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znModeratorRams fumble one away to Ravens
Jim Thomas
BALTIMORE • In a rapidly crumbling season, the Rams couldn’t move the football with any kind of consistency, couldn’t hold onto the football, and couldn’t hold a late 10-point lead.
It all added up to another bitter defeat, a 16-13 loss to a 2-7 Baltimore team on a game-ending 47-yard field goal by the Ravens’ Justin Tucker.
The Rams’ third consecutive loss dropped the team’s record to 4-6, casting doubt on the ability of coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead to get an organization that hasn’t had a winning season since 2003 over-the-hump.
“Well, that one was a hard one,” Fisher said afterwards. “Probably one of the hardest I’ve been around since I’ve been here. It’s difficult when you lose that way in a game that we somewhat controlled or dictated. Gave up the lead.
“But nonetheless, it’s hard to overcome four (turnovers) against a Super Bowl-winning quarterback.”
The Rams lost four fumbles Sunday on a chilly, windy day at M&T Bank Stadium _ leading to 13 Baltimore points. For the Ravens, it tied a franchise record for most fumbles recovered in a game.
The last fumble, on a sack of quarterback Case Keenum, gave the Ravens the opening they needed to pull out the victory. On third-and-5 from the St. Louis 36, Baltimore outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw got around Rams left tackle Greg Robinson for a sack, knocking the ball loose from Keenum.
Ravens defensive end Lawrence Guy recovered at the St. Louis 41 in a 13-13 game with 54 seconds left to play. The Ravens were out of timeouts, but didn’t need any. After an incomplete pass, two runs by Javorius Allen produced 12 yards and a first down.
Quarterback Joe Flacco, finishing out the game despite suffering what was a season-ending knee injury, spiked the ball with two seconds left. And out came Tucker to kick the game winner.
Tucker had missed a 51-yarder with 1:13 to play, wide right. Rams counterpart Greg Zuerlein had missed a 52-yarder with 1:41 to play, wide right.
• REPORT CARD: Gordo grades the Rams
Keenum apparently suffered a concussion two plays before that sack-fumble, on a play where he was sacked by defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan. That sack didn’t count because of an offside penalty on Ravens outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil, but Keenum was clearly shaken up on the play.
Fisher didn’t mention the concussion during his postgame news conference. It was more than 25 minutes after the game that Rams officials said Keenum would not be available to the media because he had been diagnosed with a concussion.
Keenum struggled for most of the day, completing 12 of 26 passes for 136 yards on a day when the Rams lost another offensive line starter _ right tackle Andrew Donnal _ to what looks like a season-ending knee injury.
But Keenum’s 30-yard touchdown pass to wide-open tight end Lance Kendricks with 6:14 to go in the third quarter seemingly put the Rams in control. Even when Zuerlein’s extra point was blocked, the Rams led 13-3 and the Baltimore offense, which lost running back Justin Forsett to a broken arm in the first quarter, was having trouble stringing together first downs.
“This one might be one of the hardest (losses), just the fashion of it, and the fact that it was a real pivotal game in the season from an overall outlook,” linebacker James Laurinatis said. “It was a chance to get back to .500, and make a push. And now being 4-6, you have zero room for error.”
The Rams have never won more than three in a row under Fisher, and have done that only once _ in 2012. So to think they could string together six consecutive victories to finish 10-6, or even win five of six to finish 9-7, would be the height of optimism.
“I’ll get ’em back,” Fisher said. “But really disappointed for them because of the way they played. They’re playing hard.”
The Ram’s best friend in the first half was the penalty flag by referee Tony Corrente’s crew. On the Rams’ third possession of the day, Keenum’s deep ball to tight end Jared Cook resulted in a 49-yard pass interference call against Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith.
That penalty gave the Rams a first down at the Baltimore 10, and three running plays later Todd Gurley was in the end zone, giving the rookie from Georgia at least one touchdown in five consecutive games.
Gurley’s one-yard run with 2:05 to play in the opening quarter marked the only scoring of the half until Tucker kicked a 25-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter.
The first half was no thing of beauty. Neither team was able to do much offensively, and penalty flags halted any semblance of momentum. The Ravens alone had 107 yards in penalties at the half, on six flags.
The Rams had some opportunities to pad their lead, starting second-quarter possessions at their 43 and the Baltimore 42 (after a Rodney McLeod interception). But Keenum, under pressure frequently behind a tattered offensive line, completed only three of 10 passes in the half.
A Tavon Austin fumble on a punt return gave the Ravens a first down at the St. Louis 31 following C.J. Mosley’s recovery, setting up the Tucker field goal.
The Rams had another chance to score when a 31-yard Keenum pass to Bradley Marquez over the middle carried to the Baltimore 18 early in the second quarter. But offsetting penalties negated the play, and the Rams ended up punting.
The Rams lost Donnal, starting in place of the injured Rob Havenstein, to a knee injury on the second play of the second quarter.
znModeratorHandling of Keenum’s concussion raises questions about NFL policy
Sean Wagner-McGough
At the tail-end of the Rams’ 16-13 loss to the Ravens on Sunday, quarterback Case Keenum was concussed. With just over a minute remaining in a tied game, Keenum was thrown to the turf by a Ravens’ defender.
