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Martz must make a run this season ... or else
John Czarnecki / FOXSports.com
Posted: 12 hours ago
The best news in St. Louis this off-season was that the Rams, once known as the Greatest Show on Turf, will be performing on a new turf. The old surface was like playing on cement.
Outside of drafting "a soft" offensive tackle in the first round, the Rams spent Draft Day finding defensive players that suit defensive coordinator Larry Marmie's preferred schemes, while also focusing on special-teams performers. The elevation of Marmie into Lovie Smith's role was viewed by some as Coach Mike Martz hiring an old friend and not going after … well, you get the idea.
The Rams evened up their 2004 season at 8-8 against two disinterested playoff teams, but the NFC West no longer seems their sole domain with the emergence of Seattle and now Arizona, who has the look of potential contender. The Cardinals did whip the Rams when it counted last December. The 49ers still seem a year or two away from being anything other than cellar-dwellers.
It would seem with two years remaining on his c
ontract, barring circumstances outside his control, that Martz is entering a must-win season. Marshall Faulk and Ike Bruce are nearing the end of the line, while running back Steven Jackson should be capable of a super breakout season.
The only concern about the Rams is that they believe old linebackers like Dexter Coakley and Chris Claiborne will correct so many missed tackles at the line of scrimmage a season ago. Claiborne is a good guy who generally has six to eight good games a season now. Coakley used to be very good, but he slipped last season with the Cowboys, who believed he was too undersized to be effective.
There also remains this uneasy tension in the Rams' executive mansion, the preferred environment of Rams president John Shaw. While Martz has power over personnel and his working roster, Shaw has enough people in the personnel department and front office to make Martz uncomfortable about the overall direction of the club. Shaw made a bold move by promoting Martz (the Cowboys and other teams were inquiring about his availability) when Dick Vermeil was still in the building, during the club's Super Bowl season.
Everyone knew that Martz would be replacing Vermeil. He was the architect of the offense. But when he failed to beat good buddy Bill Belichick in the 2001 Super Bowl, Martz took a major hit around the NFL. With respect to talent alone, the Patriots' win over the Rams was a bigger upset than Joe Namath and the Jets whipping the Colts.
A lot hasn't gone Martz's way recently, starting with the antics of offensive tackle Kyle Turley, who blames the coach for everything in his life. The Rams have always been exciting on offense, but now the burden is on Martz to make the whole team exciting and truly competitive once again.
Warner to the rescue
Doesn't it sound strange to be anointing former Rams MVP Kurt Warner again? But that's what Arizona coach Dennis Green is doing, believing that any quarterback would be better than his collection of Josh McCown and John Navarre from last season.
If Kurt Warner can play at a high level for an entire season, the Cardinals are an instant playoff team. (Bill Kostroun / Associated Press)
Warner, who was cut loose by the Rams, had a nice run with the New York Giants last season until falling apart behind an uneven offensive line. He started five of the Giants' six victories, including dramatic wins at Green Bay, Dallas and Minnesota. But he was simply keeping the position warm until Eli Manning was ready.
If Warner can play at the same high level for an entire season, the Cardinals are an instant playoff team. That's how good Arizona's defense is. Plus, Warner has more playmakers in Phoenix than he had in New York, especially if money-conscious Anquan Boldin focuses on football rather than contract talks.
Warner is an interesting player who doesn't give a hoot about what sportswriters think about his talents. He's been to the mountain top and now simply wants to start and help the Cardinals make a run. The two games with the Rams should be something if Warner is still standing. That's the only concern Green has about Warner; can they protect him and keep him healthy.
Not long for L.A.
When the NFL failed to select a stadium site for any future Los Angeles franchise at its recent meetings in Washington, D.C, it wasn't a shocker. The league has bigger concerns than the nation's No. 2 market, particularly figuring out how to slice up their revenue pie with the players. The players want a bigger cut and talks to avoid an uncapped season have been painful to the league's richest owners thus far.
Everyone talks about the New Orleans Saints moving to Los Angeles, but that won't happen until the league figures out how to make financial peace with the players association. In fact, Los Angeles isn't that attractive right now, considering there is no public money in California for a stadium. Compare that to Tampa, a city that found a way to waive $1 million in fees for the NFL in order to win another Super Bowl visit. The NFL likes freebies and right now there isn't a good one in California. Just ask the Chargers and the 49ers.
