Expect Opponents to Use the Redskins’ Blueprint Against the Rams

Anthony Stalter in National Football League

http://www.101sports.com/2015/09/23/expect-opponents-to-use-the-redskins-blueprint-against-the-rams/

If it weren’t for the boiling frustrations that came from watching a 24-10 letdown, one could almost appreciate how the Redskins beat the Rams last Sunday.

The Redskins held Aaron Donald to 0.5 sacks in the Rams’ loss.
Since the second half of last season, it’s been fun watching the Rams play defense under Gregg Williams. They’re relentless, aggressive, and they make a point of emphasis to get after the quarterback. They don’t read-and-react: they get off the ball fast and attempt to dictate where they want the play to go, as opposed to the other way around.

But on Sunday at FedEx Field, the Redskins moved the ball at will on the ground. By the time the Rams adjusted, they trailed 17-0 and with the offense completely stagnant, they had little margin for error when it came to mounting a comeback (which they couldn’t pull off in the end).

After watching Aaron Donald destroy Seattle’s game plan the week prior, Washington must have made it a point to allow the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year to crash the backfield as if he were pass-rushing on every play.

On two big runs in the first quarter, Donald came within inches of disrupting the play in the backfield. But the runs were just wide enough that Washington wound up using the Rams’ aggressiveness against itself.

On Alfred Morris’ 35-yard run in the first quarter, Washington ran a stretch play and released guard Brandon Scherff to the second level after Donald shot through the gap. With nobody to slow Scherff from building a head of steam, he was able to block linebacker James Laurinaitis and create a massive running lane for Morris to exploit. Safety Rodney McLeod came down to properly fill the lane, but he missed the tackle as Morris burst up field.

While Washington deserves credit for executing the play, the takeaway for the Rams is that they turned a five-yard gain into a 35-yard run.

Two plays later, Matt Jones ran for a touchdown to give the Redskins a 7-0 lead. This time, it was center Kory Lichtensteiger that released to block Laurinaitis, while tight end Jordan Reed came off the line free to take on Alec Ogletree.

McLeod wound up blocking himself when he decided to run inside to fill the gap instead of flowing over-the-top, and Jones raced 39 yards up the sidelined for the Redskins’ second explosive run of the quarter, and their first score of the game.

These weren’t the only plays where Washington effectively allowed Donald to jet up field only to release an interior lineman to wash out a linebacker. Throughout the first half, damaging runs by Jones and Morris came out of 12 (1RB/2TEs) and 13 (1RB/3TEs) personnel, which the Redskins effectively used to execute a game plan that everyone saw coming.

The Rams knew Washington’s offense wasn’t going to run through quarterback Kirk Cousins, especially not with DeSean Jackson out with a hamstring injury. They needed to stop the run from the outset, which didn’t happen.

None of this is to suggest that Donald or any one player was at fault for Sunday’s surprising loss in Landover. No, that sort of defeat takes a collective effort.

From the defensive line creating wide running lanes, to the linebackers not getting off blocks, and safeties missing tackles, it was a mess from the start.

The offense didn’t do the defense any favors, either.

Its inability to run the ball created plenty lot of third-and-longs for Nick Foles, which led to multiple three-and-outs. By the time Pierre Garcon made the score 17-0 with a second quarter touchdown reception, the defense was completely gassed from being on the field for too long.

As previously mentioned, the Rams did adjust. In the Redskins’ first drive of the second half, Donald started to flow down the line instead of crashing the backfield. This helped the Rams clog running lanes and create more traffic for Washington’s backs to work through, but by that point the damage had been done (and the offense wasn’t doing its job).

The Steelers aren’t stupid.

They’d be stubborn not to take Washington’s blueprint and utilize formations with multiple tight ends in order to run the ball and subsequently keep the Rams’ pass rush at bay. While Pittsburgh has a drastically better passing attack than Washington, the Steelers aren’t going to subject Ben Roethlisberger to St. Louis’ pass rush if Le’Veon Bell can take over the game on the ground.

Pittsburgh’s defense isn’t what it once was so an effective running game will also keep that unit off the field and fresh.
In order to flip the script, it’ll be up to the Rams’ defense to play with more discipline, and for the offense to sustain drives.
If neither happens…well, we’ve already seen the end result.

wv wrote:

I would run at them

In the end, I would much rather hear interesting ideas about what the Rams should do.

