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Rams dominant in London victory over Cardinals

RICH HAMMOND

link: http://www.ocregister.com/2017/10/22/rams-dominant-in-london-victory-over-cardinals/

LONDON — It now can be said without qualification. The Rams are better than they were last year.

That’s a low bar, to be certain, since the Rams won only four games in 2016, but it became official Sunday with a dominant 33-0 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at Twickenham Stadium. The shutout is their first since 2014.

The Rams are 5-2 for the first time since 2003. They made the playoffs that year and now, amazingly, the postseason doesn’t seem like a far-fetched dream for these Rams. Their schedule gets tougher in the second half of the season, but then again, it’s been quite a while since the Rams have looked this good.

The Rams turned the second half into a glorified exhibition. By that point, they already held a 23-point lead and had knocked Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer out of the game and shut down Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson.

Todd Gurley led an efficient Rams offense, with 106 rushing yards and 48 receiving yards, and quarterback Jared Goff completed 22 of 37 attempts for 235 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for one score.

The Rams punctuated the victory with 3:46 left when, on a 3rd-and-goal play from the Arizona 18, Goff connected with Kupp for an 18-yard touchdown and a 33-0 lead.

Things seemed destined to go the Rams’ way from the first series of the game, when the Cardinals promptly drove to their 14 but then stalled and somehow missed a 32-yard field goal.

The Rams’ offense was solid but inefficient in the first quarter, and perhaps too reliant on the pass. Twice, the Rams drove inside the Arizona 15 but had to settle for two field goals and a 6-0 lead at the end of the quarter.

The game massively turned in the Rams’ favor in the middle of the second half.

Arizona, still very much in the game, started a drive at its 18 but, on the first play, Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree hit Palmer hard and safety Lamarcus Joyner intercepted Palmer’s pass and returned it back to the Arizona 18.

On the next play, Gurley ran 18 yards for a touchdown and a 13-0 Rams lead.

Palmer had to leave the game after that series, and after the game it was reported that he had suffered a broken left arm that will require surgery, and could miss the rest of the season.

The Rams took a 20-0 lead with 41 seconds left in the half when Goff drove the Rams 88 yards in 1:19 without a timeout. The Rams scored when Goff kept the ball on read-option play and ran nine yards for a touchdown.

For some reason, the Cardinals called a pass play just before the end of the half, and quarterback Drew Stanton was intercepted by Mark Barron. The Rams took a 23-0 lead on Greg Zuerlein’s 53-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter.

Another Zuerlein field goal, from 34 yards early in the third quarter, gave the Rams a 26-0 lead.

Rams show how much their defense has improved in shutting down Arizona Cardinals

Rich Hammond

link: http://www.ocregister.com/2017/10/22/rams-show-how-much-their-defense-has-improved-in-shutting-down-arizona-cardinals/amp/

LONDON — Wade Phillips shrugged a couple weeks ago. He seemed almost bored by the questions, even as everybody who followed the Rams wondered what in the world was wrong with their defense.

Apparently it wasn’t anything Phillips, with his 40 years of NFL coaching, couldn’t fix.

The magic happened at halftime three weeks ago at Dallas. Since then, the Rams have allowed only 39 points in 14 quarters. The high point came Sunday, when the Rams’ defense shut out Arizona, 33-0, knocked quarterback Carson Palmer out of the game and shut down running back Adrian Peterson.

The Rams forced two more turnovers Sunday and held the Cardinals to 193 yards and 10 first downs.

“It’s just us coming into our own,” linebacker and team captain Alec Ogletree said. “We didn’t start how we wanted to start. We knew we had the players and the ability to do a lot of stuff, but you just have to keep chugging along, keep plugging at it until you get it right. We still have some things to work on and get better at. We definitely haven’t peaked yet, for sure. There’s definitely a lot more to come.”

The transition to Phillips’ 3-4 scheme was clunky, and it probably didn’t help that star lineman Aaron Donald missed all of training camp and the season opener because of a contract holdout.

The Rams allowed 99 points in their first 14 quarters, and they couldn’t stop Dallas in the first half of that game. Then everything turned, dramatically and quickly, and the Rams have been thriving in areas where they struggled early in the season.

Run defense is foremost. Arizona’s Adrian Peterson rushed for 134 yards against Tampa Bay a week earlier, but the Rams held Peterson to 21 yards on 11 carries. Peterson’s longest run was for 6 yards.

“That’s how you do it,” Rams lineman Michael Brockers said. “If you get 11 hats to the ball and stop him before he gets started, man, he turns into a normal human being (instead of) the Hall of Famer he truly is. I think that’s what we did today and we did a good job at it.”

