ST. LOUIS, MO (Shane Gray, Missouri Sports Media) -Â Later today, the St. Louis Rams will take on Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins in the home opener at the Edward Jones Dome.
After falling to Detroit last week in a game they nearly won, St. Louis will look to defeat Washington beneath the shadows of the Gateway Arch and even its’ record at 1-1.
For the Rams to do so, I see the following as keys:
Confuse RGIII
No. 2 overall pick Griffin III put on a show last week in New Orleans â€" going 19 of 26 for 320 yards and two touchdowns â€" and finished his day with an exceptional quarterback rating of 139.9. In addition, the multidimensional QB also ran nine times for 42 yards. On the afternoon, he generated 362 yards of combined offensive output in the 40-32 win against the Saints.
His performance was one not lost on Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, who said it was one of the best rookie quarterback performances of the modern era.
“Well, as everybody’s saying, his debut in the opener as a rookie, statistically, is historic,†Fisher said Monday. “They said you have to go back to 1950 to see that kind of execution. He did a great job. He managed the offense well. He extended plays, made throws and clearly caught the Saints a little bit off guard.â€
For the Rams to defeat Washington, they need to do a better job of confusing RGIII than New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and his defense did a week ago. As Rams assistant head coach Dave McInnis said this week, slowing down the dynamic young QB will be a challenge.
“What I was impressed with was his command of the offense, his command of the game, the way he was able to maintain his composure during the game, McGinnis explained. “He made a couple of plays where he was scrambling, looked down field, stayed composed. It was a very impressive performance. It’s a real handful with their offense and of course (Redskins head coach) Mike Shanahan has always been one of the most innovative offensive coaches in this league.â€
Look for St. Louis to throw a lot of different looks at RGIII and attempt to keep him off balance throughout the day.
 Hit RGIII
Last week, Griffin III was sacked twice but only endured five quarterback hits. The Rams â€" who possess better defensive ends in Chris Long and Robert Quinn than the Saints do â€" need to and should be able to do better than that.
If St. Louis can confuse the rookie QB with their coverage and pop him on semi-regular basis with the front four, that combination should aid in RGIII having a tougher day â€" and a less productive one â€" than he did in his NFL debut last week.
Of course, the Rams have to be smart in how they attack RGIII, as he is capable of busting off big ground gains if the Rams do not remain disciplined and stay in their lanes while rushing the fleet signal caller. In addition, the linebackers and secondary must stay ready to help if RGIII breaks loose and begins running down-field.
With that said, I would not be surprised to see the Rams deploy a spy during at least part of the game.
Don’t Let Washington Dominate Time Of Possession Again
A week ago, Washington destroyed New Orleans in regard to the time of possession battle, 39:10 to 20:50. The Rams obviously need to do better â€" and much better â€" than the Saints did in relation to the T.O.P.
To do so, St. Louis will need to hold Washington to a more modest rushing performance than the 153 yards they were able to generate via the ground last week. In addition, a strong rushing attack led by Steven Jackson would greatly aid the Rams in keeping the ball in their own hands and out of the hands of an offense that posted 40 points in week one.
The Rams do not necessarily need to win the battle here, but if the T.O.P. is as lopsided in the Redskins favor as it was a week ago, earning the win will be a monumental task.
Diversify the Running Game
It is always great to possess a bellcow back such as Steven Jackson, a three time Pro Bowler and one of the best runners in the league. After all, No. 39 gives the Rams some thunder and physicality each and every week while often generating terrific production against eight man fronts.
Rookie running back Daryl Richardson impressed and produced all preseason and did the same in his regular season debut, running for twenty yards on two carries. Â He has consistently exhibited nice burst, great speed, an ability to hit the hole and quick decision making abilities.
Yes, the Rams have their thunder in Jackson, but why not unleash a little more lightning in Richardson?
This week against Washington, I expect to see just that. Maybe not a lot of the seventh round rookie, but a little more than we saw last week in Motown. Showing the Redskins an added dimension and a more diverse attach should bode well for the Rams.
Protect No. 8
Anyone who knows anything about former St. Louis defensive coordinator Jim Haslett and current Washington DC Jim Haslett knows this: he will blitz, he will mix things up and he will attack with great frequency.
Steven Jackson â€" who shared mutual time with the aggressive DC in the Gateway City and who has competed against Haslett led defenses on several occasions over the years â€" knows the aforementioned very well.
“Expecting a lot of pressure. (Redskins Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Jim) Haslett believes in being exotic, a lot of zone blitzes,†Jackson asserted this week. “He’s going to try to throw different fronts at us, especially as an offensive line, since we have some replacements coming in from last week because we’re dealing with injuries. He’s going to test us to make sure that we’re going to protect Sam (Bradford) and we’re all on the same page.â€
St. Louis offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer â€" who served in the same capacity with the New York Jets a season ago â€" knows the Redskins front could be difficult to block.
“We played them last year in New York,†Schottenheimer stated Thursday. “Two great edge rushers. (LB Ryan) Kerrigan is terrific, (LB Brian) Orakpo speaks for himself. The thing about them, obviously, is that you’ve got to find them. They do a good job of moving Brian around on third down.â€
Especially when considering last week’s starting center (Scott Wells) and left guard (Rokevious Watkins) are out and that starting left tackle Rodger Saffold could be a no-go, the Rams should â€" and will â€" expect Haslett to dial up plenty of heat in a vigorous search for some open avenues to Sam Bradford.
For the Rams to succeed Sunday, they have to find a way to adequately protect No. 8 and give him ample time to find receivers and throw the football.
Photos by Michael Thomas, Copyright MSM ImagesÂ
(Tickets for the much anticipated home opener remain and may be purchased at the dome’s boxing office prior to the 3P.M. kickoff).
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