During the course of the 2015 NFL Preseason, Oregon Sports News will feature a weekly season preview of one of the four teams housed by the NFC West. Each weekly breakdown will feature one of the division mates (previews to be scheduled based on ascending order of the 2014 division standings) with roster and coaching overviews, where to place expectations, and as they embark on their 2015 campaigns, a prediction for each team, some more bold than others.
Flashback to the dawn of “The Greatest Show On Turf” – The year was 1999, and following another dismal season, the new-ish St. Louis Rams (relocated from LA in 1995) had a young playmaker in RB Marshall Faulk, a stalwart second-year blind-side blocker in Orlando Pace, an unproven offensive coordinator in Mike Martz, and a veteran QB in Trent Green. Many in St. Louis were very excited to see Green and Faulk in the team’s new high-octane passing attack with established WR Isaac Bruce, highly touted rookie WR Torry “big game” Holt, and world-class speedster Az-Zahir Hakim. Green would tear his ACL in the team’s second preseason game, and the players, fans, and coaches waited with baited breath to see what in the world unknown reserve QB Kurt Warner had in store for them.
In one of the most masterful seasons ever by a NFL QB, Warned shocked the world and racked up yards and points in one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history, wowing the St. Louis faithful and detractors alike. After winning a league MVP trophy, Super Bowl trophy, and Super Bowl MVP trophy in just his first season as a NFL starter at age 28. Seen early on as the next player responsible for the team’s ongoing struggles, Warner led them Rams on to a 12-4 record, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and was taste of the league. Martz was labelled as a mad scientist and was considered by many to be the brightest offensive mind in football.
Fast forward to 2015 – Things aren’t that much different from the early stages of 1999, and the pieces that the Rams need to re-ignite “The Greatest Show On Turf” could already be in house.
Following a 6-10 finish that saw too much wasted talent, too many injuries, and yet another season lost, not to mention many questions and no answer at the QB position, there’s plenty to be excited about this season.
The Rams’ core of talent on defense continues to get stronger, and is loaded with star players and tough-as-nails guys who live to ruin the dreams of the opposing offense. The Rams still need a great cover corner, but their front seven is arguably the strongest in the league and the back line of the secondary is very, very good.
On offense, new QB Nick Foles replaces oft-injured and departed Sam Bradford (now in Philadelphia), and features a fast trigger finger and a cannon for an arm, although his field vision and accuracy has been under fire since the beginning of last season. If the Rams acquired the Foles from the second half of 2013 rather than the Foles we saw in the first half of 2014, things could look very good, very early.
Rookie RB Todd Gurley is not expected to be seen in a game situation before the regular season kicks off, but he is rapidly approaching receiving clearance for contact from the medical staff as he rehabs from a torn knee ligament suffered in his final season at Georgia. Gurley is drawing early praise and comparisons to a young Adrian Peterson in terms of his talent and work ethic, and if that praise is landing on a worthy player, the running game should help the offense tremendously after they struggled behind the generally ineffective by-committee approach that featured as many as four running backs last season.
Foles is getting praise from coaches and players as well, and even signed a sizable contract extension this week, although no one has been brave enough to label him “the next Kurt Warner”. If Foles can get in to a groove, receivers Tavon Austin, Brian Quick, Kenny Britt, and TE Jared Cook offer the same big-play ability that Bruce, Holt, and Ricky Proehl showcased on Sundays in 1999, and Jared Cook is one of the most dangerous TE’s in the league when he’s healthy and has a quality QB throwing darts from the pocket, a weapon Kurt Warner was often missing, not that anyone could tell by looking at his record and weekly numbers.
Interestingly enough, Warner’s foe in the 1999 Super Bowl was none other than Tennessee, who were led by current Rams head coach Jeff Fisher. Fisher appears to be constructing the strong defense and running game he had for years in Nashville, and if he can field a first-rate defense and pair it with a dangerous offense led by Foles and Gurley, we’ll see if he can re-ignite those great Rams teams from yesteryear using the chess pieces GM Les Snead has surrounded him with.
New OC and playcaller Frank Cignetti, Jr. would draw many comparisons to a younger Martz, as he was not a house-hold name when he was hired by St. Louis three years ago, and has been working as their QB coach until being promoted this offseason following Brian Schottenheimer’s departure for the same position at Georgia. Cignetti, Jr. made a name for himself at Fresno State more than a decade ago, and has bounced around the NFL and college ranks ever since. As he has built one of the finer offensive units once before, time will tell if he can catch lightning in a bottle twice and bring back the yards and points that once became the norm in the dome in St. Louis.
Second year offensive tackle Greg Robinson started his rookie season with high expectations, and after struggling early, turned it around following the injury to 4-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long, and is slated to replace Long as Foles’ blind-side blocker of the future.
A defensive line led by Chris Long and Robert Quinn will call back memories of Kevin Carter and Grant Winstrom, who were the heart-beat of the 1999 team on the defensive side and helped the team tie for the league lead in total sacks. James Laurinaitis is one of the most fundamentally sound tacklers in the league, and is the invaluable, “team first” worker that London Fletcher was at MLB in 1999. With Laurinaitis calling the plays and adjustments in the defensive huddle, this team will be set at leadership. Corners EJ Gaines and Janoris Jenkins are very talented and athletic, but they aren’t going to be confused with Dre Bly and Todd Lyght. However, if the offense pours on the points like they should, their jobs will be under a lot less pressure if they are needed primarily to slow down opposing receivers, rather than provide shut-down coverage.
St. Louis has the NFL’s 6th hardest strength of schedule, and road tests in Arizona, Green Bay, Minnesota, Batltimore, Cincinatti, and Seattle may prove even more difficult than the 3rd-strongest away schedule would suggest. The Rams have the league’s 15th-easiest home games, as they face tough opponents in Seattle, Arizona, and San Francisco, but also host matchups against Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, and Tampa Bay, with only Detroit and Pittsburgh earning playoff berths in 2014 from their out of division home-slate.
If you aren’t a believer in the Rams just yet, that’s understandable, but tell me if this description of their team sounds familiar – a struggling but well respected head coach who last appeared in the Super Bowl more than 15 years ago, a talented but so far unproven QB in his best chance to thrive in a starting role, a relatively unknown OC with a history of favoring a high-volume passing attack, three really good receivers, a sophomore blind-side blocker with sky-high expectations, and what appears to be the league’s next best running back. All taking place in the Edward Jones Dome and eight other stadiums in the upcoming season.
If that’s not the 1999 Rams in a nutshell, best of luck to you in your search for a more fitting description.
With Seattle primed for another run at a Super Bowl and a new weapon in Jimmy Graham, expectations should be high in St. Louis given their new look offense, but those expectations should be kept realistic, Warner was a once-in-a-lifetime story, it’s unlikely the Foles can produce the same instant magic. That said, while this team more than likely isn’t going to win the division, they can split the season series with Seattle, re-establish their intention to battle for the division, conference, and league crowns, and take a fan base to places they haven’t been in far too long – the postseason.
Seattle may well wind up winning the division in a landslide and even earning homefield advantage in the playoffs, but St. Louis will steal the runner-up’s torch from San Francisco and Arizona, and surprise many by earning a berth as a wild card.
Watch the Rams this year and watch out for the Rams this year, they may not be ready to win a title just yet, but with their new and re-purposed weapons, they aren’t a one-trick defensive pony any more. Take notice, NFL.
Prediction: 11-5 record, 2nd place in NFC West, 6th seed in NFC playoffs
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