Dallas game post-mortems, from Wagoner, Thomas, Karraker, etc.

Rams blow 21-0 lead, lose to Dallas 34-31
• BY JIM THOMAS

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-report/rams-blow—lead-lose-to-dallas/article_0bc61781-cfc6-52ab-aba6-1be9f5affde6.html

Quarterback Austin Davis three touchdown passes. The running game was easily at its best this season. But in the end, the Rams couldn’t hold a 21-0 first half lead and lost to Dallas 34-31.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Rams, who now head into their bye week with a 1-2 record. Their next game is Oct. 5 in Philadelphia.

To no one’s surprise, Davis was the starting quarterback Sunday, and he wasted little time getting the Rams moving. For the third time in three games this season, the Rams won the opening coin toss, but this time they decided to receive rather than deferring to the second half.

What followed was a flawlessly executed 80-yard opening drive. Only two of 15 plays went for more than 10 yards, with the longest play a 14-yard reception by Zac Stacy with Davis scrambling under pressure.

Tight end Lance Kendricks capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown catch, with a nifty move to tight-rope the goal-line in the front left corner of the end zone. That marked the first passing TD of the season for the Rams, and the 7-0 lead was the biggest of the young season.

• PHOTOS: Rams collapse vs. Cowboys

The lead grew bigger in the opening half. With the Rams’ defense swarming Dallas running back DeMarco Murray, the Rams got the ball back quickly and scored on their next possession.

This time, Davis found Brian Quick deep for a 51-yard TD on the first play of the second quarter, with Quick getting behind Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne. Then it was time for the player known as the “Rabbit” _ Janoris Jenkins _ to leave his calling card.

During the practice week, Jenkins said the key to containing Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant was to defend the short routes. Jenkins went a couple steps better with six minutes left in the first half. Not only did he step in front of a short sideline route intended for Bryant for an interception, he returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, the Rams were up 21-0 with 6:06 left in the half, and the rout was on.

Not exactly. With the aid of a 26-yard pass interference penalty against nickel back Lamarcus Joyner, the Cowboys got on the board with a one-yard TD run by Murray with 2:07 left in the half.

Following the Dallas kickoff, the Rams were moving downfield for what was shaping up as at least a field goal to end the half. But on a third-and-1 from the Dallas 44, an errant snap by center Scott Wells was recovered by Dallas at its 47.

Wells snapped the ball as if Davis were under center. Trouble was, Davis was in the shotgun. The Cowboys took over with 39 seconds left in the half. And with all their timeouts remaining they were able to move into field goal position.

Dan Bailey tied a club record with his 27th consecutive field goal _ this one from 29 yards. That kick trimmed the Rams lead to 21-10 at the half, and the Cowboys weren’t done.

On the fourth play of the third quarter, Jenkins gave back the seven points he produced in the second quarter. He was beaten on a double-move by Dez Bryant for a 68-yard TD. There was no safety help, so once Bryant got past Jenkins, there was nothing by turf.

So just like that, the Rams lead shrunk to four points, 21-17.

The Rams’ offense remained unfazed. Taking over at their 20 after a touchback on the kickoff, the team moved steadily downfield with a mix of runs and short to intermediate passes. But on third-and-3 from the Dallas 17, Kenny Britt ran a crossing pattern a little too shallow, leaving the Rams maybe 6 inches shy of a fourth down.

Jeff Fisher decided to go for it on fourth down, but on a slow-developing handoff, running back Benny Cunningham was dropped for a two-yard loss. Dallas took over on the 16, and thanks in large part to a 44-yard scamper around left end by Murray, another Bailey field goal left the Rams clinging to a 21-20 lead late in the third quarter.

The Rams came right back with a field goal drive that stretched their lead to 24-20 with 13:28 to play. It would’ve been a TD and a 27-20 lead, but wide-open tight end Jared Cook bobbled and then dropped the pass in the end zone.

Dallas wasn’t done scoring. A long pass interference call against Jenkins gave the Cowboys a first-down at the St. Louis 20. Then, on third-and-2, Tony Romo found Terrance Williams wide open for a 12-yard TD pass and a 27-24 Dallas lead with 6:13 to play. Rookie corner E.J. Gaines had coverage responsibility on the play but got caught in traffic trying to follow Williams over the middle.

It took only eight seconds for Dallas to tack on seven more. On the first play after the Dallas kickoff, Dallas linebacker Bruce Carter stepped in front of a Davis pass headed over the middle for Stacy, and returned it 25 yards for a TD and a 34-24 Dallas lead.

Davis coolly marched the Rams 80 yards downfield for a TD on a 4-yard pass to cut Dallas’ lead to 34-31 with 2:36 to play.

