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Topic: Quinn's surgery
Anybody know exactly what kind of back surgery
Quinn is having?Remember Kevin Carter, people.
Best player on the team
having back surgery. Not good.w
v
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Ram notebook: DE Quinn, S McDonald are out for rest of season
By Joe Lyons[www.stltoday.com]
The Rams’ injury situation seems to get bleaker by the day.
Following Wednesday’s practice at Rams Park, coach Jeff Fisher said that he’d soon have a couple of roster spots to fill.
That’s because two of the team’s better defenders — defensive end Robert Quinn (back) and strong safety T.J. McDonald (shoulder) — will be undergoing season-ending surgery.
“Unfortunately, we lost two really good defensive players for the remainder of the season,” Fisher said. “It’s just an unfortunate part of the game…. But we’ll move on. It’ll give (Eureka High’s) Maurice (Alexander) a chance to play (at safety), you’re going to get a chance to see Ethan (Westbrooks) play” at defensive end. “It gives us a chance to play some younger players and get them some more experience.”
Quinn, 25, earned trips to the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons and in 2013 set a franchise record for sacks, with 19. He started this season’s first seven games, sat a week and then had limited action in the team’s loss Nov. 15 to Chicago. He has been inactive for the last three games.
Even with all the time missed, Quinn is second on the team in sacks, with five.
“We’re moving forward with this,” Fisher said. “We’re being aggressive with this so that he can come back at 100 percent because … our concern is his future. … It’s a 10-12-week rehab and he’ll be back at 100 percent.’’
Fisher said Quinn’s inability to play has impacted the entire defense.
“Offenses are going to game-plan around his presence and they’re concerned about where he is and what he’s doing,” the coach said. And that, in turn, helps create opportunities for teammates.
The hard-hitting McDonald, 24, hurt a shoulder Sunday in the team’s 27-3 loss to Arizona. Playing through pain this season, he managed to make starts in 11 of 12 games. McDonald is third on the squad in tackles, with 80. He’s also recorded one sack, three pass defenses, a forced fumble and recovered a fumble.
“He’s been dealing with a few things, but the shoulder subluxed and we’ve got some things we’ve got to get fixed,” Fisher said. “He’ll come back 100 percent, but it’s not fair to ask him to play under the circumstances.”
Linebacker James Laurinaitis, a defensive co-captain along with Quinn, said the injuries simply present a new challenge.
“Rob’s been dealing with that for a while,’’ Laurinaitis said. “He really wanted to wait, hoping it’d come back, hoping it’d stop hurting enough at some point that he could make a go of it, but it just wasn’t getting any better.
“T.J.’s been playing hurt for a little bit, too. Heck, it’s been hard to even watch him walk sometimes, let alone to go out there and practice.”
Laurinaitis continued: “Whenever you have injuries, you have to battle through it. That’s not an excuse for us. We know we’re going to miss those guys and that we’re better with them, but you can’t drop your expectations. You still have to go out and do your job.”
MORE INJURY NEWS
Including Quinn and McDonald, the club had 12 players on its initial injury report of the week. Others missing from practice Wednesday were CB Janoris Jenkins (concussion), DE William Hayes (thigh), K Zach Hocker (thigh), OL Andrew Donnal (knee) and P Johnny Hekker (not injury related).
TE Lance Kendricks (concussion), CB Trumaine Johnson (thigh) and WR Wes Welker (calf) were limited, with Greg Zuerlein (right hip) and quarterback Case Keenum (concussion) full participants.
Zuerlein “kicked and he kicked well,” Fisher said. “We’re going to rest him (Thursday) and then we’ll kick him again on Friday and see where he’s at.
“Lance did well today. He exerted; he’s really ahead on the protocol. He did well; Janoris, on the other hand, did not. … It’s hard for me to predict, but we’re hoping Janoris comes around.’’
For Detroit, the host Rams’ foe Sunday, the following players were limited Wednesday: DE Ziggy Ansah (hamstring/elbow), WR Calvin Johnson (ankle), WR Lance Moore (ankle), T Michael Ola (knee), S Glover Quin (ankle), DT Crauan Reid (ankle) and C Travis Swanson (ankle). LB Travis Lewis (ankle) was a full practice participant.
Defensive dip has fueled Rams’ decline
Jim Thomas
After a hard-fought overtime loss in Minnesota, the Rams nonetheless reached their apex defensively.
Despite that bitter 21-18 defeat, the Rams moved up to fifth in the NFL in total defense, looking every bit the snarling, physical unit envisioned when this season of great expectations began three months ago.
But then came Chicago, Baltimore, and Cincinnati. Three veteran, skilled quarterbacks in Jay Cutler, Joe Flacco, and Andy Dalton.
Minus Matt Forte and with a gimpy Alshon Jeffery, the Bears put 37 points and 397 yards on the Rams, including two touchdowns of 80 yards-plus.
Minus Steve Smith and with Justin Forsett out early with a broken arm, Baltimore put up 388 yards and wiped out a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, winning 16-13 on a walk-off field goal.
Then came Cincy with 376 yards in a 31-7 shellacking of the Rams. Granted, seven of those points came on an interception return for touchdown, but the Bengals were in control offensively.
“For whatever reason, we haven’t held up our end of the bargain against Chicago and last week (vs. Cincinnati),” defensive captain James Laurinaitis said. “And like I said after the Baltimore game, we had a lead going into the fourth quarter — we gotta win that.”
And now, with the NFL’s top-ranked offense — Arizona — coming to town for Sunday’s noon kickoff at Edward Jones Dome, the Rams have fallen to the middle of the pack at No. 13 in total defense.
They have tumbled all the way to 21st in rushing defense, and given up seven touchdown passes in the past three weeks. By way of comparison, the Rams have scored only eight TD passes all season.
“We’ve been just self-reflecting in that defensive room,” Laurinaitis said. “How can we play better? Everyone individually has to do it.
“What am I doing to contribute to these losses? Am I part of the problem? Am I part of the solution? You hope that you have enough guys in there that want to be part of the solution and fix it.”
Yes, it’s come to this. The one thing the Rams could count on all season — a stout defense — seems to be wilting over the second half of the 2015 season. The players and coaches might never admit it, but the defensive unit has been carrying the burden of a struggling offense nearly all season.
The defense has been on the field for an average of 4½ minutes more per game. And nearly 80 plays more over the course of the first 11 games. Cumulatively, it’s as if they’ve played an extra game compared to the offense. As the injuries pile up, the strain may have finally caught up with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ unit.
