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October 28, 2014 at 1:44 am in reply to: Tweets – Quick likely done for the season. Long could be out for the season #10631
RamBillParticipantRams lose J. Long, Quick for rest of season
• By Jim ThomasRams left tackle Jake Long engaged Kansas City defensive end Allen Bailey, then crumpled to the ground late in the third quarter Sunday.
Unimpeded, Bailey brought down the Rams’ Austin Davis for the third of KC’s seven sacks in a 34-7 thrashing of the Rams.
Just like that, Long was done for the year. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee— as he had done Dec. 22 against Tampa Bay. The Rams also lost wide receiver Brian Quick for the season because of a shoulder injury that occurred early in the second quarter.
“You know, everything that we said about Sam (Bradford) when Sam went down, needs to be repeated for Jake,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Monday. “Jake worked really, really hard to get back. And it was kind of an isolated incident. Isolated contact.”
Replays show that another Chiefs defensive lineman, Vance Walker, was rushing the quarterback to the inside of Long and made contact with Long’s right knee.
“He got hit low on the outside of the leg by the defensive tackle (Walker),” Fisher said. “It was just kind of a freak thing.”
Long’s re-tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament came 10 months after the original injury. Similarly, quarterback Bradford’s re-tearing of his ACL, on Aug. 23 in an exhibition game, was 10 months after his original knee injury.
Fisher said the similarity in the timing of the re-injuries for both players was happenstance.
“It’s just unique,” he said. “It’s a coincidental thing. Our (medical) guys are top shelf. They know what they’re doing. Both had knee braces on ’em as well. It’s just kind of unusual.”
Were Long and Bradford simply brought back too soon from their injuries?
“No,” Fisher said. “There’s no second-guessing there whatsoever. They were both ready to play.”
As for Quick, his injury occurred on an innocent-looking play as well. He was running a comeback route on a first-and-10 play from the Rams’ 20 with just under 12 minutes to play in the first half. He was aggressively wrestled to the ground by Kansas City cornerback Jamell Fleming after a 10-yard gain.
Quick landed on his left shoulder, attempting to brace the fall by landing on his elbow.
The result was a dislocated left shoulder and a torn rotator cuff.
That was Quick’s 25th, and final, catch of the season. In what was shaping up as a breakout year, the third-year player from Appalachian State finished with 375 reception yards and three touchdowns. He ranks first on the team in reception yards and is second in receptions (to tight end Jared Cook’s 27 catches).
“He was very productive,” Fisher said. “He took advantage of all the opportunities and made tough plays, tough catches. We’re gonna miss him. But as is the case when you have injured players, people step up. So we’ve got to have people step up.”
Coupled with the release last week of Austin Pettis, Quick’s injury leaves the Rams with only four wide receivers on the active roster: Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey and Chris Givens.
Quick will need surgery, but the date has yet to be scheduled.
“It’s a significant injury to his shoulder,” Fisher said. “We expect a full return, too. It’ll be a 100 percent recovery.”
At left tackle, Fisher said rookie Greg Robinson will take over Long’s spot — as he did Sunday following the injury.
“I thought he was fine” at left tackle, Fisher said. “He had some issues; they had outstanding rushers. But he was strong and stout. That’s what he does.
“We’ll have a week to work on the footwork and things like that. … But he went out there and knew what to do.”
Because of injuries Sunday to right guard Rodger Saffold (shoulder) and center Scott Wells (elbow), there is uncertainty as to what the line will look like other than having Robinson at left tackle and Joe Barksdale at right tackle next weekend in San Francisco.
Wells suffered his elbow injury with 7½ minutes to go in the third quarter while pass-blocking. Replays showed running back Benny Cunningham appeared to slam into the elbow while trying to assist Wells blocking a defensive lineman.
The Rams punted after that. On the first play of their next offensive possession, Long went down.
If Saffold can’t go against the 49ers, Davin Joseph starts at right guard. If Wells can’t go, Barrett Jones is the probable starter, although Tim Barnes could be an option there if he’s able to return after missing two games because of a shoulder injury.
Mike Person filled in at left guard Sunday when Robinson switched to left tackle after Long’s injury. So Person could start at left guard, but if Saffold’s back he’ll probably find himself there.
Early indications were that Saffold’s injury wasn’t serious, although his condition still was being evaluated, and it was unsure if he would miss playing time.
“We’re gonna have a number of players that will not be available for practice middle of the week. So we’ll just go kind of day-to-day with them,” Fisher said.
That category apparently also includes safety Rodney McLeod (knee) and backup safety Cody Davis (concussion symptoms), who left the Kansas City game two minutes apart in the fourth quarter and did not return.
And last but not least, defensive end William Hayes left the locker room on crutches Sunday after suffering a foot injury.
Davis began the concussion protocol, a series of tests and examinations mandated by the NFL to determine whether a player had a concussion or can return to practice.
“We had good results this morning,” Fisher said. “So he felt better.”
Cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who suffered a knee injury in the preseason, could be available to play against the 49ers.
Janoris Jenkins, who missed the Chiefs game because of a knee injury, could practice this week.
RamBillParticipantWatch head coach Jeff Fisher discuss the team’s rash of injuries and moving forward in his Monday press conference.
http://www.rams-news.com/jeff-fishers-monday-press-conference-video/
October 27, 2014 at 9:12 pm in reply to: Tweets – Quick likely done for the season. Long could be out for the season #10625RamBillParticipantNick Wagoner discusses the season-ending injuries to left tackle Jake Long and receiver Brian Quick for the Rams.
http://www.rams-news.com/rams-lose-long-and-quick-for-the-season-video/
October 27, 2014 at 5:34 pm in reply to: the media post-mortem on the KC game … Gordon, Wagoner, Thomas, etc. #10616RamBillParticipantESPN’s Jim Basquil and Ron Jaworski break down the Chiefs’ 34-7 win over the Rams. (1:54)
http://www.rams-news.com/espns-sunday-blitz-rams-chiefs-recap-video/
October 27, 2014 at 5:02 pm in reply to: the media post-mortem on the KC game … Gordon, Wagoner, Thomas, etc. #10614RamBillParticipantW2W4 revisited: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/13048/w2w4-revisited-st-louis-rams-10
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Looking back at three things to watch in the St. Louis Rams’ 34-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon:
1. Defending the perimeter: Entering the game, the Rams were last in the league defending runs outside the tackles, allowing an average of 8.15 yards per carry. That was a big part of the struggles defending the run as a whole and Kansas City looked like a team capable of taking advantage. For most of the first half and into the third quarter, the Rams mostly bottled up Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and his teammates. But as the game slipped away, so too did the Rams’ discipline defending the edge. Kansas City finished with 143 yards on 43 carries with 54 of those yards coming on 10 carries outside the tackles. Charles scored twice while Knile Davis added one of his own.
2. Protection priority: The Rams’ offensive line had its worst day of the season, surrendering seven sacks for a loss of 44 yards. The damage wasn’t all done by the offensive line but quarterback Austin Davis was under siege for most of the day. That shouldn’t be a surprise considering the Rams’ struggles with some of the better pass rushes in the league. The Chiefs represented the best pass rush the Rams had seen all year and they got one of their best efforts. Justin Houston made easy work of right tackle Joe Barksdale as he led the way with three sacks. Injuries to left tackle Jake Long, right guard Rodger Saffold and center Scott Wells didn’t make life any easier as Kansas City teed off on Davis after it jumped to a big lead.
3. Handling the heat: The Rams finished with eight penalties for 68 yards but many of the infractions weren’t so much the result of a noisy atmosphere as a combination of silly decision making and strange calls from the officials. But once the Rams dealt with the aforementioned injuries on the offensive line, there were some obvious communication issues which led to some problems late in the game, including a delay of game penalty in the third quarter. Guard Davin Joseph said communication was difficult because of the moving parts on the offensive line and the crowd noise and beyond penalties, the communication malfunctions could have played a part in the onslaught of pressure on Davis.
