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RamBillParticipantWatch head coach Jeff Fisher speak to the media on Wednesday regarding the return of Stedman Bailey and Week 3 against the Cowboys. (5:38)
http://www.rams-news.com/jeff-fisher-its-good-to-have-bailey-back-video/
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RamBill.
RamBillParticipantHill, Davis eager to seize opportunity
• By Jeff GordonRams quarterback Shaun Hill has seen a lot of Lovie Smith over the years. He had prepared to face Smith’s scheme about 15 times during his career as a back-up and occasional starter.
“I have a good feeling about what they were doing on defense,” Hill said. “So I was kind of able to help him with that. I didn’t know their personal as well but I knew their scheme well. So, I was kind of able to help him out a little bit there.”
But last week, all Hill could do was counsel teammate Austin Davis as the Rams prepared to face Smith’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He provided another set of eyes in the process.
Hill waited a long, long time to do more than watch, so the quadriceps muscle strain he suffered in the season opener against the Vikings was most aggravating.
“That was something I struggled with big-time, orginally when it first happened,” Hill said Wednesday after practice at Rams Park. “It’s been hard for me to get on the field, especially the last few years. And finally when you get the chance, for that to happen, it’s harder to come back off.
“What can you do? Pick yourself up and get back as soon as you can.”
Meanwhile, Davis has been living at the other end of the emotional spectrum. He was soaring after leading to the Rams to a 19-17 victory at Tampa Bay in his first NFL start.
Davis was in no hurry to let go of the game, as team policy demands. Coach Jeff Fisher gives his team one day to get over it.
“Sometimes you want the ’24-hour rule,'” Davis said, “and sometimes you don’t.”
“But that’s the way it is. You’ve got to keep rolling, you’ve got to keep getting better. And really we have to build off of last week instead of us kind of living on it. We did some good things but we did a lot of things we could improve.”
Neither quarterback has traveled an easy road in his league. Hill’s adventure has been much longer, starting in Minnesota in 2002 and continuing on to San Francisco and Detroit before his arrival here this season.
He attempted just 16 regular-season passes during his last three seasons with the Lions.
Hill was supposed to back up Sam Bradford, but those plans changed when Bradford suffered another ACL injury. Hill took the helm of the offense . . . for one half, anyway.
Hill completed 8 of 13 passes for 81 yards in the first half against the Vikings, but the Rams struggled to sustain to drives.
They made one mistake after another, culminating with Hill’s late second-quarter interception that led to Minnesota’s first TD.
“It felt like we had some good rhythm,” Hill said. “Just as an offense we just kept shooting ourselves in the foot. Just doing something on every drive to kind of set us back. But, I felt like there were times when we were executing really well, just weren’t able to sustain drives long enough to get points. Of course, the bad decision late in the half, was just that: it was a bad decision.”
His thigh injury hindered him on that play and it has kept him sidelined since then.
“It’s getting better and better every day,” Hill said. “I was able to do more things (today). No setbacks.”
So is he going to play Sunday?
“I think that’ll be determined later in the week,” he said. “But, the idea going in is to just keep progressing and see what happens when we get later in the week.”
Davis’ recent ups and downs have been more dramatic. He worked his way onto the practice squad as an undrafted free agent. He got cut in his second go-around, then returned to Rams Park on an emergency basis last season.
He fell into a “camp arm” role this summer before rising, improbably, to the starting assignment. Davis completed 22 of 29 passes against the Buccaneers for 225 yards.
That wasn’t a Pro Bowl-qualifying performance, but it did wonders for Davis’ career. He played with poise, made plays under duress and came away with a victory.
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett noted this during a conference call with the St. Louis media. “That quarterback play has been solid, especially last week,” Garrett said.
In a few short weeks, Davis went from facing the reaper — and perhaps the end of his NFL career, if he got cut again — to putting himself squarely on the map.
“I told him how great he played,” Hill said. “That is the only evaluation I could come up for that game. He played wonderful. We were very, very excited for him.”
So what happens now? Davis took most of the practice repetitions again Wednesday, although Hill was more engaged with the offense.
Fisher was predictably vague about Hill’s availability. “This is about not setting him back so we don’t want to put him in position out here on the field to where we’re risking setting him back,” Fisher said. “He’s day-to-day and we’ll see where it goes.”
Davis could make his second NFL start. Or could be in the bullpen again, ready to step in if Hill aggravates his injury.
He is eager to play. Hill is eager to play. Their roller-coaster careers go up and down, around and around.
September 17, 2014 at 8:20 pm in reply to: setting up the Dallas game – vids & articles with Wagoner, Prisco/Kirwan, etc. #7696RamBillParticipantESPN’s NFL Live crew make their picks for Dallas at St. Louis. Brian Dawkins goes with the Rams, while Herm Edwards picks the Cowboys. (:59)
http://www.rams-news.com/espns-nfl-live-prediction-cowboys-rams-video/
September 17, 2014 at 8:00 pm in reply to: vid, audio interviews–Bailey, Snead with Hekker & Casey #7732RamBillParticipantRams GM Les Snead joins ‘What The Hekk Wednesday’ to talk about the @LesSneadHair Twitter handle and the long weather delay last Sunday in Tampa, plus more.
http://www.rams-news.com/les-snead-talks-rams-with-johnny-hekker-radio-interview/
RamBillParticipantFisher stands by Hill-when-healthy mantra
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11797/fisher-stands-by-hill-when-healthy-mantra
EARTH CITY, Mo. — No matter how many times the question is asked or in how many different ways it’s phrased, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher has never wavered in his response: Shaun Hill is his starting quarterback and Austin Davis is the backup.
It goes something like this:
“If Shaun is healthy and able to play and not going to subject himself to re-injuring this or making it worse, then Shaun’s our quarterback and Austin’s our backup,” Fisher said. “That’s just the way it is.”
Well, then what about the possibility for a change of heart after sleeping on it?
“I won’t visit with you guys (Tuesday), but I will Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, so you can ask me again, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, if you want,” Fisher said. “You’re going to get the same answer.”
Once again, Fisher has reiterated that he’s never had a quarterback controversy in his many years of coaching and he doesn’t plan to start now. Of course, there are a few factors at play here that need to be taken into account.
The key word in Fisher’s response is “healthy.” Hill will start when healthy. In other words, when his injured thigh is healed.
That didn’t happen last week and there’s no guarantee that it will this week. Fisher said Hill probably wouldn’t practice Wednesday and might be able to do limited work Thursday. Until he can get back on the field in practice, there’s no need to rush Hill back, especially with Davis now having some experience and a good performance as a starter last week under his belt.
Until Hill is healthy, there’s really not even much reason to discuss a possible quarterback controversy. If Hill is close to healthy but not all the way there, there’s no reason for the Rams to even ponder playing him. That’s especially true with the bye week coming after this week’s game.
According to Fisher, the impending bye week could be a part of the decision should Hill be close but not all the way back.
“Well it would be a factor,” Fisher said. “Again, this is not coach speak, it’s day to day. We’re going to see how he is.”
If indeed Hill isn’t able to return this week, the Rams would have an additional week to get him healthy to play in Week 5 against Philadelphia. That would serve the purpose of not only allowing Hill to get to 100 percent but give the Rams another opportunity to evaluate Davis.
If Davis starts again and struggles, it could remove any lingering outside doubts that Hill should be the guy moving forward. If Davis starts again, plays well and leads the Rams to another win, perhaps Fisher will have to reconsider over the bye. Perhaps he won’t. But if that’s the case, rest assured, the questions will only continue.
RamBillParticipantMorning Ram-blings: Donald showing up
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11788/morning-ram-blings-donald-showing-up
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams haven’t had a lot of contributions from their rookie class in the first two weeks save for the work of starting cornerback E.J. Gaines, but one other Rams draft pick has started to make his presence felt.
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, was one of the team’s most consistently impressive players during training camp and the preseason. He hasn’t played a ton of snaps thus far, but when he’s been on the field he’s finding a way to make an impact.