“We don’t ever, ever think that,” Williams said. “We really don’t. It doesn’t make a difference if we’ve gotta play 150 snaps; if we’ve gotta play 35 snaps. That doesn’t make any difference.
“When we’re mentally strong, we understand that our job is playing no matter what the situation is, no matter how many snaps we have to play. We have to keep on doing that. So we’ll never use that as an excuse at all. No, we’ve gotta play.”
The Rams were able to withstand the loss of linebacker and leading tackler Alec Ogletree two months ago when the team first played Arizona, thanks to the impressive conversion of Mark Barron from safety to weakside linebacker.
They weathered the storm when defensive end Chris Long suffered a fractured bone in a knee-to-knee collision with Green Bay’s David Bakhtiari and missed the next four games.
But the somewhat mysterious injury woes of defensive end Robert Quinn, a two-time Pro Bowler and one of the league’s elite pass rushers, simply might be too much to overcome.
While applauding the play of Eugene Sims in place of Quinn, coach Jeff Fisher said of Quinn, “We miss him. He’s a difference-maker. He’s one of those guys that can change the game at any point in the game.”
Over the past month and half, Quinn has been variously described as having knee, hip, and back injuries. He never was seen going down with an injury, and there was not an in-game injury announcement at any time. But he hasn’t been the same since the Green Bay game Oct. 11. He didn’t practice during the bye week, nor did several other Rams veterans. At the time, Fisher said some players were merely being rested but others were banged up. With no official injury report that week, there was no way to tell which was which.
During the Cleveland practice week coming out of the bye, Quinn first showed up on the injury report with a knee injury. His playing time against the Browns and San Francisco the following week was cut back to only 28 and 38 snaps respectively. Up to that point, he had been averaging more than 50 plays per game.
Sunday’s game will mark the fourth he has missed in the past five contests. He played a mere 14 defensive snaps against Chicago — his only appearance since the Nov. 1 San Francisco contest.
Fisher, who’s hit-and-miss when it comes to disclosing injury information, said a knee injury initially was Quinn’s issue but the main problem now is a back issue.
Quinn has declined to provide any injury details and the situation may be reaching the point at which the team simply shuts down Quinn for the season. His absence has made it tougher on the pass rush, and tougher on defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
“Any time you lose a playmaker it’s gonna be tough,” Donald said. “He’s a guy that’s a leader, and a guy that makes a lot of plays for us. So other guys have got to step up and continue to do what we’ve been doing.”
Easier said than done, however, when it comes to replacing a player of Quinn’s caliber.
The Rams’ pass rush started the season with a bang, registering six sacks in a 34-31 overtime upset against Seattle in the season opener. Seven games into the season, the Rams were among the league leaders with 26 sacks.
But over the past four games, coinciding with the first game Quinn missed (Minnesota), the Rams have only four sacks. They went sackless last week in Cincinnati, snapping a 22-game streak with at least one sack dating back to last season.
Without a premier rusher on the edge to worry about, opposing teams have been able to concentrate their blocking and pass protection schemes on Donald in the middle. That has made double-teams the order of the day on Donald, the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year in 2014.
“Yeah, I’m getting a little more attention here,” Donald said.
Recently the secondary suffered a blow with the absence of cornerback Trumaine Johnson because of what’s been described as a thigh injury. Johnson was enjoying his most consistent season when he suffered the injury on an interception return against Baltimore.
Teams have picked on his replacement, Marcus Roberson, to a degree, and Johnson is expected to miss the Arizona game as well.
Tough as it’s been, everyone in the NFL copes with injuries. With five games left to play, the Rams must figure out a way to get their mojo back on defense.
“We’ve gotta find a way to get everybody on the same page, just go out there and play good football,” Laurinaitis said. “Not try to do too much. I think a lot of our problems have come from guys trying to make a play, maybe do a little too much.”
And in the NFL, trying to do too much frequently achieves too little.
Would Colin Kaepernick fit with the Rams?
Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/24417/would-colin-kaepernick-fit-with-the-rams
EARTH CITY, Mo. — In looking at the St. Louis Rams’ current and future prospects at the quarterback position, there doesn’t appear to be any obvious solution.
Yes, the team has Nick Foles under contract and drafted rookie Sean Mannion in the third round this year, but Foles has proved he’s not the answer right now, and Mannion is a ways off from even being in position to be fairly judged.
All of which is to say that quarterback can and should be a position of priority for the Rams once again this offseason. As Foles’ case represents, teams are unlikely to let a legitimate starting quarterback leave either via trade of free agency. That leaves the NFL draft, which is also known for being something of a crapshoot, especially when it comes to quarterbacks.
Could the Rams’ ongoing search for a long-term answer at quarterback include the Niners’ Colin Kaepernick?
But ESPN’s Mike Sando and Matt Bowen offered a discussion Thursday on one quarterback who probably will be available and has had some success in his career. That would be the San Francisco 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick is an interesting player in that he has the type of talent that has allowed for success in the past, but as defenses caught up to him he began to regress. To get back to success, it seems Kaeparnick would need to go somewhere with a run-centric offense.
In the piece, Sando mentions four teams with run-oriented offenses that also could have the need for a quarterback: Denver, St. Louis, Philadelphia and Buffalo. Bowen followed up by saying the Rams and Houston Texans would be logical fits for Kaepernick based on their approaches.
So would Kaepernick be worth a look for the Rams? He actually could. The Rams seemed to have patterned themselves after the Seattle Seahawks, a team with a run-focused offensive scheme that leans heavily on its defense. But the Seahawks have Russell Wilson, a quarterback capable of running around and making plays when things break down. Wilson also gives Seattle zone-read elements to its offense that the Rams simply don’t have.
In that sense, Kaepernick might be worth a look, depending on the cost. Of course, if the Rams did pursue Kaepernick, they’d need to adjust the scheme to suit his skills. Making this topic even harder to project is the fact we don’t know how many teams will be changing coaches and philosophies this offseason. If the Rams are one of them, it might mean Kaepernick isn’t much of a fit.
But if nothing else, it’s something to keep an eye on as the Rams again search for a long-term solution at the game’s most important position.
ICYMI
A roundup of Thursday’s Rams stories appearing on ESPN.com. … We began the morning with a look at the Rams’ return to NFC West play in which they’ve actually had some success. … The Ram-blings began with a look at the Rams’ chances of getting the No. 1 overall pick. … Where things stand with the Rams and relocation. … Mannion doesn’t look as if he’ll be getting a chance to start anytime soon. … We finished the day with a look at Thursday’s injury report.