No QB controversy here: Austin Davis should start for Rams
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11962/no-controversy-here-davis-should-start

ST. LOUIS — Since veteran quarterback Shaun Hill suffered a calf injury late in the opener against Minnesota, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher has never budged from his stance on who his starting quarterback is.

According to Fisher, if Hill is healthy, he’s the starter, regardless of what Austin Davis does in his stead.

Even after Davis went 30-of-42 for 327 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the Rams’ 34-31 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Fisher wouldn’t waver.

“No, I’ve stood behind that decision,” Fisher said.

Well, it’s time for Fisher to reconsider. The Rams enter their bye week at 1-2 and will need every bit of that time to correct the many problems plaguing them. But Fisher should also use that time to sit down with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti and have an honest conversation.

Last week, Davis did enough to earn the trust of the coaching staff to garner another start against Dallas. This week, he did enough to show that he should get a chance to be the starter moving forward. In two starts, Davis is 52-of-71 for 562 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. That’s a passer rating of 98.4.

Since the Rams drafted Sam Bradford with the first pick in 2010, Davis’ passer ratings in each of the past two weeks would rank as the 14th and 15th best performances in a game by a Rams quarterback, a span covering 67 games. Davis’ 327 passing yards is the fifth-highest output by a Rams signal caller in that time.

Anytime a decision has to be made between two quarterbacks or, really, any two players, it comes down to which player gives the team the best chance to win. It’s understandable that Fisher would want to stick by the veteran Hill had Davis been pedestrian or worse the past two weeks against subpar defenses. Davis has been better than that. He’s been good enough to earn his chance or at least a deeper look than “I’ve stood by that decision.”

When asked why he’s been so steadfast in standing by Hill, Fisher has pointed to Hill’s strong start against Minnesota in the time before his late first-half interception. Hill is a team captain and a veteran respected by his peers.

But even if Hill is able to return and approximate Davis’ performance, it still makes more sense to go with Davis at this point. At 34 and on a one-year contract, Hill’s tenure in St. Louis doesn’t figure to be a long one.

Davis is 25 and in his third season in the league. Playing Davis allows the Rams to see what they have in him beyond this year while still offering them the chance to stay competitive and win games now.

“I’m not really thinking about it, honestly,” Davis said. “I just wanted to come in, play hard for this team and give us a chance to win. This one hurts, we’d like to have gotten the win. Coach Fisher has been pretty clear when Shaun is healthy he’ll be the starter. Until I hear different, that’s my approach.”

Given some time to reflect on the upcoming bye week, perhaps Fisher will give it more thought. The conclusion he should reach is that Davis is the best option for this team now while also providing hope for the future.

Gordon: Rams still haven’t found what they’re looking for
• By Jeff Gordon

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/jeff-gordon/gordon-rams-still-haven-t-found-what-they-re-looking/article_49b13ddd-24b1-554f-becf-a6fa4dcf30b2.html

Rams coach Jeff Fisher tried to polish up another agonizing loss with words of encouragement for his team.

“Despite the fact that this is a very, very difficult loss for us and the way they’re feeling right now, there’s significant improvement in this football team this week and today,” he said after his team’s come-from-ahead 34-31 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

“We’ve still got some work to do,” he said. “We’ve got some time to look at what we’re doing and make some adjustments and heal up and we’ll go from there.

“But I’m very disappointed for our players because they played very, very hard and very smart today.”

Such happy talk would be great if this were Year 1 of the Fisher Regime, or even Year 2. But now we’re into Year 3 and the Rams lost two of the three games during the easiest portion of their schedule.

They go into their bye week knowing they have little chance of contending this season, which was their stated goal. Just as they have the previous two years, the Rams are finding new ways to lose.

Will the misery ever end out at Rams Park?

A botched shotgun snap and a dropped touchdown pass proved costly. Those mistakes were made by center Scott Wells and Jared Cook respectively.

Those are two of the team’s high-priced veterans. Those mistakes sting more than a touchdown interception tossed by a fill-in quarterback, mishaps by youngsters in the secondary or dubious penalties called on a back-up defensive end.

The bottom line: The Rams blew a 21-0 lead over a beatable opponent on their own field. That cannot happen in Year 3 of a makeover.

“At home, up 21-0, that’s got to be a blowout,” middle linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “I just feel like each phase made mistakes and regardless of all that, heck, even at the end we had a chance to win it.”

Sure, there were positives. Quarterback Austin Davis exceeded expectations again, completing 30 of 42 passes for 327 yards and three touchdowns and two interceptions. He moved around, made plays all over the field and exuded confidence.

(Can Davis really take a back seat to Shaun Hill after such an uplifting performance? Fisher said that is case, but our guess is we’ll see plenty more of Davis this season.)

The Rams controlled the offensive line of scrimmage, run blocking and pass protecting and piling up 448 yards. One this day, anyway, it didn’t seem to matter that top draft pick Greg Robinson can’t play his way into the starting lineup. The veterans got the job done.

