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znModeratorI started out with an “it’s Foles” post but this is very multi-faceted. So just starting with that post doesn’t indicate that I am setting up a proxy post to say “it’s Foles.” There are things I disagree with in CoachO’s account, but it’s not stupid fighting disagreement, it’s just minds cogitating and trying to think of a lot things kind of disagreement. For example, I am not sure Foles trusts the line, and is acting like it. So even when he’s not under heavy direct pressure, the OL struggles seem to have an effect on him.
znModeratorDoes Gurley remind anyone of O.J. Simpson (as a running back)?
Not really, but maybe a little like Bo Jackson.
w
vPeople all over the place, in the media and on fan boards, are having trouble comparing TG to anyone. To me that’s because he has some very unique qualities that we’re having some trouble (and fun) putting our (collective) finger on.
One key attribute: it;s a combo of things. He has very good lower body strength BUT is also very smooth in his lower body movements, to the point where sometimes you don’t notice he actually did anything. It is all very subtle. In fact we don’t really get the right camera angles to see the real effect IMO. This is combined with very good vision and “contact balance.” So the effect of him running on his big plays is that it just looks like the defenders didn’t tackle him right or took the wrong angle etc. He doesn’t run over guys, it’s like he runs through defenders who LOOK like they aren’t playing it right. Meanwhile of course it’s not the defenders it’s him.
znModeratorThe Rams Need More From Their Passing Game
Bernie Miklasz
http://www.101sports.com/2015/11/01/the-rams-need-more-from-their-passing-game/
When it comes to passing the football, the Rams aren’t exactly delivering an impersonation of Air Coryell, or the Greatest Show on Turf. The 2015 Rams’ passing attack (if that’s the word) would have had Don Coryell and Mike Martz frustrated, embarrassed and on the verge of an emotional unmooring.
But this 2015 is what it is.
You mean, other than the sensational running back Todd Gurley?
Well, this:— An offense that’s an extension of Jeff Fisher Football. Run the ball and defend. Run it some more, defend again. Run the clock down, and defend until the opponent surrenders.
— An offense that has the NFL’s least experienced offensive line.
— An offense that has a mostly mediocre cast of wide receivers and tight ends.
— An offense being guided by a first-time offensive coordinator, Frank Cignetti.
— An offense that has a new quarterback, Nick Foles.
The imagination is limited. The creativity is limited. The scope is limited. The points-scored total is definitely limited.
Will it change? There’s some hope, yes. But if the Rams are to emerge as a serious, rest-of-season threat to the first-place Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West, they’ll have to do more damage through the air.
That said, the Rams did hang 27 points on the 49ers Sunday. And with Gurley in the house, the Rams have their first true threat, their first big-play performer, since Marshal Faulk’s knees creaked to retirement after the 2005 season.The offense remains under construction.
Is that an excuse? Hardly.
There are no excuses.
I’m just reaffirming the reality of the circumstances.
I don’t run the Rams. I just write about them.
Fisher and GM Les Snead drafted, signed or traded for the players that line up on offense. Fisher and the offensive staff coaches them. When Brian Schottenheimer left as the Rams’ offensive coordinator to take the same job on the collegiate level at Georgia, Fisher had a chance to go outside of the organization to bring in a new OC, but he promoted inside the team’s walls by elevating Cignetti.
This passing game was stocked by Fisher and Snead, and devised by Fisher’s coordinator and staff, and executed by players installed by the current regime at Rams Park.
Yes, you can win games by going repeatedly with Gurley and waiting for him to carry this burden on captivating runs. And he’s done a remarkable, odds-defying job of that so far. But unless Gurley is planning on running all the way to Canton and the Pro Football Hall of Fame right away, he can’t continue to do this by himself … even though he’s mostly been doing it by himself for the last four games. At some point, he’ll be stuffed and held to a low rushing total in a game.
The Rams have to give Gurley help. They have to cultivate a passing game that can burn defenses for loading up the box to squish Gurley under a pile of defensive linemen, linebackers and safeties.
A few token suggestions:
They Rams need to make more frequent use of play-action passes; Foles has been successful on those throws in Philadelphia and with St. Louis.
The Rams need to use of the middle of the field more frequently. They concentrate their passing game on the outside, and it’s become predictable.
And though the no-huddle offense was ineffective early against San Francisco, it’s too early to junk it.Use the running backs in the passing game; the Rams have gotten some good gains with short stuff to their backs.