Elsewhere:
The NFLPA says it believes the Rams should be punished for Case Keenum’s concussion incident.
The NFL Live crew makes its picks for Sunday’s Rams-Cardinals game.
A Los Angeles vote is expected next month.
At 101sports.com, Bernie Miklasz writes that both Stan Kroenke and the city of St. Louis are feeling the heat when it comes to relocation.
The Stats Doctor offers some numbers on how the Rams’ passing struggles are making the ground game less effective.
At stltoday.com, Ben Hochman wonders how St. Louis could possibly lose in the battle to keep the Rams.
Ben Frederickson ponders how Kroenke would react if he’s denied Los Angeles.
CB Trumaine Johnson (thigh), DE Robert Quinn (back), and K Greg Zuerlein (right hip) of Rams all doubtful for Arizona.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) December 4, 2015
Johnson, Quinn did not practice all week; Zuerlein did not kick Fri., as Fisher originally had hoped _ so it's Zach Hocker kicking again.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) December 4, 2015
G/T Andrew Donnal (knee) ruled out for 2nd straight week.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) December 4, 2015
But Rob Havenstein (calf) was full participation; looks like he'll return vs. Arizona at RT, after missing 3 of last 4 games.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) December 4, 2015
With Havenstein back, Garrett Reynolds probably will kick back inside to LG, where he has been helpful to LT Greg Robinson.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) December 4, 2015
AgamemnonPractice Report 12/2: Back in the Division
Myles Simmons
After head coach Jeff Fisher shifted the practice schedule for the week so that the players’ day off came Tuesday, the Rams got back on the field Wednesday in preparation for the Cardinals.
Sunday’s game represents the second matchup between St. Louis and Arizona this year — the first coming back on Oct. 4 in the desert. That was one of the Rams’ better victories of the season, as the club won 24-22.
“I think we just know them very well,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “We see them twice a year and know exactly what they’re going to run — we know what to do to stop it. It’s just a matter of who can execute, and play faster, and make the big plays. When we played them last time, we were able to do that and get a takeaway, and capitalize on those things.”
St. Louis has played its best football within the division this year, going 3-0 in the first round of NFC West matchups. Fisher said it’s disappointing that the club has not performed as well in the rest of its games, but there are reasons why the Rams have beaten Arizona, Seattle, and San Francisco.
“We built this team to compete in the division. There’s familiarity,” Fisher said. “I’m disappointed that we haven’t played good football outside the division, but we have good matchups. We understand the matchups. We understand the challenges.”
There isn’t any one particular factor for the discrepancy in the team’s play, either.
“I can’t put my finger on it. If I could, we’d try to get that fixed and get this thing rolling,” quarterback Nick Foles said. “I think it’s just the way it is some years. It gets difficult at times, but you just have to keep working.”
“Honestly, it just comes down to us not finishing games this year,” Hayes said, adding there have been games that have come down to a very slim margin. “I just think us as a collective group — the players — we’re not doing a good job of finishing plays and doing the things we need to do to win these football games.”
Still, given the familiarity between the teams, there are some advantageous factors that come from facing a division rival for the second time.
“I think both teams are going to know each other better,” defensive end Chris Long said. “You have that tape where you have the exact same personnel and the same schemes, and it just helps a lot. It feels like yesterday you played them, and here they are again. And that’s just the way it goes in the division.”
And because the Rams won the first contest, wide receiver Tavon Austin said he feels the Cardinals will be particularly fired up to come to St. Louis.
“I’m thinking they’ll come with a different type of attitude,” Austin said. “Right now they have a great record and we’re trying to knock them off. That’s how it always goes. We’re coming with a good attitude, too. Keep battling and hopefully we get the win.”
“They’re a talented team, so they’re going to be ready to go,” Foles said. “They’re going to look at that film and try to do things better. It’s going to be a hard-fought game.”
Fisher had a similar assessment for the way Arizona will likely come into the Edward Jones Dome.
“Unfortunately for them, we were one of the two games that they lost,” Fisher said. “I’m sure that there’s extra motivation there in addition to their playoff run and trying to secure a home field advantage and all those kinds of things. But, we’re going to play. We’re going to play hard.”
MAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEE
Long has been noted for his strong play on the field for years. But this year, his work off of it is being recognized, too, as he’s been named the Rams’ 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.
The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is the only league honor recognizing a player for excellence on and off the field. Long has been especially remarkable this year for his work with Waterboys, the cornerstone initiative of the Chris Long Foundation, which raises funds to provide clean water wells in sub-Saharan Africa.
“[Football] has given me a platform, so if I don’t use it, I feel like I’m shorting myself and I’m shorting everybody else,” Long said Wednesday.
Hayes, who is one of Long’s closest friends on the team, said he’s happy his fellow defensive end’s extensive charity work is being recognized.
“It’s awesome,” Hayes said. “He’s got his Waterboys thing going, and he’s going 100 miles-an-hour with it. I’m proud of him. And it’s an honor to be named that because it just shows all the good work that you’re doing.”
“He works hard within the community, and it’s well deserved,” Hayes added.
To find out more about the award and how you can help Long win it, check out our full story in the link here.
INJURY UPDATE
At quarterback, Fisher said Case Keenum has not yet passed the concussion protocol and therefore is still limited in practice.
“He had good work Monday [and] yesterday. He was limited today. He feels good, but he’s still yet to be cleared,” Fisher said. “As you observed, Nick got most of the reps today and we’ll just kind of see how things go tomorrow.”
Though the situation is once again fluid at quarterback this week, Foles said the biggest difference between being named the starter and serving as the backup can be the practice reps.
“There is a little difference, but you prepare every week like you are the starter,” Foles said. “I know that’s a saying that a lot of us say, but you really try to do your best to prepare like you’re the starter. Got a lot of reps today and we’ll just see how the week goes.”
Elsewhere on the injury report, defensive end Robert Quinn (back), offensive lineman Andrew Donnal (knee), cornerback Trumaine Johnson (thigh), and kicker Greg Zurelein (right hip) all did not participate in the session.
And there was good news on the injury front, as right tackle Rob Havenstein returned to practice as a full participant. Fisher said Monday Havenstein has a good chance to get back to the starting lineup this week.