Fisher expects old friend Mike Munchak to try to slow Rams pass rush

Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/21685/jeff-fisher-expects-old-friend-mike-munchak-to-try-to-slow-rams-top-pass-rushers

EARTH CITY, Mo. — When he arrived as the new head coach of the St. Louis Rams in 2012, Jeff Fisher was able to get most of his original band back together.

Fisher brought many of his longtime assistants and friends such as assistant head coach Dave McGinnis, senior defensive assistant Chuck Cecil, assistant linebackers coach Joe Bowden and, eventually, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and linebackers coach Frank Bush, along with him. Noticeable in his absence was offensive line coach Mike Munchak, who had worked with Fisher in Houston/Tennessee from 1994 to 2010, mostly as his offensive line coach.

Of course, Munchak had good reason for not ending up in St. Louis: He was the Titans’ choice to replace Fisher as head coach in 2011. Munchak led the Titans from 2011 to 2013, posting a 22-26 record before he lost the job after a 7-9 performance in 2013. During that 2013 season, Munchak and Fisher coached against each other for the first time, with Munchak’s Titans coming away with a 28-21 win at the Edward Jones Dome.

Both coaches downplayed the matchup after it was over.

“That’s something we can talk more about in the offseason and having bragging rights about who beat who,” Munchak said then. “But this is all about us vs. them.

“Players are the ones who win the games.”

This week, Munchak’s group of players will have the chance to take on Fisher’s players again, though the circumstances have changed. After Tennessee fired him in 2013, Munchak latched on with the Pittsburgh Steelers, returning to his roots as the offensive line coach. Fisher said Tuesday he didn’t consider finding a role for Munchak with the Rams after he came available.

Munchak’s impact in Pittsburgh was immediate. The Steelers allowed 33 sacks last season, down from 42 the previous season. They boasted the league’s second-ranked offense and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger finished tied for the most passing yards in the NFL.

Fisher wasn’t surprised.

“He’s very, very thorough up front,” Fisher said. “You can just watch three or four plays of their offensive line and say to yourself, ‘That’s a Mike Munchak coached offensive line.’ They’re very sound. They’re very aggressive. They’re very patient. They finish. They rarely make mistakes.”

With skill position stars like Roethlisberger, running back Le’Veon Bell and receiver Antonio Brown in place, the only missing piece was the offensive line to make it all go. But under Munchak, the Steelers have taken off and young players like guard David DeCastro have grown into some of the best at their positions.

As the Rams prepare for the Steelers this week, Fisher said Munchak has a knack for deciphering ways to slow down opposing star defensive linemen. Which means that he and his staff will have to be on top of things when putting together this week’s game plan.

“Mike’s really good — and what we have to adjust to is — Mike’s really good at taking special defensive players away, especially if you have rushers,” Fisher said. “I would expect they would pay a lot of attention to where (DT) Aaron (Donald) is and to where (DE) Rob (Quinn) lines up. They just don’t get their quarterback hit. Their game is about Ben buying time, buying time and moving around and making the off-schedule play down the field.”

PA Ram wrote:

Maybe I missed it but I didn’t hear Fisher say anything about Quick not being up to speed.

He’s being patient, he says. He says it’s a numbers thing.

The rest sounds like speculation. Even if it’s true and it may very well be–I’m not saying it isn’t. But Fisher could say that and I’d nod and go, okay–get it. Fisher doesn’t say that, at least not that I’ve heard or read. That’s why I find it odd. That doesn’t mean it is odd–but it just comes across that way as Fisher presents it.

He did. People misread that comment because they leave part of it out and take it out of context. Here’s the part they miss.

===

http://theramshuddle.com/search/patient/

He’s just going to have to be patient. He’s coming. He’s missed a lot of time. He’s coming.

===

Plus both JT and Wagoner have independently said yeah that’s the story.

Here;s JT again:

So it’s a tough spot for Quick. The only way to knock off the rust is to play, and right now he can’t get on the field.

PA Ram wrote:

Well, I think Quick gives them something that Givens doesn’t–and what Givens gives them, Austin or Bailey can give them(although I’m not saying Bailey is as fast as Givens) and why not give Foles another type of weapon? Fisher says it’s not an injury question he says it’s a numbers question. He doesn’t say anything about rust. He says numbers. So is Fisher not telling us everything? If it’s just a numbers thing than he has the option to sit Givens. If it is rust that’s fine–but Fisher never says that.