Over at 101sports.com, Anthony Stalter provided his three plays that helped the Rams to a win against Tampa Bay. All three plays were instrumental, but I wanted to focus on Stalter’s mention of Donald and the consecutive plays he made that helped lead to the Buccaneers settling for a field goal instead of a touchdown.
Donald disrupted back to back running plays by taking it to veteran guard Logan Mankins. They’re the type of plays that won’t draw much attention, and though Donald doesn’t have any sacks yet, he’s been as disruptive as advertised on the snaps he is getting.
In fact, the Rams coaches credited Donald with a sack against Tampa Bay on a different play. Whether or not it should actually belong to Donald doesn’t matter. He’s performing well and has probably earned more playing time.
I.C.Y.M.I.
A roundup of Tuesday’s Rams stories appearing on ESPN.com. … In the Ram-blings, we opened the day with a link to Austin Davis’ interview with on SVP and Russillo. … The rookie review offered snap counts and production against Tampa Bay. … We then examined tight end Cory Harkey’s toughness and how the Rams get a boost from it. … The Rams had a strange week on defense against the Bucs with an odd disparity between yards allowed on first and second down. … The Rams moved up four spots to No. 28 in this week’s ESPN Power Rankings.
Elsewhere:
Here’s the full version of Tuesday’s new ESPN Power Rankings.
Kevin Seifert’s weekly quarterback report.
Eric Karabell offers some fantasy takeaways on the Rams through two weeks.
Also at 101sports.com, here’s yours truly talking it over on the Kevin Wheeler Show.
At stltoday.com, columnist Bryan Burwell writes that Jeff Fisher is doing the right thing by avoiding quarterback controversy.
Jim Thomas writes about Fisher not budging on the quarterback situation.
RamBillParticipantThings We Noticed: Game 2 vs. Tampa Bay
• By Jim ThomasPost-Dispatch football writer Jim Thomas takes a final look at the Rams’ game at Tampa Bay:
DEFENSE UPSIDE DOWN
Perhaps the biggest concern entering the season _ at least before Sam Bradford’s season-ending knee injury _ was the secondary. Could these inexperienced guys cover anybody? Could they tackle anybody? Well, two games into the season they have played surprisingly well, particularly safeties T.J. McDonald and Rodney McLeod. Janoris Jenkins has played with more consistency and more discipline, and E.J. Gaines doesn’t look like a rookie. But it’s the front seven, you know the group with all those first-round draft picks and the catchy #SackCity nickname, that is struggling. Granted, Chris Long wasn’t on the field Sunday against Tampa following injury, but the shoddy play of the run defense was alarming. If Bobby Rainey can gain 144 yards and average 6.5 yards a carry, what kind of havoc will Rams killer DeMarco Murray of Dallas wreak on the defense Sunday.
GOLDSON’S GRUESOME HIT
Hard-hitting Tampa Bay safety Dashon Goldson was fined $455,000 for illegal hits last season, according to Yahoo! Sports, including $60,000 for one on Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey. Since blows to the head are taboo _ and subject to fines _ as Goldson has been made aware of time after time in his NFL career, he decided to go low on Rams fullback/tight end Cory Harkey. More precisely, Goldson launched himself at Harkey’s knees. The replay looks gruesome, with the left knee bending in a way it’s not designed to bend. It’s amazing that Harkey didn’t suffer a season-ending knee injury on the play and even more amazing that Harkey returned for the game. If it were a quarterback who got hit like that, there would’ve been a penalty and Goldson might have been tossed from the game. But apparently fullback/tight ends are disposable objects. There was no penalty, and it’ll be interesting to see if Goldson even gets fined.
HORSE PLAY
Defensive end Eugene Sims is a talented fifth-year pro who plays with a lot of energy and passion. But two horse-collar tackles in one game? The first penalty for pulling a player down from behind by his collar turned a fourth-and-1 for Tampa at the St. Louis 35 into a first-and-10 at the 20. The Bucs went on to score a touchdown on their opening drive. The second horse-collar penalty came with 33 seconds left in the first half deep in Tampa territory, so it had no consequence on the game. Make no mistake, Jeff Fisher talked to Sims about it. “We did; we talked after,” Fisher said. “He apologized. Just leaving the ground on one _ it’s an effort play. You just can’t grab the collar though.”
OFFICIATING
A questionable roughing the passer call on Rams linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar in the fourth quarter turned what would’ve been fourth-and-5 from the Tampa 23 into a first down on the 38. The Bucs ended up scoring their final points of the game on the drive on a Patrick Murray field goal for a 17-16 lead. Dunbar appeared to strike Tampa quarterback Josh McCown on the shoulder, not on the helmet. It was Fisher’s contention that because referee Jeff Triplette was stationed behind the quarterback, he simply assumed that because McCown’s head snapped back from the blow that it was a helmet-to-helmet hit.
BRIEFLY
Two games in, the Rams’ receiving unit is catching just about everything thrown at them. And that’s much, much different than a year ago, particularly over the first half of the 2013 season. . . .DT Aaron Donald is coming on. Coaches review of game film had him with four tackles for loss against Tampa Bay. . . .The Bucs had a lot of success running to the Rams’ right. . . .Interesting, don’t you think, that Tim Barnes came in as the extra blocker down near the goal line Sunday, and not No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson?
September 16, 2014 at 3:16 pm in reply to: setting up the Dallas game – vids & articles with Wagoner, Prisco/Kirwan, etc. #7583RamBillParticipantNick Wagoner joined Kevin Wheeler to talk about Austin Davis’ performance, what improvements he has made since last season, why he thinks he will start again this week, and how he can make it a controversy. He also broke down the Rams defense and in particular their lack of ability to get pressure on the QBs and why it’s not the Rams but the other teams adjusting to the Rams.
RamBillParticipantMorning Ram-blings: Davis on radio
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11727/morning-ram-blings-davis-on-radio
EARTH CITY, Mo. — As one might expect after he led the St. Louis Rams to a victory in his first NFL start, quarterback Austin Davis has been making the media rounds.
On Monday morning, Davis joined ESPN radio to talk about his path to the NFL, the win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and much more with hosts Scott Van Pelt and Ryan Russillo.
Davis has an interesting story to share, from his role as the guy who bested most of Brett Favre’s passing records at Southern Miss to what he was doing last year after the Rams released him and more.
Having been around Davis for three years and seeing the work he’s put in, it’s a nice moment for him. How long it lasts will apparently depend on the condition of Shaun Hill’s thigh but for now, give it a listen and get a little insight into the Rams’ little-known signal caller.
I.C.Y.M.I.
A roundup of Monday’s Rams stories appearing on ESPN.com. … In the Ram-blings, we began Monday like we do every Monday with a look at the NFL Nation game balls from Sunday’s games. … We then revisited three things to watch from the Rams’ win against Tampa Bay. … Receiver Austin Pettis has fallen down the Rams’ depth chart but came up big in the Rams’ win. … In this week’s turning point play, we examined Pettis’ big catch against the Bucs and how it came about. … In a new feature known as “The Film Don’t Lie,” we made it clear the Rams have to clean up their run defense with Dallas back DeMarco Murray coming to town. … The Rams are preparing for the pending reinstatement of receiver Stedman Bailey. … Finally, we offered updates on receiver Tavon Austin and tight end Cory Harkey, both of whom suffered a knee injuries against the Bucs.
Elsewhere:
ESPN’s John Clayton offers his takeaways from the weekend, including a comparison involving a certain injured Rams quarterback.
At 101sports.com, Randy Karraker provided his weekly takeaways from the Rams’ win against Tampa Bay.
Adam Caplan joined the Kevin Wheeler show to talk it over.
At stltoday.com, Joe Strauss chronicles Davis’ journey as well.
Bryan Burwell offers some thoughts on Sunday’s game.
Jim Thomas recaps it all.
