reporters salute the BROWNS game

Todd Gurley, defense deliver first true glimpse of what Fisher wants Rams to be

Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/22782/todd-gurley-defense-deliver-first-true-glimpse-of-what-fisher-wants-rams-to-be

ST. LOUIS — As St. Louis Rams fans rained down chants of “Gur-ley, Gur-ley” at rookie running back Todd Gurley tearing through the Cleveland Browns and the team’s defense dominated again, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher probably couldn’t help but think of the heyday of his Tennessee Titans.

A stout defense and a dynamic young running back capable of closing out a game? That’s precisely what Fisher wants his team to become. That “Gur-ley” and “Edd-ie” (as in George) sound alike is pure coincidence but the Rams’ formula for a 24-6 win against the Browns on Sunday was far from it.

Despite a struggling offense that has offered little help in the first five weeks, Rams defenders have continued to point the finger at themselves about not finding ways to score themselves. It’s an unfair self-criticism but one that the unit has focused on correcting.

It didn’t take long for the defense to finally break through on Sunday. Cornerback Janoris Jenkins forced a first quarter fumble that safety Rodney McLeod scooped up and ran 20 yards into the end zone for a touchdown on Cleveland’s first possession. The Rams forced three more turnovers with three of them leading to 17 points.

From there, it was Gurley who handled most of the heavy lifting to finish the job. Gurley rushed for 128 yards on 19 carries, including his first two career NFL touchdowns to put the Browns away.

What it means: The Rams finally took care of business against an opponent they were expected to beat. After a disappointing loss at Washington in week 2, the Rams looked like they could be on their way to another year in which games they are “supposed” to win don’t go their way. At times in Sunday’s game, the Rams had the look of a team that might give this one away but it didn’t happen. At 3-3, the Rams still have to prove they can be consistent regardless of opponent but they’ll get a chance to do it next week against another beatable opponent, the San Francisco 49ers.

What were they thinking?: The Rams haven’t had much production from other members of the offense during their first five games. So it would stand to reason that when they reach the red zone, they’d want to get that duo touches. But on their first drive of the third quarter, when they finally found some offensive traction and ventured inside Cleveland’s 20, they gave it to backup back Benny Cunningham twice, allowed a sack and tried a pass to tight end Jared Cook. They settled for a 35-yard field goal try, which kicker Greg Zuerlein missed.

One reason to panic: The Rams offense had a week off with the bye, time that was supposedly spent working out some of their many kinks on offense. But that unit looked worse for the lack of wear in the first quarter. The Rams had 3 yards of total offense in the first 15 minutes and though they picked it up a bit in the second quarter, their best drive died on a fumble by tight end Jared Cook in the red zone. They need players other than Gurley and Austin to contribute if they’re to make a push toward the postseason.

Fantasy watch: Much was expected of Gurley in this game against Cleveland’s porous run defense and he delivered. But for those playing in a PPR league, he also chipped in four catches for 35 yards to put a little more icing on the cake.

Ouch: The Rams had a couple of minor scares with cornerback Trumaine Johnson and linebacker Akeem Ayers leaving the game briefly for injuries but both returned and finished the game.

Safety valve: Rams’ Barron racks up 16 tackles in move to linebacker

FOX Sports

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/st-louis-rams-mark-barron-thrives-at-linebacker-102515

The St. Louis Rams absorbed a big blow on defense when outside linebacker Alec Ogletree suffered a fractured right fibula that left his season in doubt.

Replacing the team’s leading tackler from each of the past two seasons would be no easy task, but the Week 6 bye allowed the Rams to get creative with their linebacker corps and slide Mark Barron from safety to weak-side linebacker for Sunday’s game versus Cleveland.

“I think that’s a great spot for Mark,” Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins said. “Hard-nosed hitter. Loves to be around the ball. High energy.”

Barron made the move look brilliant with a stellar performance Sunday. He registered a team-high 16 tackles, including 10 solo and two for losses, as the Rams forced four turnovers, collected four sacks and surrendered only a pair of field goals in a 24-6 victory.