The Rams stuffed Peterson early, then played increasingly good pass defense and started to get to Palmer in the second quarter. The big play came with under six minutes left in the second quarter, when Ogletree smashed Palmer on a sack and broke Palmer’s arm. The injury is expected to require surgery, and Palmer could miss the rest of the season.

Arizona crossed midfield only once after Drew Stanton took over for Palmer.

“It’s unfortunate,” Brockers said. “You don’t want to hurt anybody, but when you get out there and you get that quarterback out, it messes up the rhythm of their game and I think we just took advantage of it.”

ANOTHER HUNDRED

Todd Gurley, who never rushed for more than 85 yards in a game last season, topped the century mark for the fourth time in his past five games, as he gained 106 yards on 22 carries. Gurley scored on an 18-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and also caught four passes for 48 yards.

“Whenever he’s getting going, it obviously helps our whole offense,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “I love handing off the ball and letting him run. There’s nothing better than that, letting him go. Then obviously it opens the pass game a lot more, so any time we can get him going, we want to.

“I think it’s a testament to the guys up front. I think (Gurley) would say the same thing. It’s nice having the holes he’s having now, and him doing the rest.”

Gurley did agree with Goff, and deflected praise, but he’s clearly running with more confidence than in 2016. The Cardinals hadn’t allowed an opposing running back to rush for 100 yards this season.

“It felt good,” Gurley said. “Coach did a great job with the play-calling and the line was doing a great job of creating holes, and me and Malcolm (Brown) were able to have a couple big runs.

FEELING FRESH

The Rams had high praise for the way Coach Sean McVay handled their week.

Last year, when the Rams lost to the New York Giants, they spent almost a full week in London, with the hope that it would acclimate them to the time change. It didn’t work, as the Rams looked flat. This time, the Rams spent four extra days in Jacksonville and didn’t arrive in London until Friday morning.

“The way we did it this time was way better. Way better, I think,” Goff said. “We felt good. I think you can ask anybody. We felt really, really good (Saturday) and the day before and all the way throughout the week in Jacksonville.”

McVay pushed the credit for the sharp play back onto his players.

“I think it’s them,” McVay said. “We’ve got mature players. We’ve got high-character players in that room, and they knew we were coming on a business trip. They did a great job of just taking it one day at a time. That’s a credit to our players.”

INJURY REPORT

Rams center John Sullivan left the game in the third quarter with a left knee injury and limped to the locker room.

“I think John is going to be OK,” McVay said. “The early results on him were positive.”

The only other apparent injury for the Rams was to rookie receiver Josh Reynolds, who suffered a concussion on the opening kickoff.

Rams safety Cody Davis missed the game with an injury, but safety Lamarcus Joyner returned to the lineup.

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link: http://www.ocregister.com/2017/10/22/rams-dominant-in-london-victory-over-cardinals/

LONDON — It’s OK to say it with a straight face. Unlike a year ago, nobody is going to point and laugh.

The Rams are playoff contenders.

A lock for the playoffs? No, certainly not. The season hasn’t even reached its midpoint, and any number of things could knock the Rams off track. If the Rams’ masterful 33-0 victory over Arizona on Sunday at Twickenham Stadium proved anything, though, it’s that their success cannot be considered a fluke.

The Rams have a 5-2 record for the first time since 2003. Their defense, an eyebrow-raising weakness early in the season, seems to be improving by the week and recorded its first shutout in three years. Todd Gurley gained 100 yards again. Jared Goff made one mistake but otherwise guided with a calm hand.

Not long ago, the question was, what would be considered success in Coach Sean McVay’s first season? Well, here’s one answer: The Rams already have won more games than they did in 2016, when they went 4-12.
“So happy. So excited,” guard Rodger Saffold said. “This is the first time I’ve felt success for a long time. So now it’s, how you can handle this success and go week after week, putting your best foot forward?”

The mere mention of the word “playoffs” made some players visibly uncomfortable after Sunday’s game.

In some ways, it must seem crazy to a player such as Saffold, who has been with the Rams since 2010. At that point, the Rams were only six years removed from their last playoff appearance. Saffold has spent most of his adult life in the NFL and never has ended a season with more than seven victories.

So perhaps this just feels a little surreal to the Rams. Perhaps they don’t want to jinx it, but it seems clear that they’ve sent a message that the postseason, and perhaps a division title, are not out of reach.

“Call it whatever you want, man. We’re just trying to win games every week,” Goff said. “I don’t think we’re ever content with where we’re at. (Being) 5-2 feels good, but offensively especially, we have got a lot of things to improve. I was talking to the guys after the game and I was like, ‘How do you think we played?’ ‘Oh, we played OK.’