In what was completely clear to anyone with a TV and a set of eyes, Keenum’s head bounced violently off the turf.
Keenum’s pain was also clear. He immediately grabbed his head. He squirmed on the ground. Eventually, he got up with the help of his teammates.
But the game didn’t stop. While the officials sorted out a flag, Keenum spoke to a member of the Rams’ staff on the field. Thirty seconds later, he was back in the huddle and dropping back to pass. Two plays after the sack, Keenum fumbled and the Ravens won the game on a last-second field goal.
After the game, reporters discovered that Keenum was diagnosed with a concussion, which raises questions: Why wasn’t the game stopped? Why didn’t Keenum come out of the game? Even if the Rams official spoke with Keenum and thought that he was fine, why didn’t an NFL concussion spotter stop the game so Keenum could be examined off the field? Could a concussion test really be administered in 30 seconds? Did the Rams even give Keenum a concussion test?
Earlier this month, Eagles defensive back Malcolm Jenkins revealed that he played during a game with a concussion and hid it from the medical staff. Because the hit that caused Jenkins’ concussion was inconspicuous, nobody knew that Jenkins was concussed. The onus was on Jenkins to tell a trainer, but he didn’t. Like Keenum’s concussion, it’s scary to consider that Jenkins played football with a brain injury.
But in this case, Keenum’s head injury wasn’t hidden, it was clear as day. As Keenum withered around in pain, someone — a Rams’ trainer, an official, a concussion spotter, a teammate — had to have spotted that something could be wrong with player who just had his helmet slammed off the turf.
Nobody stopped the game. The game continued. And just moments later, Keenum took a snap and fired an incomplete pass toward Wes Welker.
znModeratorAaron Donald up, offensive line down for Rams in loss
Nick Wagoner
BALTIMORE — A look at St. Louis Rams players who were “up” and those who were “down” in Sunday’s 16-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
UP
DT Aaron Donald: Once again, Donald was one of the few Rams providing any sort of positive highlights. He finished with 10 tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits. There’s not much fun about watching the Rams these days, but Donald still is.
DE Matt Longacre: With Robert Quinn out because of a hip and back injury and Chris Long still easing back into action, Longacre was again a pleasant surprise. He only had three tackles and a quarterback hit, but he set the edge well and at least looks like he could be a nice developmental piece moving forward.
DOWN
The offensive line: This group was already one of the worst in the league but injuries have depleted it even further, and Sunday was the latest example of why the Rams messed up in the offseason by not bringing in another veteran or two for this group. Running room was scarce except for when quarterback Case Keenum was running away from Ravens defenders.
RB Todd Gurley: There’s no doubt that Gurley isn’t getting much help, as the aforementioned line was brutal and offered little running room, but he also had a pair of fumbles in a game in which costly mistakes counted extra. Baltimore’s run defense is one of the best in the league, but Gurley’s 66 yards on 25 carries was one of his worst outings of the season.
RB Tre Mason: Mason was something of a surprise pre-game inactive but apparently had nobody to blame but himself. Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Mason violated team rules and the television broadcast indicated that Mason was late for the team bus on Saturday. Hence the deactivation. He’s already fallen well behind Gurley in the running back rotation, but he’s not doing much to help his cause moving forward, either.
znModeratorRavens Top Rams on Last-Second Field Goal
Myles Simmons
BALTIMORE, Md. — The offensive woes continued for the Rams on Sunday, as the club totaled only 213 yards and lost four fumbles en route to a 16-13 loss to the Ravens.
“That one was a hard one — probably one of the hardest I’ve been around since I’ve been here,” head coach Jeff Fisher said. “It’s difficult when you lose that way in a game that you somewhat controlled, dictated — gave up a lead. But none the less, it’s hard to overcome four [fumbles] against a Super Bowl winning quarterback.”
The Rams took a 13-3 lead into the fourth quarter, but could not hold it as the Ravens capitalized on late turnovers. After the two teams traded missed field goals with under two minutes in the final period, Baltimore’s Justin Tucker hit a 47 yarder as time expired to give the home team the victory.
“We’ve got to find a way defensively to hold on,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “That’s what really burns right now, is that we had a 10-point lead there and had every opportunity to go ahead and seal it. I don’t care how many times we’re put out there. We’ve just got to find a way.”
Still, St. Louis continues to be hampered by a lack of offensive production. It was tough sledding for running back Todd Gurley throughout the contest, as he finished with 25 carries for just 66 yards and a touchdown. Gurley also had a late fumble that proved costly — a rarity for the sure-handed running back. The rookie was hit in the backfield just after receiving a handoff and the ball ended up on the ground.
“There really isn’t an excuse,” Gurley said. “Whether it’s someone hitting me as soon as I get the ball — at the end of the day, I’m a running back. Hold onto the ball.”
Quarterback Case Keenum also had a tough day in his first contest as the Rams’ starting signal-caller. He completed just 12 of his 26 passes for 136 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Keenum did, however, tally three fumbles — one of which was a backwards pass into the flat that went out of bounds for a 7-yard loss. After the game, Keenum was diagnosed with a concussion.