“I’m just playing football,” Barron said. “That’s easy to me. I just line up and I know my responsibility. And as long as I know my responsibility, I can do that. It’s not a hard adjustment. It’s just football.”

Barron helped snuff out one of Cleveland’s last hopes, combining with safety T.J. McDonald to force a fumble by Browns wideout Travis Benjamin near midfield early in the fourth quarter. The Rams recovered and running back Todd Gurley scored seven plays later for a commanding 24-6 lead.

“We’ve asked him to do a lot more with Alec being gone,” St. Louis middle linebacker James Laurinaitis said of Barron. “He knows a lot of football and really triggers when he sees a play happening he goes for it.”

Rams notebook: Hayes, Westbrooks fill the void at left end

Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-notebook-hayes-westbrooks-fill-the-void-at-left-end/article_613febc6-8ee1-5fce-87e1-4d8619e170ea.html

Defensive end Chris Long remains on crutches following a knee injury suffered two weeks ago in Green Bay and probably won’t be in the lineup anytime soon. But judging from the work of his replacements Sunday against Cleveland, the Rams should get by just fine until Long is healthy.

The Rams got three quarterback sacks and two forced fumbles from the left defensive end position in a 24-6 victory over the Browns at the Edward Jones Dome. Veteran Williams Hayes started in Long’s place and registered two sacks, both of which jarred the ball loose from Cleveland quarterback Josh McCown.

The Rams recovered both fumbles, with the first leading to a field goal and the second basically icing the game late in the fourth quarter.

“He’s playing very consistent (against) the run,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “Good pass-rush. Good pressure collapsing the pocket for us. We got good pressure on Josh today.”

Productive days are nothing new for Hayes, who has been a valuable part of the Rams’ defensive line rotation since signing with the team in 2012 as a free agent from the Tennessee Titans.

The Rams also got another sack from the left end position, from second-year man Ethan Westbrooks at the end of the third quarter. It was the first NFL regular-season sack for Westbrooks, who beat out former Missouri star Michael Sam for a roster spot in 2014 as an undrafted rookie from West Texas A&M.

Westbrooks said he didn’t realize he had sacked McCown until after the play; he thought the ball had been thrown on the play.

“I felt like we made Chris real proud today,” Westbrooks said. “I know he’s hungry to get back in it. I’m just trying to fill the hole wherever I can and do my job.”

SITTING IT OUT

Besides Long, other Rams inactives Sunday were tight end Lance Kendricks (hand), running back Tre Mason (ankle), linebacker Alec Ogletree (ankle), linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, offensive lineman Andrew Donnal and quarterback Sean Mannion.

Running back Trey Watts replaced Mason on the game-day roster; tight end Justice Cunningham did so for Kendricks. Watts and Cunningham were promoted from the practice squad, so Sunday marked the first regular-season action for either player. Neither player had a carry or a catch against Cleveland.

BIG PLAYS FROM BRITT

On a day when the Rams’ passing game mustered only 15 catches and 163 yards, wide receiver Kenny Britt delivered a couple of big plays on the Rams’ third-quarter touchdown drive.

On first-and-10 from the St. Louis 32, Britt drew a 26-yard pass interference penalty on Cleveland cornerback Pierre Desir, the local product from Lindenwood University and Francis Howell Central High.

On the next play, Britt got behind Desir for a 41-yard reception to the Cleveland 1. Todd Gurley scored on the next play to give the Rams a 17-6 lead with 2 minutes 14 seconds left in the third.

“The safety was over a little left,” quarterback Nick Foles said. “It was man coverage. Kenny did a great job ‘outside-releasing’ the guy. I was just able to get a ball over the top. … It was really just a one-on-one opportunity and Kenny made a great play.”

CROWD HELPS

The number of tickets distributed in the 66,000-seat dome was announced at 51,523. The number of fans actually in the stands Sunday was probably in the 40,000-to-45,000 range. But they were a loud bunch, and Fisher was thankful for it.