That’s not false modesty by Goff, which might be the most encouraging thing about these Rams. They’re not playing over their heads. This doesn’t feel “magical.” It seems like a good team finding ways to win, but it also seems that the Rams still could improve if small things get cleaned up.

To be clear, the Cardinals were awful. They arrived in London a couple days before the Rams and should have been better adjusted, but they looked flat from the game’s start. It certainly didn’t help that quarterback Carson Palmer broke his arm in the second quarter after an Alec Ogletree hit.

That sent the Rams on their way. Palmer’s pass fluttered after that hit, and Lamarcus Joyner intercepted it. Gurley scored on the next play, on an 18-yard touchdown run, to give the Rams a 13-0 lead, and the Rams added 10 points in the final two minutes of the second quarter, without a timeout.

The Rams dominated, statistically. They held the ball for 39 minutes, which included a 10-minute drive in the fourth quarter, and outgained Arizona 425-193. The Rams converted 13 of 19 third-down attempts.

Gurley gained 106 yards on 22 carries against a Cardinals defense that had been strong against the run. Gurley now has four 100-yard games this season. Goff threw for 235 yards and was nearly flawless, other than a fourth-quarter interception on a play that appeared to include (uncalled) pass interference.

At the end, the Rams basically shrugged and did their best to deflect praise.

“We’ve experienced a lot of things in these seven games, but by no means have we arrived,” McVay said. “There’s improvement that we can continue to focus on, both as coaches and as players. We’re going to enjoy the bye week and get healthy and get rested.”

The Rams don’t play again until Nov. 5, with a road game against the New York Giants. After Sunday’s game, a team executive joked that he wished the Rams could just keep playing.

McVay, whose January hiring was met with some skepticism, seems to be succeeding everywhere his predecessor failed. The Rams have scored 212 points in seven games. They scored 224 points in 16 games last season, and now they have a quickly improving defense to provide extra support.

“It feels good,” defensive lineman Michael Brockers said. “I think today we sent a message to our division, and we’re not going to be sneaking up on anybody. We’re expecting everybody’s A-plus game and we’re up for the challenge.

“I’m not making any predictions or anything. This is a good team. That’s all I want to let you know. This is a good team. We’re here to play.”

Vincent Bonsignore‏ @DailyNewsVinny
Not a bad Sunday for the local L.A. #NFL teams as #Rams & #Chargers combine to go 54-Zilch on the #Cardinals & #Broncos

ESPN Stats & Info‏@ESPNStatsInfo
Both Rams & Chargers recorded shutouts Sunday. It’s 1st time in Super Bowl era 2 teams from the same city recorded shutouts in the same week

Dani Klupenger‏@daniklup
Trumaine Johnson joked w/ me on the sidelines, “I almost shed a tear. I’ve been waiting six years for an offense like this. I am loving it!”

Tiffany White‏ @TWhitePR
Today’s victory marks the Rams’ 35th shutout in team history.

Alden Gonzalez @Alden_Gonzalez
Rams QB Jared Goff, on being a legitimate playoff contender: “Call it whatever you want, man, we’re just trying to win games every week. I don’t think we’re ever content with where we’re at. 5-2 feels good, but offensively especially, we have got a lot of things (to clean up.”

Rich Hammond @Rich_Hammond
Quite a weekend for Stan Kroenke. He attended Nuggets’ victorious home opener Friday, then flew to London for Rams’ win, and Arsenal won 5-2

Rams’ defense this season…
First 14 quarters: 99 points allowed
(Then halftime at Dallas…)
Last 14 quarters: 39 points allowed.

J.B. Long‏ @JB_Long
The @RamsNFL tie the #NFL high for offensive plays run in a game this season with 82 in a 33-0 victory over Arizona in London.

Sam Farmer‏V@LATimesfarmer
Jaguars are the first team in NFL history to record at least 10 sacks in two of the team’s first seven games of a season.

The Mayor of Waymans‏ @T_Cumpston
The last time the UK saw a beat down like that it was 1776 #LaRams #MobSquad #5-2 @RamsNFL @TG3II @nflnetwork @MylesASimmons

Myles Simmons @MylesASimmons
[by end of game Rams had] their second-team defense in, with Hager calling the signals on defense.

—

1) They’re for real.
2) They’re getting better.
3) Their best is yet to come. pic.twitter.com/mz6gSE3JUF

— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) October 22, 2017

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Here are our #RamsRadio Players of the Game for Week 7, a 33-0 trouncing of Arizona to move to 5-2 at the bye. #HornsUp #LARams #NFLUK 🏈🤘🏼🐏 . . . Let’s start on DEFENSE: Lamarcus Joyner returns from a hamstring injury with an INT. (Ogletree applied the hit. Brockers was sensational, too.) . . . OFFENSE: The entire offensive line. A season high rushing total. Kept Goff clean. Blythe filled in admirably for Sullivan. And how about 4 encroachment penalties on Arizona? . . . SPTMS: Greg the Leg. Early and often. Even rushing on to drill 53 yards to end the half.