Topic: Fisher, 11/23 … transcript
Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher –– 11/23/15
(Opening statement)
“As I commented yesterday afternoon after the game, it was a tough loss. Clearly it was as you look at the tape and you look at the three different phases. We had opportunities to win this game. I’d say that when you go on the road and you’re up by 10 to start the fourth quarter, really the only chance to lose the football game is to turn the ball over and we did that twice in the fourth quarter, both in the plus-territory. Obviously, that was the difference in the ball game and then of course they made a couple plays. As a team, we’ve moved on. We’re moving on to the next challenge which is significant in Cincinnati. We’re taking this as a one game at a time thing like we’ve done. I was pleased with the response of the players. They realized what happened and why it happened and that we had a chance to win and we didn’t. You can’t dwell on it. You get them corrected and you move on.“Got good news from the doctors this morning with respect to (T) Andrew (Donnal). We feared the worst yesterday after the game. He does not have an ACL tear. He’s dealing with a somewhat significant of an MCL sprain. He’ll be out a couple of weeks, but that certainly is good news considering where we thought this was going last night. You’re talking about eight to 10 months or whatever it is from a rehab standpoint and that’s not going to be the case. He’s going to be okay, so that was good news. Hopeful for Trumaine (Johnson) as well. Trumaine left the game with a quad injury, but it’s not significant.”
(On going through the concussion situation with QB Case Keenum)
“I’m going to give you background. I’ll start with background. A couple of years ago, the committee was approached by the league office, Dr. Pellman and the league office, to discuss in detail to see if there were any competitive issues with respect to the ATC observer. The committee didn’t see any competitive issues. The committee was 100 percent in favor of implementing this process. It’s a process that basically will permit the ATC trainer, the independent observer, to contact the officiating department in case he sees something that may create a player safety issue, specifically concussions. The committee went through everything and we were good with it because it’s a medical timeout; it’s not going to be a charged timeout. From a competitive standpoint, we didn’t see anybody abusing it. So, the committee was 100 percent in favor of it. We’ve been working through this process now for a couple of years. Any time you implement something there are things that you have to work through. There are unintended consequences that come up. I think yesterday was a combination of unusual events that took place and I’ll start with the hit. I was in a position on the sideline where I didn’t necessarily see…I saw Case go down, but I didn’t see anything else that took place. I didn’t see him struggle to get up. I didn’t see anything from my vantage point on the sideline as far as Case’s slow recovery. The shots that you’ve seen where he got up slow, that we’ve seen out there, I didn’t see that. I was in the game management mode at that point, less than a minute left. And you guys asked me about the timeouts and the third-and-10 versus the third-and-5 and all of that – that’s where I was. Obviously, Nick (Foles) is watching every step that Case takes because that’s his responsibility as a backup quarterback. So, Nick saw with a different vantage point. Nick saw something and he got ready and obviously he thought he was going to have to go in. The officiating department at the same time, they are enforcing the measurement. We have a defensive offsides, so they’re enforcing it. So, the officiating department didn’t see it. However, our head trainer did go on the field and he got out there and he spoke to Case and he questioned Case. Case said he felt okay. And then our head trainer was instructed to leave the field by the officiating department. What happens is, with the ATC, is that his responsibility is to call down and notify the officiating department if he sees anything. Well, because he saw our head trainer on the field, he didn’t feel it was necessary to make the call. And then for whatever reason, we went on with the two plays. I didn’t know until after I visited with you after the game that Case was being examined for a concussion. I was unaware of that. Because he came out two plays later, he started in the examination process as we got into the locker room. They were examining him and then I didn’t find out until after I finished the press conference.“To circle back and wind everything up, basically, we have a new system in place that is designed to protect the players. It’s designed for player safety, specifically as it relates to head trauma and concussions. The League, the Players Association, our organization, the officiating department – we’re all working to perfect that. There was a chain of events that happened that just prohibited, that did not allow the call to come down to the officiating department; particularly because they saw our head trainer on the field. Now, the head trainer’s perspective is very simple. The head trainer was told to leave the field. (Director/Sports Medicine & Performance) Reggie (Scott) had to make a tough decision to go out there. He made the right decision to go out there. But, keep in mind we’re in a critical part in this game. When the head trainer goes out there, you’re usually going to be charged with an injury timeout or if you don’t have an injury timeout, there’s going to be a 10-second runoff. Reggie went out there to check on our quarterback and then Case said he felt that he was okay and Reggie was told to leave the field. That’s what happened. We have some things to work out and we’re communicating with the league, Players Association and Dr. Pellman and everybody else, so that we ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”
(On what could have been done differently)
“I don’t know in this case. I don’t know in this case because under the current system, if the trainer goes on the field, then there’s no need for the ATC guy to wire down to call down and tell the officiating department there’s a problem because he’s a assuming that the head trainer saw it. We’ve got some moving parts. Again, it’s a new system. Everybody worked really well together: the Player Association, the National Football League, our health and safety commission, Dr. Pellman – everybody worked really well. And that also includes the competition committee to put this system together. But, it’s a new system and we’ve got to continue to work to get it better.”(On if there will be anything punitive to anybody involved)
“No, you cannot under these circumstances place blame on anybody.”(On if Director/Sports Medicine & Performance Reggie Scott felt he had enough time)
“We weren’t in an injury timeout and they’re winding the play clock. It was one of those things that happened.”(On if Scott had not gone out there and the ATC would’ve called down, there would’ve been no injury timeout)
“The assumption is the ATC would’ve called down had Reggie not gone out there. That’s the assumption. He called to check after Case came off the field when the defense was on the field.”(On it not being seen from the sidelines, but being clear on the TV replay)
“Well, there are no TV replays on our sideline and we did not see it on the jumbotron. Had we seen that, then we would’ve taken a different course of action. But, we weren’t aware of that. Like I said, had I seen that, then I would’ve sent Reggie out there on the field and say, ‘Hey, get him off the field.’ We didn’t see it. We didn’t know. And that’s the issue. You’re dealing with another component in that in that our… I think it was (OL) Garrett (Reynolds) got up there and picked him up. Our guys are going to pick each other up. That’s what they’re instructed to do. So, Garrett got up and picked him up. He got him off the ground. Had Garrett not picked him up and he might have been on the ground a little bit longer, things might have changed. It was just a combination of a lot of different things that led to this situation.”(On the broadcast crew not mentioning Keenum’s possible concussion until they saw the replay)