Receiver Brian Quick caught a 51-yard touchdown pass. Running back Zac Stacy had 121 yards rushing and receiving.

Cornerback Janoris Jenkins had a nice 25-yard “pick six”. Outside linebacker Alec Ogletree forced a timely DeMarco Murray fumble as the Cowboys neared scoring range.

These are players the Rams want to build around. They did some exciting things against a decent opponent.

But this also made a ton of mistakes, earning another 119 yards in penalties.

“We’ve got to self-check, gut-check, go to work,” Laurinaitis said. “This bye will be a good week for us to really self-examine who do we want to be as a team.”

Great, but this is Year 3 of this regime. By now the Rams should know who they want to be. In fact, they should already be that team — or at least close to do it, despite some of their major injury hits.

In the “Not For Long” league, teams aren’t supposed to stay bad. But the Rams are still wallowing in the same mediocrity that swallowed up so many of their previous teams.

Rams fall apart in 34-31 loss
• BY JIM THOMAS

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-report/rams-fall-apart-in—loss/article_0bc61781-cfc6-52ab-aba6-1be9f5affde6.html

Strong safety T.J. McDonald was at a loss for words.

Defensive end Williams Hayes said his head was spinning.

Linebacker James Laurinaitis wanted to rip his head off.

That pretty much says it all about the Rams’ latest loss, 34-31 to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome.

Dominant in the first half, the Rams squandered a 21-0 lead to lose for the second time in three games in 2014.

They matched DeMarco Murray and the potent Cowboys’ running game yard for yard. They converted 62 percent of their third-down opportunities (eight for 13), and outgained Dallas by 108 yards.

They at least kept the lid on Murray, who gained an even 100 yards rushing — 114 yards less than his per-game average in two previous meetings with the Rams.

But in typical RAC fashion — that’s Rams Are Cursed — they found a way to lose.

“We really let this one slip away,” left guard Rodger Saffold said.

The path to defeat included 119 yards in penalties on eight flags, including a controversial defensive holding call on defensive end Eugene Sims late in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys meanwhile were flagged a mere three times for 15 yards by referee Clete Blakeman’s crew.

Quarterback Austin Davis threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns, but also tossed two interceptions — the first of which was returned 25 yards for a back-breaking TD by linebacker Bruce Carter that gave Dallas a 34-24 lead with 5 minutes 58 seconds to play.

And don’t forget that botched snap by center Scott Wells, on a play where Davis was in shotgun formation yet Wells snapped it as if Davis was under center. Dallas recovered the loose ball near midfield and turned it into a field goal just before halftime.

Mincing no words, coach Jeff Fisher said afterwards: “That’s pretty much all on Scott.”

Fisher continued: “You go up 21-0 and you know you can’t ever let up. That’s precisely why I went for it on fourth and (six inches). We needed touchdowns and we needed to execute, and we didn’t.”

Saffold put the blame on himself when Zac Stacy was dropped for a two-yard loss at the Dallas 16 on that fourth-and-inches play midway through the third quarter.

“They submarined us and knocked us off our feet,” Saffold said. “Couldn’t get up to hit him. That one, I put on myself. Honestly I feel like I lost the game for us. If I would’ve hit the middle linebacker (Anthony Hitchens), Zac would’ve still been running.”

That may be true, but Saffold and the left side of the line got a good initial surge. On what was a slow-developing play, that should’ve been enough.

Saffold wasn’t the only player to say he cost the Rams the game. Tight end Jared Cook dropped what would’ve been a lead-extending touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, on a play he bobbled but then almost caught again before it fell to the turf.

“‘Almost’ doesn’t count, right?” Cook said. “I feel like that was a game we should’ve won. That’s my fault. I put that on my shoulders.”

Meanwhile, it was feast or famine for cornerback Janoris Jenkins. He gave the Rams a 21-0 lead with 6:06 left in the first half when he jumped in front of a short out route pass from Dallas quarterback Tony Romo intended for Dez Bryant and returned his interception 25 yards for a score.

It was Jenkins’ fifth defensive touchdown in the NFL, but his first since his rookie season of 2012.

Then came the famine. He got tagged with a 33-yard pass interference call trying to defend Bryant midway through the fourth. The penalty gave the Cowboys a first down on the St. Louis 20, and they scored on a 12-yard pass from Romo to Terrance Williams three plays later to take the lead for the first time all day, 27-24.

Earlier, on the fourth play of the third quarter, Bryant turned Jenkins around on a double move. There was no safety help after Bryant raced past Jenkins, making for an easy 68-yard TD pass to start the half. The rapidly-shrinking Rams lead was down to 21-17 at that point.