“The fans were great today,” Fisher said. “They helped today with respect to the false starts and the penalties and things like that. I’m sure they enjoyed watching Todd run.”

On a day when the two teams combined for 20 penalties for 173 yards, Cleveland was flagged four times for false starts and four times for offensive holding.

“The noise gets to you,” Cleveland coach Mike Pettine said. “It was hard for our guys to hear.”

RAM-BLINGS

• Gurley said he played Sunday without wearing a left knee brace, the first time that’s happened since he suffered the injury last November at the University of Georgia

• One of the smallest players on the field, Tavon Austin, threw a key block on Gurley’s 48-yard run in the third quarter

• According to unofficial press box stats, Rams safety Mark Barron — playing at outside linebacker — had 16 tackles

Rams fans find their hero in Gurley

Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-fans-find-their-hero-in-gurley/article_22697816-0f65-57df-bbba-6d3f949f5093.html

Beleaguered on many fronts, starved for success, Rams fans suddenly have a hero to rally behind. His name is. …

Gurley! Gurley! Gurley!

The chant was heard on several occasions during Sunday’s 24-6 Rams victory over the Cleveland Browns at the Edward Jones Dome.

Of course, Todd Gurley heard it, when he wasn’t busy rushing for 128 yards and his first two touchdowns as a pro, that is.

“Yeah, it was cool,” Gurley said modestly.

Gurley’s first home start as a St. Louis Ram was better than cool. He topped 100 yards rushing for the third consecutive start and just missed joining former Los Angeles Ram Eric Dickerson in becoming the second rookie in NFL history to rush for 140 yards-plus in three consecutive games.

For those scoring at home, that’s 433 yards rushing in Gurley’s first three NFL starts. Coach Jeff Fisher said he’s never had a back get off to such a quick start as a rookie.

“No, and I’ve been around some really good ones,” Fisher said. “Chris Johnson was outstanding early and Eddie George was outstanding early. I don’t recall them having the numbers after three full games like Todd has.”

Sunday’s numbers didn’t come easy, at least not at first. Coming to town ranked last in the league in run defense, Cleveland (2-5) was revved up to stop the rookie from Georgia. After three carries, Gurley had minus-2 yards rushing. He was dropped behind the line of scrimmage by the Browns on three of his first five attempts.

“Well, they’re stout up front,” Fisher said. “This is a big defensive front. So you saw early the tackles for losses, and the penetration. There always is an element of adjusting in your run game based on what they’re doing to your formations and things of that sort.”

As has been the case in all three Gurley starts, the Rams’ offense started slowly before gaining steam in the second half. How slow? How about 3 yards — that’s nine measly feet — in the first quarter?

But it didn’t matter on this Sunday because the St. Louis defense came out snarling. On quarterback Josh McCown’s first completion of the day, just three plays into Cleveland’s first offensive series, cornerback Janoris Jenkins jarred the ball loose from wide receiver Taylor Gabriel.

Quicker than you could say “Rodney McLeod,” the Rams’ free safety swooped in for a 20-yard scoop and score. It was McLeod’s first touchdown as an NFL player and it gave the Rams a 7-0 lead just 3 minutes into the game.

“I haven’t touched the end zone in a while, so it was a great feeling,” McLeod said. “Just to set the tone like that for the game, it was a big play.”

And then on Cleveland’s next possession, defensive end Williams Hayes dropped McCown with a sack and a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Akeem Ayers at the Cleveland 25. The Rams converted that takeaway into a Greg Zuerlein field goal, and just like that, it was 10-0 St. Louis midway through the first quarter.

Before all was said and done the Rams had four turnovers, all on forced fumbles. They sacked McCown four times and hit him on several other occasions, knocking him out of the game with a shoulder injury late in the fourth quarter.

“Obviously the turnovers were the difference in the game,” Fisher said.