“I feel like Case did a good job of battling his butt off in there,” tight end Jared Cook said.
Keenum’s other fumbles were in a botched exchange with Gurley and a late sack/fumble. The Ravens recovered both, with the latter setting the club up for its game-winning field goal.
“There was penetration that created the exchange problem, too, inside,” Fisher said.
Injuries were the catalyst for some of the issues up front, as the Rams started rookies Cody Wichmann at right guard and Andrew Donnal at right tackle. Donnal then suffered a knee injury during the contest, forcing more shifts. Garrett Reynolds went to right tackle, Demetrius Rhaney came in at right guard, and Whichmann moved over to left guard.
After the game, Fisher said the team would have more information later on Donnal, but the head coach did not sound optimistic.
“I’ll just say, it doesn’t look good,” Fisher said. “Unfortunate for him. He was playing well.”
The Rams were the first to score in the game’s opening period with the help of a key penalty. Baltimore missed a 51-yard field goal, giving St. Louis the ball at its own 41-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Keenum dropped back and looked like he was trying to throw into the flat. But with his receiver covered, the quarterback proceeded to run toward the line of scrimmage.
That’s when Keenum saw Cook with a step on his man deep down the middle of the field. The signal-caller lofted the ball up, and Cook was able to draw a 49-yard defensive pass interference penalty from cornerback Jimmy Smith. The flag put the Rams at the Baltimore 10-yard line.
After that, Gurley did the rest. The running back gained 9 yards on two carries, bulldozing his way in from a yard out on a third to put the Rams up, 7-0.
The two clubs traded punts for a while until St. Louis came up with a turnover midway through the second quarter.
Safety Rodney McLeod made his first interception of the season in Baltimore territory. Quarterback Joe Flacco overthrew his intended target, tight end Crockett Gillmore, and McLeod got in position, made the catch, and returned the pick four yards to the home team’s 42.
But St. Louis could not capitalize on the field position, going three and out.
After the defense forced a three and out of its own, it looked like the Rams would have a chance to increase its lead with a four-minute drive before halftime. But wide receiver Tavon Austin muffed the return, with the Ravens picking up the fumble at the visitors’ 30-yard line. It was an uncharacteristic mistake for the punt returner.
Baltimore would advance deep into Rams’ territory, but defensive tackle Aaron Donald helped limit the yardage. On 2nd-and-7 from the St. Louis 11, Donald broke through a double team to sack Flacco for a 7-yard loss. The defensive tackle had six total tackles — two for loss — a sack, and a QB hit in the first half alone. He’d finish with 10 tackles on the day, a mark that led the team.
Nevertheless, Tucker would hit a field goal as time expired in the first half, cutting the visitors’ lead to 7-3.
The two teams then traded turnovers in the early going of the third quarter. Keenum began a drive with a 7-yard pass to Cook, giving the Rams 2nd-and-3. But on the next play, Keenum would mishandle a handoff to Gurley, causing a fumble. Baltimore recovered the loose ball on the St. Louis 42.
“It was penetration, yes,” Fisher said. “The defensive line got penetration and pushed our guys back. That’s where [Keenum] tripped.”
But it wouldn’t be long until the Rams got the ball back. On the third play of Baltimore’s possession, Flacco overthrew his intended target — tight end Maxx Williams — and Trumaine Johnson was there to make the pick. The cornerback returned the interception 25 yards, before sliding down. At that point, Johnson left the game with a thigh injury and did not return.
St. Louis was able to capitalize on the turnover in just a few plays. Austin moved the chains with a 16-yard end around, bringing St. Louis to the Baltimore 30-yard line. Then Keenum made his best pass of the contest, hitting tight end Lance Kendricks on the backside of a play action pass for a 30-yard touchdown. The extra point, however, was blocked, meaning the Rams extended their lead to 13-3.
Fisher said one of the reasons for the block was all the changes up front.
“We had penetration moving people around in there,” Fisher said. “And we’ve been working on it, working extra in practice, and they’ve got to do a better job.”
In the fourth quarter, the Rams turned the ball over in their own territory, giving the Ravens another opportunity. Baltimore defensive tackle Brandon Williams got into the backfield and popped the ball out of Gurley’s hands. Linebacker Courtney Upshaw recovered the fumble, giving the home team the ball at the St. Louis 42.
“I put the ball on the ground twice,” Gurley said. “There’s no excuse for that.”
The Ravens would take advantage of their opportunity, driving seven plays to cut the visitors’ lead. Flacco hit an open Gillmore over the middle for 16 yards to give Baltimore 1st-and-goal from the Rams’ 3. A play later, Flacco found wide receiver Kamar Aiken open in the end zone for a touchdown. With the extra point, the Rams led 13-10.
Following another St. Louis punt, Baltimore would continue its string of points with a big play to Gillmore leading the charge. Flacco hit the tight end on a short pass to the left, and Gillmore rumbled down the field for a 46-yard gain to the St. Louis 8-yard line. The Rams would clamp down in the red zone, leading to a Tucker 20-yard field goal to tie the game at 13.