A post shared by J.B. Long (@ramsradio) on Oct 22, 2017 at 1:35pm PDT

Defense Leads the Way in Shutout Victory

Myles Simmons

http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Defense-Leads-the-Way-in-Shutout-Victory/3693db0f-55b0-4f47-af9c-29b3502a8a82

TWICKENHAM, England — Shutout. Blank. Goose egg.

It’s been a while since the Rams have been able to use those terms to describe a defensive performance — nearly three years to be exact.

The last time the club held an opponent scoreless was in 2014 with a 24-0 victory over Washington, which sported a coaching staff that coincidentally included Rams head coach Sean McVay. That game was the second of back-to-back shutouts, as the previous week the Rams beat the Raiders 52-0.

Under McVay and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, the Rams have made considerable defensive progress over the last few weeks. Los Angeles allowed only six points to Dallas in the second half of a 35-30 victory. Then Seattle scored just 16 points in Week 5. And the Jaguars managed only 17 points in Week 6.

While there’s still room to grow, a lot came together defensively for the Rams to shutout the Cardinals 33-0 on Sunday.

“It’s a great feeling to be able to do that,” middle linebacker Alec Ogletree said postgame. “I think last time we did that was 2014 or something like that. So for us to do that all the way in another country against a division opponent, it definitely brings a lot of energy and a lot of confidence.”

“Anytime you let the offense get zero points — definitely with the offense they have with the players on their offense, and you do something like that — it’s confidence,” defensive lineman Aaron Donald said. “A lot to build off.”

L.A. held Arizona to just 193 total yards, 10 first downs, and 3-of-12 on third down. It’s the first time the franchise has held an opponent to fewer than 200 yards since November 2015.

A week after rushing for 134 yards and a pair of touchdowns agains the Buccaneers, running back Adrian Peterson finished with just 21 yards on 11 carries. Los Angeles also kept wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald in check, as he finished with only three receptions for 29 yards.

“I don’t think it really matters who it is — I think we go out and play football the way we’re supposed to play it and be disciplined and execute and we’ll come out with great results like we did tonight,” inside linebacker Mark Barron said.

Barron played Sunday’s game with cast on his hand for a thumb injury, but was still able to record an interception in the second quarter.

“I caught it with both hands — well this hand and the club,” Barron said wryly after Sunday’s game. “Just caught the ball — he threw it to me and I caught it.”

That was Los Angeles’ second interception of the game — this one off of quarterback Drew Stanton. Earlier in the period, Ogletree’s pass rush forced starting quarterback Carson Palmer into an errant throw safety Lamarcus Joyner picked off in the middle of the field. Joyner’s second interception of the season set the Rams up for an 18-yard Todd Gurley touchdown run.

The starting safety had missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, and seemed thrilled after getting back on the field.

“I was missing this game,” Joyner said, crediting head trainer Reggie Scott for an effective treatment program.

“I mean I felt physically healthy, but mentally and physically I have to get back trusting my technique and fundamentals and trusting coaching and getting the cobwebs off,” Joyner added. “But I’ll do that.”

Entering the week tied for No. 2 with 20.0 sacks, Los Angeles put up three more — one by Donald, one by Matt Longacre, and one by Ethan Westbrooks. Longacre leads the team with 4.0 sacks. Donald has 3.0 on the season, also recording a pair of tackles for loss against the Cardinals.

Still, putting together such a complete performance heading into the bye week appears to have some positive implications for the defensive unit as L.A. heads into the second half of the season.

“I think the defense has done a great job of continuing to improve and I think that’s a credit to our coaches and our playing staff,” McVay said. “Obviously, getting Aaron back and getting him into a rhythm you see why he is an All-Pro caliber player as good as anybody. But I think they are playing together, they’re getting more and more comfortable with the system and the way that we want to operate and I think ultimately at the end of the day, however you win you feel good about that result.”

“It’s just us coming into our own, taking this defense in, us as a team just playing well together,” Ogletree said. “We didn’t start how we wanted to start. We knew we had the players and the ability to do a lot of stuff, but you just have to keep chugging along, keep plugging at it until you get it right. We still have some things to work on and get better at.

“We definitely haven’t peaked yet for sure, and there’s definitely a lot more to come,” Ogletree continued. “But I am confident in the guys that are here to be able to get that done.”