Why don’t the Rams go with quicker, shorter routes — like the slants?
The passing game can be perked up by trying some different things.
Because of the defense and Gurley, the Rams clobbered Cleveland and San Francisco for two consecutive wins and a 53-12 scoring differential despite converting only 2 of 21 third-down plays. Ugh.That said, there were a few positives on Sunday including:
— The all-purpose shaking and baking by Tavon Austin, who had 119 yards and
two touchdowns from scrimmage against the Niners. The haul: four catches for 98 yards, including a 66-yard catch-and-vanish touchdown that made the win a formality. And three rushes for 21 yards including a two-yard yard TD that put the Rams up by 14 points (20-6) at the half. True statement: Cignetti is getting more production out of Austin that Schottenheimer ever did.— Foles had a 101.9 passer rating and an average of 8.3 yards per passing attempt. Granted, both numbers were inflated by Austin’s ability to elude defenders in his 66-yard streak for a touchdown.
— Foles hasn’t been intercepted during this two-game winning streak. In the Fisher Football formula, it’s essential for a quarterback to avoid giving gifts to the defense. The Rams have to make as few mistakes as possible on offense.
— And as part of the Fisher Football template, the quarterback has to do his part in finishing off opponents after Gurley and the defense batters away to build a lead. In the last two wins, Foles has played well in the second half, completing 11 of 15 passes, averaging 11.53 yards per attempt, hooking up with Austin for a touchdown, and avoiding interceptions.
— The Rams’ young offensive line gave up two sacks in the win over Cleveland, and didn’t allow a sack in the victory over the 49ers.
— Well, now … Jared Cook lives. The enigmatic tight end has mostly been on the receiving end of booing and derision this season. Dropped passes and loose handling of the football have increased Cook’s disapproval rating with the public. It’s no wonder. But this offense can’t grow and become more threatening unless Cook reemerges as a middle-field presence to make the defense pay attention to him. He’ll have to rebound, or this passing offense will stay flat and continue to stagnate. As I said on my radio show last week, the Rams can’t give up on Cook. They have to get him going, and revive his confidence. Accordingly, Foles connected with Cook on a huge play in the second quarter against the Niners. Cook got free down the left hash, pulled in Foles’ throw, banged his way past two 49ers, and was dragged down inside the 5-yard line after a 49-yard gain that set up Austin’s touchdown dive at the right pylon. It was a big moment in the win.
— The Rams have a good SEC combo working in the backfield. In providing quality relief for Georgia’s Gurley, Auburn football alum Tre Mason carried 15 times for 46 yards. Mason didn’t have much free space, but he was able to squirm for the available yards. Mason did a good job, and the Rams will need more of this from him. As great as Gurley is, he’s still on the way back from knee surgery. And though Gurley is in the clear medically, the Rams have to avoid overextending him. That’s where Mason comes in.
Thanks for reading …
November 1, 2015 at 10:36 pm in reply to: Prediction thread – Minnesota Vikings – out of doors #33363znModeratorI don’t understand it, but this offense is going to the end of the Rams season sooner or later.
they still haven’t produced the sustained drives i’ve been waiting to see.
This is a real interesting issue, so much so I started a thread on it. It has one “guest post” so far that puts most of it on Foles, but, that’s just one view.
http://theramshuddle.com/topic/whats-ailing-the-passing-game/
November 1, 2015 at 9:42 pm in reply to: Prediction thread – Minnesota Vikings – out of doors #33352znModeratorvikes haven’t beaten a team with a winning record.
They played Denver tough though.IMO that’s an evenly matched game on the road. Or if anything the Vikes should be favored. It’s not the “Rams lose to inferior opponents” thing that people get concerned about. Minn. is 5-2 with a 7th ranked defense. I am not going to go around putting the “burden of proof” thing on that game. It could honestly go either way. I don’t think that game will “tell us” anything. If they win, they could still lose against top teams like the Bengals. If they lose, they could still upset a top team like the Bengals.
znModeratorTavon Austin Puts On the Afterburners for a 66-Yard TD! | 49ers vs. Rams | NFL
znModeratorTodd Gurley Highlights (Week 8) | 49ers vs. Rams | NFL
November 1, 2015 at 9:01 pm in reply to: Fisher, Foles, JL, Brockers, Tavon , 11/1, transcripts, + 101's Fisher postgame #33344znModeratorFisher Praises Defense, Admits Room to Improve in Win Over 49ers
znModeratorTavon Austin up, first-quarter offense down for Rams
Nick Wagoner
ST. LOUIS — A look at St. Louis Rams players who were “up” and those who were “down” in Sunday’s 27-6 win against the San Francisco 49ers.