On the ensuing possession, Benny Cunningham came up with a big play on 3rd-and-3 to move the chains. The Rams had moved the pocket to the right, but Keenum had no one open to throw to. Cunningham stayed on the backside of the play, and the quarterback hit him with a pass, giving the running back an opportunity to make a play in the open field. Cunningham shook off a couple defenders, gaining 20 yards and a first down.
But that’s about all the Rams would get. Keenum couldn’t connect with Austin on 3rd-and-5 from the Baltimore 34. And then Greg Zuerlein missed a 52-yard field goal wide right, giving the home team the ball back at its own 42.
It wasn’t over, though, as Tucker would miss his own 51-yard field goal wide right, giving the visitors the ball back at their own 41. But Upshaw forced another St. Louis turnover with a sack/fumble on Keenum, providing the home team the opportunity to win.
“Give them credit — they created the turnovers,” Fisher said. “We created some turnovers. But they created the turnovers when they needed them.”
This time, Tucker drilled a 47-yard field goal as time expired, winning the game.
With the loss, the Rams are not 4-6 on the season.
“This one might be one of the hardest over the last seven [years] — maybe the hardest,” Laurinaitis said of the loss. “Just the fashion of it. The fact that it was a real pivotal game in the season from an overall outlook. A chance to get back to .500 and make a push. And now, being 4-6, it’s like you have zero room for error [when] you look at the big picture of everything. So you always take it week-to-week, but when you’re around seven years, you kind of look at the overall picture. So this stings on multiple levels. Might be the hardest one to swallow.”
St. Louis will be on the road once again next week against Cincinnati.
znModeratorThey played a team that was 2 – 7. A team that likely will not get many other wins.
Baltimore has the closest point differential of any team. Most of their losses actually avg. out to be less than a 3 point difference.
..
znModeratorMylesASimmons
Got word in locker room Rams QB Case Keenum has been diagnosed with a concussion.
==
ATC spotter failed to call medical timeout to remove Case Keenum
Mike Florio
This year, the NFL for the first time gave ATC spotters the power to stop play in order to remove from the field players potentially suffering from concussions. It’s a great idea in theory; in practice, it requires the spotter to be willing to slam on the brakes at a key moment in the action.
Late in Sunday’s game between the Rams and Ravens, the back of St. Louis quarterback Case Keenum’s head slammed against the ground during a late drive in a tie game. Keen immediately was in clear distress, struggling to get up.
But the game continued with Keenum at quarterback, without the Rams or the officials or the ATC spotter doing anything to get him off the field.
It’s possible that ATC spotter wasn’t paying attention. It’s more possible that the ATC spotter was reluctant to yank Keenum off the field during crunch time.
Regardless, the ATC spotter failed to protect a player who needed to be protected from himself. Keenum was never going to tap out voluntarily. In moments like that, the ATC spotter is there for one purpose: To tap out the player involuntarily.
November 22, 2015 at 6:24 pm in reply to: Rams tackle Greg Robinson working to correct 'technical' issues #34558znModeratorThe Rams might as well resign themselves to the fact that they will need a new LT.
I don’t agree with that. And he IS having a rough time, but I don’t think he is going to bust.
It’s frustrating in the meanwhile but to me he’s not even the worst issue on the OL.
.
znModeratorI am surprised at the emotions over this game.
They had Keenum at qb after Foles melted down, and a young OL that was made even LESS experienced by having to replace (at this point) 5 different starters…Saffold, Brown, Havenstein, then add Williams (last game) and now Donnal to that.
Frankly I didn’t expect them to be IN the game and yet somehow, ugly as it was, they were.
Yet to me the frustration sounds like people who were expecting much more and got disappointed.
.
November 22, 2015 at 5:19 pm in reply to: Rams tackle Greg Robinson working to correct 'technical' issues #34548znModeratora total of 8 new young rookie linemen joined the Rams in 2 years. Robinson, Rhaney, Havenstein, Brown, Donnal, Wichman, Battle, and Williams.
None of them had a previous injury history.
And at this point, since becoming Rams, 6 have been injured: Robinson, Rhaney, Wichman, Havenstein, Brown, and Williams.
75%.
With Donnal hurt it’s now 7 of 8, or 87.5%
znModeratorI heard that Mason and Battle were inactive because they missed the bus to the plane?
Yes.
znModeratorWell. That could have gone better than it did.
znModeratorznModeratorhttp://www.101sports.com/listen-live/
Randy said Donnal is going to play tackle today.
That (of course) makes the guards Reynolds and Wichman.
znModeratorQuinn ruled out for Baltimore
Jim Thomas
I am inventing the term “quinn-out.”
The term “quinn-out” describes the (almost invariably negative) emotional reaction Rams fans have to an injury to a particularly important defensive starter, usually but not exclusively a defensive lineman.
So for example, someone could say, “with Quinn out, I am having a major quinn-out.”
znModeratorQuinn ruled out for Baltimore
Jim Thomas
The injury issues continue for Rams defensive end Robert Quinn. The two-time Pro Bowler was downgraded to out from questionable for Sunday’s game with Baltimore with what is now being listed as a hip/back injury.
