Monday, August 11, 2008

Training camp headlines, 8/11

The Rams have one practice on the schedule for today, at 3:50. If you got to see Saturday night's fiasco, though, you're probably thinking along with me that the Rams need to switch to eight-a-days.

* Steven Jackson holdout day 18. Did Saturday night's starting offense debacle add to Jackson's negotiating position? I have my doubts, though I'm willing to bet Randy McMichael will welcome him back home (if he ever comes back) with the most enthusiasm, because he may not get to even run any pass routes this season otherwise. I think he was targeted once Saturday night, and Ram TEs had no catches.

Meanwhile, here's a motorcycle Jackson could have bought with his $270,000 instead of being an idiot, violating his contract and needlessly ringing up 18 days' worth of fines.

* Reporting for the Department of the Obvious, Jim Thomas says the Ram defense has work to do against the run. Yeah, just a little. One correction to RamView shows the Ram defense wasn't as bad as I thought Saturday: they gave up just 340 rushing yards, not 343. My total was before Tennessee's two kneeldowns to end the game.

* COME BACK DICKIE! Dick Vermeil was a surprise visitor to training camp. The job is all yours any time you want it back, Coach. Bill Coats blog

* As for Linehan, he thought Orlando Pace "looked fine" against the Titans. Yes, compared to Dwayne "the Road Grader" White, OP looked juuuust fine. Linehan also says the starters will work "considerably more" next Saturday against the Chargers. What they did Saturday night counted as "work"? Nick Wagoner blog

* Injury report. The worst injury of the season, because he was really coming on, was Justin King's ligament injury Saturday night to his left big toe, because it requires surgery and will finish his 2008 season before it ever starts. Other injuries: Brandon Gorin will miss up to two weeks due to a slight right rotator cuff tear, and the usually-injured Jerome Carter will be day-to-day due to a strained groin. Brett Romberg was MRI'ed and they found a broken bone in his right hand but he's playing through it. Both Donnie Avery and OJ Atogwe are expected to return to practice this week.

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