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October 28, 2015 at 11:38 am #33129
znModeratorA look ahead at Rams vs. 49ers
Joe Lyons
COMING THIS WEEK
When they square off with San Francisco in a noon game Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome, the Rams will be looking for their first back-to-back wins at home since knocking off New Orleans and Tampa Bay late in 2013. The 49ers, who were hit hard by retirements and other offseason departures, are coming off a 20-3 home loss to Seattle on Thursday that dropped their season record to 2-5 under first-year coach Jim Tomsula.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Once regarded as one of the NFL’s up-and-coming stars, the fifth-year pro from the University of Nevada is quickly becoming the focus of the 49ers’ troubles this season. Through seven games, he’s completing just 61.4 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and five interceptions. The team’s struggles are hardly all his fault — with 25 sacks, he’s on pace to be the most sacked QB in 49ers history — but he’s the face of the franchise and right now, the Niners simply aren’t very good.
In the loss to Seattle, Kaepernick, who had thrown for 340 yards the week before in a win over Baltimore, completed just 13 of 24 passes for 124 yards, was sacked six times and completed just four passes to wide receivers as the San Francisco offense had more punts (nine) than first downs (eight). And for the first time in his career as a starter, Kaepernick had zero rushing attempts.
HE SAID IT
“That game is not anything that any of us are proud of,” Tomsula said a day after the 20-3 drubbing at the hands of the Seahawks. “That’s not how we want to represent ourselves. We have to do something to get better. That’s unacceptable. That’s not what we’re going to do, who we are or what we’re about. So we’re going to fix it.
“We do have a couple extra days here that we will take full advantage of the opportunity to go through this coaching-wise and assess, identify and correct.”
INJURIES
Fisher said that Rams had “bumps and bruises’’ but came out of the Cleveland game relatively healthy. Defensive end Chris Long (knee) is not expected back this week, but there’s a good chance tight end Lance Kendricks (finger) will return to action.
The 49ers lost Pro Bowl safety and captain Antoine Bethea for the season with an apparent pectoral injury late in the first half of the Seattle game. Running back Carlos Hyde has been playing through a lingering foot injury suffered Oct. 11. In addition, starting center Daniel Kilgore remains on the physically unable to perform list as he recovers from a broken leg.
SERIES HISTORY
The 49ers enter with a 65-63-3 edge in the series. Their three-game winning streak was halted last November when the Rams held on for a 13-10 win at Levi’s Stadium. With the score tied at 10, the Rams took advantage of a shanked punt to take the lead on a 39-yard field goal.
October 30, 2015 at 1:20 am #33209znModeratorWhich side of Kaepernick will Rams see?
Jim Thomas
From pass rushers, to pundits, and apparently even teammates, is there anyone who isn’t piling on Colin Kaepernick these days?
Once considered in the vanguard of a new generation of NFL quarterbacks, a struggling Kaepernick is getting the business from seemingly every direction these days.
The San Francisco QB has heard boos from the home fans at Levi’s Stadium, and gotten mocked by Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews.
In recent weeks, reports surfaced claiming he’s aloof and “on an island” in the 49ers’ locker room. Another report said teammate Vernon Davis called him out during a heated team meeting.
Apparently, when Kaepernick comes home after a tough day on the field, his dog kicks him.
OK, that’s not really the case. But Matthews did celebrate a sack of Kaepernick in an Oct. 4 game by kissing his biceps. (That’s Kaepernick’s signature move after scoring a touchdown.)
Matthews was also captured on the FOX television broadcast of that contest shouting: “You ain’t Russell Wilson, bro!” at Kaepernick, a reference to the NFC West’s other young, dashing dual-purpose quarterback.
Kaepernick is still young — he turns 28 on Tuesday. But he’s no longer dashing — at least he wasn’t last week against Seattle. Kaepernick didn’t have a single carry, the first time that’s happened in his 46 regular-season starts as a 49er.
But the Rams, striving to remain relevant this season at 3-3, can’t afford to take Kaepernick lightly in Sunday’s noon kickoff against San Francisco at the Edward Jones Dome.
“I know Kap’s getting some criticism for this or that, but his numbers are really no different than they’ve been the last three years,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “We went back and checked. He’s rushing the football. He’s throwing the football.”
All the Rams need do is put on the tape of Kaepernick’s last two starts in St. Louis, when his combined numbers were 37 completions in 58 attempts (63.8%) for 510 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions. His overall passing rating in those two contests: 120.6.
“Two years ago we had to go in there on a short week, Thursday night game, back against the wall because we had lost two games going into that, and we came away with a hard-fought win,” 49ers defensive coordinator Geep Chryst told San Francisco reporters Thursday.
The 49ers won that contest 35-11.
“Last year’s game, remember we had a big, long pass just before the two-minute (mark), and that was like it broke some ice,” Chryst said.