RamBillParticipantTurning point: Mis-hit kickoff returned for touchdown
By Nick WagonerKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Here is a look back at the turning point play in the St. Louis Rams’ 34-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon:
The situation: Despite some missed first-half opportunities, the Rams still trailed the Chiefs only 10-7 at halftime. The Chiefs felt fortunate to have a lead, and the Rams surely had to be frustrated by the deficit. But there was plenty of time for the Rams to right the ship. Or so it seemed. Kansas City won the toss to open the game and deferred, leaving the Rams to take the ball first and give the Chiefs the first possession of the second half. After kicker Greg Zuerlein failed to convert a 38-yard field goal in the second quarter, the Chiefs countered with three of their own to swing momentum toward Kansas City. That put the onus on the Rams to get a stop right after coming out of the locker room.
The play: To open the third quarter, the Rams called for Zuerlein to hit the opening kickoff deep and into the left corner, presumably preventing Chiefs kick returner Knile Davis from even having an opportunity to bring the ball out. It’s a play the Rams had executed in the game and have made work many times. But as Zuerlein approached the ball, he tried to kick it too hard and ended up kicking more of a line drive. Davis fielded the kick quickly at the Chiefs’ 1 and began maneuvering his way down the right sideline. The Rams had some opportunities at him with Zuerlein actually coming closest. Safety Cody Davis appeared to be held on the play but it wasn’t enough to draw a flag and once Davis got past Zuerlein, he had clear sailing the rest of the way. The result was a 99-yard touchdown and a 17-7 lead early in the third quarter.
The fallout: Before this play, the wheels were already in motion for the Chiefs to go on a run and potentially put the Rams away before the fourth quarter. But without even allowing their defense to get a stop and get the ball back, the Rams found a way to dig themselves into a deeper hole. For a special teams unit that a week ago was the toast of the league, it was a major step back.
“It was a bad kick,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “We were trying to get a deep left kick and he just shanked it and they got off and running. I haven’t seen it. Usually when that happens, you are going to get potentially a hold or two but it’s uncharacteristic of our cover team not to make that play. But that was a key play. It’s what they needed to win this game. We didn’t get that.”
What the Rams got instead was an avalanche of points that ultimately led to a 27-point loss the likes of which many Rams thought this team had moved past.
RamBillParticipantGreg Zuerlein’s rough day raises questions
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/13029/greg-zuerleins-rough-day-raises-questions
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — St. Louis Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein missed the team’s Friday practice because of the flu. Two days later, he missed a 38-yard field goal and mishit a kickoff that led to a 99-yard touchdown for Chiefs returner Knile Davis.
“No matter what, if you’re going to be in this you still have to come out and perform and do your job,” Zuerlein said. “There’s no excuses for mishits or missing field goals or anything like that. How sick I was is irrelevant.”
What wasn’t irrelevant in the Rams’ 34-7 loss to the Chiefs were the two big miscues that came off Zuerlein’s right foot.
Midway through the second quarter, the Rams had just missed an opportunity to score a touchdown to take a 14-7 lead after getting a fumble recovery at Kansas City’s 8. But Zuerlein trotted onto the field with the chance to at least knock a short field goal through the uprights to give the team a three-point lead.
That surely beat the alternative but the alternative is exactly what the Rams got as Zuerlein left the kick wide right from the right hash.
“I think I just didn’t hit it solid,” Zuerlein said. “Basically that’s all it was. I rushed at the ball a little bit and didn’t get my plant foot set properly. If that doesn’t get right then the leg swing is not going to be proper and you saw the results.”
The result was a field goal for the Chiefs and a six-point swing which manifested into something much worse when Zuerlein failed to execute the opening kickoff of the second half.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher and special-teams coach John Fassel called for that kickoff to go deep and to the left side. But Zuerlein mishit the kick and it didn’t get much hang time, leaving plenty of room for Davis to scoop it up and take off down the right sideline. By the time Davis was done running, he had a 99-yard touchdown, the Chiefs had a 17-7 lead and were well on their way to 34 unanswered points and a blowout victory.
“It was a bad kick,” Fisher said. “We were trying to get a deep left kick and he just shanked it and they got off and running. I haven’t seen it. Usually when that happens, you are going to get potentially a hold or two but it’s uncharacteristic of our cover team not to make that play. But that was a key play. It’s what they needed to win this game. We didn’t get that.”
The mishit kickoff and the missed field goal are part of a disturbing trend for Zuerlein, who just two years ago was considered one of the most dangerous young kickers in the league as he converted his first 15 field goal attempts. But since Week 6 of 2012, he’s 44-of-57 on field goal attempts, a 77.2 percent conversion rate. He only missed two field goals in 2013 but both came at the most inopportune times in losses to Seattle and Tennessee.
So far this season, Zuerlein is 8-of-11 on field goal tries. And though two of those misses have come from 50-plus yards, his ability to make long kicks was a big part of his appeal in the first place. He’s made just five of his past 14 attempts from 50 yards or further.
It’s not time to give up on Zuerlein just yet — a 27-point loss certainly isn’t all his fault — but if his struggles continue, it’s fair to wonder how much longer his leash extends.
October 27, 2014 at 9:44 am in reply to: the media post-mortem on the KC game … Gordon, Wagoner, Thomas, etc. #10571RamBillParticipantCineSport’s Brian Clark asks the Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas what went wrong for the Rams in their 34-7 loss to the Chiefs, and for an injury update on several key starters.
http://www.rams-news.com/jim-thomas-rams-take-step-back-in-rout-video/
October 27, 2014 at 9:38 am in reply to: Fisher, Davis… post-KC game press conferences… vids + transcripts #10569RamBillParticipantAustin Davis in his postgame press conference after the 34-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
http://www.rams-news.com/austin-davis-we-have-to-let-this-one-go-video/
RamBillParticipantMorning Ram-blings: Monday game balls
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/13025/morning-ram-blings-monday-game-balls-7
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Week 8 of the NFL season is mostly done with only tonight’s “Monday Night Football” matchup remaining on the docket.
It was another rough week for the St. Louis Rams and their fans after a 34-7 blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. It could be even worse after the extent of the team’s injuries from the game are known.
But we trudge on here with our Monday tradition where all of our ESPN NFL Nation reporters hand out game balls for the best and brightest of Sunday’s games.
Once again, the Rams didn’t have many options for the award this week but there was one obvious candidate: defensive end Robert Quinn. I chose Quinn because of his five tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and forced fumble.
While the sacks were good to see, Quinn’s forced fumble was the most impressive play of the day as he chased down Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith from behind to knock the ball loose. Unfortunately for the Rams, they could not recover but Quinn has come to life a bit in the past two weeks after a slow start.
I.C.Y.M.I.
A roundup of Sunday’s Rams stories appearing on ESPN.com. … We began the day with a quick roster move for the Rams as they placed cornerback Brandon McGee on injured reserve with a foot injury. … Rapid Reaction offered quick thoughts and observations from the team’s lackluster Sunday outing. … Locker room buzz took a quick look at the Rams’ many walking wounded, among other things. … One sequence in the second quarter typifies this year’s Rams and many editions that have preceded them.
Elsewhere:
Jim Basquil and Ron Jaworski break down the Rams’ latest loss.
At stltoday.com, Jeff Gordon offers his weekly grades.
Columnist Bernie Miklasz writes that it’s the same old song and dance for the Rams.
Jim Thomas recaps Sunday’s loss.
The AP account of Sunday’s game.
October 27, 2014 at 2:02 am in reply to: the media post-mortem on the KC game … Gordon, Wagoner, Thomas, etc. #10556RamBillParticipantGaines mixes bad with good at homecoming
• By Joe LyonsKANSAS CITY • This certainly isn’t the way Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines envisioned his return home.
Born in nearby Independence, Gaines starred at Fort Osage High and the University of Missouri before being drafted in the sixth round of May’s draft. He made his seventh consecutive NFL start Sunday in front of family, friends and the Sea of Red in a 34-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I played here a couple of times in college and once was I was about 10 in Pop Warner,’’ he recalled. “But playing at this level, in your home town, it doesn’t get much better than this.’’