Note: Todd Gurley has been on this list every week and it will take something special to be any more “up” than he already is. On a day when many Rams performed well, we’ll tip our hat to Gurley and acknowledge him elsewhere.
UP
WR Tavon Austin — Austin’s day took a rough turn early when he coughed up a fumble after a 24-yard gain to kill a first-quarter drive. But he rebounded nicely with four catches for 98 yards and a touchdown to go with three carries for 21 yards and another score. When Gurley is rolling, he partially has Austin to thank and when Austin is rolling, he has Gurley to thank. The two form a dynamic combination that gives the Rams’ offense life.
LB Mark Barron — It was another productive day at the office for the Rams’ new weakside linebacker who prefers not to be called that. In unofficial press box statistics, Barron finished with nine tackles, two for loss and a pass defended. He’s been a revelation in place of the injured Alec Ogletree and is making it more difficult on the Rams coaches to put him on the sideline.
DT Michael Brockers — Playing next to end Robert Quinn and fellow tackle Aaron Donald, it can be easy to overlook Brockers but he’s the guy who has helped the run defense get rolling and has become a dominant force in the middle. He had five tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits and was the driving force behind the safety the team scored in the first quarter when he pushed the pocket to allow linebacker James Laurinaitis to make the tackle.
DOWN
The Rams’ penalty producers — To this point in the season, the Rams had improved greatly in terms of penalties after accumulating more than any team in the NFL over the past three years combined. But that old problem reared its ugly head again Sunday as the Rams finished with 12 penalties for 93 yards. Coach Jeff Fisher said that’s something the Rams will take a close look at this week but it’s also something that can’t continue if the Rams are going to keep rolling.
The first-quarter offense — In search of an early spark, the Rams went no-huddle on the opening drive. It didn’t help. They went three-and-out, had two first downs and mustered just 53 yards of total offense. Drops were again a problem for the pass-catchers, something that also must improve. The defense kept it close but the Rams have to find a way to get off to faster starts.
znModeratorGurley, Rams’ defense overwhelm 49ers
Jim Thomas
A lot of defense. A whole lot of Todd Gurley. And a dash or two by Tavon Austin. That’s the formula that’s working these days for the Rams.
For the second Sunday in a row the defense didn’t allow a touchdown, limiting San Francisco to a pair of field goals and almost as many punts (10) as first downs (11).
Gurley topped 100 yards rushing for the fourth consecutive game, including a 71-yard touchdown run that gave St. Louis the lead for good in the second quarter.
And Austin provided the finishing touch with a 66-yard TD sprint on a quick screen from Nick Foles, giving him a career high seven touchdowns just seven games into his third NFL season.
Put it all together and it added up to a 27-6 victory Sunday for the Rams, who at 4-3 are above .500 in November for the first time since 2006. A total of 51,207 tickets were distributed for the game, according to the Rams.
Yes it’s early, but next week’s contest at 5-2 Minnesota pits the NFC’s current No. 6 seed (the Vikings) against its current No. 7 seed (the Rams). Imagine that. Meaningful November football.
“Right now, all we’re worried about is getting to 5-3; getting the next one,” Rams safety T.J. McDonald said. “But it does feel good to get two in a row though, I can tell you that. We haven’t been able to do that for a while.”
The game started like many recent contests in the Rams-49ers rivalry. Plenty of intensity, plenty of hard-hitting, and not much offense.
“I think there’s a rivalry there, yes,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “They’re the first to come together after the game and congratulate each other, but yeah, it’s an emotional game.”
Despite playing without their leading rusher (Carlos Hyde) and top receiver (Anquan Boldin) because of injuries, the 49ers moved 44 yards with the opening kickoff for a Phil Dawson field goal of 54 yards and an early 3-0 lead.
The Rams made it a 3-2 ballgame when James Laurinaitis and Michael Brockers combined to tackle running back Mike Davis in the end zone for a safety 4½ minutes into play.
But that’s where the score stayed for a while. The Rams opened in the no-huddle, but couldn’t get much going on offense as San Francisco’s front 7 gave up rushing yards grudgingly to Gurley in the early going.