Even with all that, the Rams appeared to be on course for great field position and a chance for a comeback victory or at least a field goal and overtime, trailing 34-31 with 2½ minutes to play. Sims stormed around left end to sack Romo for an 11-yard loss back to the Dallas 9.

But wait. There was a flag on the play. Defensive holding, Rams, No. 97.

After the game, Fisher said, “I’m hoping they got the wrong jersey number on the hold there on Eugene (Sims). I’m really hoping that maybe there was a hold somewhere else on the defense.”

Which was Fisher’s way of saying: There’s no way that was holding on Sims.

But Blakeman told a pool reporter afterwards that the call was on Sims.

“It was reported to me that there was a receiver that was coming across the formation, and there was a grab and a restriction of that receiver by No. 97 (Sims),” Blakeman said. “It’s a judgment call by our line judge (Ron Marinucci).”

A holding penalty against a pass rusher who ended up sacking the quarterback?

“I don’t know that,” Blakeman replied. “I have not seen a replay of it, so I can’t really comment on specifics like that. But that’s what was reported to me — that there was a grab and a restriction of an eligible receiver by No. 97.”

Most Rams were surprised — no, make that shocked — by the call because it looked like the receiver, Terrance Williams, was blocking — not trying to get out on a pass pattern.

“I turn around, I see the flag,” Sims said. “And I asked him (Blakeman) what was going on. … I didn’t think I held him and the replay didn’t look like I was holding him.”

Off the record, many Rams players disputed the call in expletive-laced fashion. Cook didn’t mince words.

“I thought that was crap,” Cook said of the call. “How do you know if the guy’s blocking you or running past you? All he did was touch him. He didn’t even grab him.”

So instead of a third-and-21 for Dallas on their 9, the Cowboys had a first down at their 25. The Rams had to burn their final two timeouts and lost maybe 30 yards of field position before they got the ball back.

It was that kind of day — actually, it’s been that kind of decade — for the Rams.

Burwell: Young QB Davis shows he can lead team
• By BRYAN BURWELL

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bryan-burwell/burwell-young-qb-davis-shows-he-can-lead-team/article_8ef6122a-193f-53b6-862f-e7170637b78b.html

Feel free to lament the plight of the Rams as this frustratingly incomplete football team is stuck on the proverbial hamster wheel. They churn and they churn, they spin and they sweat, but always seemingly going nowhere fast. So here we are heading into a Week 4 bye in the NFL season and we are already wondering when (if?) everything is going to click between new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and all his creative Xs and Os and a talented defense that so far hasn’t lived up to its enormous promise.

So while we impatiently wait for the inevitable defensive breakthrough (We think. We hope???) to occur and for the Rams to stop giving up 34-point spasms to the ordinary likes of the Minnesota Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys, allow me to pass along this sliver of hope for something a little more upbeat about the Rams’ current wheel-spinning status.

Sunday inside the noisy Edward Jones Dome, while the Rams defense was getting gashed at all the most inopportune moments in this 34-31 loss to the Cowboys, coach Jeff Fisher got a confirmation of something he has suspected all along. Young Austin Davis is a quarterback he can believe in.

Don’t expect the coach to blurt out his unconditional love for the second-year QB with only two NFL starts on his resume. At least not just yet. But privately, Fisher probably already knows what most Rams followers have been rooting for all along. This undrafted passer with the on-field swagger of a high-round draft pick gives the Rams offense a chance to be something more than an unsightly, two-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust yawn machine.

The Rams suddenly look like an offense that has weapons. They can run the ball, but they can go airborne whenever they please. They can beat you on deep routes down the sideline or dig routes into the teeth of the secondary. They can beat you in the wide-open spaces in the middle of the field or cash in on touchdowns in the confined real estate of the red zone.

Davis had a few unfortunate glitches, including a killer pick-6 fourth-quarter interception that all but ended the Rams’ chance at knocking off the Cowboys. But for most of the game, he was as impressive as you could imagine. Davis completed 30 of 42 passes for a career-high 327 yards and three TD’s and a 98.0 pass efficiency rating.

But for the second week in a row, Davis proved that he is more than capable of running the Rams offense as well as any veteran with far more years of service under his belt. When asked what he thought of young Davis’ performance, Fisher didn’t hesitate to offer him praise, knowing full well that every word he utters will somehow be picked apart to look for signs of a budding QB controversy.

“Oh I think you saw how he played,” said the head coach.

He didn’t bother rattling off the stats, only mentioning the two picks that he obviously would love to have back and the dropped TD pass by tight end Jared Cook that could have dramatically changed Sunday’s outcome. “I thought he played well enough for us to win,” said Fisher.

And of course, you know where this is going right?

OHHHH MY GAWD!!!! Who is Fisher going to start at quarterback in two weeks when the Rams travel to Philadelphia on Oct. 5 after the bye week?