Unless, of course, you win the game.
The Rams took the opening kickoff and drove for a quick 7-0 lead Sunday. From there, the day belonged to the Chiefs.
“We have to go watch on film and fix our mistakes,’’ Gaines said. “We have to play better against San Francisco next week.’’
According to the unofficial press box stats, Gaines finished with a career-best eight tackles, including seven solos and one for loss. But like the Rams overall, the rookie struggled at times Sunday. In fact, during one stretch midway through the first half, the 5-foot-10, 190-pounder failed to come up with a fumble after teammate Robert Quinn ran down Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith to knock the ball loose, was called for illegal contact and then failed to bring down Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on a 17-yard pass play that set up a Jamaal Charles touchdown run that evened the score at 7.
“He had a ball in his hands, tried to get up and run and we lost it,’’ Rams coach Jeff Fisher said of the muffed fumble recovery. “You lay on the ball and maybe things would’ve been different there.’’
Gaines explained: “I just tried to do too much (on the fumble). I missed a couple of tackles. Those are the kind of things I have to work on; I gotta make plays like that to help this defense.’’
Early in the second half, on a Smith scramble, Gaines was called for personal foul, although it appeared he dived over the Kansas City quarterback. Fisher didn’t agree with the call.
“I don’t think they should have called the personal foul … you can’t take (quarterbacks) feet first or head first, but you have to take a chance to get them down,’’ the coach said.
Gaines, who moved into the starting lineup when third-year pro Trumaine Johnson hurt his knee in the preseason, was joined at cornerback Sunday by fellow rookie Marcus Roberson, an undrafted free agent from the University of Florida who made his first NFL start in place of third-year starter Janoris Jenkins, who suffered a knee injury in last weekend’s win over Seattle.
“It felt good to get out there and contribute,’’ said Roberson, who was on the field for 13 defensive snaps against the Seahawks. “The more you play, the more comfortable you get. I felt like I played OK, played solid, but we didn’t get the ‘W,’ so nobody feels real good about things right now.’’
Roberson was credited with four tackles Sunday.
The young Rams secondary became even more inexperienced during Sunday’s game as safety Rodney McLeod, a third-year pro, left with a knee injury on the first play of the fourth quarter and reserve safety Cody Davis left with a possible concussion a few plays later. At that point, the Rams’ secondary featured rookies Gaines and Roberson at cornerback and rookie Lamarcus Joyner and second-year pro T.J. McDonald at safety.
“I feel like we can be better in a lot of areas, but honestly I don’t feel like the (play of the rookies) was a factor,’’ said McDonald, who finished with seven tackles. “Those guys come to work every day. They may not have the experience, but they know the calls, they know what to do. They played with poise and they kept battling. The more snaps they get, the better they’ll be.’’
McDonald continued: “The Chiefs did what their team does. They ran the ball, they threw the ball quickly and with shorter routs and they managed the game. We needed to do a better job against the run in the second half and we needed to turn it up on third down — not just the rookies, the whole team. We just didn’t get it done.’’
Smith, the Kansas City quarterback, turned in a solid effort, completing 24 of 28 passes for 226 yards with no touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 100.3. The Chiefs picked up 129 of their 143 rushing yards after halftime, getting 73 and a pair of TD runs from Charles. Knile Davis ran for 49 yards and a score and made the game-changing play when he returned the opening kickoff of the second half 99 yards to make it 17-7.
Joyner, who shifted from nickel back to safety during the game because of the injuries, led the Rams with 10 tackles, including nine solos.
“It’s tough when you’re playing from behind because it allows the offense to set the rhythm and do what it wants to do,’’ said Joyner, a second-round pick from Florida State. “They didn’t have any deep balls against us, nobody got behind us, but we also didn’t make enough plays.’’
October 27, 2014 at 1:32 am in reply to: the media post-mortem on the KC game … Gordon, Wagoner, Thomas, etc. #10554RamBillParticipantSpecial teams miscues fuel Rams’ loss to Chiefs
• By Jim ThomasKANSAS CITY • Last week, the entire football world was raving about the derring-do of the Rams’ special teams unit. There was the fake punt, and the decoy punt return with the special name — “Mountaineer.”
But football can be a humbling game, and it was the Rams’ failure to execute the basics that contributed mightily to a landslide 34-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
It looked odd when Greg Zuerlein hit a line-drive kickoff that bounced before reaching Chiefs return man Knile Davis to start the second half. No one was laughing, at least on the Rams’ sidelines, 12 seconds later when Davis was celebrating in the end zone after a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Zuerlein has a strong enough leg to routinely kick the ball high enough and long enough into the end zone for a touchback. He did so after the Rams scored a touchdown on their opening possession of the game.
But this wasn’t a case of the Rams trying to get too cute with the low, bouncing kick to start the third quarter.
“It was a bad kick,” Fisher said bluntly. “We were trying to get a deep left kick and he shanked it.”
Zuerlein missed Friday’s practice with a flu-like illness, but said, “It really doesn’t matter. You’ve still got to come out here and perform and do your job. There’s no excuses for mis-hits or missing field goals, or anything like that. So really how sick I was is irrelevant.”
Zuerlein said he simply tried to kick the ball too hard, struck it too high. “Can’t do that,” he said.
Davis’ TD made it 17-7, and the Rams all but curled up into the fetal position as the second half progressed and they lost player after player to injury, including Jake Long (knee), Rodger Saffold (shoulder), Brian Quick (arm) and Scott Wells (elbow). The Chiefs (4-3) would add a field goal and two more TDs before the day was done, winning for the fourth time in their last five games.
As for the Rams (2-5), well, they didn’t do much of anything in the second half. They committed more silly penalties and missed more open-field tackles — recurring themes over this season. And after a scoring a touchdown on a Lance Kendricks reception to start the game, they couldn’t get anything generated on offense until garbage time in the final 6½ minutes.
“We clearly got outplayed in the second half of this game in all three phases,” a disheartened Fisher said after the game. “This team’s gonna have to learn to play consistent through 60 minutes. … So it wasn’t a good effort.”
Not even close.
The Rams have been outscored 65-10 in the second half of their past three games. For the season, the tally is 134 to 56 — opposing team — after halftime.
But as Fisher noted, Sunday’s troubles began even before intermission. More specifically, after Rams defensive end William Hayes recovered a botched handoff from quarterback Alex Smith to running back Jamaal Charles deep in Kansas City territory.
Hayes returned the loose ball 6 yards to the KC 8-yard line midway through the second quarter of what was then a 7-7 ballgame.
But a running play by Tre Mason and a scramble by Austin Davis left the Rams at third-and-goal from the 8. On the next play, Davis scrambled, and scrambled some more, and then took a sack. Not just any sack, but a 14-yard sack.
“That was a big point in the game,” Davis said. “You get the big turnover. Minimum, you gotta come away with three. But really, you’ve gotta score a touchdown, right?”
Right.
“I was just trying to make a play,” Davis continued. “I thought that maybe I could move around — you see a lot of plays happen that way. … That’s just me trying to do too much.”
But even after the sack, which backed the Rams up to the 20, a 38-yard field is a chip shot for today’s NFL place-kicker, right?
Wrong.
Zuerlein’s kick sailed wide right. It didn’t miss by much, but it missed.
“I didn’t hit it solid,” Zuerlein said. “That’s basically all it was. Rushed at the ball a little bit and didn’t get my plant foot set properly. If that doesn’t get right, then the leg swing’s not gonna be proper and you saw the result.”
Compounding matters, Kansas City cobbled together a field goal drive after the Zuerlein miss, taking a 10-7 lead on a career-best 53-yard kick with 1 second left in the half by rookie Cairo Santos.
So it was a 10-point swing. Rams miss out on golden chance to score a touchdown; Chiefs counter with field goal.
Then came Knile Davis’ 99-yard kickoff return to start the second half.
“Obviously, a play like that is a dagger,” said Chase Reynolds, one of the Rams’ core special teams players.
But as Reynolds pointed out, it would be a mistake to heap all the blame on Zuerlein for the mis-hit on the kickoff return.