Martz must make a run this season ... or else
John Czarnecki / FOXSports.com
Posted: 12 hours ago
The best news in St. Louis this off-season was that the Rams, once known as the Greatest Show on Turf, will be performing on a new turf. The old surface was like playing on cement.
Outside of drafting "a soft" offensive tackle in the first round, the Rams spent Draft Day finding defensive players that suit defensive coordinator Larry Marmie's preferred schemes, while also focusing on special-teams performers. The elevation of Marmie into Lovie Smith's role was viewed by some as Coach Mike Martz hiring an old friend and not going after … well, you get the idea.
The Rams evened up their 2004 season at 8-8 against two disinterested playoff teams, but the NFC West no longer seems their sole domain with the emergence of Seattle and now Arizona, who has the look of potential contender. The Cardinals did whip the Rams when it counted last December. The 49ers still seem a year or two away from being anything other than cellar-dwellers.
It would seem with two years remaining on his c
ontract, barring circumstances outside his control, that Martz is entering a must-win season. Marshall Faulk and Ike Bruce are nearing the end of the line, while running back Steven Jackson should be capable of a super breakout season.
The only concern about the Rams is that they believe old linebackers like Dexter Coakley and Chris Claiborne will correct so many missed tackles at the line of scrimmage a season ago. Claiborne is a good guy who generally has six to eight good games a season now. Coakley used to be very good, but he slipped last season with the Cowboys, who believed he was too undersized to be effective.
There also remains this uneasy tension in the Rams' executive mansion, the preferred environment of Rams president John Shaw. While Martz has power over personnel and his working roster, Shaw has enough people in the personnel department and front office to make Martz uncomfortable about the overall direction of the club. Shaw made a bold move by promoting Martz (the Cowboys and other teams were inquiring about his availability) when Dick Vermeil was still in the building, during the club's Super Bowl season.
Everyone knew that Martz would be replacing Vermeil. He was the architect of the offense. But when he failed to beat good buddy Bill Belichick in the 2001 Super Bowl, Martz took a major hit around the NFL. With respect to talent alone, the Patriots' win over the Rams was a bigger upset than Joe Namath and the Jets whipping the Colts.
A lot hasn't gone Martz's way recently, starting with the antics of offensive tackle Kyle Turley, who blames the coach for everything in his life. The Rams have always been exciting on offense, but now the burden is on Martz to make the whole team exciting and truly competitive once again.
Warner to the rescue
Doesn't it sound strange to be anointing former Rams MVP Kurt Warner again? But that's what Arizona coach Dennis Green is doing, believing that any quarterback would be better than his collection of Josh McCown and John Navarre from last season.
If Kurt Warner can play at a high level for an entire season, the Cardinals are an instant playoff team. (Bill Kostroun / Associated Press)
Warner, who was cut loose by the Rams, had a nice run with the New York Giants last season until falling apart behind an uneven offensive line. He started five of the Giants' six victories, including dramatic wins at Green Bay, Dallas and Minnesota. But he was simply keeping the position warm until Eli Manning was ready.
If Warner can play at the same high level for an entire season, the Cardinals are an instant playoff team. That's how good Arizona's defense is. Plus, Warner has more playmakers in Phoenix than he had in New York, especially if money-conscious Anquan Boldin focuses on football rather than contract talks.
Warner is an interesting player who doesn't give a hoot about what sportswriters think about his talents. He's been to the mountain top and now simply wants to start and help the Cardinals make a run. The two games with the Rams should be something if Warner is still standing. That's the only concern Green has about Warner; can they protect him and keep him healthy.
Not long for L.A.
When the NFL failed to select a stadium site for any future Los Angeles franchise at its recent meetings in Washington, D.C, it wasn't a shocker. The league has bigger concerns than the nation's No. 2 market, particularly figuring out how to slice up their revenue pie with the players. The players want a bigger cut and talks to avoid an uncapped season have been painful to the league's richest owners thus far.
Everyone talks about the New Orleans Saints moving to Los Angeles, but that won't happen until the league figures out how to make financial peace with the players association. In fact, Los Angeles isn't that attractive right now, considering there is no public money in California for a stadium. Compare that to Tampa, a city that found a way to waive $1 million in fees for the NFL in order to win another Super Bowl visit. The NFL likes freebies and right now there isn't a good one in California. Just ask the Chargers and the 49ers.