RamBillParticipant
Rams notes: Austin, Harkey have mild knee strains
• By Joe LyonsRams coach Jeff Fisher was finally able to provide some positive injury news during his Monday meeting with reporters at Rams Park.
“We did tests, did MRI both on (tight end) Cory Harkey and (wide receiver) Tavon Austin … both have mild knee strains. Nothing that requires surgery (and) I wouldn’t rule them out for this weekend.
“They’re both, as you can imagine, stiff and sore today, but it was good news this morning and we really didn’t have anything else.’’
Fisher again stressed that veteran quarterback Shaun Hill, who missed Sunday’s game with a thigh injury, would return to the starting role if healthy.
Austin, chosen with the eighth overall pick in the 2013 draft, was injured on the play just before the game was suspended by the threat of lightning. On the play, Austin appeared to have his right knee caught under him as he went low for a pass and was hit from behind by Tampa Bay safety Mark Barron.
After the weather delay of nearly an hour, Austin tried to warm up but said the knee tightened up. He finished the day with two carries for 21 yards and one punt return for minus-1 yard.
Harkey was shaken up late in the third quarter. On a bootleg to the left, Austin Davis completed a short pass to Harkey, who was upended quickly on a low hit by safety Dashon Goldson.
Harkey returned in the fourth quarter, hauling in a 6-yard pass from Davis, and finished with two catches for 8 yards.
“We knew Cory was a tough guy. He loves the game,’’ Fisher said. “That was a rough hit … that’s a byproduct of the league and the rule changes. (Goldson) is a good football player and that’s one that you just don’t like to see. … I feared the worst on it until he got to the sideline and the docs felt structurally he was going to be OK. We were going to change some personnel groups and Cory said, ‘No, don’t change them. I’m going back in.’ … Very impressed with him.’’
BAILEY’S RETURN?
The Rams could receive some more good news soon as the NFL and the NFL Players’ Association work toward a new drug policy agreement. When the new agreement is finalized, the suspensions of several players, including Rams receiver Stedman Bailey, will be revoked.
Bailey, who came on last year in his rookie season to finish with 17 catches for 226 yards and to finish second on the team with seven special teams tackles, was suspended four games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy and has not been with the team since the end of the preseason.
He was one of the Rams’ top receivers through training camp and the preseason, finishing with six catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.
“Don’t have any new information,’’ Fisher said. “We’ve been hearing for four or five days that they’re going to vote and that everybody will be reinstated or they have a list of those who should be reinstated. There was some talk about (it) even as late as Friday and Saturday, but I haven’t heard anything.’’
The Rams did, however, place defensive tackle Matt Conrath on waivers Monday.
“We released Matt Conrath to clear a spot in the event that it does happen over the next couple of days,’’ Fisher said.
DEFENSIVE NUMBERS
In addition to coming up with a blocked punt and a blocked field goal, second-year safety T.J. McDonald finished with nine tackles to finish as co-leader along with middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, according to the coaches’ review of the game tape.
McDonald’s last tackle of the game shook up Tampa Bay rookie Mike Evans and helped close out the victory. Evans, a Texas A&M product, had to be helped from the field and since the Bucs has already used their three timeouts, a 10-second runoff resulted in the game ending before Tampa Bay could attempt a last-second field goal try.
“It was a big play,’’ Fisher said.
It marked the first time since 1979 that the Rams had a blocked punt and a blocked field goal in the same game.
Other tackling leaders for the Rams were linebacker Alec Ogletree and defensive end William Hayes with eight apiece and cornerback E.J. Gaines with seven. With six tackles each were defensive tackle Aaron Donald, defensive end Robert Quinn and defensive end Eugene Sims.
Donald, a first-round draft pick from Pitt, led the team with two tackles for loss and was credited with the Rams’ lone sack.
Hayes, starting in place of injured Chris Long, had two quarterback pressures and two quarterback hurries while Ogletree had two quarterback hurries and a pass defense. Linebackers Laurinaitis and Jo-Lonn Dunbar combined to force the Rams’ first interception of the season, an acrobatic grab by safety Rodney McLeod near the St. Louis goal line.
For the second time in as many weeks, Chase Reynolds paced the Rams with two tackles on special teams.
The Rams had 11 players who went the distance in the heat and humidity Sunday. On offense, six players (quarterback Davis and offensive linemen Davin Joseph, Rodger Saffold, Joe Barksdale, Scott Wells and Jake Long) were on the field for all 61 snaps. On defense five (safeties McDonald and McLeod, linebackers Laurinaitis and Ogletree and cornerback Janoris Jenkins) took all 57 defensive snaps.
McDonald also took part in 12 plays on special teams.
RamBillParticipantBurwell: Fisher is wise to avoid drama
• By BRYAN BURWELLThrough his entire 20-year career as a pro football head coach, Jeff Fisher has never committed the folly of being led into the nasty riptide of a full-fledged NFL quarterback controversy. From Houston to Nashville, from struggling teams on the rebuild to gifted teams on the championship prowl, there was no circumstance that would draw him into that divisive swirl that every coach abhors and wants to avoid.
So now, just two games into this rather unusual 2014 season, the Rams’ coach isn’t about to let the swelling popular support for young Austin Davis suck him into the turbulence.
The Rams have no quarterback controversy because Fisher says they don’t.
“You can ask me again, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, if you want,” Fisher told a gathering of reporters Monday evening. “You’re going to get the same answer.”
That answer is this: When healthy, Shaun Hill is his starting QB.
Let me make this a little easier for you to decipher.
When healthy, Shaun Hill is his starting QB.
But Hill isn’t healthy and probably won’t be for another two weeks or so.
So of course what the coach won’t admit is that there really is no QB controversy because of an obvious technicality.
So it’s easy to publicly stick by the 13-year veteran Hill with 26 career NFL starts over the neophyte Davis, with one NFL start under his belt. But none of that matters right now, because Hill’s still too gimpy to play and contribute at full speed and Davis has proven that, with the right preparation, he can manage his way through an NFL game with some noticeable skill and competence.
So even as the public clamors for Fisher to make some declaration that the new kid on the block has leapfrogged Hill on the depth chart, the coach won’t do it, and I don’t blame him.
There’s really no decision to make, so why bother making one that will only stir things up unnecessarily?
This is one of those moments that Tony La Russa, the baseball Cardinals’ old Hall of Fame manager, used to love. Reporters would crowd into his office with these wonderful hypothetical questions that asked La Russa to suspend the present and delve into the future … of course (wink, wink) just for the sake of conversation.
The manager would grin, shrug his shoulders and tell anyone within earshot that he wouldn’t answer the question because he didn’t need to. If and when the hypothetical situation became a reality, then and only then would La Russa ponder it publicly.
This is pretty much what Fisher is doing regarding his quarterbacks. It might make for delicious fodder for sports talk show chatter and maybe a few clashing columns or two, but the coach isn’t going to bite on this hypothetical because he doesn’t have to. You don’t create a mess if there is no need to create one. You don’t stir up trouble when there is no need. You don’t generate a false competition when none exists. Hill isn’t likely to be ready to play this weekend against Dallas, which means the starting job is in Davis’ hands for at least another game.
So this week, Fisher will play it coy for all the obvious competitive reasons, listing Hill on the injury report as questionable, maybe giving him a few reps during practice and telling us once again it will be a game-time decision.
But he probably already knows that it makes no sense to rush Hill back when the best thing for him and the team is to allow Hill to patiently rehab and return only when he is 100 percent healthy. Fisher isn’t blowing smoke when he offers Hill those reassuring words that the No. 1 job is his, based on the glaring fact that Hill’s body of work (34 total NFL games and 959 career pass attempts) is far more conclusive than the small sample size of Davis, who now has thrown a grand total of 52 NFL passes.
The reluctance to proclaim Davis No.1 is simple. We don’t have enough information to know if Davis is a flash in the pan or a rising star, and one game isn’t enough to get an NFL wise guy like Fisher all giddy with the sort of puppy love that is afflicting most Rams loyalists.