“He can hit it wherever he wants,” Reynolds said. “It’s our job to go tackle the ball. We’re accountable for wherever that ball goes — it’s our job to stop it.”
And there was plenty of blame to go around well behind the special teams miscues.
On offense, the Rams’ most consistent blocker, right tackle Joe Barksdale, had the worst day of his young career in giving up three sacks to Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston.
On defense, cornerback E.J. Gaines and linebacker Alec Ogletree both were guilty of costly personal fouls that kept a third-quarter Kansas City field goal drive going. Fisher didn’t think Gaines’ infraction should’ve been a penalty. As for Ogletree, Fisher wasn’t as forgiving.
“‘Tree’s’ gotta outgrow that, learn how to be a pro,” Fisher said. “Keep fighting when things aren’t going well and just worry about doing his job. So, we’ll get him straight.”
Gaines, playing in his hometown, missed a tackle on third down that set up the Chiefs’ first touchdown of the game. Linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar missed a tackle on Charles in the third quarter that turned about a 6-yard gain into a 30-yarder.
“I overplayed it, so that was a bad play on my part,” Dunbar said. “I accept it. I understand it. I’ve got to play better.”
He’s got plenty of company on that point.
October 26, 2014 at 10:36 am in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10463RamBillParticipantESPN NFL Insider Mike Sando delivers stats to help you make a pick for St. Louis at Kansas City. numberFIRE predicts the Chiefs by about 8 points. Sando says the Rams are better on the road. They are a -60 yards differential at home and a +60 yards differential on the road.
http://www.rams-news.com/espns-sandos-inside-edge-rams-chiefs-video/
October 26, 2014 at 10:12 am in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10456RamBillParticipant7 things to watch: Rams at Chiefs
Post-Dispatch football writer Jim Thomas identifies “7 Things to Watch” when the Rams play at Kansas City today:
1. BANGED-UP SECONDARY
After doing nothing on the practice field all week, it will be a big surprise if Rams CB Janoris Jenkins (knee) suits up Sunday in Kansas City. And that leaves the Rams dangerously thin at cornerback. Undrafted rookie Marcus Roberson is the likely starter in place of Jenkins. Roberson replaced Jenkins for 13 snaps last weekend against Seattle, but that’s the sum of his NFL regular-season experience on defense. Trumaine Johnson (knee) is close to a return and may dress, but he worked on the scout team all week, not with the regular defense. So he might be used only on an emergency basis. Scratch Brandon McGee (foot), who has been sidelined with a plantar fascia issue, and aggravated the injury during the practice week. The only saving grace might be that Kansas City ranks 30th in passing offense and has a nondescript receiver corps.
2. ON THE RECEIVING END
Speaking of the Chiefs receivers, former Rams draft pick Donnie Avery is out because of a groin injury. Dwayne Bowe hasn’t approached his form of 2011 and earlier, when he logged three 1,000-yard seasons over a four-year span. He had a season-high 84 yards on five catches last week in San Diego. The entire Chiefs WR corps has yet to score a TD. But TE Travis Kelce is an underrated player who leads the squad in catches (24), receiving yards (307) and TD catches (three).
3. A KC MASTERPIECE
KC’s offense runs through three-time Pro Bowler Jamaal Charles. Although on the small side at 5 feet 11, 199 pounds, Charles isn’t shy about pounding it up the middle. But the real danger comes when he changes direction and bounces outside. That’s when he becomes a home-run threat. The Rams’ run defense improved noticeably the past two games — at least when it came to Frank Gore and Marshawn Lynch — but they’re still having problems setting the edge and holding the perimeter.
4. DON’T FORGET DAVIS
The Chiefs enter Sunday’s game ranked third in the NFL in rushing, averaging 140.3 yards per game, and it’s not all about Charles. The team’s leading rusher so far this season actually is Knile Davis, a 5-foot-10, 227-pound power runner who has 352 yards this season, compared to Charles’ 290. (Charles missed most of two early season games because of an ankle injury.) The mantra of the Kansas City backs is to run angry and break the first tackle; Davis more than holds up his end of the bargain.
5. ALEX IN CHARGE
The basic script hasn’t changed for Alex Smith in Kansas City. The former 49ers QB still takes very few chances and is more than happy to throw underneath routes or even take a sack rather than tossing an interception. He spreads the ball around — 14 receivers have caught at least one pass. He’s no Colin Kaepernick or Russell Wilson when it comes to scrambling, but don’t sleep on Smith the runner. He set a Kansas City franchise record with 431 yards rushing in 2013.
6. DEFENSE, DEFENSE
Even with linebacker Derrick Johnson — one of the best defensive players in franchise history — out for the year because of an Achilles’ tendon injury, the Chiefs have lots of talent on that side of the ball. Nose tackle Dontari Poe, a Pro Bowler in 2013, is a 346-pound man-mountain who makes it tough to run between the tackles. Outside linebackers Tambi Hali and Justin Houston have 11 sacks between them and bring the heat from both edges in the Chiefs’ 3-4 scheme.
7. NO ROOM FOR ERROR
Kansas City is a very efficient team, one that usually doesn’t beat itself. To wit, the Chiefs are third in the NFL in third-down conversions (50.6 percent), third in red-zone efficiency (70 percent) and have committed fewer penalties (29) than any team in the league. They’ve also committed only six turnovers, tied for eighth-fewest. In order to register an upset for the second week in a row, the Rams must minimize mistakes as they did for the most part against Seattle.
RamBillParticipantWatch as former St. Louis Rams player Will Witherspoon breaks down film of Rams DE Robert Quinn’s first sack of the season.
http://www.rams-news.com/all-22-break-down-of-robert-quinns-first-sack-video/
October 26, 2014 at 1:11 am in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10434RamBillParticipantNoise is a chief concern for Rams in KC
• By Jim ThomasHe made hay in Tampa Bay. Nearly lassoed the Cowboys. Didn’t stink in the Linc.
He stared down the San Francisco defense for a half before stubbing his toe. And plucked the Seahawks with a little help from the Rams’ special teams.
The further adventures of young Austin Davis continue Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Welcome to the Sea of Red.
“It’s phenomenal,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “The Sea of Red is the Sea of Red. They’re loud and we appreciate that.”
In Davis’ first start of the season, he rallied the Rams to a 19-17 victory at Tampa Bay. But Raymond James Stadium is far from a daunting venue these days, given the recent troubles of the Buccaneers.
The Rams’ only other road game of 2014 came in Week 4 at Lincoln Financial Field, aka the Linc. It’s no library, but it’s not nearly as intimidating as its Philadelphia predecessor, Veterans Stadium. And on that Oct. 5 afternoon, Davis nearly rallied the Rams all the way back from a 34-7 deficit.
But in terms of crowd noise, nothing east of CenturyLink Field in Seattle compares to Arrowhead.
And the entire Arrowhead experience is unique. As the Rams’ team buses pull into the parking lot Sunday, sweet-smelling smoke from hundreds — and hundreds — of charcoal grills will be rising in the morning sky.
Shortly before kickoff, the KC Wolf, the Chiefs’ mascot, will commit unspeakable acts upon a likeness of Rampage, its St. Louis counterpart.
And with hands on heart, 76,000 red-blooded Chiefs fans will conclude the national anthem by singing:
“O’er the land of the free, and the home of the … CHIEFS!”
And then the noise begins.
“As you all know, they have this personal thing with the ‘12th Man’ in Seattle,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “So they try to compete (to see who’s the loudest). That gives us some kind of indication of how difficult it is to play there because of the noise.”
As a college player for Southern Mississippi, Davis played his home games at M.M. Roberts Stadium, aka The Rock. It’s capacity is 36,000, or less than half of Arrowhead. The best comparison in college that Davis could come up with was playing at South Carolina.
“We opened there on a Thursday night,” he said. “They had a packed house, and it was rocking. So I’ve been in it before.”
But can he keep his cool? Will the players get the play calls coherently? Or will things degenerate into a mess of miscommunication and false starts? That’s the next challenge for Davis and the Rams.