Even so, Cleveland managed to hang around well into the third quarter. The Browns got on the board with a Travis Coons field goal early in the second quarter, on a 73-yard drive kept alive by back-to-back offside penalties on the Rams on third down.

The Rams left some points on the field in the opening half, ending one scoring chance when tight end Jared Cook lost a fumble at the Cleveland 15. Another chance ended in a missed 63-yard field goal attempt by Zuerlein in the closing seconds of the half when the Rams stalled after reaching the Cleveland 45.

“You could sense the level of frustration in the locker room at halftime — 10-3, we’re up by seven,” Fisher said. “I told ’em just to settle down and keep working at it and we’ll make some plays. Nobody try to do too much, eliminate the mistakes. Which we did.”

But not before Cleveland opened the second half with another field goal drive to make it 10-6. Zuerlein didn’t help matters when he missed a 35-yard attempt wide right with 8½ minutes to play in the third quarter. It was only the third miss of Zuerlein’s NFL career from 35 yards or closer.

Even though the score remained 10-6, the Rams always seemed to be in control of the game, thanks to their defense.

With the aid of some no-huddle — yes, no-huddle — the offense finally got going. Gurley had 83 of his 128 rushing yards in the final two quarters, scoring from 1 yard out late in the third quarter for a 17-6 lead and then from 16 yards out midway through the fourth to give the Rams their 24-6 cushion.

“Oh, it felt good to get my first two,” Gurley said. “Credit to the offensive line. Those guys did great all day. Hopefully, we can keep this thing rolling.”

He celebrated that first NFL touchdown, which came on an uncontested stroll around left end, with an emphatic spike. Did he save the football?

“I think it’s right here,” Gurley said to a mob of reporters, glancing back at his locker stall. “Unless one of you all got it. (Then) I’m gonna have to get it back.”

No return was necessary.

On the drive leading up to his second TD, the crowd could be heard chanting Gurley’s name as he converted a key third-and-1 play with a 3-yard gain to the Cleveland 23.

Four plays later, Gurley turned the lights out on Cleveland with a nifty cutback on a 16-yard run that started out wide right.

“That was an outside zone play,” Gurley said. “That was the first outside zone play we had run since the first quarter. I kind of saw the edge and the defenders flowing, and just cut it back.”

Back into the end zone, helping the Rams get back to .500 at 3-3 with struggling San Francisco (2-5) coming to town next week.

Strong defense and a strong running game mark the path to success for this team.

“Right,” said defensive tackle Michael Brockers. “The Fisher blueprint. And you see what we can do.”

RockRam

It was interesting to hear the post game comments from the Brown’s local analysts.

They thought that Cleveland was over matched in every phase of the game.

They were surprised at how the Rams Dline overwhelmed what the local reporters felt was a very good Oline.

They saw the Rams D as beating up the Brown’s O, and just the general physical level of play.

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Browns vs. Rams analysis

http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/browns-vs-rams-analysis-nate-ulrich-breaks-down-24-6-loss-1.635333

What went right: Strong safety Donte Whitner forced tight end Jared Cook to fumble at the Browns’ 15-yard line, setting up free safety Jordan Poyer for the recovery with 4:22 left in the first half and thwarting a drive by the Rams.

What went wrong: Where should we start? Starting quarterback Josh McCown suffered a right shoulder injury and might not be able to play next week. He accounted for two of the Browns’ four lost fumbles. They failed to score a touchdown. They committed 11 penalties — six on the offensive line, two on the tight ends, two on the defense and one on special teams — for 98 yards. The defense has yet to stop the run, and fans at the Edward Jones Dome were chanting the name of Rams rookie running back Todd Gurley in the second half because he dominated the Browns.

The bottom line: If McCown misses time because of his injured throwing shoulder, Johnny Manziel will start Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals with the NFL’s investigation into his Oct. 12 fight with his girlfriend hanging over his head.