But Fisher has seen enough to know that maybe, just maybe, they could be on to something with Davis, and it’s worth exploring what the kid’s ultimate ability could be for a bit longer. While the starter’s job may ultimately return to Hill’s hands the moment he is healthy, there is still an element of competition that can’t — and probably won’t — be ignored by Fisher.
Davis has been in the NFL long enough to know that every time you are on the field you are putting something on tape for the entire league to observe. This is the NFL equivalent of a flash-mob audition. He has been thrown into the starting lineup and for as long as it lasts, he has the opportunity to change Jeff Fisher’s mind.
Even as Fisher steadfastly sticks to his “there is no controversy” mantra, he understands that talent is always capable of trumping experience. Davis needs to keep improving, keep showing that the things he did against Tampa Bay were not a fluke. He needs to get out on that practice field this week and in the meeting rooms all week and make a lasting impression on everyone at Rams Park.
Sunday was a mighty fine start, but that is all it was: a start.
What comes next will determine if he’s a lot closer to being the next Kurt Warner or the next Scott Covington.
It was hard not to notice how much better and more confident Davis grew as the game went on. Fisher saw it when he was on the field and on the sidelines, and he loved what he saw.
“He was in complete control,” said the coach. “If there’s a timeout here or a timeout there or whatever the situation was, we’re talking (to him) and he goes, ‘I got it.’ He felt good about what we were doing. He did a real nice job checking out of some things and getting us into some other things. The line of scrimmage was stacked yesterday and (Tampa’s) opinion was probably that Austin wasn’t going to beat them with his arm, and he did. He made some great plays, made some great throws. He understood exactly what we needed to do.”
The best thing Davis can do now is keep winning. You know what they say about winning, right? It solves everything, including any real or imagined QB controversy that might be percolating.
RamBillParticipantShould Shaun Hill or Austin Davis get the start versus the Cowboys Sunday? ESPN.com Rams Insider Nick Wagoner breaks it down with Randy Karraker.
September 15, 2014 at 9:58 pm in reply to: Bux game recaps…articles, interviews, vids, Wagoner, Thomas, Karraker, etc. #7525RamBillParticipantTen Takeaways from Sunday’s 19-17 Win in Tampa Bay
By Randy Karrakerhttp://www.101sports.com/2014/09/15/ten-takeaways-sundays-19-17-win-tampa-bay/
1. Austin Davis isn’t known to have stocked grocery store shelves, but at this time last season, he was the quarterbacks coach at Westminster Christian Academy in Chesterfield. On Sunday, Davis turned in a representative performance in his first NFL start.
He showed the ability to elude the rush, get the ball out, and didn’t throw an interception. That being said, the Rams were just 1-for-3 in the red zone and scored just one touchdown. With the likes of Brian Quick, Kenny Britt, Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks, the Rams should be more efficient inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. In eight red-zone snaps, the Rams ran the ball four times, Davis was 2-of-3 for seven yards, and Scott Wells had a bad snap that forced the Rams into a field-goal try. As he gets more experience, Davis will earn the confidence of Rams coaches to take more shots into the end zone from the red zone.
2. T.J. McDonald all of a sudden became a marked man on special teams with one game. John Fassel’s special teams are aggressive, and McDonald’s exploits that set up field goals were the difference in this game. His punt block in the second quarter led to a field goal that gave the Rams a halftime lead.
His second block, on the first play of the fourth quarter, was of a field goal that would have made it 17-13 Bucs. The Rams then drove to a 46-yard field goal of their own that made it 16-14 STL. If McDonald doesn’t block the second one, Tampa wins the game.
3. Running backs Zac Stacy and Benny Cunningham turned in a workmanlike 25 carries for 86 yards. Once again, the power running game failed to set the tone for the offense. Tavon Austin and Britt each had end-around carries that gained good yardage, Austin for 18 and Britt for 12. It’s great to trick teams for gains now and then, but that’s not going to work against defenses like the Seahawks and 49ers have. This effort was better than the opener, but the Rams have a ways to go if they’re going to be able to rely on their running game as the foundation of their offense.
4. With only five accepted penalties for 65 yards, the Rams were disciplined enough to allow them to win. Two of the penalties were in the first Tampa Bay drive and one nullified a Rams touchdown, while the other gave the Bucs a first down after they had been stopped on third down. Against a Lovie Smith-coached team, the turnover battle was even. Overall, a clean enough performance to win most weeks.
5. With Rams killer DeMarco Murray coming to town next week, the Rams better buckle down their defense against the run. Tampa ran 30 times for 157 yards, 5.2 per carry. Among Bobby Rainey’s 22 carries for 144 yards were gains of 31, 24 and 19 yards. In Murray’s last two games against the Rams, he’s run for 175 yards on 26 carries last season, and a Cowboys-record 253 yards on 25 carries with a TD in 2011. So, he’s had 428 yards and has averaged 8.4 per carry against St. Louis. They need to be waaayyy better than they were against Rainey if they hope to knock off Dallas.
6. Seeing Greg Zuerlein go 4-for-4 in the field-goal department, in bad conditions in Tampa, was important. A preseason in which he missed three 50-plus-yard tries and then a miss of a 56-yarder last week had some questioning the Rams’ kicker. With six field goals and an extra point in their first two games, the Rams’ kicking specialists of Zuerlein, holder Johnny Hekker and long snapper Jake McQuaide are off to a good start in their Kick Cancer initiative, which you can join at SSMKickCancer.org.
7. E.J. Gaines looks like the real deal. He led the Rams in tackles and shared the defense’s sack with Eugene Sims. Tall Buccaneer receivers Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans were each held to four catches.
The worries about Trumaine Johnson and Lamarcus Joyner being injured have been eased with the ascent of Gaines to being a legitimate NFL cornerback.
8. Gaines remains the only starter among the rookies. A team that went 7-9 last season can’t find room for first-rounders Greg Robinson or Aaron Donald to start. Joyner was injured. Third-round pick Tre Mason was inactive for his second game, and fourth-rounder Mo Alexander dressed because of the Joyner injury, but participated strictly on special teams. Perhaps after the bye, Robinson and Mason can begin to replicate the power-running playing style they displayed at Auburn last year.
9. If the Rams say those players need more seasoning, they should get at least some benefit of the doubt. For the second straight game, third-year wide receiver Quick led the team with seven catches, this time for 74 yards. In two games, Quick has caught 14 passes for 173 yards. He has eclipsed his rookie numbers, and is four catches and 129 yards away from his second-year totals.
10. For as much grief as Jeff Fisher and his staff rightfully took for being unprepared in their opener, the team was charged up and ready to go, and came from behind on the road. That’s not an easy thing for a young team to do, but Fisher had them mentally ready.
September 15, 2014 at 4:52 pm in reply to: articles & vids: "state of the Rams," how it looks after the Bux game #7444RamBillParticipantESPN’s Adam Caplan joined Kevin Wheeler to talk about the win the Rams got, the performance from Davis and the offense, the shaky D, going against Demarco Murray, week 2 in the NFL, the shock of the Saints being 0-2, the 49ers weird loss last night, and a look at the off-field issues that will continue to dominate the NFL.
RamBillParticipantWatch Rams QB Austin Davis talk with the media after the Rams victory over the Buccaneers. (Part 1–2:46)
September 15, 2014 at 4:19 pm in reply to: articles & vids: "state of the Rams," how it looks after the Bux game #7438RamBillParticipantThe Film Don’t Lie: Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11702/the-film-dont-lie-st-louis-rams
EARTH CITY, Mo. — A weekly look at what the St. Louis Rams must fix:
We talked about penalties last week and they remain a problem as the Rams return home to take on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3, but there’s another issue the Rams had better rectify in a hurry before the Cowboys come calling.
St. Louis allowed Tampa Bay to put up 157 yards on 30 rushes in Sunday’s 19-17 win, including 144 from little-known back Bobby Rainey. Through two games, the Rams are allowing 5.52 yards per carry and 171 yards per game on the ground, which is 30th in the NFL through Monday afternoon.
