STL to be a "Run Heavy Offense" (1 Viewer)

[Max Power]

The Rams plan to be a "run heavy offense with multiple options" under new coordinator Pat Shurmur.It sounds like Steven Jackson could push for the league lead in carries if 1) he stays healthy and 2) the Rams don't draft an early-round runner to help carry the load. With so many other needs, we're guessing they can't afford to.Source: stlouisrams.comFull story...

At last year’s NFL Draft, the Rams had made finding a top backup to running back Steven Jackson a top priority. After the draft, the Rams even went so far as to acknowledge that had Arkansas running back Felix Jones fell to the Rams spot in round two (he went to the Cowboys in the first), the team would likely have pounced on him. Instead, the Rams went through the selection process without drafting a backup running back. And, when Jackson suffered a quadriceps injury at the end of the game against the Cowboys, the Rams turned to Antonio Pittman and Kenneth Darby to handle the load. While Pittman and Darby both fared pretty well, neither necessarily produced as a reasonable approximation of Jackson’s production. Pittman and Darby will come back again in 2009 and likely will battle for spots as potential third backs and maybe even third down backs. Darby, in particular proved to be a nice find by Devaney from Tampa Bay’s practice squad. His ability to catch the ball and pick up the blitz makes him an ideal third down back candidate. In addition, Brian Leonard is expected to return from shoulder injuries and Samkon Gado has been brought back to provide competition. Still, the Rams enter the 2009 NFL Draft with the need to add help at the running back spot behind Jackson. With Steve Spagnuolo taking over as coach and Pat Shurmur as offensive coordinator, the Rams would like to be a run heavy offense with multiple options. In New York, Spagnuolo coordinated the defense for a team with three legitimate running back options in Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw. While Jackson’s presence means the Rams don’t quite need to put all of their resources into the position, his penchant for getting hurt makes finding a reliable backup who can carry the load a necessity. This year’s draft isn’t as top heavy with running backs as last year’s but there is plenty of talent spread amongst the class. At the head of the class is Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno and Ohio State’s Chris Wells. It’s a possibility that duo could be the only backs off the board in the first round, leaving the Rams some enticing possibilities should they want to address the position in round two. More likely is the possibility that the Rams would wait until the middle rounds to find a complement to Jackson. Iowa’s Shonn Greene is an intriguing bruiser but might not fit in terms of character. Other options for the middle rounds could include Alabama’s Glen Coffee, Liberty’s Rashad Jennings, North Carolina State’s Andre Brown and Clemson’s James Davis. In addition to finding a backup for Jackson, the Rams also entered the offseason hoping to find him a lead blocker. That appeared to be an area that could be addressed in the draft but that all changed when Mike Karney was suddenly released by New Orleans. The Rams moved quickly to add the talented Karney with a three-year contract, rendering the need for help at the position mute.

 

[Mikey16x]

lol @ the thought of Steven Jackson leading the league in carries. I want to see him play 6 healthy games without something popping, pulling, tearing or jumping.

 

[The Man With No Name]

Thats much easier said than done. Jackson hasn't been able to stay healthy in recent years and their team is not good enough to lead a lot of games so they can afford to run the ball. They won't run that much playing catch up.

 

[identikit]

Thats much easier said than done. Jackson hasn't been able to stay healthy in recent years and their team is not good enough to lead a lot of games so they can afford to run the ball. They won't run that much playing catch up.

Lots of wishful thinking by the STL coach...

 

[Donnybrook]

Thats much easier said than done. Jackson hasn't been able to stay healthy in recent years and their team is not good enough to lead a lot of games so they can afford to run the ball. They won't run that much playing catch up.

Agreed. Detroit said basically the same thing last year.

 

[Enforcer]

Just once I would like to read that a team is going to run the ball LESS. Just once. Until that day I will continue to completely ignore every quote that indicates that a team is planning to run the ball more.

My three favorite lines:

1. The "intend to run more".

2. The "added 10 lbs of muscle".

3. The "dropped 10 lbs to add speed".

All are total fluff and should be ignored when encountered.

 

[bcr8f]

The Rams plan to be a "run heavy offense with multiple options" under new coordinator Pat Shurmur.

It sounds like Steven Jackson could push for the league lead in carries if 1) he stays healthy and 2) the Rams don't draft an early-round runner to help carry the load. With so many other needs, we're guessing they can't afford to.

Source: stlouisrams.com

Isn't that a big if?

 

[Jercules]

Good points about the "run the ball more" coachspeak we hear every year, but in the case of the Rams I think there's some truth to it (that goes double if they draft a LT).