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Cleveland Browns in big trouble after being beaten physically and emotionally in St. Louis

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2015/10/cleveland_browns_in_big_troubl.html#incart_river

ST. LOUIS — Josh McCown sounded like a man trying to talk with a swollen jaw. That’s because the Browns quarterback was belted in the jaw as he was knocked to the artificial turf.

He also banged his right elbow into a wall. His right shoulder is a problem, too.

Then there was coach Mike Pettine, whose voice was raspy, punctuated with some concerned head shakes.

“It’s a pretty simple formula to lose,” he said. “Turn the ball over three times, it results in 17 points. Commit 10 penalties, and a lot of them were self inflicted…”

It was a very grim Sunday for his team, losing 24-6 in St. Louis. The Browns sounded emotionally drained. They also looked and felt very black and blue after facing the Rams’ relentless and often overpowering defense.

Safety Jordan Poyer left the locker room with his arm in a sling from a shoulder injury. Poyer was starting for Tashaun Gipson, who has missed the last three games with an ankle injury.

Tight end Gary Barnidge had a tooth knocked out and took stitches in his lip at halftime. He kept playing and finished with six catches and 101 yards. Receiver Andrew Hawkins has a concussion.

As for McCown, it hurt to watch him stand at the podium and try to talk.

“Josh, how did it feel to hit the wall?” someone asked.

“It didn’t feel good,” he said.

Nothing did for the Browns on this day.

QUESTIONS HANGING OVER TEAM

The Browns are 2-5 and full of question marks that border on doubt.

It’s hard to imagine McCown being ready for next Sunday’s game against Arizona after all the shots that he took. He was sacked four times, knocked down another four times. He was under mental duress for four quarters.

If McCown is out, Johnny Manziel will start. Is he ready? He is talented enough? This may be a chance to find out, but it’s a very tough spot for the second-year quarterback.
The Browns are now 2-5 and full of question marks that border on doubt.

“I hope people have not given up on me,” said Manziel, meaning the fans.

Manziel should not worry about that. Fans are always willing to embrace any quarterback who brings even the slightest semblance of hope.

IT’S MORE THAN THE QUARTERBACK

At the end of the first quarter, the Rams had three yards of offense and a 10-0 lead! That’s because two Browns fumbles led to a touchdown and a field goal in their first two possessions.

Travis Benjamin blew a block that led to Taylor Gabriel being blind-sided after catching a short pass and fumbling. Safety Rodney McLeod picked up the ball and bolting 20 yards for a touchdown.

On their next possession, McCown was hit and fumbled. The Rams recovered. That set up a field goal.

As for the rest of the game, the Browns never could find the end zone. The offensive line was physically dominated and shaken by the crowd noise. The Browns were flagged four times for false starts. They were penalized four times for holding penalties.

That happens when you’re being bullied by the opposing defense.

A HUGE CHALLENGE

For the Browns, the biggest obstacle will be not to think, “Here we go again.”

The team started last season with a 7-4 record, but lost its last five. Pettine was hoping for a quick start this year, but they are 2-5. So for those players here in 2014, they now have lost 10 of 12.

The Browns still have five games left with AFC North opponents. That’s a major obstacle. But so is the culture the Browns want to change.

I didn’t detect a lack of effort Sunday. But there was a real deficit when it came to confidence. That happens when the losses pile up.

“We were just shooting ourselves in the foot,” McCown said of the turnovers.

Right now, the Browns are limping emotionally, and that can be very hard to heal until a few wins come along.

Monday Wrap-Up: Correcting the Offensive Issues

Myles Simmons

http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Monday-Wrap-Up-Correcting-the-Offensive-Issues/5c53c316-0f5f-4826-940a-318f45202e0a

The Rams have received outstanding production from running back Todd Gurley over their last three games, but the rest of the offense has not fared quite so well.

That said, St. Louis has won two of those three games — including Sunday’s 24-6 victory over Cleveland — and it’s always easier to correct things after a win than a loss. Head coach Jeff Fisher said that was part of his message to the team as it went through the film on Monday.