“Well, again, the ATC has…he has access to all the 22 in addition to the network feed. His assumption, because our trainer was on the field, was that it had been taken care of. That’s why the officiating department was not notified.”(On if there is any implication of a problem or failure with the protocol)
“It does not. It’s one of those things that happened. The ATC…when the ATC is instructed to…the trainer is out there tending to a player, then the assumption is that the trainer is going to take care of it.”(On when he got a chance to talk to Scott about Keenum)
“This morning. I mean, I talked to Reggie after I left you guys, when I get the final injury report before we get on the airplane. But, that was the first time that I had talked to Reggie.”(On if he talked to Scott after he saw Keenum on the field)
“No, I did not.”(On what he thinks would be the solution to this protocol issue)
“Well, look, I didn’t construct it. I didn’t write it or create this rule. I think the appropriate thing to do is to get everybody together as the league office stated…we have to get clubs together, trainers together, ATC people together, the players’ association together and just make sure it doesn’t happen again. There may be some additional communication that’s required or perhaps a way to identify the head trainer when he goes out on the field. There’s just a lot of dynamics right now. It’s unfortunate. Fortunately, Case feels really good this morning. He’s in the protocol. He feels good. He’s got a chance to practice this week and obviously play this weekend. So, that’s the good news. The bad news is that we had an issue, an issue with everybody involved and we have to get it straightened out.”(On if Keenum had concussion symptoms after the game)
“Yes, he did.”(On if he can disclose what Keenum’s symptoms were)
“No, he went into the protocol after the game.”(On if Keenum’s health has improved today)
“Yes, that’s what I said. He feels much better today.”(On if a possible solution would be to add another spotter)
“You know, I don’t know what he’s looking at and when he’s looking at it. I just don’t know. They’re independent. There’s a different one at every game. I don’t know what he’s looking at. I can tell you that personally, had I seen it, then Case would’ve been standing by me. I didn’t see it from my vantage point, plus I was in that, ‘Okay, I have a second-and-five and a third-and-five.’ We had a third-and-10, I was going to run the football and punt the ball away, as I told you guys yesterday. Third-and-10, we had third-and-five, so I decided to throw it to try to win it.”(On if the booth spotter/ATC is responsible for all injuries on the field or just concussions)
“The original design of the spotter is for head and neck injuries, not necessarily those other injuries.”(On if he thinks there needs to be more than one spotter in the booth)
“That’s not really fair for me to answer. I can’t help you on that. I didn’t design the system.”(On if he feels like the play that Keenum got hurt on should’ve been blown dead when the player jumped offsides)
“Well, I think in those situations, when you get a defensive offsides like we did…Case could’ve avoided the situation because they were clearly in the neutral zone. Just throw the ball down the field like (Packers Aaron Rodgers does all the time. That’s part of what teams do now. For some reason, Case held the ball.”(On C Tim Barnes playing every snap last week and being diagnosed with a concussion after the game)
“That’s a really good question. Any time a player comes in in the morning on Monday morning with the slightest headache, we’re going to put him in the protocol from a precautionary standpoint. ‘Timmy’ doesn’t remember getting hit in the head. He remembers the game, didn’t remember getting hit in the head. But, he came in and complained about a headache on Monday morning. So, we put him in the protocol, and we cleared him in a couple days. So, that’s what we do here. I mean, we’ve impressed that upon our players to be honest with us and let them know how they feel in the morning as they start their recovery process.”(On how many days Keenum needs to practice to be able to play this weekend)
“I can’t say that. It’s going to be day to day. I mean, tomorrow we have kind of an active walk-thru and things. We’ll see how he is tomorrow. Wednesday is a big day and then, Thursday’s a big day. Based on what I’ve been told right now, he’s feeling much better. He watched the tape. He’s feeling better.”(On if he talked to Keenum after the game)
“Yes, I did.”(On if Keenum seemed okay when he spoke with him)
“I talked to Case on the aircraft last night on the flight home. He said he felt good. Disappointed in the loss but felt fine.”(On QB Nick Foles will play if Keenum doesn’t pass concussion protocol)
“Then Nick plays, yes.”(On if on the play to WR Bradley Marquez and if the two personal fouls were dead balls)
“Yes, they were.”(On if that is what he was talking to the officials about)
“Yes.”(On if the ball shouldn’t have gone back to the line of scrimmage)
“Well, that was my understanding but they did enforced it correctly. It’s something we have to look at. We have a live ball foul, which whether you think that was a block in the back or not – I’ll let you guys make that decision. We have a live ball foul and then we have two dead ball fouls. As it was explained to me, that was properly enforced. They offset and it comes back to the line of scrimmage, which I think we need to look at. It doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t look good. We have a ball on the 18-yard line, we have a questionable block in the back and there’s offsetting dead ball fouls and we have to go back to the line of scrimmage, third-and 10, we’re incomplete and we punt.”(On how he thought the ball should have been spotted)
“From the spot of the foul. The two dead ball fouls would offset and then we’d enforce the live ball foul from the spot of the foul, which was the block in the back which is 10 yards.”(On what he thought of the backward pass)
“To me, looking at it on the coaches tape, it doesn’t look like it was a lateral. We had a lot going on. I did not get a view on the jumbotron, that’s the Ravens organization’s prerogative. I did not get a chance to see it. It was not replayed, as far as the coaches in the booth, so I had no way of knowing.”(On Keenum standing at the 27-yard line when he throws the ball and then the ball being spotted at the 29-yard line or if the ball rolled forward)
“No, it looked to me like it was a forward pass. I’ve benefitted from a backwards pass before in my career, I didn’t benefit from this one.”(On if T Isaiah Battle was also inactive for violating team rules)
“Isaiah and Tre (Mason) – yeah, you guys didn’t ask me about Isaiah – but, Isaiah and Tre were de-activated yesterday for violating club rules. They missed the team bus. So, those are our rules. Fifty-one other guys made the bus, they didn’t so they didn’t play.”(On how disappointed he is in Mason)
“Well, I’m just disappointed that he missed the bus for whatever reason. But, he missed the bus so he was de-activated. He’s going to play this week. He’s had a couple good weeks of practice. He’s healthy and he’s going to play this week.”(On if Mason and Battle were on the team plane)
“They made it before we took off and we didn’t wait for them.”(On if Battle would have replaced RT Andrew Donnal if he would have been active)
“I still would have moved Garrett (Reynolds). And that’s kind of where we’re leaning this week with Garrett. Garrett’s played three different positions along our offensive line and he’s playing them well. He’s a real pro. He’s helping the young guys. I’m real proud of him.”(On how he motivates the players to come back after three tough losses)