Meanwhile, the 49ers’ offense stayed stuck in neutral for much of the half after their opening field goal drive, gaining a total of only 6 yards on their next five possessions combined.
There were plenty of penalties, and a brief sideline scuffle following a San Francisco punt return on a sequence that saw Reggie Bush unable to stop once he hit the concrete surface at the Edward Jones Dome. The veteran left with a knee injury and did not return.
“In fairness to them, it’s hard to overcome the loss of Anquan and Carlos Hyde, and then Reggie goes out,” Fisher said. “And they had a couple of other issues out there. When you lose your playmakers like that, it’s hard for anybody from an offensive standpoint.”
The 49ers would finish with only 189 yards, a season-low yield by the St. Louis defense.
Gurley finally got going — and in a big way — early in the second quarter, when he burst through a gaping hole off right guard and didn’t stop until he had gone 71 yards for a touchdown. Blocks by right tackle Rob Havenstein, center Tim Barnes, and pulling left guard Garrett Reynolds helped open things up.
It was Gurley’s third TD of the season and his fourth-run of 45 yards-plus this season.
“I knew I wasn’t going to get caught on that run,” Gurley said. “I couldn’t let that happen.”
He finished with 133 yards on 20 carries. The Rams then made it 10-3 the hard way, when Foles completed a pass to tight end Jared Cook for a 2-point conversion with 10:25 left in the first half.
The teams then traded field goals, making it a 13-6 game until the closing seconds of the opening half.
But the Rams were able to mount an 80-yard TD drive in the final 1:53 to take a 20-6 halftime lead. The big play on the drive came on an pass over the middle to Cook on second-and-17 from the St. Louis 48. Cornerback Kenneth Acker and safety Eric Reid swooped in for the tackle, but Cook bounced off the pair and rumbled all the way to the San Francisco 3 before he was brought down.
Two plays later, Austin raced around right end for a 2-yard TD, diving across the goal line with the ball inside the pylon with 18 seconds left in the half.
It stayed 20-6, Rams, until Austin’s 66-yard clincher on the quick screen with 8:34 left in the fourth quarter.
The Rams missed a chance to stretch their lead late in the third quarter when Greg Zuerlein’s 40-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Quinton Dial. It’s the second blocked Zuerlein field goal of the season.
On the previous series, San Francisco had a chance to make a game of it, when Rams running back Benny Cunningham fumbled, and 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks scooped up the football and ran 41 yards for an apparent TD.
But Brooks yanked on Cunningham’s facemask on his way to picking up the loose football. Not only was the TD wiped out by the penalty, the Rams retained possession of the ball.
“I knew I hit him in the facemask,” Brooks said. “I kind of figured that when I reached the end zone, it could potentially get called back, but it wasn’t intentional.”
When that play was called back, it turned out to be the last gasp for San Francisco, now 2-6.
“This is where we are,” 49ers coach Jim Tomsula said. “This is who we are, and we need to get better — period.”
As for the Rams, well, it’s onward and upward.
“It feels good,” Austin said. “I’m glad to put up some wins and give (the fans) something to cheer for when they come to the game.”
znModeratorWith Todd Gurley rolling, Rams can contend in NFC West
Nick Wagoner
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Rams still have to prove they can actually win the NFC West or earn a wild-card playoff berth. But in case there was any lingering doubt that it’s possible, running back Todd Gurley erased it Sunday.
No, this isn’t the Greatest Show on Turf and the Rams aren’t going to be throwing for 300 yards a game and lighting up scoreboards like they did in the early 2000s. But as Gurley showed for the fourth consecutive game, he is the type of electrifying talent capable of elevating a team from pretender to contender.
Gurley again paved the way for the Rams (4-3), leading them to a 27-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers at the Edward Jones Dome. Gurley rushed for 133 yards on 20 carries, including a 71-yard touchdown that sparked a struggling Rams offense to its first lead.
In the process, Gurley became the most productive runner over his first four starts since the AFL/NFL merger. The 71-yard run also gave him his fourth consecutive game with a run of 45 yards or more.
What it means: For the first time since 2006, the Rams are above .500 entering November. They beat the Cleveland Browns last week and now San Francisco, giving them back-to-back wins for only the seventh time since Jeff Fisher took over as coach in 2012. Next week, the Rams travel to Minnesota with a chance for only their second three-game winning streak of the Fisher era.