As such, Quinn will miss his second game in the past three weeks. There has been some varied information on just what has been ailing Quinn. He missed the Minnesota game Nov. 8 with what the team described as a knee injury on its official injury report.
After playing only 14 snaps last week against Chicago, Quinn appeared on this week’s injury report with a hip issue. On Saturday, in announcing that Quinn would miss Sunday’s game in Baltimore, the injury was listed by the team as hip/back.
Back issues, in fact, have hampered Quinn for much of this season. Eugene Sims is expected to start once again in Quinn’s place against the Ravens.
November 22, 2015 at 12:54 am in reply to: Rams tackle Greg Robinson working to correct 'technical' issues #34512znModeratora total of 8 new young rookie linemen joined the Rams in 2 years. Robinson, Rhaney, Havenstein, Brown, Donnal, Wichman, Battle, and Williams.
Only one of them (Wichman) had a previous injury history.
And at this point, since becoming Rams, 5 have been injured: Robinson, Rhaney, Havenstein, Brown, and Williams.
62.5%.
…..
Actually that’s incorrect. Wichman was injured as a Ram.
Corrected version:
a total of 8 new young rookie linemen joined the Rams in 2 years. Robinson, Rhaney, Havenstein, Brown, Donnal, Wichman, Battle, and Williams.
None of them had a previous injury history.
And at this point, since becoming Rams, 6 have been injured: Robinson, Rhaney, Wichman, Havenstein, Brown, and Williams.
75%.
znModerator. carson wentz is my pick. maybe second round.
There’s a vid ag just put up of wentz in this thread:
http://theramshuddle.com/topic/three-out-an-early-look-at-the-2016-nfl-drafts-quarterbacks/
znModeratorSome more follow-up:
—
CoachO
As to Keenum……. His understanding of the system may have given him an advantage. But I think overall, he looks to get rid of the ball much quicker than Foles. He anticipates routes better and has the ability to throw to a spot rather than waiting for the receiver to come out of his break before releasing the ball.
Am very interested in seeing how it impacts the offense as I’m sure everyone else is. But I will not be surprised if there isn’t dramatic improvement. Especially with regards to guys like Quick, Britt and Welker.
November 21, 2015 at 5:51 pm in reply to: Rams tackle Greg Robinson working to correct 'technical' issues #34504znModeratorfrom off the net
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DR RAM
IMO, we have all the pieces on OL, it’s just a matter of getting a little better, being healthy, learning, and repping, fundamentals, and finding the right mix. I think we have some depth, after all is said and done. I feel it’s the best group, top to bottom, potentially, in a long time. I say potential, but I’m not talking huge leaps, just natural progression, and hard work..
Robinson didn’t start playing the offensive line, until his junior year at high school. He played two years in college, in a very simple gimmicky offense. Snead drafts for upside, and it’s something that we keep seeing. Robinson had foot surgery in the offseason, so all this improvement in fundamentals everyone keeps mentioning, couldn’t happen in the offseason. The 3rd year is the year.
And I really can’t overstate how little help we give him on passing plays (We gave Jake Long more help), and he’s had a revolving door at guard.
To me, what speaks volumes, is that Robinson isn’t making any excuses, even though some of those calls were horrible. He’s a beast, a lot of us knew he’d take a minute to develop, because of his college experience. He is still a beast. I would still take GR. I’ve seen Matthews play this year, he’s not great, and if he was picked on, could easily have more holding penalties.
Next year will be his year, but he’s not as bad as everyone is saying, or he’d have a TE on top of him, or a RB on his side, on every passing play.
At some point, like a couple years in the weight room, Donnal might be able to play some spot Guard, but he is a much better, and more natural RT. Not as good as Havenstein, but our best option after D. Williams went down.
Williams may very well be a very important part of this team in the future. He didn’t look completely overwhelmed in his first action.
November 21, 2015 at 4:37 pm in reply to: Rams tackle Greg Robinson working to correct 'technical' issues #34503znModeratorRams leaning on patchwork offensive line against Ravens
The Rams will have to rely on rookies such as Andrew Donnal to plug holes in St. Louis’ injury-depleted offensive line. Brace Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports
Nick Wagoner
Y, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams and Baltimore Ravens kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET from M&T Bank Stadium. The Rams have not won a game in Baltimore since beating the Colts in 1969. Here are three things to watch in this matchup:
1. Making a Case: Since 2001, new Rams starting quarterback Case Keenum is one of just six quarterbacks to lose his first eight career starts. But he’s the only one to win consecutive starts after losing those initial eight. All of Keenum’s starting experience came when he was with the Houston Texans, the first eight coming in his first stint with the team and the latter two in his second. Included in Keenum’s two wins from 2014 was a victory against the Ravens.
The good news is that Keenum should have familiarity with Baltimore’s defense since he just started against them in Week 16 of last year. The bad news is that while Houston won that game, Keenum didn’t have much to do with the victory. He was 20-of-42 for 185 yards with no touchdowns and an interception in that game.
The Rams turned to Keenum because they believe he can give them a much-needed offensive spark. Don’t be surprised to see the Rams using Keenum in different ways than they did Nick Foles, getting him outside the pocket and allowing him opportunities to make plays with his legs.