“We’ll get them back. They played hard yesterday. We’ll get them back. They’re going to practice well this week. We’ve got a little Thanksgiving thing ahead, which will be good. It falls into our normal schedule, so it’s the players day off and we have a good team we’re facing. I like the match-up and I like the challenge.”(On how he thought G Cody Wichmann and C/G Demetrius Rhaney played)
“Initially, I was a little concerned about Demetrius, but when you watch the tape, he got it done. Those guys are big inside and they’re penetrators. He gave up a play, but he battled in there. Cody battled as well. Cody’s going to be a good player. This is his first opportunity against a good team. A couple issues on the second level that he didn’t get to. But, we have to run the football better. We’re working on that right now, as we speak. We have to do some different things in the run game. Todd’s (Gurley) longest carry yesterday was seven yards and the longest last week was nine so we have to do a better job upfront. But, it’s also related to the injury factor and we lost five offensive linemen here. We’re rolling them and we’re going to have them ready. (Offensive Line Coach Paul) ‘Bou’ (Boudreau) is going to get them coached up and we’ll go.”(On how QB Case Keenum played)
“He made some plays. There were a few plays that he missed, there were a couple opportunities. He’s really disappointed in – it’s windy and cold and he couldn’t get that ball to (WR) Kenny (Britt), where they picked up the pass interference call. He was hoping he could have got that done. But, he made some plays. Scrambled around and showed you what he’s capable of doing.”(On if Keenum clears the concussion protocol, if he will start this week)
“That’s correct.”(On WR Tavon Austin not getting an offensive touch until the third quarter)
“We need to get him more touches, yes. We had a lot of things called, but we had to check out of them.”(On if Keenum seemed fine on the final two plays of the game)
“He missed a flat route to (WR) Wes (Welker) and then (LT) Greg (Robinson) blew the protection and was late off the ball, and Greg got him hit. But, no he knew what he was doing and was making protection calls and doing all of those other things.”(On if someone should have seen Keenum grab his helmet after he got hit)
“I’m confident that the ATC (spotter) saw it. And our trainer saw something and that’s why he went on the field. So, somebody saw it. We didn’t see it. But, I’m confident that he saw it. I’m going to assume that he saw it because he had the TV feed. When the trainer goes out to tend, then there’s not a call to the officiating department.”(On if there was something that went wrong with the process)
“Well, that’s what we’re looking into. That’s why we’re trying to solve this issue because it’s like any other play in the game, every situation is different. Every set of circumstances: timing, players, what have you – they’re all different. Nothing is the same. We had a rare instance yesterday where there was a set of circumstances that for whatever reason – that’s what we’re trying to find out – led to a player being allowed to play after he was obviously concussed. And that’s not right. Nobody wants that. Nobody wants that. As I said in my opening comment is we’re getting everybody involved to figure out how that happened and to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”Rams injury report: C Barnes (concussion) probable; DE Quinn (hip); DE Long (knee); TE J. Cunningham (finger) all questionable.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 20, 2015
RT Havenstein (calf) doubtful. Cunningham was a new addition to injury report.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 20, 2015
With Havenstein doubtful, rookies Wichmann and Donnal both in line to start on O-line.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 20, 2015
Tough read on Long's availability for Ravens. After missing 5 weeks w/fractured bone common sense says you need more than 1 week of practice
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 20, 2015
AgamemnonTopic: Rams News Recap: Nov. 19
http://www.rams-news.com/known-for-defense-baltimore-has-struggled-in-close-games-this-season-pd/%5DKnown for defense, Baltimore has struggled in close games this season –PD
Baltimore Ravens’ football has been built around intimidating, dominant defense.http://www.rams-news.com/givens-no-longer-just-another-guy-pd/%5DGivens no longer ‘just another guy’ –PD
Jeff Fisher’s Rams teams have always been a tight-knit group. So just because a teammate leaves and goes elsewhere, doesn’t mean the friendship ends.http://www.rams-news.com/bears-had-good-plan-vs-rams-pd/%5DBears Had Good Plan vs. Rams –PD
Forget about the Rams’ offensive woes and quarterback change for a moment. Did Chicago offensive coordinator Adam Gase uncover the key to containing the Rams’ highly-ranked defense last Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome?http://www.rams-news.com/knee-injury-limits-quinn-rams-defense-pd/%5DKnee injury limits Quinn, Rams’ defense –PD
Defensive end Robert Quinn hasn’t been himself lately, and despite the depth the Rams possess at that position, it has taken some of the thunder out of the team’s pass rush.http://www.rams-news.com/tavon-austin-excited-to-return-to-site-of-high-school-championships-wagoner/%5DTavon Austin Excited to Return to Site of High School Championships –Wagoner
Although he, like most kids in town, was a fan of the Baltimore Ravens growing up, St. Louis Rams receiver Tavon Austin never attended an NFL game at M&T Bank Stadium. And yet, it is the site of many of his favorite football memories.http://www.rams-news.com/tim-barnes-concussion-upgraded-on-thursdays-injury-report-wagoner/%5DTim Barnes (concussion) Upgraded on Thursday’s Injury Report –Wagoner
The St. Louis Rams upgraded center Tim Barnes from limited participation to full participation on Thursday’s injury report.http://www.rams-news.com/game-preview-rams-vs-ravens-pd/%5DGame Preview: Rams vs. Ravens –PD
Following a humbling 37-13 loss to the visiting Chicago Bears and a decision to start Case Keenum in place of Nick Foles at quarterback, the Rams (4-5) don’t figure to get any sympathy from their next opponent.http://www.rams-news.com/sean-mannion-working-to-progress-while-not-playing-wagoner/%5DSean Mannion working to progress while not playing –Wagoner
After passing on drafting a quarterback with anything more than a late, token draft choice in any drafts since coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead arrived in 2012, the St. Louis Rams finally decided to use a little bit of valuable draft capital this year on the game’s most important position.http://www.rams-news.com/rams-tackle-greg-robinson-working-to-correct-technical-issues-wagoner/%5DRams tackle Greg Robinson working to correct ‘technical’ issues –Wagoner
When St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher announced Monday that he was making a change at quarterback, he emphasized that quarterback was far from the only issue facing his offense.http://www.rams-news.com/nick-wagoner-can-keenum-open-things-up-for-gurley-again-audio/%5DNick Wagoner: Can Keenum Open Things Up for Gurley Again –Audio
http://www.rams-news.com/caplan-until-the-rams-get-it-right-on-offense-theyre-going-nowhere-audio/%5DCaplan: “Until the Rams Get it Right on Offense, They’re Going Nowhere –Audio
http://www.rams-news.com/priscoquinnkirwans-preview-rams-at-ravens-video/%5DPrisco/Quinn/Kirwan’s Preview: Rams at Ravens –Video
http://www.rams-news.com/jeff-fisher-press-conference-1118-video/%5DJeff Fisher Press Conference: 11/18 –Video
Knee injury slows Quinn
Jim Thomas
Defensive end Robert Quinn hasn’t been himself lately, and despite the depth the Rams possess at that position, it has taken some of the thunder out of the team’s pass rush.
