the regular season, or perhaps all year. For example, as Jeff alluded to, the performance of Bulger in the new offense will be something to watch. Bulger may not have Avery, but then, he needs more than one target to be successful. I’m concerned about a slow start on offense and hope we’re pleasantly surprised tomorrow.

— Roanoke

4:09 pm August 13th, 2009

I will be very curious to see how our Special Teams, and Receivers perform. With Avery out who is next in line to step up. I feel we are strong at Tight End, but the rest of the WR are questionable. The O line seems to be stronger, so lets see how they protect the QB.
Defense, stop the run, plain and simple……I do feel better with this club, the organization is on the right track. It took the Blues a few years to incorporate, and blend in their new ideology, so give the Rams some time, but progress has to be there.

— SicilianJ59

4:15 pm August 13th, 2009

Mick Vick,

Classic line.

Rams Rams Rams Rams Rams

— HOF

5:23 pm August 13th, 2009

The best thing to watch in the first preseason game is what kind of schemes the Rams will be using. We should get an ideal about how many times a game they will run the ball or pass. They also expected Bulger to play at least the first half, so it will interesting to see how he has come along an extremely new offense for him.

We should also be able to see how cohesive the OL is, and how well a new defensive scheme will be.

In the other preseason games, we should be able to see what kind of depth this team will have at all positions, since it doesn’t look good at any position on paper right now.

— Brian

8:03 pm August 13th, 2009

I really think you get a good feel for teams with preseason openers.

— Asking too much

10:15 pm August 13th, 2009

New coach, new RAMS member, new year, let’s get behind the RAMS this year is our year to get it going!!!

— Ray A

11:30 pm August 13th, 2009

Rams pre-season opener: What will it tell us?

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