And broke the Rams’ backs. The Rams were up 14-3 in the closing seconds of the first half when cornerback Janoris Jenkins bit on a double move by 49ers wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. The result was an 80-yard touchdown reception on a Kaepernick pass. The 49ers went on to win 31-17.
In the 3½ seasons since he has been a starting QB, Kaepernick has rushed for more than 1,800 yards and scored 11 touchdowns.
The Rams have done a pretty good job vs. Kaepernick the runner over the past two seasons, limiting him to 83 yards (and no rushing TDs) over four contests. But they still respect his legs as well as his arm.
“He’s a long strider, but he’s got great speed,” Fisher said. “In the open field, he can make you miss. The frustrating part about defending him is he’ll push up the field, he’ll make a move, he’ll head to the sideline, and before you blink he’s picked up 20 yards and a big first down.
“So he can shift field position very, very quickly. He knows what he’s doing in the zone read and the read-option stuff. You go back and look at a couple games, he’s been very productive in it.”
Kaepernick rushed for between 41 and 57 yards in each of the 49ers’ first four games this season. But he has carried only six times — total — over their last three contests.
“I think people look to kind of take it away a little bit now,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “He picks and chooses. He tries to (run) a lot on third-and-short … take off and get the first down. He can still run with the best of ’em.”
On passing plays, Laurinaitis said he has noticed that Kaepernick is less effective scrambling when teams pressure him up the middle.
“It’s always easier when quarterbacks try to escape out the edge, because you have angles and you can kind of rally (to the ball),” Laurinaitis said. “It’s when they escape up the middle that it puts you under a lot of pressure in the open field.”
So this is a game where a player such as defensive tackle Aaron Donald could do some damage, particularly since San Francisco’s interior blocking has frequently left much to be desired. For example, right guard Jordan Devey gave up 3½ sacks in the 49ers’ 20-3 loss to Seattle in a Thursday night game Oct. 22.
As a passer, Kaepernick ranks 24th in both completion percentage (61.4) and passer rating (82.8) this season for 2-5 San Francisco. When Fisher talks about the numbers being about the same, that completion percentage is a little higher than Kaepernick’s career number (60.1 percent) entering this season. But the passer rating is below his career number (90.6).
To a large degree, Kaepernick looks less sure of himself in the pocket these days. He is missing, and missing badly, too often on routine throws. Occasionally, the body language from 49ers receivers after one of those errant throws is telling. They’re frustrated.
Normally careful with the football, Kaepernick only has five interceptions this season. But four of them came in his first 10 throws Sept. 27 at Arizona, with two of them returned for touchdowns in a 47-7 rout.
But Kaepernick also has had three outings this season where he’s had better than a 100 passer rating, and two games where he has thrown for more than 300 yards. Even so, he realizes there’s room for improvement, especially after a summer in which he worked diligently with former Rams great Kurt Warner on his game.
“I would say that I have to take it to another level,” Kaepernick said. “I have to be able to make plays for this team, and I have to be a difference-maker when I step on the field.”
Which Kaepernick shows up Sunday against the Rams? Hard to tell. But it’ll probably be one who tries to throw against Jenkins on a double move by the receiver.
October 30, 2015 at 5:40 pm #33240znModeratorCarlos Hyde ruled out for Sunday
Josh Alper
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/10/30/carlos-hyde-ruled-out-for-sunday/
SANTA CLARA, CA – Earlier on Friday, we noted that 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin would miss Friday’s practice after having his hamstring tighten up on him during Thursday’s session.
The prospect of playing without Boldin isn’t a pretty one for the 49ers offense, so it’s good news for them that Boldin said, via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, there was “no doubt” in his mind that he’d play on Sunday against the Rams. The team’s offense won’t be whole, however.
Running back Carlos Hyde has been ruled out of the contest. Hyde said recently that he has a stress fracture in his foot, but has been listed as questionable on the team’s injury reports and in the lineup for the last few weeks. The 49ers have a bye in Week 10, which may mean a lot of Reggie Bush, Jarryd Hayne and Mike Davis out of the backfield for the next two weeks.
Boldin officially drew a questionable tag for the game in St. Louis.
October 30, 2015 at 9:19 pm #33244znModeratorRams Practice Report 10/30: Playing Within the Division
Myles Simmons
So far in 2015, the Rams have done a nice job of competing within the NFC West. They have won both of their divisional matchups — Week 1 against Seattle and Week 4 at Arizona — playing well in all three phases.
Sunday’s contest will bring in the third team, San Francisco, into the Edward Jones Dome. And even though the 49ers have a new coaching staff, the Rams still have a good amount of familiarity with them. That’s especially because the players and the systems they’re running haven’t changed too much.
“You know the personnel well, you know the scheme well,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “So a lot of times, you’re not getting surprised by anything.”
“You know San Fran is going to get in a certain formation and run power,” Laurinaitis continued. “You know they’re going to do it, and they say, ‘OK, try to stop it.’ And it’s just man-on-man kind of stuff. You have to win your individual matchup.”