Hello QB controversy. We are still in the lower range of such stuff because this QB controversy is still in lower case. Shaun Hill is still nursing a tender thigh injury, which means he could still be at least a week or two away from being ready to play in an NFL game. So when asked if Davis’ play had forced him to reconsider his belief that Hill will take back the starter’s job when he is healthy, Fisher smiled.

“No,” he said. “I’ve stood behind that decision.”

Trust me on this. Fisher won’t spend a moment fretting over this. He won’t give up his decision on whether Davis has done enough to earn the job until he absolutely, positively has to make that decision. I believe the earliest possible date for him to tip his hand will be two weeks from now on the morning of that Eagles game.

But know this. Davis has done enough to win the job. He has completed 72.3 percent of his passes (68 of 94 attempts) for 754 yards and three touchdowns in three games. He has a QB pass efficiency rating of 93.1. But the biggest thing that you have to understand about Davis’ impact on the Rams is that Fisher now knows he isn’t handcuffed into coaching those grinding, unsightly offensive game plans that count on slogging through aesthetically unappealing 16-14 games.

The Rams can move the ball with Davis behind center. They can score with Davis. They can throw the ball deep with accuracy with Davis. They can challenge any defense that wants to load up the box to stop the running game and make them pay for that indiscretion. And all with Davis distributing the ball all over the field (he targeted six different receivers four or more times on Sunday and completed passes to eight different targets).

This is his job and we all know it, and we don’t need Fisher to say it publicly to make it so.

For now, though, Davis is playing this like the cool politician. “Well I’m not really thinking about it, honestly,” he told reporters on Sunday. “Coach Fisher has been pretty clear, when Shaun is healthy, he’ll be the starter. Until I hear different, that’s my approach.”

If he keeps playing like this, he will hear different soon enough.

Now about that defense …

Turning point play: Wells botches snap

By Nick Wagoner | ESPN.com

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11996/turning-po

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Here’s this week’s look back at the turning point play from the St. Louis Rams’ 34-31 loss to the Dallas Cowboys:

The situation: With 42 seconds left in the first half, the Rams had a 21-7 lead and faced a third-and-1 at the Dallas 44. Quarterback Austin Davis had hit receiver Kenny Britt for a 9-yard gain on the previous play to put the Rams in position to keep their drive alive. The Rams used a timeout after the completion to Britt but still had two remaining.

The play: The Rams lined up in a tight two-by-two formation with Austin Pettis lined up wide right and Stedman Bailey in the right slot. To the left, tight end Jared Cook was in the slot with Britt wide left. Davis lined up in the shotgun with running back Trey Watts set to his right. Before the snap, Davis sends Watts in motion to his right but center Scott Wells appears to snap the ball before Davis is ready. But it didn’t matter because somehow Wells snapped the ball as though Davis was under center rather than in the shotgun. Davis flinches thinking the ball is coming before he’s ready but that would’ve been better than what actually happened.

Wells let go of the ball as he would any other normal snap under center and the ball fell softly to the ground. Cowboys defensive tackle Henry Melton recovered at the Dallas 47.

“Obviously, he thought we were under center and brought the ball up and we were in gun,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “That’s pretty much all on Scott. Fortunately, we were able to hold them to a field goal.”

The fallout: The Rams were indeed able to hold the Cowboys to a field goal after the aborted play but the repercussions of the mistake were felt well into the second half. Instead of keeping a drive alive and adding either another field goal or a touchdown before the half, Dallas got a 29-yard field goal to cut the Rams’ lead to 21-10. The swing of six or possibly 10 points was a big one and the Cowboys continued their surge by opening the second half with a 68-yard touchdown pass to Dez Bryant to continue cutting the Rams’ lead. Bryant’s touchdown catch and a few other plays could easily have been this week’s turning point play, but the turnover on the snap was the first domino to fall as the Cowboys surged back to steal the victory.

Rams notes: Communication problems costly on both sides of ball
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-notes-communication-problems-costly-on-both-sides-of-ball/article_6c0f7596-d410-5436-97d3-ae66cc714891.html

Of the handful of game-changing plays Sunday in the Cowboys’ 34-31 comeback win over the Rams at the Edward Jones Dome, perhaps the most glaring was the 68-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo to a wide-open Dez Bryant on the fourth play from scrimmage at the start of the second half.

Bryant, who led the Cowboys with six catches and 89 receiving yards, made a double move near the Dallas sideline to get Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins turned around. Then, with no safety help, the receiver had no one between him and the end zone.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher, speaking at his Monday media gathering at Rams Park, blamed the breakdown on communication.

“It was supposed to be passed off, but it was not communicated,” Fisher said. “I think it was just that they recognized the splits within the coverage — that’s something that we do — and I just think (rookie cornerback) E.J. Gaines just didn’t see it. He didn’t recognize it. We had three issues, both corners and the safety could have played it different.”