2. Keeping it close: Every game the Ravens have played this year has been decided by eight points or fewer. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no team in NFL history has ever started a season with 10 consecutive games decided by eight points or fewer. But this game could certainly be next in line. The Rams have had their share of close calls this year, including an overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings two weeks ago.
In that context, there are a few players to watch and one statistic that could alter the outcome of the game. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco has struggled in the final quarter this year, posting a 27.9 Total QBR in the fourth quarter and overtime.
This game could also come down to the kickers. The Rams’ Greg Zuerlein had a big day against the Vikings but missed a 48-yard field goal late that might have nudged the Rams to victory in that game. He’s also had his share of struggles this year.
Baltimore’s Justin Tucker isn’t having his best year but he’s been money late in games, converting 91 percent of his fourth quarter and overtime attempts since 2013.
As always with the Rams, penalties are worth watching, too. The Rams are 28th in penalties this year with 75 but the Ravens haven’t been much better, ranked 22nd with 68.
3. What’s my line? One way or another, the Rams are going to lean on a patched together offensive line this week. They lost guard Jamon Brown (fractured leg) for the rest of the season and right tackle Rob Havenstein is battling a calf issue. The Rams will likely have to plug in fourth-round pick Andrew Donnal and sixth-round choice Cody Wichmann at two spots on the line. How that looks remains to be seen though the Rams seem to prefer having veteran Garrett Reynolds next to tackle Greg Robinson on the left side.
If there’s good news to be found here, it’s that the Rams are facing perhaps the worst Ravens defense since the team moved to Baltimore in 1996. The Ravens have their worst points per game allowed and third-down conversions allowed since that inaugural season and their worst total yards per game and passing yards per game allowed numbers in franchise history.
There should be some opportunities to make some plays for the Rams but they’re going to need a young, inexperienced line to provide them and that’s far from a sure thing.
znModeratorwhat pole ?
znModeratorbump
znModeratorRams notebook: Austin, Gurley return home for game in Baltimore
Joe Lyons
The last time Rams receiver Tavon Austin played in front of the hometown fans in Baltimore, he scored on a two-point play in the final seconds to lead his Dunbar Poets to a 20-19 victory over Fort Hill to close out his prep football career with back-to-back-to-back state titles.
“Lots of great memories,’’ said Austin, who hopes to make a few more Sunday when the 4-5 Rams take on the 2-7 Baltimore Ravens in a noon game at M&T Bank Stadium. I’m “definitely looking forward to it. Just to go home and play in front of my family, a lot of people that don’t get to come and see me play out here. Growing up in Baltimore, I was Ravens fan, (so) playing one of my favorite teams growing up, that’s a blessing, too.’’
After starring at West Virginia University, the 5-foot-8, 176-pound Austin was selected eighth overall by the Rams in the 2013 draft. But he also had some pre-draft talks with the hometown team.
“They were definitely staying in touch,’’ Austin recalled. “I had a great meeting with them. The GM (Ozzie Newsome) is an awesome guy. I thought they were going to pull the trigger, but Coach Fisher did. I’m proud he did and I’m happy to be a Ram.’’
Austin will enter Sunday’s action as the Rams’ top receiver (30 catches, 305 yards, four TDs) and No. 2 rusher (28 carries, 255 yards, two TDs). He’s one of the top punt-return men in the league, averaging 9.4 yards on 19 returns, and also leads the squad with seven touchdowns, including one as a punt returner.
“The plan is to go in and try to have a good game, don’t do too much, just play my game and try to come out with a win,’’ said Austin, who grew up about 15 minutes from M&T Bank Stadium but never attended a Ravens game.
The Rams’ other top offensive threat, rookie running back Todd Gurley, also grew up in Baltimore as a Ravens fan. Gurley moved to North Carolina during high school but said he still has family in Baltimore.
Gurley, selected by the Rams with 10th pick in the draft last spring, has rushed for 709 yards on 130 carries and has scored five touchdowns. When asked about ticket requests from family and friends early in the week, the former University of Georgia star had his answer ready: “Stubhub.com. That’s all I have to say.’’
Austin is taking a slightly different approach.
“I don’t try to do too many people like that,’’ he said. “I’ve got my selected few (but) I just don’t answer my phone. That’s how I do it.’’
LONG, QUINN QUESTIONABLE
“I feel good, very happy with where I am,’’ Rams defensive end Chris Long said Friday after his second full workout of the week. “Other than being rusty, I feel like I’m in shape, so now it’s just a matter of being in football shape. I feel good.’’But will he play Sunday in Baltimore?
“I don’t know, we’ll see,’’ the eighth-year pro said after Friday’s workout. “You gotta ask … it’s not my call. It’s whatever’s best for the team on Sunday.’’
Long suffered a fracture in a knee-to-knee collision Oct. 11 in Green Bay and has sat out the last four games.
“Like I said before, it’s not a ligament… The bone just had to heal from fracture,’’ he said. “It’s not going to be like last year when I came back and I was terrible. I was awful. So when I’m back, I’m back. I’m really excited to help the team however I can. And I just missed being out there.’’
