August 12, 2012; Indianapolis, IN USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Danny Amendola (16) catches a pass under pressure from Indianapolis Colts corner back Justin King (21) during the first quarter of play in Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-US PRESSWIRE

I went back and rewatched the tape from Sunday’s 38-3 preseason loss to the Colts, and I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t as bad as I originally thought. It wasn’t great by any means, but it wasn’t a disaster either. I know I’m probably going to get the classic “he’s a homer” response from some people, but there were a few aspects of the performance that show some potential.

First, I want to touch on some of the disappointments, with the biggest undoubtedly being the offensive line play. Both the first-team and second-team units weren’t nearly good enough, and frankly I’m worried. As bad as our line play was last season, I really thought we were in for a major improvement in 2012. Now, I’m not so sure. It was only one preseason game, but that group has to be better. I thought Isaiah Pead showed some flashes of being good, but overall he struggled. It looked like jitters, so I expect him to be better in the next few games. Also, on a less vital note, rookie QB Austin Davis didn’t do it for me. It wasn’t so much his numbers, but his long wind-up throwing motion. I had high expectations, but I don’t know how effective he can be if he doesn’t shorten up.

Now, on to the positive. For all the criticism I’ve heard about the defense, I liked what I saw. Coach Fisher said they played a pretty vanilla scheme, which played a role in the giving up points, but the front four did a nice job getting upfield and Robert Quinn looked like a beast. I thought Michael Brockers and Janoris Jenkins more than held their own, and Kendall Langford was very impressive. When they move to their full scheme, I expect this group to be very good.

Offensively, Sam Bradford missed a couple of throws but the first-team unit moved the ball well. Steven Jackson didn’t play much, but when he was in the game it looked like we had no problem running the ball. Bradford made some nice throws, and assuming the group can finish off drives, I think they will be much better than last season. Fisher will clean up some of those drive-killing mistakes, and the receiving group looked pretty solid for the first time out.

Dec 12, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin (15) is pursued by St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (94) at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks defeated the Rams 30-13. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

I’ve been critical of the people over at ESPN at times for their coverage, or lack thereof, of the Rams, but John Clayton has wisely decided to include of member of our team on his Top 10 list of breakout candidates of 2012. Quinn checked in at number 6 overall on the list after closing his 2011 rookie season with four sacks in the final eight games.

I didn’t expect Quinn to be on this list, but I couldn’t agree with the choice more. This guy is supremely talented, and after a year in the league and a full offseason I think he could e ready for a monster year. The addition of two massive bodies – Michael Brockers and Kendall Langford – in the middle of the line should help Quinn’s production, and Chris Long getting a surplus of attention on the other side will open more lanes as well

I know there were plenty of people who wanted to see more out of Quinn last season, but I expect him to more than live up to expectations this season. If Quinn is as good as I think he can be this season, the Rams are going to make life difficult for all of the opposing quarterbacks they will face.

Nov 20, 2011; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Trevor Laws (91) celebrates in front of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) after stopping the Giants on a third down play in the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger via US PRESSWIRE

It’s not a huge secret that defensive tackle is a major need for the Rams, and while there are still pieces to add, the team helped out their depth at the position late Wednesday night. The Rams signed Trevor Laws, a former second-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, to a one-year deal. Laws hasn’t done a whole lot in Philly, as he spent four seasons with the Eagles and only started two games. He managed 40 tackles last year, and he did post four sacks the year before.

This isn’t a signing that’s going to blow anyone away, but it looks like a solid move. Laws is going to be a rotation guy and there won’t be high expectations, but he should be solid in his role. He’s still young at 26, so I think there’s reason to be optimistic that he could turn out to be better than expected. There’s not much risk, and hopefully he can utilize his skills as a pass-rusher to be another nice piece of the puzzle.

There’s still work to do at the DT position, and the Rams know it. They have to find a legit starter to play next to Kendall Langford, and they are likely going to look to the draft to do it. There are going to be good players available, but whether it’s the draft or another free agent, expect more new faces to join Laws and Langford.