BOTCHED SNAP

Late in the first half, with the Rams facing a third-and-1 situation at the Dallas 41, the Rams lost a chance to add to their 21-7 lead when the Cowboys recovered a fumbled snap. Dallas went on to kick a field goal to snatch some momentum going into the half down 21-10.

“It was a communication issue up front,” Fisher explained. “A lot of stuff going on up front between (center Scott Wells) and the quarterback changing protections, sliding protection and making sure you’ve got things picked up. (The) play clock was running down and Scott thought it was time to go, and (quarterback Austin Davis) stepped aside to change the protection because he saw something. … (Wells) started the snap process and he tried to pull it back and he lost it.”

It appeared that perhaps Wells thought Davis was under center when the quarterback actually was in the shotgun formation.

But that wasn’t the case. Fisher said, “It wasn’t a presumption that he was under center, no.”

DEFENSIVE NUMBERS

Linebackers James Laurinaitis and Alec Ogletree led the Rams’ defense on Sunday with 14 tackles each. Ogletree, who led the way with nine solo stops, also caused a fumble, caused a penalty and altered a pass in the game.

Defensive end William Hayes, in his second start in place of injured Chris Long, had nine tackles, followed by safety Rodney McLeod (seven), defensive tackle Michael Brockers (six), linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar (six), safety T.J. McDonald (five) and cornerback Janoris Jenkins (five).

Jenkins intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown that pushed the Rams’ lead to 21-0 with about six minutes to play in the second quarter. Cody Davis recovered the fumble that set up the Rams’ second touchdown.

Donald, the first-round draft choice from Pitt, led the defensive line with a quarterback pressure and a quarterback hit. The Rams had no sacks, four quarterback pressures and one quarterback hit.

On special teams, Chase Reynolds had his third straight two-tackle game.

Benny Cunningham and Trey Watts had the other tackles on special teams for the Rams.

PARTICIPATION NUMBERS

Five players — Austin Davis, Wells, tackles Jake Long and Joe Barksdale and guard Davin Joseph — took part in all 76 offensive snaps for the Rams. Guard Rodger Saffold was in 74 snaps, with guard Mike Person (three), center Tim Barnes (three) and guard Greg Robinson (one) getting the other snaps along the offensive line.

On defense, Laurinaitis, McDonald and Ogletree were on the field for all 56 snaps while McLeod and Jenkins took part in 55 apiece.

COOK/DAVIS SIDELINE SHOVE

Fisher played down the exchange between tight end Jared Cook and Austin Davis as a show of raw emotions.

Just after Cook bobbled and dropped what would’ve been a lead-extending touchdown early in the fourth quarter, the tight end shoved Davis as the quarterback tried to console Cook on the sideline.

Hayes quickly confronted Cook, and fellow defensive end Robert Quinn pulled Cook from the area and tried to calm him down.

“I was aware of it. … ‘Cookie’ was frustrated,” Fisher said. “He was mad that he dropped that ball. That’s kind of the heat-of-the-battle stuff, but they’re fine. They were fine immediately after.”

Cook, who took the blame for the loss, patched things up with Davis after the game and later issued an apology on his Twitter account.

SOME GOOD NEWS

Fisher noted that the Rams suffered no significant injuries in the Dallas game.

Following its bye week, the team will return to action Sunday, Oct. 5, against the Eagles in Philadelphia and Fisher is hopeful to have a least some of its injured players back.

“I think we’ve got a real good shot with (receiver) Tavon Austin (knee). I think we’ll have a pretty good shot with (quarterback) Shaun (Hill), and we’ll just see where it goes,” Fisher said.

Asked about cornerback Trumaine Johnson (knee) and center Barrett Jones (back), Fisher said, “They’re getting closer.’’

Bernie: Rams’ defense a major disappointment
• Bernie Miklasz

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/bernie-rams-defense-a-major-disappointment/article_15473006-4311-50b3-b848-bc051a2e6b47.html

When Jeff Fisher and Gregg Williams hugged out their past differences and grievances in a way that made it comfortable for Williams to return as the Rams’ defensive coordinator, I thought it was a big deal.

“Bountygate” jokes aside, Williams has an extensive and mostly successful track record in directing defenses during a colorful and accomplished NFL coaching career. He surely would be an upgrade over Tim Walton, the team’s previous defensive coordinator.

And I still believe that to be true.

We’re only three games into the season, and Williams is capable of rounding this defense into form.

But through three games, the unit is a major disappointment:

* The Rams have allowed opponents to complete 51 of 69 passes (74 percent) for an average of 8.2 yards per attempt. That YPA ranks 29th among 32 teams. The passer rating against the Rams (105.1) also ranks 29th.

