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 by Elvis
5 years 5 months ago
 Total posts:   38376  
 Joined:  Mar 28 2015
United States of America   Los Angeles
Administrator

https://www.sgvtribune.com/2018/10/17/a ... -old-guys/

All Rams offensive linemen benefit from practice rest policy, not just the ‘old’ guys

By Rich Hammond | rhammond@scng.com | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: October 17, 2018 at 4:22 pm | UPDATED: October 17, 2018 at 4:22 pm

THOUSAND OAKS – Anyone over 30 can relate. Sometimes the back gets a bit stiff, the knees a little creaky, and that midweek workout doesn’t seem prudent. The Rams’ offensive linemen can relate.

It’s a rarity when all five starters practice on the same day. At most, it happens once per week. On surface level, it’s preventative, so that minor, nagging injuries don’t turn into long-term problems, but in last Sunday’s victory at Denver, the Rams displayed another benefit: increased experience and versatility for backups.

“There’s a rhyme and reason to that,” center John Sullivan said. “Part of it is, inevitably, people are going to come out. Injuries are a part of the game, and you want everybody who potentially has to play to get reps. The expectation is that no matter who goes out, who comes in, who is playing what spot, there is going to be no fall-off whatsoever and we’re going to execute like the Rams offense.”

That mindset continued this week. Coach Sean McVay audibled Wednesday and changed his usual 70-minute full practice to a shorter walk-through session, in a nod to the tough game against the Broncos and the fact that the Rams will play a third consecutive road game Sunday afternoon at San Francisco.

The Rams likely will be extra-careful with Rodger Saffold, their highly effective left guard, who left the Denver game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. It’s not yet known in Saffold will practice this week, but McVay said Saffold remains on track to play against the 49ers.
“He’s making good progress,” McVay said, “and we anticipate him being able to go, but you always want to be smart with guys like that. The priority is making sure that he’s as healthy as possible.”

That’s the mindset the Rams take every week, when it comes to their linemen and practice. It’s a strategy that can raise eyebrows at times, when players aren’t on the field, but it often pays dividends during games.

When Saffold left the game at Denver, right guard Austin Blythe moved to left guard, and Jamon Brown, a full-time starter at right guard last season, came off the bench to reclaim that spot. The Rams rushed for 79 yards after the reorganization.

The Rams even ran a handful of plays without All-Pro left tackle Andrew Whitworth. For a small stretch of a tight game, rookie Joe Noteboom took that spot and played next to the recently moved Blythe.

Why didn’t the Rams flinch? Because this is nothing new. Saffold (age 30), Sullivan (33) and Whitworth (36) each regularly sit out at least one of the Rams’ three full practices each week. Line coach Aaron Kromer believes in cross-training, in all scenarios, but the Rams’ rest schedule allows more players to practice in bigger roles.

Noteboom often is the first-team left tackle. Brown gets significant work, even though he lost his starting job to Blythe after an early-season NFL suspension Blythe gets work at both guard spots and at center.

That’s why, when Saffold went down, the transition was barely noticeable. It seemed obvious that Blythe would slide over to the left side, and Brown would play next to right tackle Rob Havenstein, as they did for all of the 2018 season.

“I don’t know if it was communicated so much as unspoken,” Blythe said, “that you’re expected to be versatile and if things happen, you’ve got to be ready to switch. For the most part, I think guard is guard.”

The Rams had pass-protection issues at times against a strong Denver defensive front, but they were stellar in run blocking, as Todd Gurley rushed for a career-high 208 yards. That was just fine with the Rams’ line, which seemed to enjoy the grunt work on a frigid afternoon.

“You ride the hot hand, right?” Sullivan said. “No matter what, we’re going to execute the plays that are called. We trust Sean and that’s never going to change. I’m not going to say that, at times, we weren’t lobbying to keep running that thing, because that’s an offensive lineman’s game.”

KICKIN’ IT AGAIN

Greg Zuerlein has received full clearance to kick Sunday, McVay said. Zuerlein, an All-Pro selection last season, strained his groin before the Sept. 16 game against Arizona and missed five games.

“We know he’s got range,” McVay said, “and, really, any time you get inside the 50, you feel like you’re in scoring position with him, and that’s certainly something where we feel fortunate to have him back.”
NEW GUY

McVay reiterated that receiver Cooper Kupp will not play Sunday because of the knee sprain he suffered last Sunday at Denver. That could create an opportunity for receiver Nick Williams, whom the Rams signed as a free agent on Tuesday.

Williams is a slot receiver, in the same mold as Kupp, and knows McVay’s offense. They worked together in Washington when McVay was offensive coordinator, and Williams also played this season in Tennessee under offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, who held the same role with the Rams in 2017.

“We felt like it was going to be good to get him in here and get him up to speed,” McVay said, “and then we’ll see whether he’s an active participant this week or not.”

 by safer
5 years 5 months ago
 Total posts:   1275  
 Joined:  Feb 03 2016
United States of America   LA Coliseum
Pro Bowl

I LOVE this! Not only are we building depth but we are gonna find out just what we have in our rookies before the draft. It always bothered me that rooks would not get meaningful playing time when we were shitty, and then we'd go into the draft unsure of what we had on our roster. Especially, what we have in Noteboom. I have to pay more attention to this on Sunday.

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3 posts Mar 28 2024