Rams News

St. Louis Rams
Team Report posted September 7, 1998
by tsn correspondent JIM THOMAS - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Coach Dick Vermeil made his return to coaching last season, but made his return to play-calling Sunday in St. Louis' 24-17 loss to New Orleans.

Vermeil always was a hands-on coach when it came to offense, calling his own plays with the Philadelphia Eagles. But 14 years had passed when Vermeil got back into coaching in 1997. Vermeil didn't think he was qualified to call plays. He had too much rust.

However, beginning with the Rams' second preseason game this season -- against San Diego -- Vermeil started calling all the plays and hasn't stopped since.

"I'm going to stay with it until I think I lost a game because of it," Vermeil said.

There were many reasons for the Rams' season-opening loss to the Saints, but play-calling wasn't one of them.

Vermeil nonetheless described his play-calling Sunday as: "Shaky. When you move the ball, you think you did a good job. When you don't move the ball, you don't think you did a good job. That's what play-calling's all about."

The Rams outgained the Saints 323 yards to 234. But many of those yards came on passes from Tony Banks after the Rams fell behind 24-0 in the second quarter.

Vermeil drew boos from the Trans World Dome crowd of 56,943 midway through the opening quarter when he decided to punt instead of going for it on fourth down and less than a yard from the Saints' 47. But otherwise, there were no glaring debatable calls or obvious play-calling gaffes.

Vermeil said several assistant coaches approached him after the team's preseason opener against Denver and suggested he start calling the plays. As to why they did, Vermeil isn't exactly sure.

"I think part of it was that some of the suggestions I made during games appeared to be very good calls," he said. "And sometimes it takes the heat off someone getting his ass chewed out."

Vermeil isn't shy about voicing his opinions on offense, and he often isn't very delicate in expressing his opinion. But now, offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome is off the hook when it comes to second-guessing from Vermeil.

That also means Rhome has seen his powers lessened considerably from last season, when he called the plays and was quarterbacks coach. This season, Mike White is quarterbacks coach.

GRADING OUT

OFFENSE: The running game was slippery-fingered and non-existent; the passing game took too long to get untracked. GRADE: D.

DEFENSE: Other than a couple of big plays and 90 yards in passes to the tight ends, this was a pretty good effort. GRADE: C-plus.

STRATEGY: In deciding not to dress running backs Robert Holcombe and Greg Hill, Dick Vermeil didn't give his team its best chance to win. GRADE: F.

POSITIONAL ANALYSIS Quarterback: Banks started slow like the rest of the offense, but he was generally solid. His 29-completion total (in 44 attempts) was a career high. And his 298 yards passing matched the fourth-best effort in the NFL. His only interception came on a pass that bounced off Ricky Proehl. However, he didn't get the ball off quickly enough and was sacked on a game-ending Hail Mary attempt. GRADE: B.

Offensive line: For 3 1/2 quarters, the pass blocking was pretty good. But with the Rams forced to pass on nearly every play to try to get back into the game, Tony Banks was sacked five times in the final seven minutes. It's hard to be too critical of the run blocking, because the Rams weren't using their top backs. The offensive line also accounted for five of the team's 10 penalties, with Fred Miller penalized three times in his first NFL start at left guard. GRADE: D.

Running back: Jerald Moore needed Vel-cro, or maybe a football with handles Sunday. He fumbled three times, all in critical areas of the field. Two fumbles came inside the Saints' 5, which the Rams were fortunate to recover on both occasions. One came inside the Rams' 10, and was recovered for a touchdown by Saints defensive end Joe Johnson. Moore's replacement, June Henley, wasn't a factor with three carries for five yards. GRADE: F.

Receiver: Isaac Bruce's touchdown streak against New Orleans ended at six consecutive games. But he did everything but score Sunday with 10 catches for 131 yards. After going the entire 1997 season without a touchdown, Eddie Kennison scored on a 15-yard reception from Banks in the third quarter, which should elevate his confidence. Backup tight end Tyji Armstrong dropped a touchdown pass in the end zone. GRADE: B.

Defensive line: The front seven was stout against the run, limiting the Saints to 37 yards on 24 carries. The Rams' free agent signing of Ray Agnew was criticized by many, but tackle Ray Agnew may have been the Rams' best defensive lineman on the field Sunday with five solo tackles. D'Marco Farr has a sack, but the Rams didn't muster a consistent pass rush against a Saints offensive line that featured one rookie (Kyle Turley) and another near-rookie (Chris Naeole). GRADE: B-minus.

Linebacker: Not only did Sunday mark Lorenzo Styles' first NFL start, but he was playing out of position. Styles, a middle linebacker by trade, was forced to move outside due to Roman Phifer's hamstring injury. Styles played surprisingly well, recording five tackles, and he was particularly strong against the run. As a group, however, this unit let the Saints have their way in dump-off passes to running backs (six for 80 yards). GRADE: C.

Defensive back: Saints wide receivers caught only four passes for 44 yards, although 20 of those yards came on a halfback pass from Lamar Smith to Andre Smith that fooled cornerback Dexter McCleon as well as safety help that never arrived. As was frequently the case last season and this preseason, the Rams were damaged by the tight end position (five for 90 yards). Todd Lyght was the best cornerback on the field, disregarding a pass interference penalty that came on a terrible call. GRADE: C.

Special teams: Given all the time the Rams spent on special teams during training camp and regular practices, you would expect this group to be much better. But penalties and tepid kickoff return work gave the Rams terrible field position in the early going. Six of their first seven series started inside their 20. Eddie Kennison did provide a spark with a 32-yard punt return. GRADE: D.

Coaching: Dick Vermeil astounded observers by including free-agent pickup Greg Hill and rookie Robert Holcombe among his seven pregame inactives. They were the team's top two rushers in the preseason, and Hill has the speed to stretch defenses. It's one thing to start Jerald Moore; but not even dressing Hill and Holcombe is inexcusable. GRADE: F.

INJURY ANALYSIS

With the possible exception of a hyperextended elbow by backup center/guard Tom Nutten, there appeared to be nothing series coming out of the game.

Center John Flannery left briefly with a bruised knee, but had a bursa sac drained before returning to the game.

Middle linebacker Eric Hill also left for a while to have a bruised hand X-rayed before returning.

Sitting out the Saints game because of injuries were linebacker Roman Phifer (hamstring), center Mike Gruttadauria (knee), wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim (hand), and safety Toby Wright (knee).

Phifer and Hakim probably will be out for a couple more weeks. Gruttadauria could return against Minnesota, as could Wright.

Wright tore some scar tissue in his knee in the preseason finale against Kansas City. He's attempting to come back from reconstructive knee surgery. But with the knee still sore late in the week, team trainers and medical personnel decided not to risk playing Wright this week.

OUT ON A LIMB

The Rams must turn it around, and turn it around quickly or this season will be a disaster. Vermeil doesn't have the full confidence of the players after a grueling training camp anyway. If you can't beat the lowly Saints in your opener -- at home -- who can you beat?

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