The Rams are springing leaks at all levels against the run right now with poor run fits and tackling at the heart of the matter. Pro Football Focus had the Rams down for eight missed tackles against Tampa Bay, which was an improvement over the 18 from Week 1, but still not enough to slow Rainey & Co.
Those numbers surely have Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray salivating. He has rushed for 428 yards and scored two touchdowns against the Rams in two career matchups, including a 253-yard outburst in 2011.
RamBillParticipantTurning point play: Two Austins connect
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11712/turning-point-play-two-austins-connect
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Here’s this week’s look back at the turning point play from the St. Louis Rams’ 19-17 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
The situation: With 1:55 remaining, the Rams trailed 17-16 and had the ball on third-and-9 at their 48. Quarterback Austin Davis had narrowly missed a pass to tight end Lance Kendricks on second down and the Rams needed more yards to get in range for a potential game-winning field goal from kicker Greg Zuerlein. At that point, both teams had all three timeouts remaining.
The play: Davis lined up in the shotgun with receiver Brian Quick split wide to the left and three receivers to the right. Tight end Jared Cook lined up closest to the line of scrimmage with receiver Kenny Britt out wide and fellow receiver Austin Pettis in between. Running back Benny Cunningham lined up to Davis’ left in the backfield.
The Bucs lined up with four down linemen and two linebackers set up between the defensive tackles. At the snap, both linebackers blitzed up the middle, leaving one blocker for every pass-rusher. Cunningham stepped up and met linebacker Lavonte David head on in the hole, knocking David off his path to the quarterback. Everyone else picked up their assignment with the notable exception of right guard Davin Joseph, who was quickly beaten by Bucs defensive end Da’Quan Bowers.
As Bowers quickly closed on Davis, the receivers all ran vertical routes down the field, leaving no check down or quick options for Davis. His initial read was to look for Britt on the outside but safety Mark Barron appeared to be rolling coverage to Britt pre-snap. At the snap, Barron actually diverted inside to Cook, leaving Pettis one-on-one down the seam against cornerback Leonard Johnson.
Just before Bowers delivered a big hit, Davis stepped up and flung it in the direction of Pettis.
“I hitched up and fired it as hard as I could and prayed to the Lord it would get caught,” Davis said.
Pettis reached back and hauled it in over Johnson but his work was far from done. Tampa Bay safety Dashon Goldson closed quickly as Pettis came down with the ball and delivered a crushing hit that easily could’ve jarred the ball loose.
But Pettis managed to hang on for a gain of 27 yards to Tampa Bay’s 25 with 1:50 to go.
The fallout: Davis had remained calm the whole game but couldn’t contain his excitement after the completion. After the game, Davis said he let it out a bit because he knew what was coming next.
“I tried to hold it in and stay composed the whole game but it got away from me after that one was complete because I knew we were going to run the ball, Greg was going to make the kick and the defense was going to hold,” Davis said.
As it turned out, that’s exactly what happened as Zuerlein booted the game-winning 38-yard field goal and the defense did just enough to get a stop on Tampa’s ensuing possession as the Rams claimed their first victory of the season.
RamBillParticipantPettis perseveres to come up big for Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11694/pettis-perseveres-to-come-up-big-for-rams
TAMPA, Fla. — St. Louis Rams quarterback Austin Davis wasn’t the only Austin who had lingered toward the bottom of the depth chart only to come up with big plays in the team’s 19-17 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Wide receiver Austin Pettis took full advantage of an expanded opportunity after a second-quarter knee injury toTavon Austin. Once one of the team’s starting receivers, Pettis entered the season fifth or sixth among the team’s wideouts.
But just because Pettis’ role has decreased doesn’t mean his ability to come through in important situations has faded. After coming on in relief of Austin, Pettis finished with three catches for 46 yards, including an acrobatic 27-yard grab down the seam to set up the game winning field goal.
“We have a lot of good receivers in the room, a lot of talent we can put on the field, and I’ve been kind of put in a backup role,” Pettis said. “Unfortunately Tavon got a little banged up today but for us we have been rotating a lot of guys throughout OTAs and camp preparing for different scenarios.”
Even with that work being done in practice, there’s no way to simulate a scenario like Pettis provided Sunday. On third-and-9 from the Rams’ 48 with 1:55 to go, the offense spread things out with four receivers running vertical routes straight down the field. Davis looked off receiver Kenny Britt and fired down the seam for Pettis, who went up to get it over cornerback Leonard Johnson.
As Pettis came down with the ball, however, Tampa Bay safety Dashon Goldson came over and delivered a crushing blow only to see Pettis find a way to hang on to the ball.
“At that point in the game you want to make a big play and I kind of thrive in those kind of situations,” Pettis said. “I came off the line and kind of had a feeling the ball was going to come to me on that play so I knew I had to come down with it no matter what.”
Three running plays later, Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein booted the game-winning field goal. Considering that just last week Pettis played a total of 10 snaps without so much as a target, it would seem far-fetched for him to provide such big plays. But it actually has been something of a theme for Pettis to come up with quality over quantity with his catches.
In 2012, Pettis made a difficult catch on fourth-and-1 to keep a game-winning drive going against Buffalo in Week 14 and also had a touchdown grab late in the fourth quarter to briefly give the Rams a lead in an eventual tie at San Francisco in Week 10.
“Pettis is a team player,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “He helps the young guys. He knows exactly what to do. Every time you give him a chance to make a play he makes one.”
September 15, 2014 at 2:32 pm in reply to: Bux game recaps…articles, interviews, vids, Wagoner, Thomas, Karraker, etc. #7426RamBillParticipantW2W4 revisited: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11689/w2w4-revisited-st-louis-rams-5
TAMPA, Fla. — Looking back at three things to watch from the St. Louis Rams’ 19-17 victory Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
1. Rev the run: After a disappointing opening last week against Minnesota, the Rams desperately needed to get the run game going to have a chance against the Bucs. They turned to the run early and often Sunday and though there’s still plenty of room for improvement, strides were clearly made against the Bucs. As a team, the Rams rushed for 119 yards on 29 carries with their lone touchdown on the day courtesy of back Zac Stacy. That averages to a little more than 4 yards per carry which isn’t overwhelming but it was enough to allow them to keep the chains moving and stick with the run game as a whole. Stacy led the way with 19 carries for 71 yards.
2. Short and simple: Taking a page from the Vikings last week, the Bucs didn’t ask quarterback Josh McCown to throw down the field much. Instead, McCown was getting the ball out quickly in an effort to help negate the Rams’ pass rush. It worked to an extent as the Rams had just one sack on the day though McCown was under fire on a more regular basis. McCown threw for 179 yards on 16-of-21 passing with no touchdowns and an interception. But with big play receivers Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson on the outside, the Bucs’ longest pass play was 29 yards to Evans on the game’s final play.
3. Under center: It was no surprise that Austin Davis ended up starting at quarterback after taking almost all of the reps with the first team in practice last week. Shaun Hill was active after testing his injured thigh in pre game but was only available in an emergency situation which would have left him only capable of taking shotgun snaps. The Rams had no such emergencies and Davis put together an impressive first regular season start by going 22-of-29 for 235 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions for a passer rating of 99.1. Davis was facing an injury-depleted defense but he’s the team’s third string quarterback so his performance was encouraging regardless of who he was going against. Jeff Fisher said after the game Hill will be the starter when he’s healthy again but Davis did enough to ensure the Rams can confidently take their time with Hill rather than attempting to rush him back.
