Mike & Mike Discuss The Rams
By Justin Stine
For anyone who, like me, isn’t awake nearly early enough in the morning to listen to Mike & Mike on ESPN, you missed the dynamic duo discussing our very own St. Louis Rams today as part of their two-a-days offseason segment. Lucky for all of us who aren’t early birds, the guys on The Fast Lane looked at the questions posed by their national counterparts in their afternoon show, and they provided their own answers to go along with the answers Mike and Mike gave. In somewhat of a cheap ripoff, I have decided to do the same thing here at Ramblin’ Fan, providing my own answers to the questions. Since it will take far too long to type everyone’s responses, I’ll give you mine and then link to the other responses at the end of the post. So Here. We. Go.
What was the most impressive part of Sam Bradford’s rookie performance?
There are really no wrong answers to this one, but I think the most impressive thing about Sam this season was his poise. Having the pressure of being a number one overall pick and starting as a rookie has doomed numerous players in the past, but Bradford kept his cool and stayed under control all season. He wasn’t perfect, but you could tell that he earned the respect of his teammates and coaches with his play and with his personality in the huddle, which to me speaks volumes about the player he is.
Is Steven Jackson still one of the premiere runners in the league?
Absolutely. He went to the Pro Bowl and ran for over 1,000 yards on a team that struggled with their guards on the offensive line all season. He is a workhorse in every sense of the word, and although many people expect him to hit a wall in the coming years, he is easily still and elite back in this league right now.
Is Chris Long on the verge of being a Pro Bowl defender?
I struggled with this one a bit. Do I think Chris Long is a very good player? Yes. Do I think he has the potential to keep improving? You bet. Could I see him in the Pro Bowl next season? Probably not. I love everything about the way Long plays the game, and I love having him on our team. I love his potential and his work ethic, but making the Pro Bowl at defensive end is always a tall order. Honestly, as long as he stays healthy and keeps getting better, it doesn’t really matter to me if he makes the Pro Bowl. It’s possible that he will, but I don’t think it’s all that important.
Rams Number 1 priority in the draft or Free Agency?
It’s no secret that I believe the Rams need a true top-flight wide receiver, so I would have to go there to answer this question. Obviously this team needs help in other areas like OLB, G, RB, DE, S, etc., but I’m going to stick with WR as my choice. I won’t be heartbroken if we bring back Mark Clayton and stick with what we have at the position for now, but I still think this offense is ready to be really good if we get Sam a major downfield threat.
Is the Rams’ stock rising or falling?
Easiest question of the day. Considering we won six games in three seasons before 2010 and we won 7 last year, and considering we have the top QB prospect in the league, our stock is easily rising. It’s a no-brainer.
Here is the link so you can see what everyone else thought about these questions, and feel free to post your own answers in the comments section.