One slightly underthrown deep ball to Chris Givens is probably all that stands between Sam Bradford and the idea, among St. Louis Rams fans, that he's had a pretty good game so far in their 13-13 third-quarter stalemate against the Detroit Lions. If that seems like an overreaction, it's probably important to know that—between Jeff Fisher's conservative offense and the exploits of the Rams' secondary, which has intercepted Matthew Stafford three times—Bradford has made just 12 pass attempts so far, completing eight of them for 80 yards.
What's worse is how he's looked—the Rams' offensive line, forced to scramble for bodies again when Scott Wells suffered a foot injury, hasn't been able to keep the pressure away from him, and he's floated some balls in the mid-range and downfield that have looked positively Tebovian.
Increasingly Rams fans seem worried not about Bradford's ability to be competent but about his ability to rise above the dreaded game-manager label and be a difference-maker. So far in Week 1 he hasn't done that—but in his defense, he's hardly gotten the chance.
For more in-game score, fantasy, and injury updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis's Rams vs. Lions storystream.