Long, who returned to practice Nov. 13, played in just six games a year ago after suffering a foot injury in the season opener that required surgery to repair two torn tendons.
“I’m not the first guy to get hurt, injured. It’s frustrating,’’ he said. “It’s out of your control. When you’re hurt, you feel like you’re letting people down. You’re on the sideline watching your buddies play football.
“I want to do what I can to help us win. I just want to be out there supporting my brothers.’’
Coach Jeff Fisher sounded optimistic after Friday’s practice, listing Long, defensive end Robert Quinn (hip) and tight end Justice Cunningham (finger) as questionable for the game in Baltimore. Center Tim Barnes (concussion) is probable and rookie tackle Rob Havenstein (calf) is doubtful.
Quinn, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, was limited Friday. He was on the field for just 14 plays a week ago against Chicago and sat out the Ram’s overtime loss in Minnesota with a knee issue. Havenstein, who did not practice this week, missed the Minnesota game with an ankle injury and did not finish the game against Chicago.
Long “was full practice today, so we’ll see how he feels tomorrow,’’ the coach said. “But it’s good. Yeah, he’s had a good week.’’
For Baltimore, rookie tight end Nick Boyle (foot) is doubtful and guard Kelechi Osemele (knee) is questionable after both sat out Friday’s workout. Linebacker Elvis Dumervil (knee) practiced Friday and is probable. The Ravens also listed defensive end Chris Canty and linebacker Daryl Smith probable after practicing Friday. Both sat out Thursday for non-injury reasons.
RAM-BLINGS
At halftime Sunday, Ed Reed will become the ninth player inducted into the Ravens’ Ring of Honor. Reed, 37, was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection who was named first-team All-Pro five times. He forged a legacy as perhaps the most feared big-play safety in NFL history.
“Anytime you’re honored in any degree, you think about the people who helped you get there,’’ Reed said in a Baltimore Sun story that ran Friday. “That’s the best thing about it. You reflect on the people who held you together when things were rough and on the good times as well. There were a lot of good times.’’
The NFL defensive player of the year in 2004, Reed was with the Ravens from 2002 through 2012.
• Bears linebacker Willie Young, who came up with a fourth-quarter interception in last week’s 37-13 win over the Rams, also picked up a $17,363 fine for a roughing QB Nick Foles earlier in the game.
znModeratorPractice Report 11/20: Eliminating Explosive Plays
Myles Simmons
Last week, the Rams allowed touchdowns of 83 and 87 yards to the Bears. As you might expect, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was not pleased with those results.
“There was a little bit of a discussion going at halftime,” Williams said. “And there was a little bit of discussion going on the sideline.”
Those two plays, however, are particularly uncharacteristic of a defense that has been solid throughout the year. Prior to last week’s matchup, the Rams had allowed just one play of over 50 yards this season.
“You can’t allow a simple curl-flat route to the side go 87 yards on you,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said this week. “You have to find a way to get them down and play another down — limit those from being touchdowns.”
“The one thing that this group of guys has done a really, really good job on since I’ve been here is that there are going to be explosive plays in any game — that’s what this game is about. But don’t let them score,” Williams said. “Give us a chance to play red-zone defense, give us a chance to play goal-line defense. And we didn’t get them down.”
“Plays that we wish we had back,” Williams added.
St. Louis still ranks No. 6 in total defense, No. 8 in scoring defense, and has the best red-zone defense in the league. But those two plays undeniably shifted the way the game went as a whole.
“You see that every game takes on an identity of its own,” Williams said. “And we had two plays in that ballgame that were very upsetting to all of us. And nobody makes a mistake on purpose, but we missed tackles on a two-yard pass, and we missed an assignment on a screen pass.”
“It still bothers everybody,” Laurinaitis said. “We have a bad taste in our mouths after that, but there’s a lot we need to improve on this week.”
They’ll have to make those improvements against a Baltimore team that has done well with quarterback Joe Flacco. Though he’s often the subject of debate, the signal-caller still leads an offense ranked No. 10 overall, and No. 9 with its passing attack.
“He commands a presence out there,” Williams said. “They’ve taken some close losses, and he’s brought their team and kept their team in every game. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Flacco has completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 2,492 yards, with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. And he’s doing it with a unit that has been ravaged by injuries.
The Ravens have 14 players listed on injured reserve, with key targets Steve Smith Sr., Dennis Pitta, and Breshad Perriman all out for the rest of the season. But young tight ends Crockett Gillmore and Maxx Williams have stepped up and made plays.
“You look at their offense and because they lost Steve and they’ve had some other injuries, that’s the mainstay of their offense right now,” head coach Jeff Fisher said of the tight ends. “They just make big plays. It’s impressive to watch.”
Flacco has also had to go through learning another offensive system, as Marc Trestman marks the quarterback’s third coordinator in three seasons. His previous two coordinators, Jim Caldwell and Gary Kubiak, both left to become the head coach in Detroit and Denver, respectively.
“Joe’s done a really good job of adapting to different coordinators,” Williams said. “He’s been going through that, and he still throws one of the prettiest deep balls in the league.”
“He’s done a very good job of adapting his skill set in a mixture of the last three coordinators who have been there,” Williams continued.