That’s part of why the team has such respect for the 49ers. With all the knowledge each team has of one another, a game can swing either way.
“This is a division game,” defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said. “They know us, we know them. We always play in a dog fight and always play hard. Believe me, our guys have been very respectful in all the meetings and all the practices this week because they know how good that team is.”
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Punter Johnny Hekker received some national recognition on Thursday when he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month. Hekker averaged 48.3 yards on his 16 punts in October, including three punts inside the 20-yard line against the Browns on Sunday. He also had punts of 56 and 57 yards over the course of the month.
“It’s a huge honor to be recognized for an entire month of production,” Hekker said Friday. “Frankly, I wasn’t super astonished with the way I played. I have to chalk it up to my teammates — just the way they were able to keep me comfortable out there. It’s easy to sit back there, relax and punt the ball when everyone is doing their job very, very well. Our punt team is protecting really well.”
Hekker is only the second punter in franchise history to receive the honor.
“The recognition is great to have, but more so than personally, I think it speaks to how my teammates have been preparing this last month,” Hekker said.
FROM THE OTHER SIDE
It’s easy to see why anyone would be impressed with the way running back Todd Gurley has played. There’s clearly a reason he was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month.
But while everyone notices what Gurley does on Sundays, Williams said his demeanor behind the scenes is even more impressive.
“He brings a big smile to my face, yes he does,” Williams said. “Leadership has no age. You can be a leader at any age of your life. But you better [set] a good example, and you better go about doing things the right way. And behind the scenes, he does things the right way, too.”
The defensive coordinator said Gurley’s humility was easy to notice from the day he entered the building. And that’s part of why the running back has so quickly earned the respect of his teammates and coaches.
“Everybody likes him when he’s out there and you can see him doing those things — I like him behind the scenes, too,” Williams said. “He’s a good young man.”
BIG PLAY HAYES
Defensive end Will Hayes spent time filling in for an injured Chris Long last year, and did well in the role. Now he’s doing the same for a few weeks while Long deals with a knee injury, and Williams has been impressed with the returns. Hayes had two sack/fumbles on Browns quarterback Josh McCown in last week’s victory.
“He’s super important,” Williams said. “He’s a tough player when he plays. It was fun to see him rise up and take ownership of that position, because no longer was he rotating with Chris Long. He had to get ready to rise.
“And he did a great job last year,” Williams added. “He was our production leader last year for the entire season. He won that award. So, it’s always fun to see him do that.”
Behind the scenes, Williams says Hayes is one of the best players to help boost morale. And that’s part of what makes him such a key contributor to the defense.
“He’s constantly keeping things stirred up,” Williams said. “He does do a great job in the training room, in the classroom, all those things.”
A LITTLE COMPETITION
Finally, the Rams ended practice Friday as they do every week with some competition between the first groups on offense and defense. The team runs three plays inside the 5-yard line and the objectives for both units is clear on each play. For defense, prevent a touchdown. For offense, get one.
On this Friday, though, there was a bit of a dispute as to who won.
“It was 2-1, defense,” Williams said — saying one catch was out of bounds, and there was holding on another. “I’ll give them the third one.”
“The offense won 3-0,” head coach Jeff Fisher said, adding he gets the final vote on that. “But I’m not fudging at all. They got in three times.”
“They got beat last week, too, so that’s a good sign,” Fisher added.
As Williams put it, it’s a good way to finish the week with high spirits.
“The fun part about it, you see their interest and their ‘swag’ pick up just competing — just competing and having fun,” Williams said. “And the camaraderie back and forth on offense and defense — it’ll still be going on in the locker room.”[/quote]
October 30, 2015 at 11:58 pm #33247znModeratorIf the Rams Are Maturing, They Won’t Lose to the 49ers
Bernie Miklasz
http://www.101sports.com/2015/10/30/if-the-rams-are-maturing-they-wont-lose-to-the-49ers/
As of Friday morning the Rams were an 8.5-point favorite over the visiting San Francisco 49ers for Sunday’s noon game at the Edward Jones Dome. This is a rarity; the Rams haven’t been listed as more than touchdown favorite against an NFC West rival since 2005.
jeff fisherFisher’s Rams are an 8.5 point favorite to win Sunday, representing the largest spread against a division rival since 2005.
And since Jeff Fisher moved in as coach in 2012, the only time the Rams have been a heavier favorite in a home game came in 2013. Jacksonville entered as an 11-point underdog, and the Rams won 24-10.
The pressure is on for the Rams. The 49ers have drifted to the bottom of the NFC West with a 2-5 record. They’ve been wiped out by 17 points or more in four of their losses. (Average margin of defeat: a league-worst 19.8 points.) Turmoil surrounds quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has been the target of a whispering campaign, with anonymous criticism of his leadership, personality and unwillingness to engage teammates. The slurs obviously originated from inside team headquarters, probably from the same sources that tried to poison the rep of deposed head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The 49ers’ disarray includes massive roster subtractions, with a long list of impact players and team leaders that played major roles in the team’s 36-11-1 record (and the 2012 NFC Championship) between 2011 and 2013. But with Harbaugh and the team distracted by the nasty media leaks and the coach-management dissension, the 49ers’ collapse actually began late last season, when they finished 8-8 after losing four of their final five.
