ESPN analyst: Don’t count the Rams out
Oct 4, 2012, 7:28 PM | Updated: Oct 5, 2012, 6:52 pm
For the better part of the last decade the Arizona Cardinals Week 5 opponent, the St. Louis Rams, have been one of the worst teams in football. They’ve had trouble getting the ball into the end zone and keeping their opponents out.
But under newly-hired head coach Jeff Fisher, the 2012 Rams have looked like a brand new team. They are 2-2 this season and easily could be 3-1. With Fisher calling the shots, the Rams are playing inspired football and should no longer be looked upon as an automatic win for opposing teams.
“You know when Jeff Fisher takes over a team you know the accentuation is going to be on the defensive side of the ball,” ESPN NFL analyst Ron Jaworski told Arizona Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo. “He was an NFL player. He was on Buddy Ryan’s Chicago Bears in the early 80s. His foundation is going to be defense. He’s like Wade Wilson. A Mr. Fix It when you come in.”
With the help of a revamped secondary the Rams have quietly emerged as one of the better young defenses in the league.
Former Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan was called upon to reunite with his former head coach, and so far has lived up to the huge contract the Rams gave him. Through four games he has three interceptions, one he returned for a touchdown
“They’ll strip the ball, they’ll make interceptions, Cortland Finnegan will be nothing but an agitator the entire game,” said Jaworski. “It’ll force the offense to do stupid thing like Josh Morgan and Washington did. Those are the things that this defense does.”
Offensively the Rams will look for third year quarterback Sam Bradford to continue to improve on the numbers from his disappointing 2011 season. Through four games this season, Bradford has thrown four touchdowns and both his QB rating and completion percentage are above his career average.
Bradford’s favorite target has been receiver Danny Amendola, who already has 31 catches for 351 yards and two TDs.
“It’s not a great offensive team but Sam Bradford is a very dangerous quarterback,” said Jaworski. “Danny Amendola is having a breakout year right now. He’s a guy that’s becoming the security blanket. The Cardinals defense is going to have to be at their very best. This is potentially an explosive offense. They haven’t been but they have the potential to put points on the board.”
The Rams, who turned the ball over once last week against Seattle, have matched their win total from 2011 and can move above .500 through its first five games for the first time since opening 4-1 in 2006.