Through five games, Quinn was averaging more than 50 plays per contest, second most to Aaron Donald among Rams defensive linemen. But Quinn, a two-time Pro Bowler, showed up on the injury report with a knee injury following the Game 5 loss at Green Bay, and since then his playing time and productivity have declined.
Since Green Bay, Quinn has missed one game entirely (vs. Minnesota) and averaged only 27 plays per game against Cleveland, San Francisco, and Chicago.
“We have some guys that have filled in very nicely,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “But when you have a Pro Bowler who’s not in there all the time like he usually is, you’re gonna notice it because he’s an impact player. He’s one of the best (in the league).”
One of the game’s elite pass rushers, Quinn had 17 tackles, four sacks, and three forced fumbles in the first five games. Since then, or since the knee injury, he has two tackles and one sack. But he has had four quarterback pressures, three quarterback hits, and four breakups (on batted or tipped passes) since the injury.
“I’ve slowed down a little bit, but need to get it back going,” Quinn said. “But no worries here. As soon as I get to feeling somewhat normal here, we’ll get it going.”
Quinn has declined to specify the exact nature of the injury, speaking only in generalities.
“Each day it’s been feeling better and better,” Quinn said. “Hopefully it just continues that way, and I can get back out there and be my old self again and contributing to this ballclub. Really no timetable on when it’s supposed to be 100 percent. One day at a time.”
Eugene Sims has been getting extra work at the right defensive end position, including the start against Minnesota, with Quinn hobbled.
“You just hope that his health continues to improve, and we can get him back to where he feels that he can do the things that he always does,” Laurinaitis said. “Hopefully we get Chris (Long) back soon and we’ll be able to kind of get a lot of starters back.”
Long has been sidelined since suffering a bone fracture in a knee-to-knee collision with Green Bay’s David Bakhtiari on Oct. 11, but was a full participant in practice Wednesday.
Quinn had played in 70 consecutive games prior to sitting out against the Vikings, so dealing with an injury is something new to him in the NFL.
“It’s a little different,” Quinn said. “There’s nothing you can really do besides study film, put your two cents in with what you see, help the next man.
“Hopefully, I won’t have to feel this way again. But it’s the NFL. It’s football. It’s a sport of collisions. It’s bound to happen eventually. It’ll be all right.”
After missing the Minnesota game, Quinn was on the field for only 14 plays against Chicago, almost exclusively on pass-rushing downs. Coach Jeff Fisher said the plan was to have Quinn on the field for 15 to 20 snaps against the Bears,
“I would expect to see his reps increase this week,” Fisher said.
Interestingly, the Rams’ first official injury report of the week Wednesday listed Quinn as not practicing because of a hip injury. There as no mention of the knee injury.
Topic: Long's back
Myles Simmons
LONG’S BACK AT PRACTICE
It’s been another trying year for defensive end Chris Long, who has been out the last four weeks since suffering a knee injury against the Packers. But the veteran is now a full participant in practice, after going through a limited session at the end of last week. He was listed as doubtful on the injury report heading into the matchup against Chicago, but admitted Wednesday that may have been a bit unrealistic.
“That was probably more hopeful than I was realistically close,” Long said. “I appreciate coaches kind of saying, ‘Hey man, let’s be smart and wait one more week. Let this thing completely heal.’ And when I’m back, I’m back. I’ll be close to 100 percent. That’s all I can ask for.”
But with this being the second straight year Long has had to miss games, it’s been a bit of a frustrating process.
“I’m not the first guy to get hurt, injured. It’s out of your control. But when you’re hurt, you feel like you’re letting people down,” Long said. “You’re watching your buddies play football, and that’s your job. You don’t feel like you’re doing your job.
“Especially two years in a row, it’s frustrating because there have been things that you just can’t avoid,” Long continued. “They’re freak things and I’m going to keep pushing to try to help this team, and do my part. I’m just excited to be back and help this team.”
If there’s a silver lining to Long’s injury this time around, it’s that there was no ligament damage to the knee so he did not have to undergo surgery.
“The bone just had to heal,” Long said. “It’s a fracture, so it’s not like something that when you’re back, you’re dragging around.”
Long lamented how he didn’t feel like himself when he got back to playing the Rams’ final five contests in 2014.
“So when I’m back, I’m back,” Long said. “And I’m really excited to help the team however I can. I’ve just missed being out there.”
“When you’re staring the prognosis down in the face, you’re like, man, it’s going to take forever,” Long added. “And then you’re out there like that. So we’ve got at least seven weeks of football left — at least — and I can’t wait to keep playing.”
Short injury report Weds. for Rams: Havenstein (calf) and Quinn (hip) did not practice. Yes, Quinn listed as hip, not knee this week.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 18, 2015
C Tim Barnes (concussion) limited. DE Chris Long (knee) was full participation.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 18, 2015
DT Doug Worthington cleared waivers and has been signed to Rams practice squad.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 18, 2015
AgamemnonDE Quinn (knee), RT Havenstein (ankle), S T.J. McDonald (foot) all return to practice Fri. They are listed as questionable for Bears.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 13, 2015
Interestingly, DE Chris Long (knee) also returns to practice on limited basis. He's doubtful for Bears, probably a couple weeks away.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 13, 2015
So with the exception of C. Long, it looks like all 53 players on Rams active roster could be available for Bears.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 13, 2015
AgamemnonRams notes: Rookie DE Longacre enjoys productive NFL debut
Joe Lyons
Rams defensive end Matt Longacre fulfilled a lifelong dream on Sunday, playing in his first NFL game.
“Other than the loss, it was more than I could’ve ever expected or hoped for. Awesome,” the rookie from Northwest Missouri State said Tuesday, referring to the Rams’ 21-18 overtime loss to the Vikings in Minnesota. “It was good to get back out there on the field — it’d been eight or nine weeks since I’d actually been in a game (exhibition) — and then, to go out and make a few plays in the game, it was special.”
Signed as an undrafted free agent shortly after the NFL draft last spring, Longacre made five tackles, including four solos, and had a quarterback pressure in Minnesota.
“Matt was productive,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “He got off some blocks and made some plays. He was good. I mean, you look at the tape and you’ve got three guys (Longacre, rookie guard Andrew Donnal and second-year safety Maurice Alexander, from Eureka High) that really haven’t played much and there were some redeeming qualities to all three.”
