Are the Rams a Quarterback Away From Being a

Quality Team?
November 13, 2014 by Greg A. Bedard

In our second installment of #SettleThis, we discuss whether the Rams are just a quarterback away from being a good
team, whether Mike McCarthy should have pulled Aaron Rodgers so early against the Bears, what constitutes a
successful season in pro sports, and why Brandon Tate takes some of Adam Joness returns for the Bengals.
If you have any suggestions for future topics, email talkback@themmqb.com with the subject like #SettleThis, or tweet at
@GregABedard.

#SettleThis: Are Rams really a quarterback away from being a quality

team? Heard it several times, but what does the film say?
Lucas Bruton,
@LukeBrute
We first need to define quality team. Ill say that means a winning team, which they havent been since 2003, although
theyve been close several times. The short answer, Lucas, is yes, because I like their defense and some of their offensive
pieces. But I dont think getting consistent quarterback play means theyll suddenly rise to the top of the NFC West.
Consistent quality play from the quarterback position is the Rams biggest missing puzzle piece. How do they get that?
They cant just keep the status quo. Like I said in March about the Bengals, If the definition of insanity is doing the
same thing over and over again, but expecting different results, then the Bengals are certifiable when it comes to
quarterback Andy Dalton. If the Rams put all their eggs in the Sam Bradford basket again, then theyre crazy and
everyone should be fired. I still think Bradford can be a good pro, but the Rams have to throw multiple options at the
quarterback position and sort it out later. The new rookie contracts mandate that, and its borderline criminal that the
Rams havent invested in a quarterbackat least someone to developsince taking Bradford in 2010 (2014 sixthrounder Garrett Gilbert was cut from the practice squad a few weeks ago). The starter since Bradford went on IR, Austin
Davis has certainly made some plays, but he is not an NFL starting quarterback unless he develops significantly; he does
not see the field well enough. Shaun Hill is a solid backup.
After two ACL surgeries, Bradford can be brought
back but not at his $16.6 million salary cap number.
He should return under a reduced, incentive-laden
deal. If he balks at that, the Rams should just move
on. Even if Bradford returns the team still needs a
franchise quarterback for the future, and they need to
draft one high. If both Bradford and the draft prospect
develop, one can be traded down the line. Thats a
problem the Rams need to get themselves into.
But theres still other work to be done. The interior of
the offensive line needs to be revamped, specifically
left guard Davin Joseph and center Scott Wells. The

Wet Blanket of Reason

Greg A. Bedard earned his Wet Blanket of

Rams will have to make a decision on tackle Jake

Long; moving on from him would save $8 million

Reason nickname for his long history of

tempering rabid fan enthusiasm with cold, hard,

against the cap. The Rams also need to find a legit

irrefutable facts. In a new column for The

No. 1 receiver and a consistent weapon at tight end

(Jared Cook has played better this year but hasnt

MMQB, hell take the same approach to settle

your arguments on a weekly basis. To catch up

maximized his physical talent). I like Tre Mason at

on Settle This, CLICK HERE.

running back; Tavon Austin has been used better this

season, and the Rams have solid receivers.

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Defensively, coordinator Gregg Williams could really

use a more dynamic middle linebacker than James
Laurinaitis. I dont care about tackle numbers; hes
average against the run and poor against the pass. Im
sure Laurinaitis will stick around since his cap
number drops from $9.65 million to $4.275 million

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and you can certainly win with him, but the Rams can
do better. Linedbacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar needs to be
replaced. Other than that, I like the pieces the Rams have on defense and Williams knows how to make them work.
So, Lucas, I believe the Rams have most of the important pieces needed and are just lacking a competent quarterback
who can make them a quality, winning team. But taking that next step is easier said than done. They just cant wait for
Bradford to get healthy again.

#SettleThis: Was Mike McCarthy right to take Aaron Rodgers out of the
Packers-Bears game in the second half? Rodgers, whose six touchdowns
secured the win, got to rest his hamstrings while Matt Flynn got some
reps. Should McCarthy have let Rodgers play for more touchdowns? One
more and he would have tied the NFL single-game record. Two more,
and the record would have been his.
Lawrence Jones, Rochester, N.Y.
Even though I know Rodgers likes his numbers, McCarthy made the correct call for a number of reasons, including the
two you pointed out. Rodgers was just coming back from a hamstring injury. Hes the franchise; theres no reason to put
him at further risk. And Flynn needs all the game action he can get, because you never know when the Rodgers might
take a bad shot and miss a game. The Packers (6-3) will be in a fight for NFC North division crown and a playoff spot
until the final week, so every game will be crucial. They cant afford to slip up like last season. And, finally, it was a
division game against the Bears. Im very much against kicking a rival when its down. The Bears have hit the skids, but
theyll be back. Theres no point in giving them extra ammunition for future showdowns. Like Rodgers said after the
game, Thats respect for the opponent and respect for the game. Plus, as the best offensive player in the game, Rodgers
will have more opportunities to tie or break that record. Hopefully he gets a chance in a shootout, not a blowout.