Injuries notwithstanding, Steven Jackson is one of the top backs in football. Perhaps not from a fantasy perspective, but as an offensive weapon there are no other backs that boast his skill set with his size. Giving him the ball all the time, milking the clock, and doing some clever things with their undertalented defense (as Spags did in NY), and I could see them make a run at .500. Wouldn't be any more crazy than what Atlanta accomplished last season.

 

[JamesTheScot]

Just once I would like to read that a team is going to run the ball LESS. Just once. Until that day I will continue to completely ignore every quote that indicates that a team is planning to run the ball more.My three favorite lines:1. The "intend to run more".2. The "added 10 lbs of muscle".3. The "dropped 10 lbs to add speed".All are total fluff and should be ignored when encountered.

Good posting.I'd also add...4. The "he's back healthy and in the best shape of his life".

 

[fatness]

How is the Rams offensive line? You can run more with a good o-line, but if you have a bad one it's hard to lead the league in rushing attempts when every drive is 3 plays long.

 

[Carolina Hustler]

Just once I would like to read that a team is going to run the ball LESS. Just once. Until that day I will continue to completely ignore every quote that indicates that a team is planning to run the ball more.My three favorite lines:1. The "intend to run more".2. The "added 10 lbs of muscle".3. The "dropped 10 lbs to add speed".All are total fluff and should be ignored when encountered.

Good posting.I'd also add...4. The "he's back healthy and in the best shape of his life".

Was just getting ready to add that one myself.. LOLIsn't S-Jax supposed to do this every year? I swear I've heard something along these lines for him every season since his second year.

 

[The Man With No Name]

28 times a running back has had at least 370 carries in a season. Those running backs teams only had a losing record 3 of those times, 1981 (Rogers), 1984 (Wilder) and 1985 (Riggs).

So it figures that a team with a running back that is going to run the ball so much will probably have a winning record, more so since the 80's.

 

[fsufan]

as a Sjax owner happy to here this but he will never make it all 16 games

 

[Max Power]

Since when were the Rams a lock for a losing record on 09?

It also seems like his injury history is being way overplayed here

 

[Brutis]

lol @ the thought of Steven Jackson leading the league in carries. I want to see him play 6 healthy games without something popping, pulling, tearing or jumping.

 

[TheWick]

I'm guessing these were some of the same people bashing Atlanta all last offseason....sorry had to make my homer post

 

[Koya]

With the obvious focus on the fact that SJax will sprain a toe nail or something within the first two games, let's not ignore the fact that St. Louis will have a rought time going run heavy then they are down double digits 5 min into these games.

 

[Chicago Hooligan]

It hasn't been his knees or anything that made him noticeably worse/slower, like Kevin Jones, right? I'm still liking Jackson a lot at this point. Maybe a really good value in the 2nd round if you want a WR in the 1st.

 

[Gopher State]

The Rams plan to be a "run heavy offense with multiple options" under new coordinator Pat Shurmur.It sounds like Steven Jackson could push for the league lead in carries if 1) he stays healthy and 2) the Rams don't draft an early-round runner to help carry the load. With so many other needs, we're guessing they can't afford to.Source: stlouisrams.comFull story...

At last year’s NFL Draft, the Rams had made finding a top backup to running back Steven Jackson a top priority. After the draft, the Rams even went so far as to acknowledge that had Arkansas running back Felix Jones fell to the Rams spot in round two (he went to the Cowboys in the first), the team would likely have pounced on him. Instead, the Rams went through the selection process without drafting a backup running back. And, when Jackson suffered a quadriceps injury at the end of the game against the Cowboys, the Rams turned to Antonio Pittman and Kenneth Darby to handle the load. While Pittman and Darby both fared pretty well, neither necessarily produced as a reasonable approximation of Jackson’s production. Pittman and Darby will come back again in 2009 and likely will battle for spots as potential third backs and maybe even third down backs. Darby, in particular proved to be a nice find by Devaney from Tampa Bay’s practice squad. His ability to catch the ball and pick up the blitz makes him an ideal third down back candidate. In addition, Brian Leonard is expected to return from shoulder injuries and Samkon Gado has been brought back to provide competition. Still, the Rams enter the 2009 NFL Draft with the need to add help at the running back spot behind Jackson. With Steve Spagnuolo taking over as coach and Pat Shurmur as offensive coordinator, the Rams would like to be a run heavy offense with multiple options. In New York, Spagnuolo coordinated the defense for a team with three legitimate running back options in Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw. While Jackson’s presence means the Rams don’t quite need to put all of their resources into the position, his penchant for getting hurt makes finding a reliable backup who can carry the load a necessity. This year’s draft isn’t as top heavy with running backs as last year’s but there is plenty of talent spread amongst the class. At the head of the class is Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno and Ohio State’s Chris Wells. It’s a possibility that duo could be the only backs off the board in the first round, leaving the Rams some enticing possibilities should they want to address the position in round two. More likely is the possibility that the Rams would wait until the middle rounds to find a complement to Jackson. Iowa’s Shonn Greene is an intriguing bruiser but might not fit in terms of character. Other options for the middle rounds could include Alabama’s Glen Coffee, Liberty’s Rashad Jennings, North Carolina State’s Andre Brown and Clemson’s James Davis. In addition to finding a backup for Jackson, the Rams also entered the offseason hoping to find him a lead blocker. That appeared to be an area that could be addressed in the draft but that all changed when Mike Karney was suddenly released by New Orleans. The Rams moved quickly to add the talented Karney with a three-year contract, rendering the need for help at the position mute.