With last week’s contest the Ravens’ first after the club’s bye week, Laurinaitis said he noticed a minor shift in some of the offense’s tendencies on film.
“They came out after the bye week and threw it around,” Laurinaitis said. “Then the second half as the game was close they started running a little more.
“They run the ball similar to the way Washington does,” Laurinaitis added. “We’ve seen that. We tried to correct those things from that game going forward.”
But because Washington’s offense found success running the ball against the Rams, Laurinaitis said he thinks Baltimore may try to incorporate more of those elements this week.
“It’s a copy and paste league,” Laurinaitis said. “I expect a lot of similar things with the two and three tight ends like they did against Jacksonville. I expect them to watch Washington and how they tried to attack us.”
It’s up to the Rams to limit those kinds of explosive plays this week.
INJURY REPORT
St. Louis has a shorter injury report this week.
Center Tim Barnes (concussion) was a full participant on Friday and is listed as probable.
Defensive end Chris Long (knee) was a full participant as well, and he’s listed as questionable. Robert Quinn (hip) was a limited participant in Friday’s session, and is also listed as questionable. Tight end Justice Cunningham was a new addition to the report on Friday, participating on a limited basis, and is listed as questionable.
Right tackle Rob Havenstein did not practice all week and is listed as doubtful.
DEFENDING A FAMILIAR FACE
Earlier this season, the Rams traded wide receiver Chris Givens to the Ravens for a future draft pick. With all the injuries Baltimore has had to overcome, Givens is contributing at a significant level. He’s caught 10 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown so far in Baltimore.
“He’s fit in well,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said this week. “He’s a hard-working guy and that’s credit to how he’s been brought up in the league here. Got some talent and we like him.”
Given the familiarity between the wideout and the Rams’ cornerbacks, there should be some good matchups on the outside this weekend.
“He knows my game too,” cornerback Trumaine Johnson said. “It’s going to be fun. We have a tough matchup. Him and [Kamar] Aiken are over there, they’re both over there with Steve Smith going out — they stepped up big time.”
Wide receiver Tavon Austin is also looking forward to seeing Givens, as the two still keep in contact.
“We’ll definitely send a text here and there, good luck text, or I saw your play or something like that,” Austin said, adding he’s going to take Givens his forgotten socks. “Memories, just a little bit of memories, that’s all.”
But Austin said the receivers’ reunion will have to wait until the matchup is finished.
“It’s business — he knows how I am,” Austin said with a laugh. “I won’t be talking to him before the game.”
znModeratorChris Long, Robert Quinn questionable for Sunday
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams once again will have some decisions to make at defensive end before Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.
After Friday’s practice, the Rams listed ends Chris Long (knee) and Robert Quinn (hip) as questionable for Sunday. Long has made progress in his return from the week 5 knee injury he suffered against Green Bay and was able to practice for most of the week. Rams coach Jeff Fisher was optimistic about Long but did not commit to his playing against the Ravens.
Long’s availability might be related to what happens with Quinn, who returned to practice Friday after being listed as a non-participant on Wednesday and Thursday. Still, Long hasn’t played in a while and this is his first week of practice so it’s possible the Rams could be cautious with him.
Just as pressing is the situation with right tackle Rob Havenstein, who is listed as doubtful because of a calf injury. Havenstein did not practice all week and could miss his second game in three weeks. If that’s the case, the Rams will likely plug rookies Andrew Donnal and Cody Wichmann into the starting lineup.
The Rams also added tight end Justice Cunningham to the injury report Friday with a finger injury.
Here’s the full Friday injury report:
Doubtful: OT Rob Havenstein (calf)
Questionable: DE Chris Long (knee), TE Justice Cunningham (finger), DE Robert Quinn (hip)
Probable: C Tim Barnes (concussion)
znModeratorlol
Believe it or not they would win a lot of games that way.
Is the value in this draft in the 2nd round? Or to put that another way, is there a lot of value in the 2nd round?
Cause if so, if it were me, I would trade down.
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November 20, 2015 at 7:02 pm in reply to: Wagoner: Wes Welker more comfortable in second week with Rams #34475znModeratorWelker may be the only WR in Rams history who in his 1st 2 starts with the team had a different qb each time.
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znModeratorNovember 20, 2015 at 6:42 pm in reply to: Rams tackle Greg Robinson working to correct 'technical' issues #34470znModeratorCoachO
Doesn’t matter what team you want to look to when you get to the point where you’re forced into playing you’re 9th & 10th linemen you’re gonna struggle. And this is now the 3rd year that they’ve been in this position.
4th, actually. Under Fisher, that is. Though in 2013, it was mostly the last 4 games. Talking about multiple OL replacements. In 2012 it was only half the season they had to do that.
But, point taken.
Though.
It’s interesting, isn’t it? a total of 8 new young rookie linemen joined the Rams in 2 years. Robinson, Rhaney, Havenstein, Brown, Donnal, Wichman, Battle, and Williams.
Only one of them (Wichman) had a previous injury history.
And at this point, since becoming Rams, 5 have been injured: Robinson, Rhaney, Havenstein, Brown, and Williams.
62.5%.
….
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