Maybe I should start over: How much are Sam Bradford's stats betrayed by the St. Louis Rams' offensive line? Over at Rams Herd Will notes just how badly Bradford was victimized in 2011, having been "thrown to the turf 48 times in fewer than 400 dropbacks." When you're getting knocked down that often, it's hard to get into a rhythm, especially the rhythm that Josh McDaniels's incredibly complex and never-quite-realized offense demanded.
↵I'm not quite as skeptical of the statistical evidence Bradford's first 26 games have left behind as Will goes on to be, but this really is the reason Rams fans still have to be excited about Bradford in spite of it: The systems in which Bradford put up those numbers are both flawed and now defunct. If Bradford wasn't good enough to rise above them both, he could still be good enough to thrive in a better one.
↵Obviously you want your No.-1-overall, savior-of-the-franchise, shersey-selling quarterback to be able to do a little more than that, but quarterbacks have made Pro Bowls for less.
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