Quick doesn’t give them anything if he’s not ready to play.

And btw Wagoner on 101 yesterday said the same thing about Quick JT did.

He’s not up to speed yet.

So far that’s Wagoner, Thomas, Fisher, and Quick all saying the same thing.

.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by zn.

PA Ram wrote:

He insists it isn’t an injury thing–it’s a numbers–special teams thing.

It’s not either/or between “injury” or “special teams. According to everything eveyone has said about it, it doesn’t get down to that.

He’s rusty, not in game shape, not up to speed—a long recovery and a lot of time spent without going through real 100% reps. THAT makes it look like it gets down to him and Givens, with Givens having been 100% in every practice.

Here’s what JT says about it:

===

http://theramshuddle.com/topic/jt-chat-922/

JT: I’ve answered this one about a dozen times already over the past couple of weeks.. So I’ll try again. In returning from shoulder surgery, Quick played in only 30 plays in the preseason He’s rusty. He’s not injured. Not anymore. Fisher normally doesn’t dress a bunch of receivers. (Because he doesn’t have a pass-happy offense.) So in deciding who’s the 5th receiver to dress, Fisher has opted for Bradley Marquez because of his special teams value. Fisher is very big on special teams. Givens probably was the most impressive WR during the preseason, which I think has earned him the early-shot as the team’s 4th WR. So it’s a tough spot for Quick. The only way to knock off the rust is to play, and right now he can’t get on the field. After last week’s offensive struggles perhaps the situation gets re-evaluated this week. As for being the “No. 1” WR, I like Quick’s potential a lot, but I don’t think any Rams coach has referred to him as the No. 1 WR.

wv wrote:

Not ha ha funny. Just kinda surreal and disturbing
funny.

Things will get better.

What’s wrong with having a good center?

IMO Saffold is just a temporary glitch. He had a lot of time off during pre-season. Out of sync-ness?

I agree with “getting better.” I expect at least 2 of the youngsters will settle down sooner rather than later.

Some things I am reading, from coach’s 22 review type guys, puts more of the Washington game on Foles than the OL. I suppose it’s no accident that a team from the NFC east would know how to attack a former Eagles qb.

.

from off the net

—

headslap75

PFF Rams O-LINE GRADES

OT out of 70 Tackles Graded

#47 Robinson -3.5
#53 Havenstein -5.0

OG out of 71 Guards Graded

#37 Brown -2.6
#69 Saffold -8.4

C out of 32 Centers Graded

#9 Barnes +0.6

So there you have it, a big reason why we aren’t running well or passing well. I still believe a better scheme would result in better scores

Ogletree has career-high 18 tackles vs. Washington

By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/ogletree-has-career-high-tackles-vs-washington/article_55d9ca05-28e3-5041-9100-4cb14c09cdff.html

One of the few bright spots in the Rams’ 24-10 loss to Washington was the play of outside linebacker Alec Ogletree. The third-year linebacker registered a career-high 18 tackles Sunday, including one tackle for loss.

The 18 tackles marked the highest total for a Rams defender since London Fletcher recorded 21 tackles on Sept. 23, 2001 in a 30-26 victory at San Francisco. That contest was the first game following the 9-11 terrorists attacks, with games the previous weekend postponed.

But in a game in which the Rams gave up six plays of 21 yards or more, Ogletree wasn’t perfect. He was beaten in coverage by Washington tight end Jordan Reed on a third-and-5 conversion that covered 29 yards in the fourth quarter.

Later in the drive, which culminated in a victory-clinching touchdown run by Matt Jones with 2 minutes 38 seconds to play, Ogletree was penalized 15 yards for grabbing the facemask of Washington running back Alfred Morris.

Ogletree was the Rams’ only defender to register double-digits in tackles against Washington according to coaches’ review of game film. Defensive tackle Michael Brockers continued his strong early-season play with nine tackles, including one tackle for loss. He also had a quarterback hit on the pass rush.

The leading tackler in the secondary, with seven stops, was strong safety T.J. McDonald. McDonald also had a fumble recovery.

With Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins getting the ball out quickly, the Rams’ pressure numbers were way down. They had only three hurries, one QB hit, and two sacks. The two sacks were split four ways: Chris Long and Nick Fairley split one sack; Long and Aaron Donald split the other. Last week against Seattle, the Rams had 13 hurries, six QB hits, and six sacks.

Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis had six tackles Sunday, giving him 914 for his career and leaving him one tackle shy of the franchise record set by Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen from 1962-76.

Rams dominated by Redskins

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-dominated-by-redskins/article_d54f4e3b-01cb-5868-afc3-c92c4572f62a.html

LANDOVER, MD. • The Rams have had a few trademark wins under coach Jeff Fisher, only to come back the next week or later in the same season and lose to a very beatable opponent.

Last season, they squashed Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, only to get routed by a 6-10 New York Giants squad.

In 2013, there were marquee victories over Indianapolis and New Orleans but also losses to Atlanta and Tennessee, teams that went a combined 11-21 that season.

In 2012, Fisher’s inaugural year with the Rams, there was as an overtime victory and a tie against Super Bowl-bound San Francisco. But also losses to perpetually mediocre Miami and a 6-10 New York Jets squad.

It happened again Sunday at FedEx Field. Fresh off an attention-grabbing overtime victory against Seattle on opening day, the Rams came out flat against Washington — about as flat as can be in falling behind 17-0 at the half.

The team’s hopes of starting 2-0 for the first time since 2001 never got off the launching pad in a 24-10 loss to Washington.

“We wanted to go 2-0 bad,” Rams safety T.J. McDonald said. “I’d be lying if I said we didn’t. We didn’t play good enough to get it.”

Not even close to good enough in the opening two quarters. The Rams have played a lot of bad football over the past decade, and Sunday’s first half was right up there with the worst in terms of ugly play.

Besides trailing by 17 points, the Rams were outgained 239 yards to 72 in the half. In the parity-driven NFL, it’s not supposed to happen that way. It marked the first time since Oct. 2, 2011 that Washington (1-1) has held an opponent scoreless in the first half.

“We came out a little sluggish,” Rams tight end Lance Kendricks said in understatement. “Especially on the road, you’ve got to really come out with some urgency.”

The Rams were anything but urgent Sunday. They got gashed for one big play after another in the opening half by a Washington offense that managed only 10 points in a season-opening loss to Miami.

Running backs Alfred Morris and Matt Jones had runs of 35 and 39 yards, respectively, through gaping holes in the Rams’ defense on Washington’s first touchdown drive. Jones’ 39-yard run accounted for the TD.

A 35-yard reception by wide receiver Ryan Grant on a play in which he got behind cornerback Janoris Jenkins set up a field goal on Washington’s next possession for a 10-0 lead with 53 seconds still to play in the opening quarter.

Washington’s next TD drive included a 25-yard run by Jones, the rookie from Florida. On a third-and-goal play from the Rams’ 4, Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins threw a TD pass to Pierre Garcon, who beat Jenkins on the play. Jenkins complained of a push-off, but it really wasn’t flagrant enough to merit a call by referee Ed Hochuli’s crew.

And that was pretty much the ballgame. A Washington team that was beaten 24-0 by St. Louis here last season and managed only 206 yards in the process had 17 points and the aforementioned 239 yards by intermission this time.

The Rams finally showed a pulse in the third quarter, putting up 10 points to make it a one-score contest. But overall, this was all too easy for Washington — way too easy, actually — against the highly touted Rams defense.

It was pretty basic football. Washington controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and controlled the clock, blocking and tackling better than the Rams. Sometimes it’s not all that complicated.

“We knew that in order for us to win the game we were going to have to run it, stop the run, and get off the field on third down,” Fisher said. “And we didn’t do any one of those with any consistency. That was the difference in the ballgame.”

Jones finished with 123 yards rushing and two touchdowns, on 19 carries, averaging 6.5 yards per attempt. He outshone Morris, a three-time 1,000-yard rusher who finished with 59 yards on 18 carries (for a modest 3.3 average).

“He surprised a few guys who didn’t realize how big and fast he was all at once,” Rams defensive end Robert Quinn said of Jones, who stands 6 feet 2 and weighs 231 pounds. “But at the same time, I don’t think an NFL player can catch another guy off guard. They’re here for a reason. He found some holes in our defense and he ran through ’em.”