The franchise that comes into The Ed has lost nine of the last 12 games, with a glaring point differential of minus 114.
Through seven games the scoring-challenged 49ers are last in the 32-team NFL with an average of 14.7 points ,and no league offense has produced fewer net yards per game (295.) Kaepernick is having an identity crisis, seemingly reluctant to turn it loose as a runner and scrambler because of the team’s project to turn him into a pocket quarterback.
Dealing with pass-rush heat on 40 percent of his dropbacks, and pressured 83 times, Kaepernick already has been dropped for 25 sacks. Those breakdowns continue to ruin drives. And the 49ers aren’t finishing the drives that put them within range of the end zone, ranking 30th in red-zone offense with a TD rate of 35 percent. Defensively, the 49ers have done a good job against the run, but no NFL defense has given up more yards per game (421), and they’ve been torched for 28 pass completions that stretched 20+ yards. San Francisco opponents are averaging just under 26 points per game.
So yes, what I’m trying to say here is that the 49ers are bad. (Terrific insight, eh?) And this is a team that’s drifted into drama and dysfunction, which adds toxicity to that 2-5 record.
The 49ers shouldn’t be much of a threat, at least not to anyone except themselves. It’s true that upsets are always possible. And the Rams have yet to demonstrate consistency, trustworthiness or much of a passing-game offense. Other than the break-out rushing of rookie running back Todd Gurley, the Rams are mostly stuck on neutral on offense.
The 3-3 Rams have no basis for taking any opponent for granted, and it’s preposterous to even consider the possibility of complacency as they reengage their old rival. That said: the Rams have a new star and catalyst on offense, they’re as tough as anyone on defense, and they have a chance to be standing 4-3 after seven games for the first time since 2006.
The Rams can’t lose this game.
And they won’t lose this game unless we see the reappearance of a younger-and-dumb Rams’ team that crashes by being careless or undisciplined. You know, the stuff we’ve seen too often during Fisher’s 54-game term in office. The knucklehead penalties, the airhead pass defense, and the habit of losing close games because of unforced errors and a general loss of composure.
The Rams still commit too many pre-snap penalties, but they’ve cleaned up other spots left messy because of lapses in discipline. For example, the Rams have had only two roughing-the-passer penalties this season — and one was a horrible and completely unwarranted call. The Rams have been tagged for only three personal-foul penalties overall — or fewer than all but three NFL teams. To this point, the defense has cut down on the silly stuff that does nothing but keep the other team’s offense on the field.
Rams middle linebacker James Laurinaitis was talking about this other day, offering his opinion that the Rams are maturing. But JL made it clear that this is still an ongoing challenge, and he framed Sunday’s game as another test of the team’s legitimate growth. If the Rams truly are maturing, Laurinaitis said, then they’ll handle the assignment of winning Sunday’s game. And he’s right. If these Rams are a more poised and football-smart team, then they won’t overlook the ‘Niners, make frivolous and unavoidable mistakes, and repeatedly give the 49ers opportunities to steal Sunday from them. For whatever it’s worth, I believe the Rams are getting there — evolving into more cool-headed team. A team that will find ways to beat inferior opponents rather than find ways to beat themselves. We’ll see.
October 31, 2015 at 1:39 am #33249znModeratorRams notebook: San Francisco’s Hyde ruled out of Sunday’s game
Joe Lyons
The San Francisco 49ers will be without leading rusher Carlos Hyde on Sunday when they take on the Rams in a noon game at the Edward Jones Dome.
Hyde, a second-year back out of Ohio State, is ninth in the league with 470 rushing yards and has been ruled out of the NFC West game with a stress fracture in his left foot.
With Hyde out, San Francisco will look to veteran Reggie Bush (eight carries, 28 yards), who has been slowed with a calf injury, and rookies Mike Davis (15 carries, 20 yards) and Jarryd Hayne (eight carries, 25 yards). Hayne, an Australian rugby star, has been used mainly as a punt returner.
The 49ers could also be without their top receiver, Anquan Boldin. The veteran missed practice Friday after suffering a hamstring injury on Thursday and is listed questionable for Sunday. Boldin has 31 catches for 372 yards and a pair of touchdowns this season.
The other injured players in San Francisco — LBs NaVorro Bowman (shoulder) and Ahmad Brooks (shoulder), G Alex Boone (shoulder, knee), T Joe Staley (shoulder), S Eric Reid (chest) and DT Tony Jerod-Eddie (not injury-related) — went through full workouts Friday and are listed probable.
Defensive end Chris Long (knee) is the only Rams player ruled out for Sunday. The team’s other seven players on the injury report went through full workouts Friday at Rams Park.