#SettleThis: My friends and I have been arguing over the definition of a

successful season in any sport. The perfect example for this argument
occurred after the Royals lost Game 7 of the World Series. One of my
friends is from K.C. and a diehard Royals fan who was born six months
after their last playoff appearance. So, naturally, youd think waiting 28
years for a playoff game you would mean that 2014 was a successful
season, right? Nope! He agrees with me: the only way for a successful
season (in any sport) is to win the championship, regardless of
preseason expectations. Every team at the beginning of the year should
have the goal of winning it all, and thus every year there is only one
successful team. Settles this, what defines a successful season in
professional sports?
Matthew
This a great question, but I dont think theres a universal answer. I can only put on my fan hat (Red Sox, Bruins and
Rutgers) and give you my take.
I think its a successful season when a team realizes or exceeds realistic expectations. With the Royals example, I dont
know how you and your buddy could view that as anything other than a rousing success. Its reasonable to be
disappointed that they didnt win the World Series, but to be a small-market team and not only make the playoffs for the
first time since 1985, but to also go to Game 7 of the World Series? Thats a smashing success, and what a ride it was.
Youd of course love one more win, but how can you ask for more as a fan? If the Browns go the Super Bowl this year
but lose, thats a huge success. Sure, Brownies will be disappointed because you only get so many shots at a ring, but that
would still be a heck of a season.
VRENTAS ON MARK SANCHEZ: A Completely Different Guy Right Now
For teams that have been previously near the top and should be there again, I think success is defined differently. Take
the Broncos and Patriots. With the body clocks ticking for Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, and with both rosters
molded to win it all, its hard to define success as being anything other than advancing to the Super Bowl. If the Broncos
go and fail to win it for a second straight season, I would not call that a success. Last seasons loss was disappointing, but
I think it was still a success due to the length of time between appearances (same would go for a Patriots Super Bowl
loss this season). But for the Broncos, a second straight Super Bowl loss would mean theres something fundamentally
wrong. Their roster is too talented to come up short again.
Its similar to how I feel about my alma mater. Some Rutgers fans feel we should be happy, after so many down years,
just to have winning seasons and go to lower-tier bowl games. But after so many years of having the opportunity to win
conference titles and losing, Im sorry, I dont find a 20-17 home loss to Louisville in 2012 with a BCS berth on the line
successful (especially after having a 14-3 halftime lead). At some point you either take the next step, or youll always be
someone elses stepstool.

#SettleThis: Why do the Bengals continue to use Brandon Tate for

returns instead of Adam Jones?
Kelly McDonald,
@mcdonaldkelly
Kelly, my guess is that you like the fact that Jones leads the NFL punt return average (14.8 yards) and is second (31.9) to
Miamis Jarvis Landry (32.0) in kickoffs. Tate, meanwhile, is at 6.0 and 21.4.
The good news, Kelly, is that Tate has returned more than one kickoff in only one game this season (against his former

team, the Patriots, when he took seven). In the past four games, Jones has returned 11 to Tates two. Jones has returned
eight punts to Tates six in the same stretch.
MARRIED TO FOOTBALL: Fans rarely hear about the tough decisions and sacrifices that players families make
To me, and probably to the Bengals, preservation has to be a factor. Jones is much more valuable as the Bengals nickel
back than Tate is as the teams third wide receiver. They should be picking and choosing their spots to use Jones on punt
returns, considering hes absolutely fearless (he hasnt fair-caught a punt since Nov. 16, 2006). That has to be a factor.

Five Thoughts Going Into Week 11

1) Yeah, Im the guy who doesnt believe Andrew Luck is a great quarterbackyetbut he has all the traits you want in
a QB, and that greatness should arrive in short order. I want to see him cut down on his big mistakes in big games, and
Id like to see the rampant excuse making that people do for him cut down as well. (The Peyton Manning face has been
replaced in Indianapolis so far by Lucks two-handed Im an idiot! helmet slap). Against the Patriots on Sunday night,
Luck has a prime chance to show me what an idiot I am. Both teams will have had a week off, and Lucks favored at
home in a game that has huge playoff implications. Take the next step, Andrew.
2) Replacing an injured Carson Palmer, quarterback Drew Stanton should be able to keep the Cardinals ship afloat
because the team and the coaching is that good. But make no mistake, the Cardinals will miss Palmer. He had developed
into one of the best anticipation passers in the league, and thats a huge factor in Bruce Arians offense. Stanton cant
duplicate that.
3) My scouting report on new Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett from having covered him on the Patriots: big arm;
struggles to read the field when pressured; will miss some easy throws and, unlike Browns QB Brian Hoyer, his
counterpart on Sunday, Mallett doesnt readily instill confidence in teammates. I expect Cleveland to harass Mallett into
a long afternoon in the Tom Brady Backup Bowl.

4) You can almost put Sundays game against the Eagles in the must-win column for the Packers. They already have one
head-to-head loss to a team (Seattle) they could be battling for an NFC wild-card spot, and falling to Philadelphia would
make it two. If Green Bay loses, it would have to root for the Eagles to win the NFC East so Dallas would be in the wildcard hunt. A loss would drop the Packers to 6-4 (4-4 in NFC); Dallas is 7-3 (4-3) and on a bye. This game will be won or
lost based on the matchup between the Eagles offensive line and the interior of the Packers defensive front.
5) Detroits Calvin Johnson vs. Arizonas Patrick Peterson on Sunday afternoon. Set the DVR.

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