“I’ve never been there before, but I’ve heard from various sources that it’s a great atmosphere,” Davis said during the week. “It’s very loud; it’s fun to play there. We’ll treat it the same as we always do on the road. We’ll use our silent cadence and plan on it not being a problem.”
The Rams have played only twice during the regular season in Kansas City since the move to St. Louis in 1995, and Arrowhead proved to be a house of horrors both times.
The Rams were 6-0 to start the 2000 season and at the height of their offensive prowess as the “Greatest Show on Turf.” Near the end of the first half, quarterback Kurt Warner suffered a broken pinkie finger on his throwing hand on a botched snap by backup center Steve Everitt. The Rams were hammered 54-34.
Two years later, the Rams lost 49-10 on a day when Chiefs return whiz Dante Hall scored touchdowns on an 88-yard kickoff return and an 86-yard punt return.
So much for sweet nostalgia. After an 0-2 start, the Chiefs have since won three of four games to even their ledger at 3-3. After a dramatic victory last Sunday in San Diego, the Chiefs are home for the first time in nearly a month.
They’re sure to get a warm welcome from the home crowd, even with the unexpected diversion of the Kansas City Royals playing in the World Series for the first time since 1985.
(But the Royals aren’t playing across the parking lot this weekend — they’re in San Francisco.)
Unlike most NFL coaches who pump in crowd noise in practice before a road game, Fisher has his team — just practice.
“We typically don’t put noise in practice,” Fisher said. “I think if you make a big deal over it, it becomes an even bigger deal. We respect it (the noise factor) by all means, and we’ll address it. We have to be smart.”
With a pair of speedy pass rushers at outside linebacker in Justin Houston and Tamba Hali, the Chiefs can take advantage of any glitches the Rams experience as a result of crowd noise.
“When you add that speed element there and you can’t hear, you’re going on silent (count), then it puts a lot of pressure on your tackles,” Fisher said.
And your quarterback.
“He’ll handle that,” Fisher said of Davis. “We’re not concerned about that. It’s one of those deals where it’s hard to be perfect in that environment. But he’ll make good decisions and we have to help him with different things here and there. I’m not concerned about his inexperience as it relates to crowd noise.”
There were times in the second half against San Francisco where Davis seemed flustered, leaving the pocket early and getting fixated on the deep ball even when he had receivers open underneath. But other than that, Davis has been the picture of poise in his five NFL starts since taking over for Shaun Hill. He has made big throws at clutch times, and most importantly has learned from his mistakes.
Although it was partly out of respect for the Seattle pass defense, Davis had the patience to throw more underneath passes in what was a conservative yet effective game plan in last week’s 28-26 upset victory.
And when the Rams needed to open it up in the fourth quarter, Davis completed four of five passes on the game-winning touchdown drive — including tosses of 19 yards to Brian Quick and 30 yards to Chris Givens.
“We got into a flow. ‘Schotty’ is doing a great job with Austin,” Fisher said, referring to offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
Can the Rams get into a flow against Kansas City? Or will they drown in the din that is the Sea of Red?
“You play on the road in this league, you’re gonna have loud stadiums,” Schottenheimer said. “This place certainly is one of the best, if you will, in terms of crowd noise and fans being into it.
“We’ll have to communicate — a lot of it will be nonverbal. A trust-what-you-see type of deal. .. It’ll be fun to see how our guys do.”
October 26, 2014 at 1:05 am in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10433RamBillParticipantBernie: Journey to KC is familiar
• Bernie MiklaszKANSAS CITY • The date was Sept. 25, 1994. More than 20 years ago.
Joe Torre was managing the Cardinals, the Blues had just hired Mike Keenan as coach, Mizzou’s football team was in the early stages of its 11th consecutive losing season and St. Louis didn’t have an NFL team.
That date also marked the last time the Rams franchise defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in a regular-season game.
I was at Arrowhead Stadium that day. It was especially memorable for a reason that I’ll get to soon.
The Los Angeles Rams wore throwback uniforms that day in KC, taking the field in vivid yellow jerseys in a tribute to the 1951 NFL championship team. The Rams were heavy underdogs going in, but quieted Arrowhead with a surprisingly forceful 16-0 victory.
Quarterback Chris Chandler hooked up on a 72-yard touchdown pass with wide receiver Flipper Anderson. The young power back, Jerome Bettis, bulled his way to 135 yards rushing on 35 angry runs. The Rams’ defense intercepted Joe Montana three times and limited Marcus Allen to 59 yards rushing. It was a stomping.
As I left the stadium that day, I had two thoughts:
First … the Rams were pretty good.
Wrong. They would lose their final seven games of the ’94 season, finishing 4-12 under tough-guy coach Chuck Knox.
It got uglier in Orange County. Attendance plummeted in Anaheim, with the Rams drawing sparse crowds of 34,960 and 25,705 in their final two home games.
Second … I walked out of Arrowhead thinking there was a good possibility of the Rams moving to St. Louis after the season.
Before that game, Rams media-relations director Rick Smith tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to follow him to a private box. Why? Well, Rams’ team president John Shaw wanted to say hello.
Interesting.
I’d covered the NFL for a long time but had never met Shaw. Empowered by Rams owner Georgia Frontiere, Shaw was the point man for all important Rams business — including a potential franchise relocation.
We had a cordial conversation. Shaw asked me a few things about St. Louis. He wanted to know more about the new stadium being constructed downtown. He wondered if St. Louis would support an NFL team.
I remember exactly what I told Shaw: “There’s no such thing as a bad NFL town. There are only bad NFL owners who constantly put bad teams on the field and slowly kill the fans’ passion.”
That still holds true — but I digress.
It still was relatively early in the franchise sweepstakes, but nothing was happening in Anaheim. No effort was underway there to build a new stadium for the Rams to keep the franchise from bolting. The construction of the new St. Louis stadium —as part of an expanded convention center — was progressing quickly.
While non-committal, the discussion with Shaw left an impression: St. Louis definitely was a possibility for the Rams.
We agreed to stay in touch.
A couple of months later, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch reported that Frontiere was in negotiations to sell 40 percent of the franchise to Stan Kroenke, the Missouri-based real estate developer who had been a late addition to our town’s botched attempt to land an NFL expansion team.
At that point, you didn’t have to be a genius to connect the dots. It was too soon to call the moving vans, but the Rams were planning to leave.
As the Rams head back into Arrowhead 20 years and one month later, we’re in a much different position. The Rams have an escape clause in their lease and can try to leave the Edward Jones Dome after this season. Kroenke reportedly is eyeing Los Angeles as the Rams’ next home.
It’s still easy to connect the dots — but in reverse order this time.
In 1994, the Rams were on the way to St. Louis. They arrived in the spring of 1995.
In 2014, the Rams might be on the way back to Los Angeles.
I don’t believe the NFL will allow the Rams to scoot to LA for the 2015 season. It’s too soon. That doesn’t mean the Rams won’t eventually go; I’m just saying 2016 (or a subsequent season) is a more realistic possibility.
It will come down to a new-stadium initiative in St. Louis. If a legitimate stadium plan materializes here, the NFL would have no justification — based on league rules — to approve a Rams’ move from St. Louis.
As Post-Dispatch columnist Bryan Burwell correctly has reported this month, there’s been some behind-the-scenes movement to develop a long-term stadium plan for the Rams.
Obviously the details remain vague, so there’s nothing firm to bank on.
Not yet, anyway.
My guess is that we’ll know a lot more about this a month, maybe six weeks, from now. At the risk of being burned (again) I’ll say this much: I’m encouraged. Skeptical, yes. But cautiously encouraged.
We’ll see what — if anything — local leaders come up with. But if a genuine effort is launched to keep the Rams here, the initiative will buy St. Louis more time. It will stop the clock on the Rams-to-LA rush — at least for another year or so.
But if no meaningful stadium plan is in place a year from now, then the threat of a Rams relocation is very real.
The stay-or-go moving speculation is the last thing on the minds of the Rams’ coaches and players, but they can help the cause by winning some games. The concept of an expensive new stadium is slightly more palatable for a successful team.
