How they're using the bye… Wagoner, Thomas, etc.

Bye week gives Rams a little breathing room
• By Joe Lyons •

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/bye-week-gives-rams-a-little-breathing-room/article_5ef22e68-99d7-5e30-9bae-e9726a1996c4.html

The Rams join the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns as the first teams in the NFL to take their 2014 bye this week.

But at Rams Park, it’s business as usual — at least for a couple of days.

The Rams practiced Wednesday and will work out again Thursday before taking a long weekend, returning on Tuesday to begin preparations for their return to action Sunday, Oct. 5 against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

“It’s an unusual week,” coach Jeff Fisher said following Wednesday’s practice. “We got everything corrected yesterday. Came on the field, worked some things out. They were a little fussy yesterday, as you can imagine, but they’re back (and) we had a really good session today.’’

Wednesday’s practice included some preparation work for the Eagles as well as a return to football fundamentals for the Rams, who are off to a 1-2 start.

“We’re working on a lot of individual stuff,” quarterback Austin Davis said. “Whether it’s footwork or progression reads, those things tend to get lost as you go through a long season, so this is a good time for us to get back to some of the basics.”

Guard Davin Joseph, in his ninth NFL season, agreed but said that having the early bye takes some getting used to.

“You feel like you’re just starting to get into a rhythm, but we can definitely use the time,” he said. “We have a few guys banged up. We need to use this time to improve, to get back to basics and try to get a deeper understanding of the offense.”

The Rams are hopeful that the week off will allow wide receiver Tavon Austin (knee) and quarterback Shaun Hill (thigh) to get healthy enough to practice fully next week. In addition, center Barrett Jones (back) and cornerback Trumaine Johnson (knee) continue to work their way back after getting hurt in the preseason.

Fisher also will use the bye week to get some added practice time for the younger players on the roster.

“You kind of handle everybody a little differently this week,” the coach said. “What typically happens is you get going (and) the backups don’t get the reps (they need). So this bye week is a good time for them to get some reps.

“This week, basically, is about the guys that need the rehab work get the rehab, guys that need to recover get the recovery time and the guys that need the reps, the technique work, (they) get that.”

Fisher said that the bye in Week 4 takes some adjustment.

“Coaches never complain about their bye weeks when they come,” he said. “It is a little unusual, probably the earliest I can remember having one. But you just try to make the most of it. We’re looking at some things we need to do better, but once we finish up here tomorrow, it’s about getting away from football. Go back to your alma mater, watch the game, do something, but get away because we got a lot when you come back. It’s about recharging, and getting refreshed and coming back ready to work.”

Following the bye, the Rams will face a murderers’ row stretch of the schedule that includes games at Philadelphia (3-0) on Oct. 5, at home against division rival San Francisco (1-2) on Oct. 13 (Monday), at home against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks (2-1) on Oct. 19, at the Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) on Oct. 26, at San Francisco on Nov. 2, at the Arizona Cardinals (3-0) on Nov. 9, at home against the defending Super Bowl runner-up Denver Broncos (2-1) on Nov. 16 and at the San Diego Chargers (2-1) on Nov. 23.

“This league is tough enough when you go week to week. You can’t afford to get to look ahead,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “Looking at a schedule, you never know how things are going to play out. In my career, I’ve made it a habit to never look at a team in the NFL and think of that game as a gimme. In this league, if you make enough mistakes, anyone can win.”

In his sixth NFL season, Laurinaitis has tried to help prepare his young teammates for the upcoming grind.

“What I tell the young guys is to get into a routine and stick with it,” he said. “It’s easy now because it’s only a few weeks, but late in the season, when it’s dark and cold, you’re not going to want to go into the cold tub — all you want to do is get something to eat and get home and sleep — but no matter how tired you are, how cold you are, you have to stick with the routine of the cold tub and the stretching because those are the things that will help get you through the long season.

“Quite frankly, I think that’s how you avoid hitting the (rookie) wall; you stick with your routine.”

And the key during a bye week is to take advantage of the time off.

“It’s a little strange, having it come so early, but you learn to appreciate the break,” Joseph said. “For me, it’s a chance to go home (to Tampa Bay), to see my kids and get in a little fishing.

“The bye gives you a chance to catch your breath, reflect on the season so far and to hopefully come back here focused and locked in because we know that we have some really important games ahead of us.”

Rams scatter for bye weekend
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-scatter-for-bye-weekend/article_b34f7f34-6888-54a6-b7ab-53d4537183db.html

It didn’t take long for Rams players to scatter Thursday afternoon following the second _ and last _ practice of the bye week. As mandated under the collective bargaining agreement, players get four consecutive days off during the bye.

The team won’t gather again until Tuesday at Rams Park. Some players are heading to watch their college team play. In the case of tight end Lance Kendricks, he’s heading to Jamaica for the weekend. Other are staying put in St. Louis.

Coach Jeff Fisher wants them to take their minds off football _ at least pro football _ for the next few days.

Thursday’s practice started in unusual fashion, with position coaches taking players from other positions through drills. For example, linebackers coach Frank Bush took the tight ends and running backs through some drills. The offensive linemen worked with the Rams’ secondary coaches for a while.

But after a while, everyone returned to home base, that is, their respective position coaches.

“We do that every bye week the last practice, where we just switch positions, where the receivers will down and learn some of the tricks of the trade of the defensive line (and so on),” Fisher said. “It’s a nice way to start off the last practice of the bye week.”

Once again, cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson (knee) and Brandon McGee (foot) missed practice. Center/guard Barrett Jones (back) did some work on the side, and wide recever/punt returner Tavon Austin did some individual work.

