St. Louis Rams - 2006 NFL Preview

2005 Record: 6-10 (2nd in NFC West)

2005 Rankings
Offense: 6th (2nd pass; 22nd run)
Defense: 30th (23rd pass; 28th run)

Head Coach: Scott Linehan (0-0); Entering 1st season as NFL head coach

2006 Draft Class

1.15 – CB, Tye Hill (Clemson)
2.46 – TE, Joe Klopfenstein (Colorado)
3.68 – DT, Claude Wroten (LSU)
3.77 – LB, Jon Alston (Stanford)
3.93 – TE, Domonique Byrd (USC)
4.113 – DE, Victor Adeyanju (Indiana)
5.144 – WR, Marques Hagans (Virginia)
7.221 – LB, Tim McGarigle (Northwestern)
7.242 – OG, Mark Setterstrom (Minnesota)
7.243 – OG, Tony Palmer (Missouri)

Arrivals

Scott Linehan, head coach (Miami – offensive coordinator)
Jim Haslett, defensive coordinator (New Orleans – head coach)
Fakhir Brown, CB (New Orleans)
Corey Chavous, S (Minnesota)
Tony Fisher, RB (Green Bay)
Jason Fisk, DT (Cleveland)
Gus Frerotte, QB (Miami)
La’Roi Glover, DT (Dallas)
Will Witherspoon, LB (Carolina)


Departures

Adam Archuleta, S (Washington)
Marshall Faulk, RB (retired)
Mike Martz, head coach (Detroit – offensive coordinator)
Joe Vitt, head coach
Tyoka Jackson, DE (Detroit)
Chris Johnson, CB (Kansas City)
Ryan Pickett, DT (Green Bay)
Rex Tucker, OG (Detroit)

Team Overview

2005 couldn’t have unfolded much worse for the Rams. Mike Martz and Marc Bulger were healthy for just half the season, the offensive line was in shambles and the defense continued was one of the worst in the NFL.

Scott Linehan, the former Vikings and Dolphins offensive coordinator, has been hired to replace Mike Martz, who is now coordinating the offense in Detroit. Linehan and Martz both like to throw the ball deep, but the major difference between the two coaches is Linehan’s offense places more value on the ground game. With Marc Bulger coming off shoulder injuries last year, and Steven Jackson now firmly entrenched as the starting running back, that’s good news for Rams fans.

The offensive line will also benefit from Linehan’s system. Martz often sent everyone out on pass routes, but Linehan’s will keep a tight end or back in to block. The interior of the line isn’t that talented, and those who are talented are up there in NFL years, but Alex Barron and Orlando Pace are solid bookend tackles. Pace earned Pro Bowl honors following the 2005 season.

The only other Pro Bowler for St. Louis is Torry Holt, who is pound-for-pound, the best wide receiver in the NFL. Despite playing with 3 different quarterbacks in 2005, Holt posted 102 receptions, 1300+ yards and 9 scores. No amount of unrest at the QB position is going to keep Holt’s numbers down. The wide receiving crew is pretty deep. Isaac Bruce returns for one more go ‘round, and Kevin Curtis emerged with a 60-catch season. Shaun McDonald is the #4 WR. With Linehan now running things, the tight end will actually be expected to produce, so the team drafted two solid tight ends in April’s draft (Joe Klopfenstein and Dominique Byrd) and they’re both right at the top of the depth chart.

St. Louis used free agency to provide some instant upgrades on defense. La’Roi Glover was signed to plug the middle, and he’s familiar with Jim Haslett from his days in New Orleans. Fakhir Brown is another Haslett guy, and he’s been brought in to solidify the CB position. Corey Chavous provides some veteran leadership at safety, as well as a possible college scout come next April’s draft. Will Witherspoon, a talented linebacker whose just coming into his prime, was signed away from the Carolina Panthers. The defense isn’t very deep, nor is it very big, but they do have some speed and should improve over last year’s 30th ranking.

After being the class of the NFC West in 2004, the Rams plummeted back to Earth in a hurry. I don’t expect much of a climb this year, but they should be a more disciplined, more balanced and all-around better team than they were in 2005. 8-8 is a definite possibility.

Three & Out

- When the Rams lost both Marc Bulger and his backup Jamie Martin to injury last year, they had no choice but to turn to Ryan Fitzpatrick (a 2005 7th round pick) to play the position. Behind Bulger this year is Gus Frerotte, who has spent much of his career playing in Linehan’s offense.  

- Last year, Rams cornerbacks accounted for just 3 interceptions. DeJuan Groce, who is currently buried on the depth chart, led all CBs with 2. Corey Ivy, who is now in Baltimore, added the other. The team’s leader in picks was Mike Furrey, a wide receiver who was converted to safety. Furrey snagged 4 interceptions, and is currently back playing wide receiver…in Detroit. That should help explain why Fakhir Brown and Corey Chavous were signed, and why the team spent a 1st round pick on Tye Hill, a CB from Clemson.  

- Few would argue with the dismissal of Mike Martz, but one shouldn’t forget that Martz led the Rams to a 53-32 record from 2000-2005, won 4 NFC West titles and guided them to Super Bowl XXXVI.  He’ll be a head coach again real soon.

Fantasy Island

One comment from the NFL Networks’ Marshall Faulk really stood out to me. They were discussing the Rams offense, more specifically how it would be different under Scott Linehan. Faulk let out a “finally” after it was mentioned that the Rams will run the football more in 2006.  

Steven Jackson is 6-2, weighs 233 pounds and is entering just his 3rd season in the NFL. Get him running downhill, and he’s nearly impossible. Running behind a “blocking-challenged” offensive line last year didn’t faze Jackson, as he put up over 1,000 yards and averaged 4.1 per carry. I do expect 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns out of Jackson in 2006.