I never seen a team that doesn't want to lead the NFL in rushing in April

 

[Bob Magaw]

many of the relevant talking points seem to have been hit on already...

THE GOOD - jackson a gifted runner... based purely on physical ability & talent (not necessarily durability or supporting cast), he has to be in the conversation as top 3-5 RB in the NFL... new GM devaney & HC spagnuolo seem to have the franchise headed in the right direction (bringing in new talent such as prized free agent center jason brown, FB karney, etc)... defense could be better (it almost has to, but that may not be saying much?)... they had injuries, chris long is a year more experienced, SS james butler has been added... they could elevate their play on the assumption that spagnuolo looks like a better leader than martz or linehan, could coach them up, & scheme better, both in sense of overall strategy & game-to-game game planning tactics... coming from NYG & being defensive-minded, it would be a shock if STL DIDN'T run more than in the GSOE days... a good possibility they use the 09 1.2 in a few weeks on potentially blue chip LT eugene monroe or jason smith... aforementioned brown is big upgrade in terms of size & power over who the rams have had at center past few years... better run game could help pass game, & a more balanced attack could help both facets...

THE BAD - jackson does seem to get dinged with frequency/regularity... the OL didn't exactly distinguish themselves last season... as it stands now, starting WRs could be two from group of avery, robinson & burton & bulger has been in a decline, which could prompt defenses to stack the line if passing game struggles...

THE UGLY - the defense, if it plays like it did last year, won't be conducive to running AT ALL, let alone a league leading amount...

* IF IF IF he can stay healthy, & that is the big question (i'm actually more confident about the assumption that the STL OL & defense will play better in '09), i would expect him to do pretty well... especially in PPR leagues, he will get his points... obviously they HAVE to do a better job in red zone... in fact, after the 2008 debacle, i need to qualify that by saying they need to get TO the red zone, before they can do better there... for that matter, they just plain need to get to the oppositions side of the field more often...

imo, there isn't much question they will run more than they have in recent years... whether spagnuolo is the reincarnation of chuck knox & john robinson, its too early to tell... i found causes for optimism above, but some of the causes for pause & pessimism are compelling & formidable to overcome...

at an important level, i don't even think those in the know KNOW what is going to happen... in a recent chat, sporting news beat writer & local STL journalist jim thomas was asked how to reconcile the seemingly distinctly different approaches of a proposed more run heavy emphasis, coupled with fact that new OC shurmur presumably brings with him some tendencies of an extended stint in PHI, a very pass-friendly attack (case of unstoppable force meeting immovable object?)... that said, i'll take them at face value & assume they will run more (than they have in recent past)... rams ran among the least in the league in martz era (though they ran a lot in red zone, couter-intuitively noted by fantasy index's ian allen), so any kind of expected return to normalcy & more even distribution of run/pass could produce dramatic increases in rushes relative to a few years ago... but again, i don't think they will lead the league in carries... as much from legit questions about OL & defense after the wheels came completely off last season (& the franchise seemingly in disarray, though personally i think the devaney promotion will be vindicated & the spagnuolo hire proven inspired), as due to OC coming from PHI, and groomed by that pass wacky mastermind andy reid...

 

[Lott's Fingertip]

Steven Jackson may be this year's Matt Forte... except with superb talent. (ducks for cover)

Jackson was the #3 RB on a point-per-game basis last season. He did this behind an offensive line that was makeshift most of the year and on a team that was among the bottom in starter games missed. They were dead last in the league with 3 players that started all 16 games.