All told, Washington rushed for 182 yards, getting all but 50 of that total by halftime. Washington was eight for 16 on third-down conversions, compared to the Rams’ feeble two for 12. The home team dominated time of possession, with 37 minutes 44 seconds of ball control compared to the Rams’ 22:16.

“They out-executed us on third down, and that’s a big play during the game, just keeping those drives alive,” Rams quarterback Nick Foles said. “We didn’t do a good job of that today.”

A week earlier, after the big win over Seattle, the Rams were talking about the need for week-to-week consistency in execution and performance. They were doing so almost immediately after that triumph.

“As you know, our biggest problem has always been being consistent,” guard Rodger Saffold said after that 34-31 win. “We win one, lose one. Lose two, come back win two. Lose the third. You know what I mean?”

We know exactly what you mean. But recognizing the problem and solving it remain two distinct things for the Rams. They have managed back-to-back victories only five times during Fisher’s tenure. And they have won as many as three in a row only once — defeating Arizona, San Francisco and Buffalo in succession in 2012.

A 52-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein, followed by a 40-yard TD pass from Foles to Britt, cut Washington’s lead to 17-10 midway through the third quarter. Quinn forced a Jones fumble that was recovered by McDonald, setting up the Foles-to-Britt score.

But just as quickly, the Rams’ offense shifted back into neutral and stayed there. Washington finally put the game away with an excruciating 12-play, 77-yard TD drive that chewed up nearly 7 minutes of the fourth quarter.

Washington faced third-and-13, third-and-5, and third-and-8 situations on the drive, converting each time. Jones’ 3-yard sweep around left end gave Washington a victory-clinching 24-10 lead with 2:38 to play in the fourth.

And left the Rams groping for answers— again.

Rams show up flat, get run over by Redskins

AP

http://www.bnd.com/sports/nfl/st-louis-rams/article35918955.html#storylink=cpy

So here’s a nearly certain way to beat the Rams: Get the NFL to schedule a game against St. Louis right after it faces NFC West rival Seattle.

Dating to 2005, the Rams are 2-15 in regular-season games immediately following a matchup with the Seahawks.

The latest such loss came Sunday, when the Rams fell into a big hole, failed repeatedly on third down, gave up 123 yards and two touchdowns to Washington rookie running back Matt Jones, and were beaten by the Redskins 24-10.

No matter what the numbers say, St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher insisted his club did not have any sort of letdown after its 34-31 overtime victory over the two-time reigning NFC champion Seahawks in Week 1.

“Not at all,” Fisher said. “We had a really good week. I mean, it’s fair to assume that, but we guarded against it and we had a great week of practice.”

Perhaps. But the Rams (1-1) came out flat-as-can-be against Washington (1-1), trailing 17-0 at halftime. It’s the first time the Redskins shut out an opponent over the first two quarters since an Oct. 2, 2011, game against St. Louis.

Nick Foles was out of synch, overthrowing receivers, underthrowing receivers and simply flat-out throwing the ball nowhere near receivers. He finished 17 for 32 for 150 yards and said he was OK after a defender rolled up on his lower left leg on the Rams’ final drive.

“He missed a lot of opportunities,” Fisher said, “but I can’t say (if) it’s Nick, or his receiver or if it was a breakdown in protection.”

Foles’ take?

“I know it’s simple,” he said, “but we just did not execute.”

The Rams’ first six possessions each ended with a punt, and the seventh — which marked their first trip across midfield — petered out when the first-half clock expired.

In all, St. Louis was 2 for 12 on third-down conversions.

“We knew that in order for us to win the game we were going to have to run it, and stop the run, and get off the field on third down,” Fisher said, “and we didn’t do any one of those with any consistency.”

Jones, a third-round draft pick out of Florida, scored from 39 yards in the first quarter, and from 3 with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the fourth.

“He ran like his hair was on fire today,” Redskins left tackle Trent Williams said.

The Redskins finished with a 182-67 edge in rushing yards.

“If you don’t stop the run against that team, it’s going to be a long day, because that’s what they do well,” Rams defensive lineman Chris Long said. “Our strength — rushing the passer — we never got to do it.”

The Rams only had two sacks, after getting six against Seattle.

Tavon Austin had a team-high 40 yards on four carries for the Rams, but the Redskins kicked the ball away from him on punts, never allowing the speedy returner to try to take one back.