Defensive end William Hayes also didn’t practice Thursday, although it did not appear to be injury related.

_ The Rams have resigned WR Justin Veltung to the practice squad, after releasing TE Brad Smelley.

_ DE Chris Long is no longer using a scooter to get around following foot surgery. He’s in a walking boot, using crutches.

St. Louis Rams OK with early bye
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12107/st-louis-rams-ok-with-early-bye

EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams are one of six teams first up in the rotation for a bye with no game scheduled this week.

It’s only Week 4, and we’re still in September, which could make for an especially brutal grind over the final 13 weeks of the season. But the Rams aren’t complaining.

“Coaches never complain about the bye weeks when they come, they never do,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “It is a little unusual. This is probably the earliest I’ve ever had one. So you make the most of it. We’ve got an opportunity to get some guys back.”

If nothing else, getting some injured players, guys like receiver Tavon Austin (knee), cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson (knee) and Brandon McGee (foot), offensive lineman Barrett Jones (back) and quarterback Shaun Hill (thigh), back after the bye would be a positive result from the week off. It’s unlikely that all will return to the field next week but Austin and Hill are close, and the others are “closer” according to Fisher.

As dictated by the collective bargaining agreement, players must have four full days off. After practice Wednesday and Thursday, the Rams are off until next Tuesday.

In the meantime, everybody has a different idea of what they plan to do with the time off. Tight end Lance Kendricks, for example, is planning to get away from it all with a trip to Jamaica.

Oft-injured offensive lineman Rodger Saffold, in a moment of self deprecation, said he plans to do very little.

“Out of everybody in here, you know that I need to be the one to relax,” Saffold said. “I’m not trying to jinx myself or hurt myself. Put myself in bubble wrap. I’m not trying to get any colds, sickness, none of that stuff.”

Saffold plans to spend his weekend in his home theatre watching football, playing video games and hanging out with his pregnant wife. Defensive end Robert Quinn has similar plans.

“I’ll probably be in St. Louis doing a whole bunch of nothing,” Quinn said. “I don’t do much. I’ll kick my feet up with the wife and dog and call it a day.”

Of course, the bye week would be a more enjoyable experience for all parties had the Rams not blown a 21-point lead on the way to a 34-31 loss to the Dallas Cowboys last week.

With the extra week off before playing at Philadelphia on Oct. 5, the Rams had more time to stew on the loss. And though they’d much rather get back on the field in a hurry to wipe away the taste of that defeat, they’ll take the rest and relaxation as it comes.

“You hate bye weeks after a loss because you are really chomping at the bit to go and play another game and get that sour taste out of your mouth,” Saffold said. “But at the same time, I think that’s going to be the fire that continues to help us really work during this bye week.”

Eugene Sims putting penalties in the past
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12121/eugene-sims-putting-penalties-in-the-past

EARTH CITY, Mo. — It’s highly unlikely that NFL officials have it out for St. Louis Rams defensive end Eugene Sims. But over the past two weeks, it certainly seems that way.

Earlier this week, Rams coach Jeff Fisher made it abundantly clear that he didn’t agree with at least four penalties called against the Rams in last week’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys. At the center of Fisher’s complaint was the defensive holding call on Sims late in the game.

On the play, Sims briefly grabbed Dallas receiver Terrance Williams as he came out of the backfield before leaving Williams to drop quarterback Tony Romo for an apparent sack. The flag soon followed and instead of a big loss and impending third and long, the Cowboys had a first down.

It was a call amongst a handful that Fisher was still fuming about when asked how his team could reduce penalties Wednesday.

“Well, we just get them to call penalties, and not throw flags when there’s no infractions,” Fisher said. “That’ll significantly reduce it.”

Another way to reduce it would apparently be for Sims to send some nice gifts to officials all over the league. For whatever reason, he seems to have a knack for being on the wrong end of some costly penalties.

Sometimes, those penalties are his fault, such as the two horse-collar tackles he had against Tampa Bay in Week 2 which earned him a pair of 15-yard penalties.

“I’m probably one of the most hated players by the referees,” Sims said. “I don’t know what it is. They made two bad calls. I guess from the Tampa game they saw I had two horse collars so I guess they had an eye out for me so every little thing I did they probably wanted to flag it.”

Sims’ defensive holding wasn’t the only call that he, Fisher and the Rams took umbrage with in the Dallas game. Earlier in that meeting, Sims was called for roughing the passer when the official apparently saw him make contact with Romo’s helmet with his hand. Sims clearly hit Romo’s shoulder on the play and any contact with the helmet was far from “forcible,” which is the standard that must be met for that particular penalty to be called.

“I was just trying to make a play and the position I was in, I was in good position to make the play,” Sims said. “I guess the position he was in, he saw other way. But it is what it is.

“I won’t let that take me out of the game. I love the game, I respect it and just keep playing.”

This isn’t the first time Sims has been on the wrong end of some questionable calls. He was fined for unnecessary roughness last season for a hit he made on New Orleans running back Darren Sproles and again for the same infraction in the season finale against the Seattle Seahawks.

To be sure, Sims might be something of a marked man in part because of his propensity for penalties. He had nine penalties in 2013, seven on defense and two more on special teams, good for a total of 74 yards. Those nine infractions tied for fifth-most in the league with a host of other players.

Despite the flags, Sims has been and remains an integral part of the Rams defense. With Chris Long out because of an ankle injury, the onus falls on Sims to provide production all over the line. It’s a work in progress but aside from the penalties, he’s offered some solid work so far.

“I feel good,” Sims said. “I have got a lot to improve. Got a guy down like Chris Long so that’s on me (to fill in). I look at it as now I have to step up and be there for my team and be accountable.”