Sunday’s game capped a hectic few days for the 6-foot-3, 260-pound Longacre, a two-time Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association defensive player of the year.
Despite a productive preseason — he was among the team leaders with 18 tackles, six QB pressures and five QB hits — he was cut at the end of training camp and then re-signed to the practice squad.
On Friday, he was promoted to the 53-man roster. On Sunday, with starting defensive ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn unavailable because of knee injuries, Longacre got his chance.
“I was headed out for the walk-through Friday when Coach Fisher pulled me aside and told me I was being moved up to the varsity,” the 24-year-old recalled. “Nobody actually ever told me that I’d be active on Sunday, but as I warmed up, I realized that it was go time.”
Adding to Sunday’s excitement for Longacre was having his parents, Mark and Kathy, on hand.
“My dad was on a hunting trip in South Dakota, so he was able to get there without too much trouble,” said Longacre, whose family is from Omaha, Neb. “My mom, it was a little more of a scramble. At first, she talked about taking public transportation, but I told her I’d pay for a flight and told her that she couldn’t miss my first game.
“She ended up making the trip with one of my high school coaches and his family, so everything worked out great. When we walked out of the tunnel, I was able to find them in the stands and give them a head-nod, just like in high school and college.
“They’ve been with me through all the highs and lows and it meant everything to me to have them there for my first NFL game.’’
INJURY REPORT
The first injury report of the week for the Rams included six players who did not practice Wednesday — DE Chris Long (knee), DE Robert Quinn (knee), S T.J. McDonald (foot), T Rob Havenstein (ankle), LB Akeem Ayers (illness) and RB Todd Gurley (coach’s decision).
The report also included RB Chase Reynolds (thigh), who was a full participant in practice.
In spite of Wednesday’s report, Fisher is optimistic.
“I think Friday is going to be a really good day for us,” he said following the workout at Rams Park. “Todd was just a rest day today. He needed the rest; he’ll be fine. I think we’ll see Rob, both Robs — No. 94 (Quinn) and No. 79 (Havenstein) — on the field.’’
Starters Quinn, Havenstein, McDonald and Long missed last weekend’s game.
The Rams face Chicago on Sunday and the Bears practiced Wednesday without WR Eddie Royal (knee), LB Pernell McPhee (knee), S Antrel Rolle (ankle) and K Robbie Gould (illness). Going through limited workouts were RB Matt Forte (knee), C Hroniss Grasu (neck), T Jermon Bushrod (shoulder) and LB Shea McClellin (knee).
Forte, Royal, Grasu and McClellin all sat out Chicago’s 22-19 win in San Diego on Monday night.
RAM-BLINGS
The Rams announced that U.S. Army war hero Daniel Rodriguez, a wide receiver who walked on at Clemson and who was in training camp with the Rams this year, will return as an honorary team captain for Sunday’s game, at noon at Edward Jones Dome.
Rodriguez, 27, earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his heroism in the Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan in October 2009. He was signed by the Rams after a tryout.
In the preseason, the 5-foot-8, 180-pounder caught two passes for 10 yards. He also averaged 23.7 yards on seven kickoff returns and 4.8 yards on six punt returns.
• With the first wave of fan voting for the Pro Bowl received, the Rams have a pair of players —Gurley and second-year defensive tackle Aaron Donald — in second place at their respective positions. Gurley, the top rookie vote-getter, trails Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman while Donald is runner-up to Cincinnati’s Geno Atkins.
Topic: Rams News Recap: Nov. 5
http://www.rams-news.com/its-the-kid-vs-the-master-in-minnesota-pd/%5DIt’s the Kid vs. the Master in Minnesota –PD
Were William Hayes in another line of work, you can bet he’d be in the man cave Sunday in front of the big screen to watch Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson and the Rams’ Todd Gurley.http://www.rams-news.com/rams-notebook-laurinaitis-finally-makes-his-way-home-pd/%5DRams notebook: Laurinaitis finally makes his way home –PD
Since entering the NFL in 2009, Rams middle linebacker James Laurinaitis has played in 29 of the NFL’s 31 venues either in the preseason or the regular season. And he has faced 30 of the league’s 32 squads as a visitor.http://www.rams-news.com/james-laurinaitis-looking-forward-to-minnesota-homecoming-wagoner/%5DJames Laurinaitis Looking Forward to Minnesota Homecoming –Wagoner
Since entering the league in 2009, St. Louis Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis has played in nearly every NFL city. Conspicuous in its absence from that list, however, is the place that Laurinaitis calls home: Minneapolis.http://www.rams-news.com/todd-gurley-opens-up-on-important-issues-like-candy-pd/%5DTodd Gurley Opens Up on Important Issues – Like Candy –PD
The hottest name in St. Louis sports is undoubtedly that of Todd Gurley, the Rams’ rookie running back sensation.http://www.rams-news.com/rams-offense-having-hard-time-hanging-on-pd/%5DRams Offense Having Hard Time Hanging On –PD
It’s not an epidemic, Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. But it sure seems pervasive.http://www.rams-news.com/rams-safety-t-j-mcdonald-downgraded-on-thursdays-injury-report-wagoner/%5DRams Safety T.J. McDonald Downgraded on Thursday’s Injury Report –Wagoner
The St. Louis Rams didn’t practice Thursday, but if they had, safety T.J. McDonald would have done less than he did in Wednesday’s workout because of a foot injury.http://www.rams-news.com/rams-schedule-much-lighter-over-seasons-second-half-wagoner/%5DRams’ schedule much lighter over season’s second half –Wagoner
The St. Louis Rams played one of the more difficult schedules in the league during the season’s first five weeks, squaring off against heavyweights like Seattle, Arizona, Pittsburgh and Green Bay.http://www.rams-news.com/sound-fx-jeff-fisher-micd-up-vs-san-francisco-video/%5D‘Sound FX’: Jeff Fisher Mic’d Up Vs. San Francisco –Video
http://www.rams-news.com/rams-rb-todd-gurley-talks-transition-to-nfl-video/%5DRams RB Todd Gurley Talks Transition to NFL –Video
http://www.rams-news.com/wagoner-talks-rams-vikings-audio/%5DWagoner Talks Rams-Vikings –Audio
http://www.rams-news.com/charles-davis-rbs-like-gurley-ap-are-still-capable-of-being-season-changers-audio/%5DCharles Davis: RB’s like Gurley & AP Are Still Capable of Being Season Changers –Audio
http://www.rams-news.com/all-22-view-todd-gurleys-71-yard-touchdown-video/%5DAll 22 View: Todd Gurley’s 71-yard Touchdown –Video
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