Defensive ends Robert Quinn (knee) and William Hayes (thigh) are listed questionable, as are running back Tre Mason (ankle) and safety T.J. McDonald (shoulder). Questionable generally means the player has a 50-50 shot at playing Sunday.
Rams listed as probable are middle linebacker James Laurinaitis (elbow), tight end Lance Kendricks (thumb) and defensive tackle Nick Fairley (illness).
LOCAL TIES
With Colin Kaepernick struggling — the fifth-year QB is ranked 24th in the league with a completion percentage of 61.4 percent and a passer rating of just 82.8 — there’s been some talk in San Francisco about making a change to give the team a different look.
The back-up is former Parkway West and Mizzou standout Blaine Gabbert. Selected with the 10th pick in the 2011 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Gabbert was acquired by the 49ers in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick on March 11, 2014. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Gabbert has yet to see action this season but did enjoy some success in the preseason, completing 23 of 28 (82.1 percent) of his passes for 203 yards with a touchdown.
Kaepernick, it turns out, was also drafted in 2011; he was the 49ers’ second-round pick at No. 36 overall.
While first-year head coach Jim Tomsula remains firm in his support of the hard-working and talented Kaepernick as his starting quarterback, the 49ers’ longtime defensive line coach is also a fan of Gabbert.
“You know what, I like Blaine Gabbert,’’ the coach said. “I just think Blaine’s a solid individual and I think he’s a talented player.’’
From there, the coach’s teleconference call with St. Louis reporters took a bit of an unexpected turn as Tomsula mentioned his own ties to St. Louis.
“Heck, guys, I got married in St. Louis, so we know about the kind of people that are from that area,’’ he continued. “I got married over there at Little Flower (Catholic church in Richmond Heights) on the Fourth of July, so I’ve spent a lot of time there. I love the St. Louis Zoo (and) Protzel’s Deli (in Clayton). That town is a great town.’’
THE NEW GUYS
The Rams filled a pair of openings on the practice squad by signing defensive end Gerald Rivers and defensive end and linebacker Zack Hodges.
It’s Rivers’ second stint with the Rams. The University of Mississippi product was signed as a undrafted free agent in 2013 and played in two games and made one tackle.
He was claimed off waivers late that season by Jacksonville and has also spent time with Miami, Denver and the New York Giants.
“Glad to be back. Feels like I’ve come home,’’ the 25-year-old said. “I got the call on Monday, hopped on a flight, came in for the workout and signed. It’s kind of like a family reunion, seeing the guys again. I’ve been around a little bit, but I’ve never felt as comfortable as I feel here.’’
Rivers was released from the Giants’ practice squad in mid-September.
“Just working out and trying to stay as ready as possible, hoping for another chance,’’ he said. “And now that I’m back with the Rams, it just feels right.’’
Hodges, a two-time Ivy League player of the year from Harvard, was in camp with the Indianapolis Colts.
“I was training, trying to keep my mind sharp,’’ the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Hodges said. “I remember playing here in the preseason, seemed like a great city. This is a great opportunity; now I just have to go out, show the coaches what I can do and try to make the most of it.’’
RAM-BLINGS
Early this week, Rams coach Jeff Fisher was asked about his confidence in kicker Greg Zuerlein, who enters Sunday’s action having converted just one of his last five field goal attempts. To be fair, one of the kicks was blocked and three of the others were from 53, 63 and 63 yards.
“No concerns. He’s hitting it really well,’’ the coach said. “He just needs to hit it between those two yellow poles. I didn’t like the (35-yard miss), but I have total confidence in Greg. He’s hitting it as well as he’s hit it since he’s been here.
“With the new rules, every kick is a field goal, so there’s more pressure on every single kick. That’s just my observation.’’
• The Rams’ Nick Fairley was fined $17,363 for a roughing-the-passer call in the fourth quarter against Cleveland’s Josh McCown.
• Cut earlier in the week by the Rams, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar has signed with New Orleans. Dunbar, 30, was signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2008 and played there through 2011.
• The Lincoln University football team coached by ex-Rams LB Mike Jones held a walk-through Friday afternoon at Rams Park. The Blue Tigers play Saturday at McKendree.
October 31, 2015 at 5:29 pm #33256znModeratorStarting fast at top of Rams’ list against Niners
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at the Edward Jones Dome. Here are three things to watch from a Rams’ perspective in that matchup:
1. Starting fast: The Rams’ defense is good enough to keep them in the game for all four quarters against the Niners, but it sure wouldn’t hurt if the Rams’ offense actually woke up before the second half this week to help take some of the pressure off the defense. Simply put, the Rams’ offense has been atrocious in the first quarter of games.
The Rams have scored just once on their opening possession (a 17-yard drive after a fumble recovery on the kickoff against Arizona) and the offense has mustered just 10 points in the first quarter. Worse, the Rams aren’t even moving the ball in the opening quarter, averaging a league-low 2.85 yards per play and 30.8 yards. Perhaps most damning, the Rams have mustered only 11 first downs in the first quarter, which lags far behind everyone else in the league. Miami is 31st with 21.
