Why is Randy McMichael smiling all of a sudden?

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RAMS TIGHT END READY TO DELIVER?
Published 5/19/2008 by Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk.com
When tight end Randy McMichael was cut by the Dolphins and landed with the Rams, high expectations immediately followed. But McMichael simply didn’t deliver. The problem was, in part, that a rash of injuries to offensive tackles required the Rams to keep McMichael in to help with the blocking.  As a result, he had the lowest production of his career.“ It was a miserable year , not just for me but for the team,” McMichael said of last season.  “It just seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong for us.” This time around, the linemen are healthy (for now), and new ...

Al Saunders: matchmaker
Published 5/19/2008 by VanRam at Turf Show Times: Front Page Posts
... the more claim he has to that mantle come contract time. Of course, with the collective bargaining agreement now looking like it might lapse in 2011 , it could be dead issue anyway. I tried to forget, but reminders that the Rams scored just five rushing touch downs last season just keep appearing. That's likely to change this season. Mike Sando at ESPN takes a look at the Al Saunders/Steven Jackson offensive match made in heaven. The PD looks at the Al Saunders/Randy McMichael match made in heaven. ...

NFL Monday: Odell Thurman Released; Pacman Eager to Work Out
Published 5/19/2008 by Joel 'DiG' DiGiacomo at Football for Breakfast
... Era Set to Begin (Denver Post) Broncos: In with the New for Broncos (Rocky Mountain News) NFC News Cowboys: Pacman Eager to Work Out with Cowboys (Dallas Morning News) Buccaneers: Gruden, Knight Cut from the Same Mold (Tampa Tribune) Vikings: Tough Times Seemingly Agree with Childress (Star Tribune) Rams: Why Is Randy McMichael Smiling All of a Sudden? (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Leonard in the middle
Published 6/16/2008 by VanRam at Turf Show Times: Front Page Posts
... A big part of Saunders' offensive systems is creating mismatches in the middle. Getting a strong pass catcher who overmatches the linebackers into the middle of the field forces teams to cover that receiver with a safety and leave the corners somewhat exposed. That role has traditionally been reserved for a meaty tight end under Saunders, think Tony Gonzalez or to a lesser extent Chris Cooley, and McMichael will still get plenty of looks in the middle of the field. But McMichael's strength is route running, and he'll see a lot of his work down the field, behind the linebackers, ...