Randy McMichael out for the year.

[simeon]

http://www.stlouisrams.com/article/68981/



Replacing McMichael a Tough Task


By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

There was a time about a decade ago when a young Anthony Becht was the favorite target of quarterback Marc Bulger in the high scoring West Virginia aerial attack.

That time has come and gone but with the official announcement that starting tight end Randy McMichael has been placed on injured reserve, Becht is one of a trio of tight ends that could now become a top target for Bulger for the remaining 12 games of the 2008 season.

“Back in the day I was his guy,” Becht said. “I was his go to guy. I don’t know what he’s saying now.”

What Bulger’s saying now is the familiar refrain of most every player and coach. Like the rest of his teammates, Bulger doesn’t care how it happens so long as the Rams find a way to get a victory.

To that end, the Rams are turning to Becht, new starter Joe Klopfenstein and newly minted Ram Daniel Fells to pick up the slack for McMichael.

McMichael suffered a broken tibia, high ankle sprain and, most damaging, a torn ligament in his leg in the closing moments of the Sept. 28 loss to Buffalo.

McMichael’s original diagnosis was that he would likely miss about eight weeks. The optimistic tight end told Bulger he’d be back in four weeks. A second opinion had McMichael targeted for about a 10-week absence but ultimately the torn ligament was going to be too much for him to overcome.

When doctors informed coach Jim Haslett that the ligament could be career threatening if it was injured again, he made the decision to put McMichael on the shelf for the rest of the season.

“He is a guy that is another playmaker on our football team,” Haslett said. “It’s a shame. He’s a good kid. He worked hard. He’s one of our better blockers and he’s a guy who can run and go catch it, so obviously not having him is going to hurt us.”

The Rams had big expectations for McMichael entering 2008. After all, McMichael had served his duty as a glorified third tackle for a banged up offensive line in 2007 with nary a public complaint.

The addition of Al Saunders as offensive coordinator stirred McMichael’s excitement as Saunders had an extensive track record of sending tight ends to the Pro Bowl.

Now, just 11 catches and 139 yards into the 2008 season, McMichael’s season is done and the Rams are searching for someone to fill that anticipated production.

In the short term, that onus falls on the shoulder of Klopfenstein. Klopfenstein took most of the repetitions with the first team offense last week before the bye and received official word from tight ends coach Jim Chaney that he would be the starter upon his return.

After starting all 16 games as a rookie, Klopfenstein was relegated to backup status last year as he caught just two passes for 37 yards. Now, the Rams are brushing the cobwebs off and asking him to fill a more prominent role.

“He’ll be the starter and he needs to step up and play,” Haslett said. “He has all the ability in the world. Guy comes in his first year starts 16 games, plays well, good blocker and the guy can run and catch and it’s an opportunity, he needs to step up and take advantage of it. And I don’t see why he won’t. They guy’s got a lot of ability, he just has to grab the bull by the horns.”

For his part, Klopfenstein is excited about another opportunity after pining for more playing time while he was on the, well, pine.

“I have been kind of sitting in the shadows, just waiting and getting ready for this opportunity,” Klopfenstein said. “You always want to play as much as you can so you always have that feeling in you of wanting to get out there and when you’re not playing a lot, it’s kind of frustrating but everyone’s got a role to play and I have been playing that role. Randy went down so I have to step up.”

Should Klopfenstein falter, the Rams have Becht in place as the reliable veteran capable of doing just about everything.

Although Becht’s reputation is more as a blocker, especially in the run game, he does have 172 career catches with 1,411 yards and 20 touchdowns. This season, Becht has played almost half the snaps, mostly in blocking situations after he missed most of camp because of a hamstring injury.

Haslett says Becht will likely be used more in the same blocking role in the near future but could eventually work his way into the mix.

Either way, Becht says he will do what is asked of him each week.

“I’m just going to keep doing what I do and get out there,” Becht said. “If I have to do some things in the passing game or protect more or run block more, I’ll do whatever it is I have got to do. I’m not really a guy that is going to get all jumpy because I’m going to get some more snaps. I understand my role on this team; if it’s more then I am ready to go.”

The wild card in the mix is the unknown Fells. The Rams signed him off of Tampa Bay’s practice squad to take McMichael’s spot on the roster.

While Fells was only a practice squad player for the Bucs, they apparently thought enough of him to try to keep him. Tampa Bay offered Fells a minimum salary to stay on the practice squad but Fells would not have accumulated the league service time had he not accepted the promotion.

At 6’4, 252 pounds, Fells has the size of a prototype tight end but not much in the way of experience. He spent 2006 with Atlanta but never got in a game.

But Fells’ first game experience could well be in the offing this weekend. The Rams regularly use two tight end sets and like to use tight ends on special teams.

It’s not known yet whether Fells will step into the active roster against Washington on Sunday but it’s a possibility.

“I try to keep my head into whatever I am doing,” Fells said. “I knew I was going to get picked up somewhere, maybe not with Tampa (Bay), but I feel like I can play here and I was just waiting on the opportunity.”

It’s not likely the Rams will send Becht, Klopfenstein or Fells to the Pro Bowl this season but that’s not the focus of the group according to Becht.

Without their emotional leader, the tight end group and the offense will certainly have to try to find a way to provide the offense a boost.

“We are going to continue to work hard in practice against each other, make sure we are doing our part at the tight end position,” Becht said. “That’s the most important, taking care of my room which is the tight end room and we’re doing our part. If everybody thinks that way, we’ll be fine.”

 

[Defense54]

I wonder if this will effect the way he smacks his wife. Probably can't get that full wind up ..........

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I wonder if this will effect the way he smacks his wife. Probably can't get that full wind up ..........

Maybe she'll take a bat to that bum leg of his now.