September 15, 2014 at 9:51 am in reply to: Bux game recaps…articles, interviews, vids, Wagoner, Thomas, Karraker, etc. #7387RamBillParticipantZac Choate talks it over with Rams head coach Jeff Fisher after the Rams 19-17 win over the Bucs. The victory evens the Rams season record at 1-1. They host the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday at Noon at the Edward Jones Dome. (1:41)
http://www.rams-news.com/fox-2s-zac-choate-talks-with-jeff-fisher-after-the-game-video/
September 15, 2014 at 9:41 am in reply to: Bux game recaps…articles, interviews, vids, Wagoner, Thomas, Karraker, etc. #7379RamBillParticipantFox 2 Sports reporter Zac Choate reports from Tampa Bay where the Rams defeated the Bucs 19-17. Includes comments from Austin Davis, Jared Cook, Austin Pettis, Brian Quick, TJ McDonald, and James Lauriniaitis. (1:43)
http://www.rams-news.com/fox-2-report-rams-beat-bucs-19-17-in-tampa-video/
RamBillParticipantAustin Davis did everything he was asked to do as the Rams beat the Buccaneers 19-17 on Sunday. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas and CineSport’s Brian Clark discuss the win. (3:19)
http://www.rams-news.com/jim-thomas-austin-davis-delivers-as-rams-win-video/
RamBillParticipantMorning Ram-blings: Monday game balls
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11687/morning-ram-blings-monday-game-balls-2
TAMPA, Fla. — As promised last week, we’re going to begin the week with the handy game ball chart from our 32 NFL Nation reporters.
It’s a quick, easy way to get a snapshot of who performed and made a difference in Sunday’s games. Whether it was a player, a coach or a unit, these were the difference makers for every team in the league on Sunday’s slate of games.
As you can see, I opted to give my game ball for the St. Louis Rams to quarterback Austin Davis. The Rams offered many more choices in this week’s 19-17 win than they did last week against Minnesota but ultimately, I went with Davis because of his poise and toughness in clutch situations.
For what it’s worth, the Rams also chose Davis for their game ball. Coach Jeff Fisher handed him the ball after he led the drive that ended with kicker Greg Zuerlein’s game-winning field goal.
I.C.Y.M.I.
A roundup of Sunday’s Rams stories on ESPN.com. … Some thoughts and observations from the Rams’ win immediately after the game in Rapid Reaction. … In Locker Room Buzz, Fisher revealed that Shaun Hill will remain as starter when he gets healthy despite Davis’ strong showing. … We then took a look at how Davis managed to stare in the face of pressure and remain calm, especially on third down. … Here’s the game balls in video format from Bucs reporter Pat Yasinskas and I. … Finally, the Rams will need production from all three phases to win games and got some special contributions from special teams on Sunday.
Elsewhere:
Jim Basquil and Eric Allen break down the Rams’ victory.
Yasinskas’ takeaways from the game from a Bucs’ perspective.
At 101sports.com, Fisher offers his thoughts on the game right after it was over.
At stltoday.com, Jeff Gordon handed out his postgame grades.
Jim Thomas offered his instant gamer.
Here’s the Associated Press’ game story on the Rams’ win.
RamBillParticipantFisher: QB Hill still the starter if healthy
• By Jim ThomasTAMPA, FLA. • Injured quarterback Shaun Hill tested his strained thigh more than 2½ hours before game time Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.
But coach Jeff Fisher said after the Rams’ 19-17 victory that there was never a chance Hill was going to start against Tampa Bay.
“At no point was there a chance for Shaun to start,” Fisher said.
Why then, was Hill on the game-day roster and in uniform?
“We kept him up in case we had a problem and he needed to finish the game in shotgun,” Fisher said. “It couldn’t have worked out better for us. It’ll be day-to-day this week (for Hill). This week really helped him and another week will help him and hopefully put this thing behind him.”
So Hill dressed but didn’t play, as was the case with No. 3 QB Case Keenum, whom the team claimed off waivers from Houston two weeks ago.
Given Austin Davis’ 22-of-29, no-turnover performance against the Buccaneers, Fisher was asked if Davis now supplants Hill as the starter.
“No,” Fisher replied. “When Shaun comes back, he’s our starter. I’m really proud of Austin, but Shaun’s our starter when he can play.”
TAVON AUSTIN INJURED
Wide receiver and punt returner Tavon Austin suffered a knee injury on the last play before the lightning delay. He was hit hard from behind by Tampa safety Mark Barron trying to catch a pass from Austin Davis. The ball fell incomplete after a jarring hit.
Fisher said that he did not know the severity of the injury.
Austin warmed up with his teammates following the weather delay but couldn’t go. He had a wrap on his right knee and his helmet off when play resumed and did not return.
“It stiffened up on me,” Austin said, adding that he will have an MRI exam today in St. Louis.
HOT LOCKER
During the 50-minute lightning delay midway through the second quarter, the Rams spent about 40 minutes in the locker room under what left guard Rodger Saffold described as sauna-like conditions.
“We just tried to stay hydrated,” Saffold said. “Some guys were stretching out. Lots of people were just resting.
“Which was crazy, because there wasn’t even air conditioning on, so it was kind of muggy in here. It was actually cooler outside than in here.”
Which is saying something, since the temperature reached 94 degrees Sunday in Tampa.
As to what went on during that time, Fisher said it was basically a very long halftime.
“The coaches come in, just rally and make some adjustments. And figure out what we’re going to do on that third-down play,” Fisher said.
It was third-and-13 when the lightning delay began. The Rams gained 11 on a run by Benny Cunningham and then punted once the game resumed.
SITTING IT OUT
Inactives were: RBs Tre Mason and Trey Watts, DB Lamarcus Joyner (back), CB Trumaine Johnson (knee), C/G Barrett Jones (back), DL Matt Conrath, and TE Alex Bayer.
That meant rookies S Maurice Alexander (of Eureka High) and DL Ethan Westbrooks saw their first NFL action. Both were inactive last week against Minnesota. Alexander saw action on special teams; Westbrooks played some on defense.
With Joyner down, Brandon McGee was the Rams’ third cornerback. He came in against three-wide receiver sets and played outside. When that happened, rookie E.J. Gaines of Missouri slid inside and covered the Bucs’ slot receiver.
RB Doug Martin (knee) was among the Tampa Bay inactives. The Bucs didn’t miss him because replacement Bobby Rainey gained 144 yards on 22 carries against a struggling Rams run defense.
Tampa lost its best defensive player, tackle Gerald McCoy, and starting middle linebacker Mason Foster to injury during the game.
RamBillParticipantStrauss: Davis delivers a win for Rams
• Joe StraussTAMPA, Fla. • Sunday’s takeaway from Raymond James Stadium was easy to digest.
With a loss to the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Rams would retreat to 0-2, which the NFL defines as purgatory. A team looking for its first winning season in a decade might define it in even harsher terms. Instead, a little-known commodity offered the Rams a slice of redemption.
Austin Davis turned his first NFL start into something unforgettable for himself, his family in attendance and long-suffering masses waiting for a reason to do anything except grind their teeth.
The Rams didn’t beat the Bucs in Sunday’s final 38 seconds in spite of Davis, but because of him.
Davis got a game ball. The Rams received at least a
temporary stay of cynicism after rallying for a 19-17 win in the final minute thanks to a 71-yard drive built upon Davis’ four completions worth 64 yards.
“I felt at peace out there and felt at home,” reflected Davis, “and that had a lot to do with the guys that I was around and how well we played.”
Who knows where this season goes from here? But for at least one week the Rams are a good story. A year ago the Rams cut Davis, the Dolphins signed and almost immediately released him and Davis spent two or three days a week volunteering as an assistant coach at Westminster Christian Academy. The Rams later re-signed Davis to their active roster following Sam Bradford’s October knee injury. Davis, however, has no problem recalling where he’s been.
“I think they’ve been doing pretty well,” Davis said about Westminster’s season.
Sunday’s display wouldn’t qualify as a panacea for a Rams team still afflicted by an insane number of penalties and inconsistencies on run defense. They beat a defense-first Bucs team confronting injuries to five defensive starters. Yet it represented a respite from three weeks of grinding, growing pessimism.