If the Rams (2-4) continue to get sledgehammered, a new stadium would be a more difficult sell. That’s quite the understatement, given the Rams’ abysmal 45-104-1 record since 2005.
Putting together a winning streak is a difficult assignment for a young, mistake-prone team that’s three games into the merciless buzzsaw section of the schedule.
The Rams went 1-2 against Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle. The next five games are at Kansas City, at San Francisco, at Arizona, Denver at home and at San Diego. All five are playoff contenders and have a combined record of 23-11.
For the Rams, a win over the Chiefs would make it two consecutive victories over quality teams and generate a little momentum.
A loss could easily become the first rolling boulder in an avalanche.
Since ambushing Montana and the Chiefs in 1994, the Rams have lost five consecutive regular-season games to the Chiefs, getting outscored by an average of 38 to 19.
That’s why I’m thinking about that surreal September afternoon in ’94.
I just hope John Shaw isn’t at Arrowhead Sunday. He won’t be, but I would take it as a bad sign. And if the Rams trot onto the Arrowhead field dressed in those bright-yellow throwbacks, I might freak out.
RamBillParticipantWatch as former Rams player Will Witherspoon breaks down film of the Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey and his exciting punt return for a TD vs. Seattle.
http://www.rams-news.com/all-22-film-break-down-of-stedman-baileys-punt-return-video/
RamBillParticipant“It wasn’t anything extravagant.” Rams Special Teams Coach John Fassel on the “Mountaineer” Fake Punt Return
http://www.rams-news.com/john-fassel-on-the-mountaineer-fake-punt-return-video/
October 25, 2014 at 3:12 pm in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10414RamBillParticipantRams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams talks about the upcoming game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
http://www.rams-news.com/rams-dc-gregg-williams-on-the-next-man-up-philosophy-video/
October 25, 2014 at 3:04 pm in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10413RamBillParticipantWill Greg Robinson develop into a Pro Bowler? Rams Guard Davin Joseph joins The Fast Lane to talk about that and preview the Rams vs. Chiefs. Joseph thinks Robinson could be a Pro Bowler at Tackle or Guard.
http://www.rams-news.com/will-greg-robinson-develop-into-a-pro-bowler-radio-interview/
October 25, 2014 at 11:20 am in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10403RamBillParticipantRams-Chiefs: Matchup breakdown
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12957/rams-chiefs-matchup-breakdown
EARTH CITY, Mo. — A look at three individual matchups to keep an eye on when the St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs meet at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.
Rams left tackle Jake Long vs. Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali
At this point, Justin Houston has emerged as the better of the Chiefs’ two primary pass-rushers but that doesn’t mean Hali can be taken for granted, especially considering he has what should be a favorable matchup against Long. Long has had his share of ups and downs this year but the downs traditionally seem to come when he faces elite pass-rushers. Hali still qualifies.
Through six games, Hali has four sacks and 12 quarterback hurries and is still able to convert speed to power as well as just about any edge rusher in the game. Joe Barksdale will have his hands full with Houston on the other side but Long has to fare better here than he did against Philadelphia’s Trent Cole earlier in the season. Long was solid against Seattle last week but in what figures to be a raucous Arrowhead Stadium, he’s going to have to be on point to keep Hali at bay and give quarterback Austin Davis time to throw.
Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree vs. Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith
Technically, this is really more about Ogletree defending the entire run game of the Chiefs but that run game begins with Smith. The Chiefs work in plenty of read-option concepts and like to work those east and west with running back Jamaal Charles when possible. The idea being to get the defense moving laterally to create space for Charles to make one cut and go.
The Rams, meanwhile, have struggled to consistently set the edge and Ogletree has been disappointing in his role as the linebacker regularly assigned to handling quarterback keepers and misdirection to the outside. Seattle’s Russell Wilson fooled Ogletree twice last week, once for a 52-yard run and again for a 19-yard touchdown later in the game. Ogletree has no choice but to stay at home and do his job or the Chiefs will not hesitate to take advantage by running right at him with Charles, fellow back Knile Davis and Smith.
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald vs. Chiefs guard Zach Fulton
Chiefs center Rodney Hudson is one of the best in the league at his position but the Chiefs have some weaknesses to either side of him in the form of Fulton and left guard Mike McGlynn. This could be a game for Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers to get going because it stands to reason that Hudson will spend much of the day helping Fulton try to slow down Donald.
Donald has been a rookie revelation for the Rams, causing havoc on a regular basis now that he’s moved into the starting lineup for the past two weeks. Donald’s speed off the ball, hand usage and ability to use his leverage has made him a tough chore for every lineman he’s faced, let alone a sixth-round rookie trying to make his way in the league. Even if Fulton gets the help necessary to slow Donald, it should open opportunities for the Rams other defensive linemen. It’s up to them to take advantage.
RamBillParticipantRams receiver Stedman Bailey on the fake punt return he and Tavon Austin pulled off against the Seahawks. He talks with Rams Game Announcer Steve Savard.
http://www.rams-news.com/stedman-bailey-on-fake-punt-return-tavon-deserves-an-oscar-video/
October 25, 2014 at 10:29 am in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10399RamBillParticipantChoosing one word to preview the Rams’ game in Kansas City. Michelle Smallmon’s word is “Contain”, as in containing Jamaal Charles. Bradford Bruns’ word is “Integrity”, as in maintaining assignments in run defense.
October 25, 2014 at 3:02 am in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10392RamBillParticipantRams’ banged-up young secondary could be tested
• By Joe LyonsThe Rams might have to do a little shuffling in the secondary for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs in Kansas City.
On Friday, starting cornerback Janoris Jenkins missed his third consecutive practice because of a knee injury he suffered in last weekend’s victory over Seattle. Jenkins, a third-year pro, is listed as questionable — 50-50 — for the noon game Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
The news is a bit more encouraging for another third-year cornerback, Trumaine Johnson — he is also listed as questionable. Johnson, who suffered a knee injury in the preseason, worked with the scout team this week. He was limited in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday and was a full participant on Friday.
“He did a lot more today,’’ Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Friday. “It’s good to see him move around the way he did.’’
The report on corner Brandon McGee isn’t as encouraging.
The second-year player from Miami, who has missed the last four games because of a foot injury, practiced on Wednesday but suffered a setback on Thursday and did not work out on Friday. He has been ruled out for Sunday.
“Re-injured the foot …’’ Fisher said. “We’re doing tests. It doesn’t look good.’’
That leaves the Rams with limited numbers in the defensive backfield with rookies corners E.J. Gaines, Lamarcus Joyner and Marcus Roberson as the other cornerbacks on the roster. At safety, there’s third-year pro Rodney McLeod and second-year players T.J. McDonald and Cody Davis.
But Fisher said he isn’t overly concerned.
“We’ve got plenty of them. We’re going to line them up and play,’’ he said. “I can’t tell you exactly who is going to play right now, but they’re going to play.’’
Roberson, an undrafted free agent from Florida, was pressed into action last week when Jenkins got hurt and recorded his first NFL tackle while taking part in 13 defensive snaps before Jenkins was able to return. Roberson could see even more action Sunday.
“Marcus knows what to do,’’ Fisher said. “He’s doing well on special teams. It’s interesting, at one point against the world champs, we had three rookies (Gaines, Joyner and Roberson) in the secondary; they hung in there. He’s a good, solid back-up who’s ready to play, that’s important. It’s the hardest thing to do, to prepare and be ready to play.’’
Roberson said he is excited about getting more playing time and is focusing on playing as he has been taught.
“I stepped in and I did what I needed to do,’’ the 21-year-old said. “A few jitters at first, but after that, it’s all ball. I just try to pay attention throughout the week and be ready for the opponent (and) whatever they’ve got planned.
“Getting in a real game, seeing the real tempo, it definitely helped me feel more comfortable out there. If you trust the coaches and follow the scheme, you’ll do OK.’’
Like Fisher, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams likes what he’s seen of Roberson.