San Francisco is yielding 89.7 yards per game and 5.92 yards per play in the first quarter, both of which ranks in the 20 range in the NFL, meaning there could be an opportunity for the Rams to get on track early in this one.
The Rams found an offensive spark last week when they went to the no huddle in the third quarter. Perhaps it could be used to get them off to a faster start this time around.
Carlos Hyde
Carlos Hyde’s status for this week is uncertain, but if he does play, the Rams must focus on slowing him down.
2. Slowing the run: In San Francisco’s seven games, they’ve lost by two or more touchdowns in four of them. In the Niners’ three other games, they’ve won two and lost the other by a field goal. While there are plenty of reasons for those varied outcomes, there’s one common denominator present in the wins and close game that isn’t in the blowout losses: running back Carlos Hyde has been prominently involved.Hyde was at his best in the season opener against Minnesota, a 20-3 victory in which he had 182 yards of offense and two touchdowns. He had 97 yards and a touchdown in a three-point loss to the New York Giants and 60 yards in a win against Baltimore. In all three games, Hyde had at least 21 carries, so even when he didn’t produce much against the Ravens, he was at least a heavy part of the game plan.
Hyde has been dealing with a foot injury and has been ruled out for this week. Reggie Bush is the primary backup who will be asked to get the running game going. The Niners are 31st in the NFL in passing yards per game (ranked only better than the Rams), so slowing Bush and the run game should provide plenty of chances to get after quarterback Colin Kaepernick and force turnovers.
3. Airing it out: It’s no secret that running back Todd Gurley has already emerged as the focal point of the Rams’ offense and that will continue this week. But the Rams also need to start finding some traction in the passing game. Quarterback Nick Foles and Co. are last in the league in passing yards per game (though they’re middle of the road in yards per attempt). That’s not a big deal if the running game is rolling, but if it’s not, the Rams are in trouble.
Long passing plays would help loosen things up for Gurley and allow the Rams to put together long drives without having to piecemeal them together. The Niners’ defense offers a prime opportunity to do just that. San Francisco is 31st in the league in pass defense, allowing 292.7 yards per game, and 31st in net passing yards allowed per attempt at 8.07. They’ve also given up a whopping 28 pass plays of 20 yards or more (tied for 28th in the NFL) and seven pass plays of 40 yards or more (tied for third-from-last in the league).
October 31, 2015 at 5:29 pm #33257znModeratorStarting fast at top of Rams’ list against Niners
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at the Edward Jones Dome. Here are three things to watch from a Rams’ perspective in that matchup:
1. Starting fast: The Rams’ defense is good enough to keep them in the game for all four quarters against the Niners, but it sure wouldn’t hurt if the Rams’ offense actually woke up before the second half this week to help take some of the pressure off the defense. Simply put, the Rams’ offense has been atrocious in the first quarter of games.
The Rams have scored just once on their opening possession (a 17-yard drive after a fumble recovery on the kickoff against Arizona) and the offense has mustered just 10 points in the first quarter. Worse, the Rams aren’t even moving the ball in the opening quarter, averaging a league-low 2.85 yards per play and 30.8 yards. Perhaps most damning, the Rams have mustered only 11 first downs in the first quarter, which lags far behind everyone else in the league. Miami is 31st with 21.
San Francisco is yielding 89.7 yards per game and 5.92 yards per play in the first quarter, both of which ranks in the 20 range in the NFL, meaning there could be an opportunity for the Rams to get on track early in this one.
The Rams found an offensive spark last week when they went to the no huddle in the third quarter. Perhaps it could be used to get them off to a faster start this time around.
Carlos Hyde
Carlos Hyde’s status for this week is uncertain, but if he does play, the Rams must focus on slowing him down.
2. Slowing the run: In San Francisco’s seven games, they’ve lost by two or more touchdowns in four of them. In the Niners’ three other games, they’ve won two and lost the other by a field goal. While there are plenty of reasons for those varied outcomes, there’s one common denominator present in the wins and close game that isn’t in the blowout losses: running back Carlos Hyde has been prominently involved.Hyde was at his best in the season opener against Minnesota, a 20-3 victory in which he had 182 yards of offense and two touchdowns. He had 97 yards and a touchdown in a three-point loss to the New York Giants and 60 yards in a win against Baltimore. In all three games, Hyde had at least 21 carries, so even when he didn’t produce much against the Ravens, he was at least a heavy part of the game plan.
Hyde has been dealing with a foot injury and has been ruled out for this week. Reggie Bush is the primary backup who will be asked to get the running game going. The Niners are 31st in the NFL in passing yards per game (ranked only better than the Rams), so slowing Bush and the run game should provide plenty of chances to get after quarterback Colin Kaepernick and force turnovers.