Tre Mason’s season debut was a quiet one, with seven carries for 26 yards, while first-round draft pick Todd Gurley was inactive again as he returns from knee surgery.

And yet, with all their problems, the Rams pulled within 17-10 in the third quarter when Foles connected with Kenny Britt on a 40-yard touchdown pass two plays after Jones fumbled.

Kirk Cousins — 23 of 27 for 203 yards, one TD and zero interceptions — led a 12-play, 77-yard drive that ate up more than 6 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter and was capped by Jones’ second score, basically sealing the victory.

“We feel,” Mason said, “like we are a better team than that.”

Notes

When St. Louis beat Washington 24-0 last season, Fisher tweaked the Redskins during the pregame coin toss, sending out six players acquired via the trade that allowed Washington to pick Robert Griffin III second overall in the 2012 draft. This time, Fisher went with captains such as Foles; Griffin, meanwhile, was not even in uniform, inactive as the No. 3 QB behind Cousins and Colt McCoy.

Jeff Fisher Says Rams Have Themselves to Blame for Loss to Redskins

Rams Suffer 24-10 Setback at Washington

Myles Simmons

http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Rams-Suffer-24-10-Setback-at-Washington/9512981c-4fcb-4c2c-bb07-bc449db64fea

LANDOVER, Md. — The Rams had a disappointing outing offensively and defensively, dropping their second contest of the season to Washington, 24-10.

The home team used a strong rushing attack to control the ball and the clock, amassing 368 total yards, including 182 yards rushing. And it was rookie Matt Jones leading the way for Washington, racking up 123 yards on 19 carries with two touchdowns.

On the other hand, the visitors mustered only 67 yards rushing and 213 yards of total offense, gaining only 11 first downs. The time of possession battle was lopsided as well, with St. Louis holding the ball for only 22:16.

Washington got on the board first with a touchdown on its second possession. Poor run defense from the Rams allowed the home team to get into the end zone in just three plays. Running back Alfred Morris took a handoff 35 yards to the left for a big gain. A play later Jones ran it over the left side for a 39-yard touchdown, putting Washington up 7-0.

Washington kicker Dustin Hopkins hit a 46-yard field goal to make it 10-0, but the home team wasn’t done in the first half. After an offensive holding penalty, the Redskins had a 1st-and-15 at the St. Louis 48. But Jones wiped that out with a 25-yard run to the right, putting Washington in scoring position at the visitors’ 23. A few plays later, Kirk Cousins hit Pierre Garçon with a short pass to the left for a touchdown, giving Washington a 17-0 lead.

The Rams had a tough time moving the ball throughout the first half, finishing the first two quarters with only 72 total yards. Their best chance to score came after a Washington 18-yard punt gave St. Louis the ball at their opponents’ 45. Nick Foles completed a pass to Jared Cook for 14 yards on 3rd-and-10, but time expired before the Rams could get up to the line to kill the clock.

The defense got back on track to begin the second half, forcing a three-and-out. Aaron Donald and Lamarcus Joyner had key tackles for loss on the drive.

Washington’s punt put the Rams at their own 32, but the offense got a couple quick first downs. Tavon Austin got the possession started with a 16-yard end around to the left, and Tre Mason followed that up with a 13-yard run up the middle.

Though the drive stalled with a false start penalty, a 9-yard pass from Foles to Benny Cunningham on third down put St. Louis in field-goal range. Greg Zuerlein nailed his 52-yard attempt to get the Rams on the board, making the score 17-3.

The defense then came up with a big turnover, as Robert Quinn punched the ball out on a Jones run, giving St. Louis the ball at its own 49. Mason got the possession going with an 11-yard run. And then Foles dropped back with a play-action fake, and hit Kenny Britt in the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown. The scoring strike cut into the lead once again, with St. Louis down 17-10.

But Washington got back on the board in the fourth quarter, aided by a few Rams penalties. A 3rd-and-13 situation turned into a 3rd-and-8 due to a neutral-zone infraction penalty. Cousins converted that with a 10-yard pass to Chris Thompson. Later in the drive, St. Louis committed a facemask penalty to put Washington in the red zone on the 15. A few plays later, Jones ran around the left side for a 3-yard touchdown, putting the game out of reach.

With the loss, the Rams fall to 1-1 on the young season. They’ll be back in action next week at home against the Steelers