Plays that shaped Rams' season: No. 9

Plays that shaped Rams’ season: No. 9

By Nick Wagoner | ESPN.com

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/15565/plays-that-shaped-rams-season-no-9

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Given the difficulty of the St. Louis Rams’ schedule during an eight-game span after a Week 4 bye, there was little doubt that if the team wanted to have any success in 2014, they would need to find a way to get some wins in their first three games.

It was a trio of games that included the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys with two of those matches at home. Considering the eight games after all came against teams which either went to the playoffs or had a winning record in 2013, the Rams probably needed to get two wins in the first three to be positioned for a run.

After a disastrous start in a blowout loss to the Vikings, the Rams traveled to Tampa Bay with Austin Davis prepared to make his first start. Davis offered a valiant effort and led the Rams to a late 19-17 lead but the Bucs got the ball back with 38 seconds on their 20-yard line with a chance to win. Tampa Bay quickly moved to its 39-yard line.

On second-and-10 from that spot with 20 seconds left, Bucs quarterback Josh McCown fired a strike to rookie receiver Mike Evans down the right seam. Evans hauled it in for a gain of 29 yards to the Rams’ 32, good enough to set up a potential game-winning field goal. But Evans paid for the catch as Rams safety T.J. McDonald flew in for a big hit that left Evans on the ground.

Unable to get up, Evans needed help to get off the field and with no timeouts left, the officials stopped the clock with less than 10 seconds remaining. Instead of Evans getting up, getting lined up and the Bucs spiking the ball to stop the clock, the officials called for a 10-second run off to end the game and preserve the Rams’ victory.

At 1-1, the Rams’ season still had at least a modicum of hope as they headed home to play Dallas but the play was more important for what it portended for McDonald’s season. On a day when McDonald had five tackles and blocked a punt and a field goal, no play was bigger than the hit to seal the win.

McDonald took a little longer to adjust from there but by midseason, he was consistently delivering big hits and plays for the Rams’ defense. By the end of the season, coach Jeff Fisher and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams were consistently referring to McDonald as one of the best safeties in the league and he had proved to be the team’s most improved player and a key piece moving forward.