Reading Time 5 Minutes:
* The debate continues about the Rams and injuries and the damage caused by losing so many players. On one side, you have the folks who insist that injuries are no excuse; they basically dismiss it as a factor and blame the 2-8 record on bad coaching, a bad front office, etc. On the other side, there are people that want to use the injuries as crutches to hand to Rams' coaches. Unfortunately, the level of discussion is frequently silly. This isn't an either/or situation. It isn't one or the other.
* One would have to be pretty dense -- or have an obvious agenda -- to pretend that injuries aren't a real factor in the Rams' terrible season. The Rams have lost four or five starters and several key backups. Their CB supply has been wiped out. Early on they lost their leading WR from a year ago, Danny Amendola. The OTs have been erased. Yes, every team has injuries, but repeating that hardly makes you wise; it has become a lazy, catch-all phrase that ignores the severity of the roster damage at Rams Park. Not all injuries are created equal. Or something like that.
* You'd also have to be a blatant apologist to use the injuries to lessen the amount of accountability that should be placed on the coaching staff. The injuries provide only so much cover for Steve Spagnuolo and associates. Here's why I say that: the Rams now have 10 cornerbacks on injured reserve, including four of their top five CBs. But that hasn't prevented the defense from actually improving over the last month. Over the last four games the Rams defense ranks 4th in the NFL in fewest yards per game, 7th in fewest yards per touch from scrimmage, tied for 9th in allowing the fewest touchdowns from scrimmage, 10th in fewest points allowed per game, and 10th in average yards per rush, and a respectable 15th in average yards allowed per pass attempt. The coaches were able to adjust, plug new guys in and get them ready to play under tough circumstances.
* So coaching still matters, still can make a difference, even with a battered football team. We just noted the improvement of the Rams defense despite the injuries. It hasn't happened on the other side of the ball; if anything the Rams have gotten worse on offense. Sure, the Rams have lost both starting OTs, Jason Smith and Rodger Saffold. (And another fill-in starter, Mark LeVoir.) They've lost Amendola, who was Sam Bradford's go-to guy and a receiver that moved the chains. They lost rookie WR Greg Salas who was starting to make a lot of plays. They lost Illinois Mike, who was supposed to team with Lance Kendricks to give the Rams a set of pass-catching tight ends that would be hard to defend. But here's the deal: this offense wasn't any good when most of those guys were playing. Saffold was having a brutal year, and J. Smith was adequate at best. The Rams sputtered on offense when they had their pieces in line (except for Amendola, who was lost in the first game of the season.) So it would be wrong to give offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels a free pass because of the injuries.
* And you can also make the case that GM Billy Devaney and the front office failed to gather enough quality depth to help cover some of the holes created by injuries. The Rams drafted eight players in 2011 and only four remain on the roster. They cut a promising young LB, Jabara Williams, to keep an aging and ineffective veteran (Ben Leber) who doesn't start or play all that much. Spagnuolo has some authority in this area, too.
* The bottom line? The Rams are 2-8. The injuries have caused many legitimate problems. The coaching is an issue, especially on offense. (And Spagnuolo is ultimately responsible for that area as well.) You don't have to line up on one side or the other. Bad injuries, bad coaching ... it's all there. Both things fit. There's no need to be foolish and pretend that it's one or the other.
MOVING ON ...
* The Blues have leveled off a bit after the quick start under new coach Ken Hitchcock. That's no surprise. Coaches who take over in the middle of the season often deliver a quick jolt. Sustaining it is the challenge. And Hitchcock inherited a roster that got the previous coach fired. Issues remain. After going 0 for 6 on the power play in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the LA Kings, the Blues are now 3 for 25 on the PP under the new coach. The Blues went 1 for 2 on the PP on Hitch's first game, and are 2 for 23 after that. Other than the top line of David Backes, Alex Steen and T.J. Oshie there hasn't been much production. The Blues have scored three or fewer goals in eight of nine games coached by Hitchcock. (Getting Chris Stewart back tonight in Pittsburgh should help.) Again, some of this is to be expected. Players who didn't get the most out of their ability under Andy Murray or Davis Payne are still around. Hitchcock is very good. And the Blues are 4-1-2 since he stepped on. But now that Hitchcock has gotten a read on his team, the real coaching will begin. Hitchcock was grumpy after Tuesday's loss. It will be fascinating to see how he handles certain players and situations. It all starts now.
* Let's go Miles Davis with a Kind of Blue Notes: Our friend Andy Strickland pointed this out first, but LA's Mike Richards won 15 of 16 faceoffs from the Blues last night. That's pretty amazing. Backes was victimized most often; overall Backes won only 5 of 15 draws against the Kings ... Barret Jackman is, well, Barret Jackman ... Since Hitchcock took over, urging his guys to shoot the puck early and often, Patrik Berglund has fired off only 10 shots in seven games. He has a goal and an assist ... young defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is so good, we already take him for granted ... and then there's defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. Since being acquired by the Blues from Colorado on Feb. 19 of last season, Shattenkirk leads all NHL defensemen in assists (24), is tied for second in points (27), and ranks 11th among defensemen in plus-minus, at + 13.
MOVING ON ...
* Heck of a start to the basketball season by the locals, Mizzou and St. Louis U. The Tigers certainly seem to have made a seamless transition under their new coach, Frank Haith. The blow-out wins over Notre Dame and Cal were impressive. The thing I like most of all: Mizzou runs a coherent, halfcourt offense that actually features a plan. And the Tigers are setting up and playing real halfcourt defense. They don't have to rely on traps and presses to force turnovers. And what got into Steve Moore? It's early, but it's going to be interesting to see how the season develops in CoMo.
An early Happy Thanksgiving wish to you and your family ...
Thanks for reading ...
-Bernie
