Rams News

Big Red another big test for Hill
09/24 11:33 PM

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

It seems like whenever Eric Hill opens his mouth lately, there's trouble.
Take that radio interview in Phoenix, just before the start of his first training camp with the St. Louis Rams.
``They were talking about the Cardinals having an opportunity to have one of the best defensive lines ever assembled,'' Hill said.
Hold on, Hill replied. In the process of critiquing the Big Red defensive line, he proceeded to denigrate former teammate Simeon Rice.
``I just basically said that last year, he really hurt the ballclub,'' Hill said. ``Simeon has a tough time playing against the run. His forte is pass rushing.
``Well, when a team can run the ball at you all day long, why pass? And that's what happened to us. They attacked Simeon quite a bit last year, and it hurt us, because he never really adjusted.
``I like Simeon. He was my teammate. I wasn't trying to insult the guy.''
This created a mini-furor in the Valley of the Sun, with Rice returning fire long-distance toward Hill, who was by then in Macomb, Ill., for Camp Vermeil. One Phoenix area columnist called Hill's comments ``a move both cowardly in distance and timing.''
And then there was Sunday's game in Buffalo, when Bills quarterback Rob Johnson accused Hill of first threatening to injure him, and then knocking him out of the game with a cheap shot.
Hill shrugged off Johnson's remarks.
``My rebuttal is I've always played hard, but I've never played to hurt anybody,'' Hill said. ``If that happens in the process -- when we line up for each play we know what's capable of happening. But there wasn't any ill intent.''
Hill even pleads innocent to trash-talking Johnson. Apparently the threatening comments attributed to Hill were actually made by Rams linebacker Mike A. Jones.
``Mike thinks he said that,'' Hill said. ``In the heat of the battle, a lot of things are said.''
In any event, the Bills sent film of Hill's hit to the NFL office, as a means of complaining that Hill was spearing on the play in question -- a jolting hit that knocked Johnson out of the game with a mild concussion. As of Thursday afternoon, Hill hadn't heard from NFL director of football development Gene Washington, whose job it is to hand out fines in such matters, if warranted.
The Rams believe it's probably time for Hill to start asserting himself as a run-stuffer at middle linebacker. That is, after all, why they signed him to a two-year, $5.25 million contract as an unrestricted free agent. Hill had spent his previous nine seasons with the Big Red.
Early in training camp, Hill, 31, was criticized by Dick Vermeil for missing too much practice time because of a sore back.
And just last week, linebackers coach John ``Blood & Guts'' Bunting didn't mince words in describing Hill's play after two games.
``Now Eric, of course, has got a broken hand,'' Bunting said. ``We've all played with them. At one time or another in your career, you get a broken hand. You go out and play ball. It's very simple.
``The last day you felt good when you play football, is the day before you came to camp. And you've always got something wrong with you from then on. The question it comes down to is what level of play can you operate at with your neck, with your broken hand, with your slightly pulled hamstring, with your groin, with your shoulder, with your elbow, with your neck stinger. That's this game. You're injured, and you've got to play. And you've got to play near the top of your game.''
In today's NFL -- with the way the linebacker position is played -- it's hard to play with one hand. Which is about how Hill is playing. His left hand will be wrapped in a cast for the next couple of weeks because of a broken hand suffered in the season opener against New Orleans.
Hill kept playing against the Saints, although he wasn't very effective. He didn't play a lot the following week against Minnesota because the Vikings used three-receiver formations so often. That alignment usually sends the middle linebacker to the bench in favor of a fifth defensive back.
But last week in Buffalo, the Rams played a more conventional defense. Hill was on the field a lot, and he began to show his mettle. He registered nine tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one KO'd quarterback in the Rams' 34-33 victory.
``He played pretty well,'' Vermeil said. ``Overall, I think it was his best game for us. But it's harder to tackle with one good hand and one bad hand.''
Hill concedes he missed a couple of tackles in that game because of his broken hand. Still, it was a glimpse of what Hill is capable of providing in the middle. He is a warrior, and he looks the part at a menacing 6 feet 2, 258 pounds.
``You've just got to keep it in perspective,'' Hill said. ``The season is still young. I can go out and do some things this weekend, and all of a sudden, Eric Hill has arrived.

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