3. Airing it out: It’s no secret that running back Todd Gurley has already emerged as the focal point of the Rams’ offense and that will continue this week. But the Rams also need to start finding some traction in the passing game. Quarterback Nick Foles and Co. are last in the league in passing yards per game (though they’re middle of the road in yards per attempt). That’s not a big deal if the running game is rolling, but if it’s not, the Rams are in trouble.
Long passing plays would help loosen things up for Gurley and allow the Rams to put together long drives without having to piecemeal them together. The Niners’ defense offers a prime opportunity to do just that. San Francisco is 31st in the league in pass defense, allowing 292.7 yards per game, and 31st in net passing yards allowed per attempt at 8.07. They’ve also given up a whopping 28 pass plays of 20 yards or more (tied for 28th in the NFL) and seven pass plays of 40 yards or more (tied for third-from-last in the league).
November 1, 2015 at 10:37 am #33292znModeratorRams look for sunny side of .500 against rival 49ers
Jim Thomas
There will be no parade down Market Street next week if the Rams beat San Francisco. No rally at Kiener Plaza with speakers and confetti.
But usually at this time of year, you hand out the Halloween candy, November rolls around, and it’s time to think about where the Rams might be picking and who they might take in the upcoming draft.
This year, things feel and look a little different. The Rams are 3-3 and favored against their old West Coast rivals in Sunday’s noon kickoff at the Edward Jones Dome. Such a set of circumstances might be sneered at in other places around the NFL — Green Bay, New England, Denver, and even San Francisco not that long ago.
But in these parts, the local 11 hasn’t had a winning season since 2003. The scars of the worst five-year stretch in NFL history — 15-65 from 2007 through 2011 — remain fresh.
If the Rams defeat the 49ers, they will be 4-3 and above .500 in November for the first time since … 2006. That’s nine long years ago. That’s three head coaches ago — four if you count interim Jim Haslett.
That year, rookie NFL head coach Scott Linehan steered the Rams to a 4-1 start, and entered November with a 4-3 mark. Trouble was, they were early into a 1-7 nosedive that dropped their record to 5-8 before rallying to close the season with three straight wins and finish 8-8.
And that was that, the only post-Halloween “taste of the glory” over the past decade for long-suffering Rams fans. Pretty pitiful, eh?
But now come the 49ers, reeling at 2-5, coping with all kinds of anti-Colin Kaepernick talk, stripped of most of their marquee players from recent seasons. And, as of Friday, they’re minus feature back Carlos Hyde, ruled out for Sunday with what’s believed to be a stress fracture in his left foot.
They rank 32nd in total offense, 31st in total defense and had more punts (nine) than first downs (eight) their last time out — a 20-3 loss to Seattle on Oct. 22.
“Last week was a big win for us, and for us to have a chance to get in the win column again this week, it’s huge,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “But again, it’s a week-to-week thing. So you all can make whatever you want out of that, and what we’ve done here.
“But we’ve let a few go that we should’ve won. We probably won a couple that people didn’t expect us to win. This is our next game. So it would be great to find a way to win it.”
OK, so Fisher didn’t really want to go big picture. Not the first time that’s happened. But leave it to veteran linebacker James Laurinaitis — who was part of a 1-15 squad as a Rams rookie in 2009 and a 2-14 outfit in 2011 — to frame the moment.
“If you want to be different than what we’ve been in the past, you’ve gotta put two (wins) together,” Laurinaitis said. “And if you want to be different than what we’ve been since ’06, you’ve gotta find a way to be above .500 in November.
“So it’s not like it’s the Super Bowl that we’re playing Sunday, but heck yeah, it’s important.”
Making the moment all the more entertaining is the fact that it’s against not just a division rival, but the division rival for the Rams. Sunday marks the 132nd meeting between teams that have met twice a year every year since 1950.
(The teams played three times during the 1989 season because of a playoff game.)
There have been wild fluctuations in the series, with the 49ers taking 17 in a row in a streak that lasted nearly the entire decade of the ’90s. The Rams then won 10 of 12 from 1999 through 2004. But since then it’s been mainly ’Niners, with San Francisco going 14-5-1 against the Rams since the start of the ’05 season.
Even with the massive changes to the 49ers’ roster and coaching staff this past offseason, Laurinaitis says: “They know us well. We know them well. It’s gonna be a physical football game. These division games, a lot off times you wake up on Monday and you’re a little more sore than the other ones.”
There have been some memorable moments in the series since the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995:
• Linebacker Ken Norton Jr. celebrating a touchdown by punching the Busch Stadium goal posts in ’95. And then Dana Stubblefield coining the immortal phrase “same old sorry-(bleep) Rams” after a 44-10 49ers victory.
• The Tony Banks “era” beginning with a safety on his first series as a pro at Candlestick Park in 1996.
• The great Isaac Bruce scoring four TDs in 1999 as the Rams ended their 17-game losing streak to the 49ers with a 42-20 win at the Dome. Bill Walsh making a cameo in Dick Vermeil’s press conference, telling his longtime friend, “You’re going all the way.” (Turns out Walsh was right.)