After Sunday’s game a man in a suit stood outside the visiting locker room. He wore a dress shirt, a designer tie and the look of a high-ranking club official who had just seen a season flash before his eyes. Asked about Sunday’s starting quarterback, Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff put it succinctly. “He won the game.” Just in case he hadn’t made himself clear, Demoff said it again.
Davis’ numbers were plenty impressive: 22 completions in 29 attempts for 235 yards. No touchdowns but, more important, no interceptions. He achieved a 99.1 passer rating, a figure Bradford reached just three times in his 2010 rookie season. The performance occurred despite a 50-minute weather interruption. Davis fed eight receivers, including Brian Quick seven times. He saved his longest completion for his last throw of his team’s final drive —a 27-yard, third-down connection to Austin Pettis running a seam route.
Executing a deep curl pattern, Kenny Britt was the play’s primary target; but this kid certain to be carded at any area pub or casino made a hair-trigger read based on the safeties’ reactions.
The Rams trailed 17-16 with 5:15 remaining and the ball on their own 9-yard-line after Chris Givens fielded a kickoff near the end zone’s west pylon and headed directly east. Davis then steered the Rams north with passes of 9, 13, 15 and 27 yards before Greg Zuerlein nailed his fourth field goal.
“It was actually fun. I wouldn’t call it stressful,” said Quick, his team’s most prolific target the first two weeks. “Being in that situation shows how much you love the game. It’s easy to win in a blowout, but being in a close game like that, your team has to fight together and comes through together.”
“He did a great job with the checks. He had multiple calls at the line to get us into the right play,” said center Scott Wells, who has seen much good and bad in 11 seasons with the Rams and Green Bay Packers. “That’s next-level stuff for a quarterback and he had command of that all day.”
Players read a quarterback more than any teammate. A guy who stammers, hesitates or can’t be heard evokes uncertainty, even dread. Joe Montana found John Candy in the stands before executing a game-winning drive in the Super Bowl. Brett Favre’s drawl never changed. On Sunday, Davis was as he had seemed to teammates Wednesday and Thursday. The quarterback cited a sense of “calm” and being “at peace.” No one challenged his self-analysis.
“There was no question at any time,” recalled Wells. “He’s your field general out there. When he stepped into the huddle all eyes were on him. He stayed poised even when we got him hit a couple times. He moved on. Nothing seemed to bother him today. He stepped up on the road against a good defense.”
Davis completed six of eight third-down passes for 76 yards. Five of the completions translated to first downs. The sixth positioned Zuerlein for a field goal worth a 16-14 lead with 9:10 remaining in the game.
“Players read body language on each other all the time,” testified right tackle Joe Barksdale. “He had a great week of practice. And all you’ve got to do on Sunday is come out and do what you’ve done all week in practice. Do it when it actually counts. Austin had the confidence to do that.”
Second-year running back Zac Stacy stood behind Davis literally and figuratively all day. “In my opinion, he can only get better. In my rightful opinion, that’s what I believe. And we can get better as a team.”
Now the rub: Fisher insists Shaun Hill remains the team’s starting quarterback when his sore quadriceps allows him greater mobility. Hill tested the thigh several hours before Sunday’s kickoff but was available only in an emergency and, according to Fisher, could not take a snap under center. “At no point was there a chance for Shaun to start,” Fisher said about the Bucs game.
Davis has completed 38 of 52 passes for 427 yards in two games. At the very least he is a novelty, a shooting star responsible for interrupting the toxic fallout from the first week’s 34-6 loss. But Fisher has remained behind Hill since Bradford’s left knee collapsed three weeks ago. There was no give in that stance Sunday.
“When Shaun comes back, he’s our starter,” Fisher said, offering a week’s worth of grist for talkers and print second-guessers, this space included. “I’m really proud of Austin, but Shaun’s our starter when he can play.”
Hill, 34, has made 27 NFL starts. He capably managed the Rams opener until the thigh injury kept him from making comfortable throws. Fisher already has dealt with conspiracy theories about whether Hill was actually hurt or benched. Now he’d be well-served to make sure Hill is really, really healed.
Rams fans are starved for another guy to step from a supermarket aisle and return them to prominence. Davis, a humble type who shattered many of Favre’s passing records at Southern Miss, might tease the closest story to Kurt Warner’s days at a Hy-Vee.
Davis allowed himself one expressive moment Sunday, a flash of emotion following Pettis’ catch. “It got away from me after that one,” he said.
September 15, 2014 at 1:16 am in reply to: Bux game recaps…articles, interviews, vids, Wagoner, Thomas, Karraker, etc. #7340RamBillParticipant
Rams are runoff winners
By Jim ThomasTAMPA, Fla. • Linebacker James Laurinaitis was eavesdropping on the officials, as usual, when he heard referee Jeff Triplette whisper to a member of his crew: “It’s gonna be a 10-second runoff.”
“I always try to listen to what they’re talking about,” Laurinaitis said. “You gotta try to get on their good side.”
There were only 8 seconds left in the game at the time, so Laurinaitis knew that with the runoff the game was over and the Rams had somehow escaped with a 19-17 victory Sunday over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I was wanting to run off the field. I wanted to get out of here,” Laurinaitis said. “I didn’t want them to debate anything any longer.”
There was no debate. Thanks to a crunching hit and tackle by strong safety T.J. McDonald, rookie wide receiver Mike Evans couldn’t get up after a 29-yard reception to the Rams’ 32.
Evans lay on the ground for a while as the clock ran down. Finally, some teammates tried to rush him off the field. But it was too late; there were fewer than 10 seconds left.
By league rule, a team that is out of timeouts and then has one of its players go down with an injury is subject to the run-off. It’s designed to prevent teams that are trailing from faking injuries to stop the clock.
In his long coaching career, Rams coach Jeff Fisher has never seen a game end that way — on a clock run-off. Then again, there were a lot of unusual things that took place on this day at Raymond James Stadium.
Included in that category was a 50-minute delay with 6 minutes, 3 seconds to play in the first half because of lightning in the area. (Fisher said he’s been a part of such a delay only once, during a preseason game many years ago.)
The Rams blocked not one, but two kicks — one a punt, and another a field goal attempt — with McDonald getting a paw on both kicks.
The game went back-and-forth, with the lead changing five times, before the fourth of Greg Zuerlein’s four field goals — a 38-yarder with 38 seconds to play — gave the Rams their 19-17 lead.
“I don’t know if I ever had a game like this,” McDonald said. “The delay, the up-and-down throughout the game. We took the lead, they took the lead. There was a lot of stuff going on. But I think with this team, the biggest thing is we stayed focused. We kept grinding.”
Actually, no one has seen a game like this.
As left guard Rodger Saffold aptly put it: “We’ve had some close ones before, but I might’ve (aged) a couple years with this one.”
It took a clutch throw by quarterback Austin Davis and an equally clutch catch by wide receiver Austin Pettis to make this one possible.
On third and 9 from the St. Louis 48 and under 2 minutes to play, Davis found Pettis running deep down the middle for a 27-yard completion — the biggest pass play of the day for the Rams.
Pettis stands 6-3 and has long arms. If his arms were a couple of inches shorter, he may not have come down with the high throw.
“That play AP made down the seam — that’s huge,” Davis said. “I can’t commend him enough. Game’s on the line and he goes and makes a play.”
On the play, Davis said the Rams sent four receivers on deep routes straight down the field — or “verticals” — and went on a quick cadence to try to catch Tampa defenders close to the line of scrimmage.
The Buccaneers’ coverage rotated over to Kenny Britt, who was lined up outside, and that made Davis’ next read Pettis on the seam route.
“So I stepped and fired as hard as I could,” said Davis, whose parents made the trip from Mississippi for the game.
And there was Pettis. Remember him? Seemingly lost on the depth chart since about midseason last year, Pettis got his chance to play slot receiver Sunday when Tavon Austin suffered a right knee injury on the last play before the lightning delay and could not return.
Pettis finished with three catches for 46 yards. He had a third-down catch for a first down with 5 minutes left in the third quarter, setting up Zuerlein’s second field goal of the day to trim Tampa’s lead to 14-13.