“He’s a sharp kid,’’ Williams said. “The thing you guys don’t see is how much he works behind the scenes.
“He’s a good kid. Smart. Tough. (He) played at a high level and has played very well for us throughout the whole preseason (and) played very well for us every single day in practice. He’ll be fine.’’
OTHER RAMS INJURIES
Back-up center and Mizzou product Tim Barnes has been ruled out of Sunday’s game because of shoulder injury.
Listed as probable after going through full practice on Friday are defensive end William Hayes (illness), safety McDonald (concussion), wide receiver Kenny Britt (ankle), guard Rodger Saffold (knee), linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar (toe), defensive end Ethan Westbrooks (hand) and running back Benny Cunningham (knee).
Kicker Greg Zuerlein missed Friday’s practice because of illness and is probable for Sunday.
Roberson, an undrafted free agent from Florida, was pressed into action last week when Jenkins got hurt and recorded his first NFL tackle while taking part in 13 defensive snaps before Jenkins was able to return. Roberson could see even more action Sunday.
“Marcus knows what to do,’’ Fisher said. “He’s doing well on special teams. It’s interesting, at one point against the world champs, we had three rookies (Gaines, Joyner and Roberson) in the secondary; they hung in there. He’s a good, solid back-up who’s ready to play, that’s important. It’s the hardest thing to do, to prepare and be ready to play.’’
Roberson said he is excited about getting more playing time and is focusing on playing as he has been taught.
“I stepped in and I did what I needed to do,’’ the 21-year-old said. “A few jitters at first, but after that, it’s all ball. I just try to pay attention throughout the week and be ready for the opponent (and) whatever they’ve got planned.
“Getting in a real game, seeing the real tempo, it definitely helped me feel more comfortable out there. If you trust the coaches and follow the scheme, you’ll do OK.’’
Like Fisher, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams likes what he’s seen of Roberson.
“He’s a sharp kid,’’ Williams said. “The thing you guys don’t see is how much he works behind the scenes.
“He’s a good kid. Smart. Tough. (He) played at a high level and has played very well for us throughout the whole preseason (and) played very well for us every single day in practice. He’ll be fine.’’
CHIEFS INJURIES
Kansas City has ruled out nickel back Chris Owens (knee) and wide receiver Donnie Avery (groin) for Sunday’s game. Avery, a Rams second-round draft pick in 2008, recently had surgery for a sports hernia.
Standout safety Eric Berry, who has missed the last four games because of a high ankle sprain, has been limited in practice all week and is questionable. So is receiver Junior Hemingway (hamstring), who was also limited on Friday.
Going through full Friday workouts and listed as probable are tight end Travis Kelce (ribs), linebacker Justin Houston (ankle), cornerback Sean Smith (groin) and running back Cyrus Gray (hand).
KC CONNECTIONS
Sunday will mark a homecoming for Gaines, who grew up in nearby Independence, Mo.
“I’ve been to Arrowhead plenty of times, but I actually grew up a Raiders fan — a lot of my family is from California,’’ the sixth-round draft pick from Mizzou said. “I played there a couple of times with Missouri and played there with my Pop Warner team when I was 10. I’m definitely looking forward to getting a chance to play in front of my family and friends.’’
Gaines estimates “about 40’’ people will be on hand to watch him on Sunday.
Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer also spent a lot of time in Kansas City as a youngster. He is the son of Marty Schottenheimer, who was the Chiefs’ head coach from 1989-1998.
“I grew up as a fan of a lot of teams — Cleveland Browns, Kansas City, Detroit Lions, New York Giants,’’ Brian kidded. “When you have a dad that moves around a lot, you certainly love a lot of teams. We had some great years there.
“I was on the sidelines for a lot of (games), holding the cord and doing things like that. Great environment, great fans. It’ll be fun to go back.’”
Gregg Williams, the Rams defensive coordinator, also has ties to the Kansas City area. He was born in Excelsior Springs, Mo., which is about 35 miles northeast of Kansas City. Williams began his coaching career in 1984 as head coach at Belton (Mo.) High in suburban Kansas City.
RAM-BLING
Wide receiver Brian Quick of the Rams and Seattle’s Tharold Simon were fined $8,268 each for a skirmish Sunday. Quick was flagged for unnecessary roughness after throwing a punch at Simon on the final play of the first quarter. On the next snap, Simon grabbed Quick’s face mask.
October 25, 2014 at 2:54 am in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10389RamBillParticipantRams prepare to face another star RB
• By Jim ThomasThis Rams’ season began with them facing Adrian Peterson. There was DeMarco Murray, the LeSean McCoy-Darren Sproles tag team, then Frank Gore and Marshawn Lynch.
Is there an opponent on the Rams’ 2014 schedule that doesn’t have an elite running back?
That’s what defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is wondering, and the Rams aren’t out of the woods yet. On Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, it’s time for Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Every week we’ve got one that’s one of the tops in the business,” Williams said Friday, shaking his head. “Charles presents a lot of things. He can get into space like Sproles and McCoy could at Philadelphia.
“He can put his head down and get the tough yards like Murray and all the other guys that we’ve faced. So yeah we’ve got a tough job right there, and on how they’re committed to the run.”
Committed they are. The Chiefs average 31 rushing attempts per game; only Dallas (33.6), Cleveland (32.5) and Indianapolis (31.6) run more often. And in this pass-crazy league only Dallas (235 runs, 214 passes), Cleveland (195-191) and the Chiefs (186-186) haven’t thrown the ball more than they’ve run it this season.
After a poor start on run defense, the Rams have been noticeably better the past two weeks. OK, quarterback scrambles and keepers are a different matter, but when it comes to running backs they limited Lynch to 53 yards on 18 carries last Sunday — or just 2.9 yards per tote.
In the Oct. 13 Monday night game against the 49ers, Gore had a mere 38 yards on 16 carries — just 2.4 yards per carry. Now comes Charles, the AFC’s leading rusher a year ago with 1,287 yards.
“Completely different challenge this week in the run game,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “It’s a lot of read-option, a lot of that stuff.”
The Chiefs have a “power” element to their game as well, but they also attack the edges. They run a lot of “stretch” plays, in which it seems as if the entire offensive line is heading one direction and the back picks his spot and goes. All things considered, Fisher said it’s the most diverse running game the Rams will see all season.
The past two weeks, the Rams have focused on the power-running games in the NFC West.
On that score Fisher said, “there’s a lot of similarities between San Francisco and Seattle. This run game this week is going to be a big challenge for us.”
The Chiefs do have a big power back in Knile Davis, who actually has more carries than Charles so far this season because Charles missed time because of a high ankle sprain. But Charles is now healthy and beginning to assert himself in the backfield.
“He can get to full speed in about a step-and-a-half,” Fisher said. “It takes him literally two steps and he’s full speed, he’s by you. He’s got the quickness to get through the hole. He’ll break things out the backside. He’s just really difficult to defend. They know that, and they’re taking advantage of him.”
Charles, 5 feet 11, 199 pounds, became Kansas City’s career rushing leader last week against San Diego, and now has 6,113 career yards in this his seventh NFL season. He surpassed Priest Holmes’ previous club record of 6,070.
Charles suffered concussion-like symptoms on the 16-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter that eclipsed Holmes’ record. That’s because the run included a massive collision with former teammate and current Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers.
But Charles quickly passed the Chiefs’ concussion protocol early in the practice week and wasn’t listed on the team’s injury report at any time during the week.
As testament to his explosive nature, Charles leads the league with a 5.5-yard rushing average since entering the league in 2008. That’s for players with a minimum 600 rushing attempts.
“Jamaal Charles will test the edge,” said Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis, who not only played Charles and the Chiefs in 2010 but also faced him in college. “We have to be gap-sound, and we have to fight off blocks. We have to swarm. When he gets outside and he wants to cut it up, if you have guys swarming to the ball, then he has nowhere to go.”
And what if the Rams’ leave a gap vacant?
“That’s when he’ll hit his head on the goal post,” Laurinaitis said.
As in celebrating a touchdown.