“We’re going to continue to work on it. Players understand,” Fisher said. “We took advantage of the film study and review time to move forward in preparation for the 49ers. So that’s been kind of the theme today is, let’s get things corrected, and get better, and go play San Francisco.”

As Fisher has talked about before this season, he said in his Monday press conference the Rams’ two most significant offensive issues are getting more first downs and converting third-down opportunities. On Sunday, they netted 16 first downs but were just 1-of-9 in third-down efficiency.

That’s why the onus falls on the entire unit to improve production.

“We need to do better across the board offensively,” Fisher said. “Getting open, creating opportunities for [receivers] to get open, and then making the throws.”

That’s especially because Fisher said teams have already started placing more men in the box to try to defend Gurley.

“Arizona did it. Green Bay did it. And so did Cleveland,” Fisher said. “We’ve got to do more with [Gurley’s] teammates around him. We’ve got to get more production out of the other players and get the ball down the field. Take advantage of that and that’s what we’re working on.”

GOING NO HUDDLE

The offense did get going after halftime, particularly when the team elected to speed up the tempo. The Rams do not utilize much of their no-huddle offense, but did so effectively in the second half on Sunday.

“We sped the tempo up just a little bit in the second half and that helped us a little bit,” Fisher said. “Nick was good with that. That doesn’t mean we’re going to do it this week, but it was a good adjustment as far as most of the third quarter was concerned.”

Foles said after the game he’s comfortable going no huddle, as he has a long history with it from high school, to college, to the pros. And Fisher said the quarterback made good adjustments with it throughout the third quarter.

“He got together with the offense and said, ‘These are the things we’re going to do. Let’s go do it.’ He did it,” Fisher said of Foles. “So, yeah, it’s good. I mean, we work on it. It’s a two-minute offense. We work on in it in practice.”

AUSTIN’S BLOCKING

Wide receiver Tavon Austin was one of the players instrumental in getting the offense in a rhythm, though not necessarily the way one would assume. He has been productive throughout the year, and continued that trend Sunday even though he like was not 100 percent, according to Fisher. The wideout had been listed as questionable due to a hamstring injury.

“That’s a sign of a real pro, the way he handled himself,” Fisher said.

Austin still took an end around for 21 yards, and made four receptions for 43 yards to lead the team. But it was his run blocking that really stood out. Listed at 5-foot-8 and 176 pounds, Austin hit some blocks on Gurley runs that probably made him feel much larger to Cleveland defenders — particularly on the running back’s 48-yard run and 16-yard touchdown.

“I think it’s a message to our receivers that they need to learn how to block like Tavon,” Fisher said. “Tavon’s a good blocker.”

FLIPPING THE GUARDS

With Garrett Reynolds inserted into the starting lineup with Rodger Saffold on injured reserve, rookie Jamon Brown flipped back over from left to right guard for Sunday’s contest. Fisher said he thought the switch worked out well for the most part for both Reynolds and Brown.

“JB’s problems that he had were more of the matchup against the defensive talent level versus the fact that he had moved from left to right, so he’ll be fine,” Fisher said, complimenting Browns’ defensive lineman Randy Starks.

The head coach added much of the reason for the switch was the communication factor between Reynolds and left tackle Greg Robinson.

“Greg’s a long ways away from things out there at left tackle, so it’s good to have Garrett in there communicating with him,” Fisher said.

Ten Takeaways from the Rams’ 24-6 Win Over the Browns

Posted by: Randy Karraker

http://www.101sports.com/2015/10/26/ten-takeaways-from-the-rams-24-6-win-over-the-browns/

For the first time since Sam Bradford’s last start for the Rams, the team is at 3-3, with a chance to move up in the standings AND a chance to go 3-0 in the division next weekend. A 24-6 win over Cleveland showed the stingy nature of the defense again, but the offensive identity continued to come into focus. With that, 10 takeaways from Sunday…

1) The first four Ram drives netted a total of sixteen net yards. At one point, the Browns had outgained the Rams 98-21. The offense looked bad. But in their final two quarters the Rams gained 200 yards and scored two touchdowns. They kept probing and found the holes in the Browns defense.