• “Mad” Mike Martz breaking out a broom in the cramped visitors locker room at Candlestick, gleefully commemorating a 34-24 Rams victory and a series sweep in 2000.
• Martz pulling starting quarterback Scott Covington early in the 2002 season finale, a Monday Night affair, because the inexperienced Covington was calling the plays backwards in the huddle.
• Bruce catching what would be the final TD pass of his career — wait a minute, as a 49er! — starting a fourth-quarter San Francisco comeback in a 17-16 Rams defeat in 2008.
• It took 10 quarters to play the series in 2012. A 24-24 overtime tie Nov. 11 at Candlestick, followed by a 16-13 Rams victory 21 days later in St. Louis on a Greg Zuerlein field goal with 26 seconds left in OT.
• And just last season, almost a year ago to the day, the 49ers were poised for a last-second victory with a third-and-goal from the St. Louis 1 with 9 seconds remaining at new Levi’s Stadium. But Kaepernick fumbled on a quarterback sneak before crossing the goal line, and Laurinaitis recovered in the end zone to preserve a 13-10 Rams victory last Nov. 2.
It may be hard to top some of that history. But a winning record in November — for the first time since 2006 — might not be a bad way to go in what could be the final Rams-49ers game in St. Louis.
November 1, 2015 at 10:38 am #33293znModerator7 things to watch: Rams vs. 49ers
• By Jim ThomasNO HYDE IN 49ERS’ BACKFIELD
He’s no Frank Gore, but RB Carlos Hyde has talent. A blend of speed and power, the second-year pro is the NFL’s ninth-leading rusher with 470 yards at 4.1 yards per carry. But he’s been slowed by a foot injury, reportedly a stress fracture, and was ruled out Friday for the Rams game. That means the 49ers are down to veteran Reggie Bush, Mike Davis or Kendall Gaskins, who was promoted from the practice squad on Saturday.
COLIN’S TEAM
The departure of Gore made this QB Colin Kaepernick’s offense, and in essence, Kaepernick’s team. Things aren’t working out so well on that front. Kaepernick has yet to show he can consistently win with his arm as a pocket passer. The Rams sacked him eight times the last time they faced him, a 13-10 Rams win last Nov. 2 in Santa Clara. Even with a banged-up defensive line, the Rams should be able to make him uncomfortable in the pocket throwing against a rapidly-improving secondary.
KEY MATCHUPFor the second week in a row, Rams DE Robert Quinn is facing a left tackle who’s not just another Joe. Last week it was eight-time Cleveland Pro Bowler Joe Thomas; this week it’s four-time 49er Pro Bowler Joe Staley. Unfortunately for Quinn, he once again won’t be 100 percent because of a knee issue. In fact, Quinn is listed as questionable this week after being probable for Cleveland. So as was the case last week, we could be seeing as much of Eugene Sims as Quinn at right DE against a Pro Bowl Joe.
DAVIS & CO.
Now in his 10th season, Vernon Davis is a two-time Pro Bowler and the 49ers’ all-time leader among TEs in receptions (435), reception yards (5,616), and TDs (55). But he’s missed two games with a knee injury and his numbers are way down this year. Speedy free-agent pickup Torrey Smith is averaging 23.1 yards per catch, but the former Raven has only 14 catches. At age 35, Anquan Boldin isn’t quite what he used to be, but remains a productive, physical receiver who can make the tough catch.
MISSING PERSONSNo Justin Smith. No Aldon Smith. No Patrick Willis, Chris Borland, or Ray McDonald. They’re all no longer 49ers due to either retirement or departures fueled by off-field issues. And that’s just the front seven. As a result, the 2015 49ers lack the punch and the pass rush of their recent predecessors, although they still play a physical brand of football. The 49ers rank 20th in rushing defense, allowing 113.3 yards per game, and are 18th in sacks with 14. It’s just too much of a talent drain over one offseason.
PASSING LANES OPEN
After facing the 32nd-ranked rushing defense last week against Cleveland, the Rams are up against the 31st-ranked passing defense against the 49ers. And now the 49ers are without their best player in the secondary, with 2014 team MVP strong safety Antoine Bethea out for the year after suffering a torn pectoral muscle last week against Seattle. The 49ers look slow on tape in the back end, and opposing teams have a 100.1 passer rating against them. Maybe this is the week the St. Louis passing game gets going.
“THROWBACK” RETURN MAN?On a day when the Rams are wearing their throwback uniforms from the 1999 Super Bowl championship season, San Francisco could be going back into the time vault on punt returns. Bush returned his first punt since 2011 against Seattle, and could replace Jarryd Hayne — who fumbled twice in that role and was cut Saturday. After allowing a 57-yard return for a TD on Johnny Hekker’s first punt of the season, Rams special teams have tightened up their coverage, allowing only 63 yards in returns on 30 subsequent punts.
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