Charles has a smooth running style. At times it looks like he’s almost gliding down the field, which makes his speed deceptive. He’s running faster than it looks.
The Chiefs used him much more on third down against San Diego than they did earlier this season and Charles can be a threat in the passing game. He led the Chiefs in receptions (70), reception yards (693), and touchdown catches (seven) a year ago.
With an injury-depleted wide receiver corps, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Chiefs try to work Charles more into the passing game — he’s going to win most matchups against a linebacker or safety.
Just one more thing to worry about.
October 24, 2014 at 8:03 pm in reply to: Austin Davis wows Brett Favre & other media takes on that new guy in St. Louis #10379RamBillParticipant
Tipsheet: Shedding positive light on Austin Davis
• By Jeff GordonThe NFL is no place for young quarterbacks. The league chews up most of them and spits them to the curb.
Within that context, the progress of Rams quarterback Austin Davis is heartening.
Each year fans fall in love with the Next New Thing at the position. They see fresh talent. Better yet, they see the absence of failure — the most precious quality for any quarterback.
And then, almost inevitably, the prospect fails to meet his outsized expectations. The Washington You-Know-Whos might be the most glaring example of this.
That team sent a giant package of draft picks to the Rams for the opportunity to draft Robert Griffin III, who flashed tremendous potential before hobbling down the Sam Bradford Injury Trail.
Then Kirk Cousins became Washington’s Quarterback of the Future . . . until he fell apart and became a turnover machine. Now the team has turned to Colt McCoy, the Cleveland Browns washout who is still a relative baby face.
ESPN.com’s John Clayton updates us on what else is happening at the position:
Frustrated with Jake Locker’s injuries and Charlie Whitehurst’s underwhelming play, Tennessee Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt will start sixth-round pick Zach Mettenberger against the Houston Texans on Sunday. He becomes the third rookie quarterback to take over during the season, joining (Teddy) Bridgewater and Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles. Second-rounder Derek Carr has been the starter all season for winless Oakland.
The demotion of Locker pretty much ends the tenures of three 2011 first-rounders (Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert and Locker) with their original teams. But going young hasn’t necessarily worked this season. Bortles is 1-3 and has thrown 10 interceptions, and Bridgewater is 1-2 with five picks against one touchdown. For what it’s worth, teams that have resorted to backups (regardless of NFL experience) are just 12-20 this season.
This reminds us of the magnitude of Davis’ challenge. So the fact he bounced back from a rough outing against the 49ers with a mistake-free game against Seattle was notable.
It is way, way early to start making Kurt Warner/Tom Brady comparisons — as Bernie Miklasz emphasized earlier this week — but Davis certainly makes the rest of this season more interesting.
October 24, 2014 at 7:37 pm in reply to: Jim Thomas: Will Rams Look To Trade Zac Stacy? –920AM for 10/24 #10378RamBillParticipantThomas: Have to Wonder if Rams Looking to Trade Stacy
By Brendan MarksSt. Louis Rams rookie running back Tre Mason broke out in a big way against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, piling up 85 yards on 18 carries in the 28-26 win.
Benny Cunningham caught five passes out of the backfield while Zac Stacy, who entered the season as the starter, only played one snap and didn’t touch the ball.
The game represented what we can probably expect the rest of the season: The team will continue to ride the hot hand.
But there’s only enough touches to go around in what’s currently one of the deepest backfields in the NFL, especially when taking talented rookie Trey Watts into consideration.
St. Louis Rams beat writer Jim Thomas says there may be a way to remedy what looks to be an overcrowded backfield.
“You just wonder the trade deadline is coming up next if they’re talking to teams about Stacy. They have a ton of depth. I still think Trey Watts is going to be a pretty good complimentary back,” Thomas told The Ryan Kelley Morning After on Friday.
In today’s NFL, however, teams aren’t willing to give up a lot for a position perceived to be most replaceable.
“(Running backs) usually don’t fetch much, but you just wonder the Rams seemingly have more running backs than they can use back there,” Thomas said. ”
Having too much at one position seems to be a good problem to have, and it will be interesting to see if the Rams can get some value for Stacy come the deadline.
Thomas also talked about excitement surrounding Austin Davis and previewed the Rams-Chiefs game on The Morning After Friday
RamBillParticipantTime for Austin Davis to Get Paid? NFL Agent Marc Lillibridge Weighs In. Will Austin Davis’ impressive rise through the ranks earn him a big paycheck from the Rams?
October 24, 2014 at 4:12 pm in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10361RamBillParticipantRams look to improve perimeter run D
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12952/rams-look-to-improve-on-perimeter-run-problem
EARTH CITY, Mo. — As they make their final preparations for the Kansas City Chiefs, perhaps the St. Louis Rams defense can get some pointers from Vanderbilt alum/running back Zac Stacy.
Vanderbilt’s catch phrase — “Anchor Down” — makes plenty of sense for the Commodores but it also is a common refrain in the Rams’ hopes of improving a run defense that has been continually gashed on runs outside the tackles this season.
To get better in time for Chiefs running backs Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis and quarterback Alex Smith, setting a consistent edge on the outside is the first order of business.
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson rushed for 106 yards on just seven carries against the Rams, who must shore up their run defense.
“We have just got to keep our anchor points,” linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar said. “It’s something we have failed to do at times. We have got to establish where our anchor points are and those guys have to keep their anchor point so we can keep guys from running away from us.”Through the first six weeks, plenty of opponents have had ample opportunity to run away from the Rams rush defense. The Rams are 28th in the NFL in rush defense, allowing 145 yards per game.
On closer inspection, the Rams have actually been quite good against the run so long as it’s coming between the tackles. Opponents have run 127 plays between the tackles for a total of 485 yards and two touchdowns. That comes out to 3.82 yards per carry, which is 10th in the NFL.
Where the Rams have gotten in trouble is when opponents attack the perimeter. On 48 rushes outside the tackles, opponents have gained 391 yards and three touchdowns. That average of 8.15 yards per carry is the worst total in the league. It includes big plays such as Minnesota receiver Cordarrelle Patterson’s 67-yard touchdown run in week 1 and Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson’s 52-yard scamper last week.
Much of that damage has come from secondary ball carriers after top backs such as Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch and Frank Gore have been thwarted up the middle.
Some of the issue comes when players overpursue and find themselves out of their gaps, which can lead to big runs. End Robert Quinn and the defensive line had a few moments like that against Seattle. After finally getting three sacks, the defense thought it could simply go after Wilson but the lead wasn’t big enough nor the game late enough for the Seahawks to abandon the run.
That led to some big openings for Wilson. At other times, the Rams have gotten caught making poor reads. Linebacker Alec Ogletree has been particularly guilty, including a pair of miscues last week that led to long runs for Wilson.
“There’s people taking turns making mistakes,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “For example, we anticipated ‘boot’ yesterday. We put our defense in position to defend the ‘boot. Ogletree’s responsibility was the quarterback and he couldn’t get him down and Russell just made a move and walked in. It’s not all ‘Tree.’ It’s at different times it’s somebody else’s responsibility on the edge.”
That edge will be put to its toughest test on Sunday when the Rams take on Charles and Co. The Chiefs have 51 carries for 304 yards and touchdowns outside the tackles this year. That average of 5.96 yards per attempt is fourth best in the NFL.
With Smith at the controls, the Chiefs still use some of the old zone stretch plays that was their hallmark in previous regimes, but they also mix in plenty of read option. Center Rodney Hudson is particularly adept at pulling into space and going low for blocks that might not wipe out linebackers but do enough to get them on their hands and knees. By the time those linebackers get back to their feet, Charles, Davis or De’Anthony Thomas is already gone.
“It’s just discipline,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “Sometimes if you are holding the edge, sometimes those guys get greedy. And we are all taking part. It’s not just D-ends, a lot of times you think it’s outside ‘backers, D ends but there’s always a guy assigned to keeping the edge.
“I’m encouraged when you look at Gore’s numbers, you look at Lynch’s numbers … but when you look at the big picture, it’s got to go way down. It’s something we have got to continue to work at.”
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