They added a strong center and will likely draft a strong left tackle with pick 2.

The offensive line only has to be average for Jackson to be top 5. If he returns to 75+ catches, which may be likely with the lack of viable targets, watch out. I wouldn't expect more carries per game, though. He was getting 21-22 per game last year, that is on pace for about 350 over 16 games.

All running backs get hurt. Several RBs that are projected in the top ten that are not considered injury prone will get hurt this year. Just like every year. Why? Because all RBs get hurt.

 

[BuckeyeArt]

28 times a running back has had at least 370 carries in a season. Those running backs teams only had a losing record 3 of those times, 1981 (Rogers), 1984 (Wilder) and 1985 (Riggs). So it figures that a team with a running back that is going to run the ball so much will probably have a winning record, more so since the 80's.

In the 11 full games Jackson played last year (not including week 9), he rushed 247 times, a 16 game pace of 359 rushes. The Rams were 2-9 in those games. So, it doesn't appear they need to have a winning record for him to reach 370 carries.

 

[Bob Magaw]

...If he returns to 75+ catches, which may be likely with the lack of viable targets, watch out. I wouldn't expect more carries per game, though. He was getting 21-22 per game last year, that is on pace for about 350 over 16 games.All running backs get hurt. Several RBs that are projected in the top ten that are not considered injury prone will get hurt this year. Just like every year. Why? Because all RBs get hurt.

very good points...jax could catch a ton this year... the experienced WR talent on the STL roster is sparse... (mcmichael (TE), if he has anything left, could also be in for a bounceback year for the same reason)...he ALREADY was getting a lot of carries, despite the problems associated with OL & defense... he needs to stay healthy...leading to the last point... attempting to predict injuries is a dark art, & frequently can blow up in your face...* an interesting question to me is whether he is (or can be expected to be/will be) a CONSISTENT scorer... without checking, i'm guessing he had some nasty fluctuations (go go biotech/networking NASDAQ stock-like), which when extreme, can drag down your fantasy team from week-to-week... off the top of my head, my recollection is he had a fair amount of merely decent games interspersed & spiced up with a few monster ones, but i could be off there...

 

[rock753]

With the obvious focus on the fact that SJax will sprain a toe nail or something within the first two games, let's not ignore the fact that St. Louis will have a rought time going run heavy then they are down double digits 5 min into these games.

He is starting to remind me of Fred Taylor. One must remeber that at some point...Fragil Freddie started to stay healthy and put togeather some great seasons.

 

[Tau837]

imo, there isn't much question they will run more than they have in recent years...

Not sure I can agree with this. Last year, the Rams were #18 in the NFL in RB rushing attempts, with 382. That was only 4 behind Buffalo at #14, which had 386. How high can they really be with that defense (#28 in ypg allowed and #31 in ppg allowed)?I would correlate the Rams' ability to increase their team carries with their defensive improvement. I know that is Spags' area of expertise, but exactly how much defensive improvement do you guys expect this year?Now, Jackson can obviously get a higher percentage of the Rams' carries than he did last year, if he can stay healthy. I just wanted to comment on the notion that they will run a lot more as a team.

 

[Dave Larkin]

As far as Jackson goes, I'm still not sold on his health. I would take the risk in a fantasy draft around the end of the first round, but the risk outweights the reward at this point in time. Until the Rams get some better offensive line play, I won't be too high on Jackson.

 

[brednbuddah]

It sounds like Steven Jackson could push for the league lead in carries if 1) he stays healthy and 2) the Rams don't draft an early-round runner to help carry the load. With so many other needs, we're guessing they can't afford to.

Source: stlouisrams.com

I think this would actually help Jackson. It may not give him the league lead in carries, but could help him make it through 16 games.

 

[Bri]

Thats much easier said than done. Jackson hasn't been able to stay healthy in recent years and their team is not good enough to lead a lot of games so they can afford to run the ball. They won't run that much playing catch up.

It sure seems like Pittman and Leonard are going to have to spell Jackson if he's to make it thru the season.Leonard's ability to play FB shouldn't make this that hard to work in. 2 or 3 carries each per game may seem minimal but that's 80(16*5) for the year. If they're doing well, they can of course use them more and.....they really need to try and work them in.Drafting another back seems like a waste to me. I like both Leonard and Pittman as part time useful type backs. Rook would have to beat one of them out and there are plenty of other needs for them. If the Rams only drafted OL and DL I think that would be, in time, one of their best drafts ever.