Later in that drive, he dropped what look like a first-down catch in the red zone on third down, forcing the field goal. But he more than made up for that with the 27-yarder.
“Pettis is a team player,” Fisher said. “He helps the young guys. He knows exactly what to do. Every time you give him a chance to make a play he makes one.”
Truth be told, Pettis has become a survivor, a cockroach, if you will. You just can’t kill him off.
“I guess not,” Pettis said. “Hopefully, I’ll live a little longer.”
Davis, who received the game ball from Fisher, completed 22 of 29 passes for 235 yards and a passer rating of 99.1. He didn’t throw a touchdown pass, but he didn’t throw an interception either, and generally played efficient, mistake-free football.
“He has a good feel for the offense,” Fisher said. “He made good decisions, handled the run checks very well, and the play-action. He gave receivers opportunities to make plays.”
But mistakes kept the Rams from taking control of the game. The Rams cut their penalties by more than half as compared to the season opener, with only five for 65 yards. Even so, they seemed to come at the most inopportune times.
For openers, two offsides penalties (one of which was declined by Tampa) and a horse-collar flag got the Bucs going on their first drive, which ended in the first of two touchdown runs by quarterback Josh McCown.
A roughing the passer flag against linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar — on third down, no less — kept a Tampa drive alive that resulted in rookie Patrick Murray’s first NFL field goal and a 17-16 Bucs lead with 5:15 to play.
Fisher said Dunbar hit McCown in the shoulder on the play, so it wasn’t a helmet-to-helmet hit and shouldn’t have been roughing the passer.
“It could’ve cost us the game,” Dunbar said.
But it didn’t. That made it, as the baseball Cardinals used to say, a happy flight home. Delayed as it was.
RamBillParticipantWill Witherspoon’s talks with Rams QB Austin Davis after the Rams exciting win over the Bucs.
http://www.rams-news.com/austin-davis-i-cant-say-enough-about-this-locker-room-radio-interview/
September 15, 2014 at 12:53 am in reply to: Bux game recaps…articles, interviews, vids, Wagoner, Thomas, Karraker, etc. #7334RamBillParticipantWill Witherspoon’s talks with Rams safety T.J. McDonald after the Rams big win in Tampa.
http://www.rams-news.com/witherspoon-1-on-1-with-rams-safety-t-j-mcdonald/
September 15, 2014 at 12:16 am in reply to: Bux game recaps…articles, interviews, vids, Wagoner, Thomas, Karraker, etc. #7319RamBillParticipantSpecial teams give Rams a boost
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11673/special-teams-provide-needed-boost-for-rams
TAMPA, Fla. — Any wins the current version of the St. Louis Rams can come up with likely won’t qualify them for many beauty pageants. The way the team is constructed, they’re going to have to find ways to win, even if it’s ugly.
That means low-scoring games in which everyone contributes and not just on offense and defense but special teams, too. It’s something the Rams freely acknowledge and was readily apparent in Sunday’s 19-17 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Whether it was kicker Greg Zuerlein making four field goals on the rain-soaked field of Raymond James Stadium, safety T.J. McDonald coming up with a blocked punt and field goal to set up two of those kicks or punter Johnny Hekker providing his usual yeoman’s work, the third phase was all that it needed to be for the Rams on Sunday.
“We’re kind of in that mode right now as they talked about, we are scratching and clawing and everybody has got to contribute,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “All three phases have to contribute and make plays.”
And make plays they did against Tampa Bay, with nobody coming up bigger than McDonald. The second-year safety is an emerging piece on the defense but proved to have even deeper value on Sunday.
In the second quarter, McDonald knifed around the edge and blocked Michael Koenen’s punt to give the Rams a first down at Tampa Bay’s 28. At the beginning of the fourth, McDonald again found a way into the backfield along with cornerback E.J. Gaines and deflected kicker Patrick Murray’s 24-yard field goal try to keep the Bucs’ lead at one rather than expanding to four.
The Rams turned both blocks into field goals for six points that the Rams could not have won without.
“It’s like a stop so it’s a good feeling and it gives the offense a little more confidence, a little more juice going back out there on the field knowing we didn’t give up any points so it’s good for the whole team,” McDonald said.
Zuerlein also provided a strong response in sloppy conditions after a shaky preseason and missing a 50-yard kick against Minnesota last week. But even with the field offering little solid footing, something clearly evident on Zuerlein’s kickoffs, he managed to convert from 36, 35, 46 and 38 yards. The last of those coming with 38 seconds to go and providing the Rams with the winning points.
“Anytime you can help your team win the ball game, it’s huge as a kicker,” Zuerlein said. “The guys are out there depending on you to do your job. They’ve been battling it out for the whole game and you’ve just got to pull through for them.”
It’s probably a bit much to expect similar performances from the special teams every week, but any close approximations will be more than welcome for a team that needs all it can get from everyone on the roster.
RamBillParticipantDavis unfazed by challenges of first start
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11668/davis-unfazed-by-challenges-of-first-start
TAMPA, Fla. — St. Louis Rams quarterback Austin Davis was always going to start Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he didn’t find out for sure until about 90 minutes before the game began.
With veteran Shaun Hill battling a thigh injury that kept him out all week, Davis said he had been preparing as though he was going to make his first NFL start since Monday. But in reality, Davis’ trip to leading the Rams against Tampa Bay goes back much further.
A year ago, Davis was without an NFL job, spending two or three days a week providing guidance for the young quarterbacks at Westminster Christian Academy in Town and Country, Missouri.
On Sunday, Davis was calmly and efficiently leading the Rams to their first win of the season, a 19-17 victory over the Bucs, throwing for 235 yards on 22-of-29 passing with no interceptions or touchdowns for a rating of 99.1. Rams coach Jeff Fisher awarded Davis the game ball in the locker room afterward.
“It’s special,” Davis said. “I can’t really describe it. I felt at peace out there, I felt at home and it had a lot to do with the guys I was around and how well we played and made plays around me.”
To be sure, Davis had plenty of help in overcoming a seemingly never-ending pile of challenges in his first NFL start.
There was the mild uncertainty about whether he’d start, though Fisher said Hill was only going to be available to take shotgun snaps in an emergency. There was the lightning delay which sent the teams back to the locker room for nearly an hour midway through the second quarter.
Every time the Bucs seemed to gain an edge, Davis never flinched and performed under pressure. The performance was a surprise to outside observers but for those in the Rams locker room, it had been gradually building for most of the past three years. Davis, who was cut at the beginning of last season, was re-signed when Sam Bradford suffered a season-ending knee injury and has remained since.
“That’s what you need in the NFL, especially coming from your offensive leader, the quarterback,” receiver Austin Pettis said. “To show that mental toughness throughout the game, he kept it even keel, we were up sometimes on offense and down a little bit here and there but he kept his head in there and made all the right plays that we needed.”
An initial glance at Davis’ numbers don’t reveal anything too overwhelming and the Rams’ total of 19 points against an injury-depleted defense isn’t going to be enough to win many games in the rough and tumble NFC West but a closer inspection of Davis’ performance revealed a moxie that was hard to deny.
Time and again, Davis stared down extra pressure from the Bucs defense and delivered a key throw, especially on third down. Davis attempted eight third-down passes, completing six for a total of 76 yards. Five of those completions resulted in first downs.
On the fourth quarter drive to set up kicker Greg Zuerlein’s game-winning 38-yard field goal, Davis hit tight end Lance Kendricks for 13 yards on third-and-1 as he took a big hit and followed five plays later by firing a strike to Pettis down the seam for 27 yards on third-and-9.
“He was very poised today,” Fisher said. “He did a great job … nothing was overwhelming to him.”
After the game, Fisher made it clear that when healthy Hill will reclaim the starting job. But even if Davis’ debut wasn’t enough to win a permanent job, it was more than enough to earn the trust of his team the next time it needs him.
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