* The Rams have allowed their three opponents to score an average of 23.6 points per game on offense. (These are points given up as a defense and do not include points scored by the other team’s defense or special teams.) That points-against average is tied for 24th. Last season and in 2012 the Rams gave yielded an average of 20.4 points per game to opposing offenses.

* The Rams have one sack in three games. One. In 2012 the Rams finished tied for the league lead with 52 sacks. Last season they ranked third with 53 sacks.

* The Rams have given up eight touchdowns from scrimmage; only four teams have surrendered more through the first three weeks.

* The Rams rank 28th in rushing defense, getting overpowered for an average of 155 yards per game. They have yielded 5.1 yards per rushing attempt, which ranks 28th.

* Big plays are a problem. The Rams have allowed 12 plays that have netted 20 yards or more; that ranks 22nd. And they have given up 36 plays of 10+ yards, which ranks 21st.

The Rams are doing fine in terms of overall yards allowed per game (10th) and are OK in stopping third downs (ranking 13th.) But giving up big plays has wiped out a lot of the positives. And too many defensive penalties are giving opposing offenses free gifts.

The most troubling aspect of the performance is the shortage of sacks. The Rams lost defensive end Chris Long to a lower-leg injury in the first game, but that doesn’t excuse the one-sack total. Robert Quinn, who had 19 sacks in 2013, hasn’t gotten on the board so far.

According to Pro Football Focus, Quinn’s damage has been limited to four QB hits and four hurries in three games. Among 4-3 alignment defensive ends that have played at least 25 percent of the snaps, Quinn ranks 16th in QB pressures and 10th in pass-rush productivity. Quinn led NFL defensive ends in pass-rush productivity in 2013.

The assumption — mine, anyway — is that the Rams’ pass rush would be even more formidable with Williams in charge. He’s developed a deserved reputation for his creative aggressive blitz schemes. Put that with Quinn’s ability to invade the pocket, and you have the makings of a ridiculously imposing pass rush. But in the early stages of the season that hasn’t materialized.

This could be a simple matter of a new coordinator putting in a new system that has added flourishes and a more information to absorb. It could be just a matter of time before everything starts clicking.

But the Rams have invested a bunch of first-round and other premium-round draft choices in their defense. The talent — and Williams’ astute coaching — should be delivering improved results.

But the Rams defense collapsed in Sunday’s dispiriting 34-31 loss to the Cowboys, and there’s no excuse for that.

From the time the Rams opened a 21-0 lead until Dallas punted with about two minutes to go in the game, the Cowboys rolled through the STL defense with little resistance.

The Cowboys scored on five consecutive possessions, three TDs and two field goals. During the five possessions they amassed 287 yards and 16 first downs. They went 5 for 5 on third-down conversions. QB Tony Romo completed 12 of 14 throws for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Romo also drew two pass interference penalties that gave Dallas 59 yards, and he ran for 16 yards for a first down on a third and 13 play. DeMarco Murray rushed 16 times for 88 yards and a TD during the five-possession sequence.

I’m convinced that if the Rams defense makes a couple of stops there — maybe even one — the home team walks into a happy locker room with a victory. But Williams’ defense couldn’t make a single stand as the game began slipping away.

The bye week gives the Rams’ defensive coaches a chance to regroup.

Again, I want to repeat something: Williams is smart, the talent is there, and the Rams defense should get better. But if it doesn’t get better, it’s going to be an especially long and painful season.

Thanks for reading …

— Bernie

Jenkins up and down in Bryant’s shadow
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12015/jenkins-has-up-and-down-day-in-bryants-shadow

EARTH CITY, Mo. — More often than not in the two-plus years Jeff Fisher has been the head coach of the St. Louis Rams, his defense has been pretty straightforward when it comes to coverage.

Matchups have often been passed over in order to allow the cornerbacks to stay on one side of the field for the majority of the game. Every once in a while, Fisher’s defense will shadow an opposing receiver but it hasn’t happened much.

Against Dallas on Sunday, though, the Rams asked cornerback Janoris Jenkins to match up exclusively with Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant.

“We’ve done it before,” Fisher said. “We did it last year. We don’t do it every week. Dez was a big part of our defensive game plan and Janoris loves those challenges, so we thought it was our best chance to win this week.”

Jenkins played 55 of a possible 56 defensive snaps against the Cowboys and for almost all of them, he followed Bryant all over the field. He lined up on the left, he lined up on the right, he lined up in the slot. Wherever Bryant went, there was Jenkins. It was a move that made plenty of sense given the inexperience of rookie sixth-round pick E.J. Gaines opposite Jenkins and the team’s need to focus on stopping the run with the front seven.

For the first half, Jenkins provided solid coverage, limiting Bryant to four catches and 18 yards on five targets. The other target? Jenkins jumped a stop route to Bryant, picked it off and took it 25 yards for a touchdown.