 

[bcr8f]

Since when were the Rams a lock for a losing record on 09?It also seems like his injury history is being way overplayed here

In 06 he had 346 carries and 90 receptions and hasn't been the same since.

 

[Tanner9919]

lol @ the thought of Steven Jackson leading the league in carries. I want to see him play 6 healthy games without something popping, pulling, tearing or jumping.

only once has he carried the ball more than 254 times in a season..only once has he gone over 1046 ru yards in a single season.he runs upright.see Leroy Hoard. Rob't Smith.like Smith, Sjax is constantly dealing with nagging injuries..

 

[Power Monster]

This guy cannot stay healthy but if he could put it together for a full season he would tear the league up and shoot to a top 3 RB.

 

[ScottyFargo]

imo, there isn't much question they will run more than they have in recent years...

Not sure I can agree with this. Last year, the Rams were #18 in the NFL in RB rushing attempts, with 382. That was only 4 behind Buffalo at #14, which had 386. How high can they really be with that defense (#28 in ypg allowed and #31 in ppg allowed)?I would correlate the Rams' ability to increase their team carries with their defensive improvement. I know that is Spags' area of expertise, but exactly how much defensive improvement do you guys expect this year?Now, Jackson can obviously get a higher percentage of the Rams' carries than he did last year, if he can stay healthy. I just wanted to comment on the notion that they will run a lot more as a team.

Totally agree. You can't be run first when you're playing from behind. Chillyball has given quite a few gross 4th quarter games where Adrian Peterson hardly saw playing time as the Vikings tried to catch up via passing. That wasn't usually the defenses fault, but that's the issue with controlling the clock... you let the game get out of your own hands when you don't have a solid front on all lines of the football... passing, special teams, and defense.I would like to move Jackson up more, there's just too much missing there for this to impact how I feel about him.

 

[Banger]

Classic fluff piece this time of year. You aren't going to be able to pound the ball when you're down by 20 going into the 3rd qtr each game.

 

[mdog1967]

Thats much easier said than done. Jackson hasn't been able to stay healthy in recent years and their team is not good enough to lead a lot of games so they can afford to run the ball. They won't run that much playing catch up.

It sure seems like Pittman and Leonard are going to have to spell Jackson if he's to make it thru the season.Leonard's ability to play FB shouldn't make this that hard to work in. 2 or 3 carries each per game may seem minimal but that's 80(16*5) for the year. If they're doing well, they can of course use them more and.....they really need to try and work them in.Drafting another back seems like a waste to me. I like both Leonard and Pittman as part time useful type backs. Rook would have to beat one of them out and there are plenty of other needs for them. If the Rams only drafted OL and DL I think that would be, in time, one of their best drafts ever.

With Leonard gone, it might be wiser to consider handcuffing Darby rather than Pittman if your rolling the dice on Jackson.Darby listed at 5'10 and 211 pounds.Pittman listed at 5'11 and 195.

 

[FavreCo]

If they plan on doing this, the guy with Jackson may ride high towards the playoffs but better have that handcuff at ther eady.

 

[bcr8f]

SJax could lead league in carries

For what 2-3 weeks? :(

 

[MAC_32]

Sure, this if just fluff, but based on what they've done there's reason to believe what they're saying truly is their plan.

They've beefed up the o line, they neglected the QB position, and their WR's are a big mix bag of unproven talents with potential; seems to me they really do want to run and run often. That said, wanting to and actually doing are two different things. Whether they're successful with this strategy or not depends on one thing they don't control (health) and one thing they do control (defense). We'll see how gifted of a defensive coach Spags really is working with this unit, which will never be confused with the units he's worked with in recent years.

 

[Chicago Hooligan]

Even if/when the Rams are getting smacked, Jackson is a guy who stays in on passing downs and can rack up receiving yards. He may not lead the league in carries, but the team's poor W/L outlook doesn't make me downgrade Jackson.

 

[Lott's Fingertip]

It won't get worse than last year for the Rams.

Jackson had over 20 carries in 8 out of 12 games last season, ranging from 21 to 32, average of just over 25 carries.

Had 17, 20, and 23 touches in 3 of the other 4 games.

Overall he had 294 touches in 12 games, about 24.5 per game.

 

[greggorymac]

Even if/when the Rams are getting smacked, Jackson is a guy who stays in on passing downs and can rack up receiving yards. He may not lead the league in carries, but the team's poor W/L outlook doesn't make me downgrade Jackson.

Agreed. The team doesn't have to have a dominant rushing game for Jackson to be effective. He just needs to stay healthy and be on the field.