BustedKnuckles
Footballguy
THIS IS A MESS...............
After losing to Seattle last week, 33-6, coach Scott Linehan was asked what can be done to improve the performance of the offensive line.
Linehan said, "You keep coaching them and keep them moving ahead and not focused on a performance that certainly isn't good enough. You have to improve the group you have. We'll have another starting unit again this week and hopefully we can stay that way for a while. That will help if we can maintain some kind of continuity up front as far as the group that's playing."
That group Linehan was expecting to start included Claude Terrell at left guard because Andy McCollum would slide from left guard to center with Brett Romberg sidelined by two ankle injuries.
But in this bizarre season, that planned line lasted less than 24 hours. With the Rams releasing Terrell after he was arrested, that meant even more change. McCollum is set at center, but Milford Brown moves from right tackle to left guard and Brandon Gorin will start at right tackle. Gorin was signed on Sept. 12 after left tackle Orlando Pace was lost for the season with a shoulder injury and right tackle Alex Barron was moved to left tackle. Brown has started four games at right tackle and two at right guard.
With Romberg out this week, Nick Leckey will be the backup center and guard. Rob Petitti, signed Wednesday, will suit up as the backup tackle. Leckey was signed Oct. 6, so he and Petitti will have a combined 28 days on the roster at game time Sunday.
The current group is a far cry from the line Linehan expected to see on a regular basis when training camp began.
Here are the projected starters and top backups entering camp:
Left tackle Orlando Pace: Injured in first half of opening game. Out for season.
Left guard Mark Setterstrom: Started three games, injured in third game. Out for season.
Center Brett Romberg: Beat out Andy McCollum in camp. Started first seven games. Injured left ankle in Game 6. Started Game 7 and injured right ankle. Out this week.
Right guard Richie Incognito: Suffered high-ankle sprain Aug. 18. Didn't practice for seven weeks and has started last three games.
Right tackle Alex Barron: Started all seven games, but last six have been at left tackle after Pace was hurt.
Backup tackle/guard Todd Steussie. Started 15 games last season at tackle and guard. He broke a bone in his foot Aug. 30 in the final preseason game and was placed on injured reserve. Reached an injury settlement and was released; eligible to return after the 10th game. Steussie would have played left tackle when Pace was hurt.
Backup tackle/guard Adam Goldberg: Played left tackle in game Pace got hurt. He started two games at right tackle and also spent some time at right guard. He was injured in Week 4 and lost for the season.
Backup center Andy McCollum: Started three games at left guard.
Backup guard Claude Terrell: Started three games total at left and right guard; released Tuesday.
The projected line starters have started a total of 14 of a possible 35 starts. After this week, it will be 15 of 40.
There have been two games (including this week) where the line has changed three positions from the week before. There has been one game where the line that started the game finished the game.
Including this coming week, in just half a season, there will have been two starters at left tackle, four at left guard, two at center, three at right guard and four at right tackle. That's 15 different position starters, with 10 different players starting games.
After losing to Seattle last week, 33-6, coach Scott Linehan was asked what can be done to improve the performance of the offensive line.
Linehan said, "You keep coaching them and keep them moving ahead and not focused on a performance that certainly isn't good enough. You have to improve the group you have. We'll have another starting unit again this week and hopefully we can stay that way for a while. That will help if we can maintain some kind of continuity up front as far as the group that's playing."
That group Linehan was expecting to start included Claude Terrell at left guard because Andy McCollum would slide from left guard to center with Brett Romberg sidelined by two ankle injuries.
But in this bizarre season, that planned line lasted less than 24 hours. With the Rams releasing Terrell after he was arrested, that meant even more change. McCollum is set at center, but Milford Brown moves from right tackle to left guard and Brandon Gorin will start at right tackle. Gorin was signed on Sept. 12 after left tackle Orlando Pace was lost for the season with a shoulder injury and right tackle Alex Barron was moved to left tackle. Brown has started four games at right tackle and two at right guard.
With Romberg out this week, Nick Leckey will be the backup center and guard. Rob Petitti, signed Wednesday, will suit up as the backup tackle. Leckey was signed Oct. 6, so he and Petitti will have a combined 28 days on the roster at game time Sunday.
The current group is a far cry from the line Linehan expected to see on a regular basis when training camp began.
Here are the projected starters and top backups entering camp:
Left tackle Orlando Pace: Injured in first half of opening game. Out for season.
Left guard Mark Setterstrom: Started three games, injured in third game. Out for season.
Center Brett Romberg: Beat out Andy McCollum in camp. Started first seven games. Injured left ankle in Game 6. Started Game 7 and injured right ankle. Out this week.
Right guard Richie Incognito: Suffered high-ankle sprain Aug. 18. Didn't practice for seven weeks and has started last three games.
Right tackle Alex Barron: Started all seven games, but last six have been at left tackle after Pace was hurt.
Backup tackle/guard Todd Steussie. Started 15 games last season at tackle and guard. He broke a bone in his foot Aug. 30 in the final preseason game and was placed on injured reserve. Reached an injury settlement and was released; eligible to return after the 10th game. Steussie would have played left tackle when Pace was hurt.
Backup tackle/guard Adam Goldberg: Played left tackle in game Pace got hurt. He started two games at right tackle and also spent some time at right guard. He was injured in Week 4 and lost for the season.
Backup center Andy McCollum: Started three games at left guard.
Backup guard Claude Terrell: Started three games total at left and right guard; released Tuesday.
The projected line starters have started a total of 14 of a possible 35 starts. After this week, it will be 15 of 40.
There have been two games (including this week) where the line has changed three positions from the week before. There has been one game where the line that started the game finished the game.
Including this coming week, in just half a season, there will have been two starters at left tackle, four at left guard, two at center, three at right guard and four at right tackle. That's 15 different position starters, with 10 different players starting games.