2) Rookie Todd Gurley ran nine times for 45 yards in the first half, 10-83 in the second. He’s the classic example of a back that just needs the ball. Some backs need to get involved and have a big run early. Gurley is one of those that you simply need to keep feeding the ball to. In his first three carries, he had minus-2 yards, then had a fourteen yard jaunt.

Then he had another minus-three yarder before ripping off runs of six, three, fifteen and twelve yards to end the first half. Then Gurley took off in the second half, scoring his first two NFL touchdowns. He’s a big play back who happens to be a pounder, too.

3) The defense forced four fumbles. That’s ten takeaways in the last three games for the Rams, and a plus-5 ratio. Teams that finish plus-3 in the turnover battle have a .933 winning percentage over the last seven seasons, and teams in plus territory win almost 79% of the time. Gregg Williams’ unit is doing their part, and with San Francisco up next at the Dome, we should see more takeaways.

4) The Rams solidly closed this one. In one of our returns in the Rams pregame show, we hear Jeff Fisher yell to his team “finish, finish, finish.” On Sunday, the Rams finished. In the last 17:20 the Rams outscored Cleveland 14-0 and the defense held the Browns to a punt, two fumbles, and a turnover on downs in their last four possessions. On both sides of the ball, the Rams finished.

5) Mark Barron is versatile. We wondered here how the Rams would use Mark Barron in trying to fill the shoes of the injured Alec Ogletree. Barron has stepped up like a seventh pick in the draft should. He finished with sixteen tackles, according to press box stats. He was all over the place. Once again, we see how Williams’ creativity benefits the overall defense, this time in moving a safety to full-time linebacker. This is perhaps the most versatile group of defensive players on one team in the NFL, and Barron is as versatile as any Ram defender.

6) The defense didn’t let Chris Long’s absence get them down. Long is the heart and soul of the defense, but he’s out with a knee injury. William Hayes, filling in for Long, had two sacks. And, to their credit, the defense played with grit and determination. Only allowing two field goals to the Browns, the way they’ve been moving the ball, is a major achievement. There were plenty of chances to let down emotionally, but they didn’t.

7) Kenny Britt had one catch for 41 yards, 25% of the passing yards Nick Foles had. And it was a big one late in the third quarter that set up Gurley’s first NFL touchdown.

The Rams threw the ball only 23 times, and wide receivers were targeted eleven times…with Tavon Austin getting seven of those targets. Britt was thrown to twice, Stedman Bailey and Brian Quick once each.

Obviously, Fisher’s offense is based on throwing the ball to tight ends and running backs. If you have a Rams wide receiver other than Austin in a fantasy league, you need not have him on your roster.

8) Jared Cook already had the dropsies, and his second quarter fumble blew a chance for a score. If Cook isn’t going to block and is going to drop as many balls as he does, it’s imperative that his ball security be pristine. He has not delivered on his massive contract so far. When Isaiah Pead fumbled, Fisher said if he put him in the game and he fumbled again, it would be on the coach. The same should apply to Cook. If his play continues this way, the Rams need to look for someone else to do the job.

9) The attendance was announced at 51,523. There were probably 35,000 in the house. If the league DOES care about attendance, then Sunday was not a good showing for St. Louis. Like the Rams, the Raiders attendance has been announced at around 55,000 for their three home games, while San Diego has had crowds of 66,000, 63,000 and two of 67,000-plus.

10) The last time the Rams got to 4-3 was 2006, Scott Linehan’s first year as head coach. They have a chance to get there next Sunday when the struggling San Francisco 49ers visit. It’s important for the Rams to put back-to-back wins together if they’re ever going to ascend to the league’s elite. There’s no reason for the Rams to lose to the 49ers. I’m a Missouri guy. Next week is an opportunity for them to show me.