Bryant would only make two more catches in the second half but the final 30 minutes offered a shift in advantage to Bryant. One of those catches only went for 3 yards but the other was the game’s biggest play.

On the first series of the third quarter, Bryant turned Jenkins inside out on a deep route down the left sideline. As Jenkins turned toward the quarterback, he let Bryant go in anticipation of help from safety Rodney McLeod while receiver Terrance Williams entered Jenkins’ space on a crossing route. But McLeod had already made a move toward Williams and McLeod didn’t communicate that he’d be taking Williams, who had already lost Gaines coming across the field.

That left Bryant as open as any receiver you’ll ever see for an easy 68-yard touchdown.

“It was supposed to be passed off, but it was not communicated,” Fisher said. “He can tell the corner that he’s going to take the crossing route. He didn’t.”

While the touchdown doesn’t fall solely on Jenkins, any way you slice it, leaving Bryant alone goes against the idea of having him shadow Bryant in the first place.

Of course, that wasn’t the only second half coverage miscue.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Jenkins was left outside against Bryant on a double move that ended with a pass interference penalty that gave Dallas 33 yards and a first down. Fisher said rookie cornerback Lamarcus Joyner was late and took a poor route to quarterback Tony Romo on his blitz. Had Joyner been quicker and more precise, Fisher said he thought Joyner would have had a sack and the penalty never would have occurred.

All things considered, Fisher was happy with Jenkins’ performance.

“I thought he played well,” Fisher said. “He has the defensive pass interference call and that’s a huge play. In the play, in the blitz we asked him to cover a double move where the quarterback is to reload the ball. I can’t fault him on that because our young nickel back took a real late, poor course to the quarterback — would have been unblocked probably would have had a sack. He certainly wouldn’t have had a chance to pull the ball down and throw it down the field.”

The Rams could get cornerback Trumaine Johnson back from a knee injury after the bye. It will be interesting to see if they continue to shadow other top wideouts when their projected starters are back on the field together.

Rams Defense Falls Short of Expectations
September 25, 2014 1:12 PM
By Nate Latsch

http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2014/09/25/latsch-rams-defense-falls-short-of-expectations/

ST. LOUIS — With no game this weekend, the Rams have plenty of time to reflect on their latest loss, a 34-31 defeat against the visiting Dallas Cowboys last Sunday after leading 21-0 in the second quarter.

The Rams’ defensive unit figures to be even more contemplative during this bye week after allowing three touchdowns in the final 34 minutes that helped fuel the Cowboys’ comeback.

“Thirty-one points should be good enough to win, but we need to do a better job defensively,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said following the loss. “You can’t make excuses. We had three or four rookies playing, but they had a bunch of people hurt, too. We just have to play better defense when the offense is controlling the football like that.”

Veteran middle linebacker James Laurinaitis was asked following practice on Wednesday how he judges the St. Louis defense after its first three games.

“Not up to our standard, I think is the best way to put it,” Laurinaitis said. “We are more critical of ourselves than any of you guys could be of us. That’s just our standards. We have our goals and we have what we want to accomplish as a unit and, to be blunt, we’ve fallen short of those expectations that we’ve had for ourselves.”

Maybe the most surprising thing about this Rams team this season — well, besides the emergence and success of quarterback Austin Davis — is that the offense has outperformed the much-ballyhooed defense during their 1-2 start.

The St. Louis defense is ranked 30th in the NFL in points allowed (28.3 per game) — the offense did allow interception returns for touchdowns in the losses to the Vikings and Cowboys — but also 13th in yards per game (342.3) and 29th in rushing yards per game (155.0).

Laurinaitis said that the defensive unit has used this week to reflect, both as a group and individually, on what they’ve done and whether they have done their assignments and what is expected of them in this defense.

“So when you look back we can all say gosh, it’s two or three or four plays here or there in a ballgame,” Laurinaitis said. “Well, we’ve got to eliminate those two, three or four plays in a ballgame and we’ll win football games. That’s all we care about doing. This game is a lot more fun when you get W’s and you win and we’re working our rear ends off to try to figure out how do we eliminate those four or five plays.”

But the linebacker also cautioned that you can’t go week by week looking at it that way.

“You can’t keep coming in on a Monday being like man, if we eliminate those four or five plays then guess what, they only have x amount yards and this and this,” Laurinaitis said. “Well, those four or five plays made the difference. We’re focusing hard on how to eliminate those.”

Laurinaitis, now in his sixth season out of Ohio State, is the second-longest tenured Rams player after defensive end Chris Long, who is in his seventh season. The veteran linebacker sees some encouraging signs from his teammates right now.

“I think there’s been great accountability, which is a sign of maturity from the guys in the locker room,” he said. “Guys that maybe you expect more from are looking at it and they’re not finger-pointing other people, they’re saying I have to pick it up a little bit, and I think that’s a good sign for our team.”