Sam Bradford Fantasy News

Wednesday, December 8, 2010, 7:02pm

Rams QB Sam Bradford (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday.

Monday, December 6, 2010, 4:38pm

Rams QB Sam Bradford "tweaked" his ankle per Spagnuolo. He's sore today but expected to be OK to practice on Wednesday.

Sunday, December 5, 2010, 10:44am

The Rams receiving corps has been helped by the emergence of rookie WR Danario Alexander, who takes about 20 snaps off per game in order to alleviate pain on his bad knees. The Rams may try more no-huddle on offense after rookie Sam Bradford used it effectively in last week’s first road win of the season in Denver. Bradford, who seems destined to break every rookie quarterback record, marched the Rams 80 yards in 12 plays, facing only two third downs, en route to a Michael Hoomanawanui TD catch of 36 yards. Hoomanawanui, known as "Illini Mike", will miss this game, meaning Billy Bajema must pick up the slack.

Saturday, December 4, 2010, 10:52am

Sam Bradford went No. 1.

John Skelton went 154 picks later.

The Cardinals and the Rams each drafted a quarterback last April, ostensibly to groom them for the future. The plans for a first-round pick – especially the top guy in the entire draft – are different than a fifth-round selection, so it’s no surprise Bradford has been the starter for St. Louis all season while the Cards have kept Skelton far from actual game action.

And it isn’t going to change, with the struggling Cardinals playing host to Bradford and the Rams Sunday. Bradford will continue to make his case to be the future top quarterback in the NFC West. Skelton will wait.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt made that clear earlier this week by saying Skelton was unlikely to play this season, barring an injury, despite the Cards’ place in the standings. Veteran Derek Anderson remains the starter for now, and undrafted rookie Max Hall is still the backup and the man who would take over if Whisenhunt decided to pull the plug on Anderson.

Where does that leave Skelton? Learning.

Thursday, December 2, 2010, 4:24pm

Even after recording season highs for passing yards (308), touchdown passes (three), and passer rating (113.3), Rams QB Sam Bradford says there's plenty of room for improvement.

"I think there's a lot of things that we can do better in the pass game," Bradford said. "Hopefully, if anything, it will open up some lanes for 'Jack' (Steven Jackson). The past couple weeks, we've seen nothing but eight-man boxes — teams really trying to stop Jack."

It attracted little notice at the time, but after a 3-and-out series to open the Denver game, the Rams went to a no-huddle on their second possession. They promptly marched 80 yards in 12 plays, facing only two third downs en route to a Michael Hoomanawanui TD catch of 36 yards.

That sparked the Rams to scores in five consecutive possessions. Interestingly, the no-huddle on the second series was part of the game plan, and not a game-day reaction to the early ebb-and-flow of the contest. Coach Steve Spagnuolo likes the no-huddle as a strategic change of pace.

"It's kind of a mixer for us," he said. "So we may use it again. We may not."

Monday, November 29, 2010, 11:42am

Just when Michael Hoomanawanui was getting into a pass-catching groove, the rookie tight end suffered more injury problems. He didn't make it out of the first half Sunday because of rib and ankle problems.

"The concern is the ankle," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "We'll know more after an MRI. At first we thought it was a fibula that he broke, but it wasn't that. It may fall in that high ankle sprain area, which is not good."

Hoomanawanui caught his second touchdown pass in as many weeks, this time on a 36-yard screen from Sam Bradford. He has 13 catches for 146 yards this season, sharing the team lead in TD catches (three) with Danny Amendola.

Sunday, November 14, 2010, 9:59am

Very little is expected to change in the way the Rams approach this game. They will seek to run with Steven Jackson, which can be difficult against the 49ers, who have allowed just 14 runs of 10 or more yards. QB Sam Bradford has been extremely efficient and he’ll look for his favorite target, Danny Amendola, who has 45 receptions. Defensively, the Rams need to stop RB Frank Gore, who has 691 rushing yards after eight games, and try to limit the potential damage that TE Vernon Davis can do.

Sunday, October 31, 2010, 10:17am

Rams RB Steven Jackson (broken finger) is going to play, but he still hasn’t found the right cast or padding to protect his left hand that was set earlier in the week. The Rams need Jackson to have a big game (he’s had three straight 100-yard rushing games) because rookie QB Sam Bradford has lost his three best receivers from the start of the season. The Rams have only four healthy receivers and no real game-breaker.

Sunday, October 24, 2010, 8:57am

Rams QB Sam Bradford has performed well despite losing his two best receivers for the season. He found a new one last Sunday in rookie Danario Alexander for a TD, and the Rams have big hopes for this former Missouri star who has had four knee surgeries.

Sunday, October 17, 2010, 10:31am

Philip Rivers has already thrown 11 touchdown passes, seven of them to TE Antonio Gates. Rivers is averaging a gaudy 15.3 yards per completion this season, four yards better than the NFL average. San Diego is hurting at linebacker (Shawne Merriman will eventually be released) and that’s good news for a healthy Rams RB Steven Jackson. Sam Bradford has lost his top two receivers and he needs rookies Mardy Gilyard and Danario Alexander, who was a star at Missouri, to make some plays.

Friday, October 15, 2010, 8:37am

Brandon Gibson has flashed big-play potential at receiver. He has also dropped some passes. With Mark Clayton, somebody besides Danny Amendola has to get open for Sam Bradford. Gibson has the rest of this season to establish himself as a NFL receiver. Can he make the most of it? Yes. Will he make the most of it? We’ll see. Gibson is like so many Rams: He has the talent to play in the NFL but he still must prove he can make a difference at this level.

Mark Clayton is out for the season
Sunday, October 10, 2010, 10:50pm

Mark Clayton's breakout season had a breakdown ending. The Rams' leading receiver suffered a season-ending knee injury on the team's fifth offensive play of Sunday's 44-6 loss to Detroit.

When asked if the injury was season-ending, Clayton replied: "Yeah. I'm going to have to get surgery to get everything taken care of."

Clayton entered the game among the NFC leaders in receptions (22) and reception yards (300), and among the league leaders in catches of 25 yards or more (five). He caught a 6-yard pass from Sam Bradford on the Rams' first offensive play of the day — a series that resulted in a three-and-out.

On the second play of the Rams' second series, Clayton streaked down the left sideline on a deep route. Defending for Detroit was cornerback Alphonso Smith, who was penalized for illegal contact on the play. But that contact took place earlier in the play and had no bearing on the injury. The injury occurred at the end of the play when Smith's legs got tangled up with Clayton's. Clayton tumbled to the turf and didn't get up.

His right knee was placed in an air cast right there on the spot, and Clayton was carted off the field with what coach Steve Spagnuolo said was a patellar tendon injury.

"I got kicked right in the knee," Clayton said. "And as soon as he did it, (the knee) was like so hot and I couldn't move anything so it knew it was pretty serious."

Clayton spoke while on crutches in the visitors' locker room, but if his spirits were down it was difficult to detect. "Coming in here, my goal was to give them everything — and everything that I had," Clayton said. "To me, it's God's will. And in that manner, there's peace, and joy, and comfort. So I'm all right, and I know everything will work out just fine."

Sunday, October 10, 2010, 8:47am

The Rams are finally getting healthy on both sides of the ball, and it looks like WR Laurent Robinson will be able to play today. RB Steven Jackson played on one leg last week and claims he’s about 90 percent with his groin strain. His mere presence takes a lot of heat off rookie QB Sam Bradford, who has won his last two starts. The key to this game is for the Rams offensive line to protect Bradford and also open some holes for Jackson against the Lions’ much-improved defensive front four.