What were they thinking? This doesn’t come down to any one decision, but it’s fair to wonder what the Rams’ wide receivers were thinking early in the game. They have had issues with drops all year and that ugly habit showed up in the game’s early moments. Even when Tavon Austin did catch one, he fumbled it for an early turnover to kill a drive. The Rams must get more from their pass-catchers moving forward.
One reason to get excited: The Rams are finally starting to show the ability to win games that observers believe they’re supposed to. After a disappointing loss to the Washington Redskins in Week 2 and a 2-3 record at the bye, the Rams looked like a team poised to ride a roller coaster again this year. They still have plenty of work to do, but they are starting to look like the type of team that takes care of business against inferior opponents.
Fantasy watch: Austin continues to find himself in the end zone on a fairly consistent basis. He complemented Gurley well with two more touchdowns, including a 66-yard catch and run that essentially put the game away.
znModeratorRams invented “winning ugliER.”
znModerator7 things to watch: Rams vs. 49ers
• By Jim ThomasNO HYDE IN 49ERS’ BACKFIELD
He’s no Frank Gore, but RB Carlos Hyde has talent. A blend of speed and power, the second-year pro is the NFL’s ninth-leading rusher with 470 yards at 4.1 yards per carry. But he’s been slowed by a foot injury, reportedly a stress fracture, and was ruled out Friday for the Rams game. That means the 49ers are down to veteran Reggie Bush, Mike Davis or Kendall Gaskins, who was promoted from the practice squad on Saturday.
COLIN’S TEAM
The departure of Gore made this QB Colin Kaepernick’s offense, and in essence, Kaepernick’s team. Things aren’t working out so well on that front. Kaepernick has yet to show he can consistently win with his arm as a pocket passer. The Rams sacked him eight times the last time they faced him, a 13-10 Rams win last Nov. 2 in Santa Clara. Even with a banged-up defensive line, the Rams should be able to make him uncomfortable in the pocket throwing against a rapidly-improving secondary.
KEY MATCHUPFor the second week in a row, Rams DE Robert Quinn is facing a left tackle who’s not just another Joe. Last week it was eight-time Cleveland Pro Bowler Joe Thomas; this week it’s four-time 49er Pro Bowler Joe Staley. Unfortunately for Quinn, he once again won’t be 100 percent because of a knee issue. In fact, Quinn is listed as questionable this week after being probable for Cleveland. So as was the case last week, we could be seeing as much of Eugene Sims as Quinn at right DE against a Pro Bowl Joe.
DAVIS & CO.
Now in his 10th season, Vernon Davis is a two-time Pro Bowler and the 49ers’ all-time leader among TEs in receptions (435), reception yards (5,616), and TDs (55). But he’s missed two games with a knee injury and his numbers are way down this year. Speedy free-agent pickup Torrey Smith is averaging 23.1 yards per catch, but the former Raven has only 14 catches. At age 35, Anquan Boldin isn’t quite what he used to be, but remains a productive, physical receiver who can make the tough catch.
MISSING PERSONSNo Justin Smith. No Aldon Smith. No Patrick Willis, Chris Borland, or Ray McDonald. They’re all no longer 49ers due to either retirement or departures fueled by off-field issues. And that’s just the front seven. As a result, the 2015 49ers lack the punch and the pass rush of their recent predecessors, although they still play a physical brand of football. The 49ers rank 20th in rushing defense, allowing 113.3 yards per game, and are 18th in sacks with 14. It’s just too much of a talent drain over one offseason.
PASSING LANES OPEN
After facing the 32nd-ranked rushing defense last week against Cleveland, the Rams are up against the 31st-ranked passing defense against the 49ers. And now the 49ers are without their best player in the secondary, with 2014 team MVP strong safety Antoine Bethea out for the year after suffering a torn pectoral muscle last week against Seattle. The 49ers look slow on tape in the back end, and opposing teams have a 100.1 passer rating against them. Maybe this is the week the St. Louis passing game gets going.
“THROWBACK” RETURN MAN?On a day when the Rams are wearing their throwback uniforms from the 1999 Super Bowl championship season, San Francisco could be going back into the time vault on punt returns. Bush returned his first punt since 2011 against Seattle, and could replace Jarryd Hayne — who fumbled twice in that role and was cut Saturday. After allowing a 57-yard return for a TD on Johnny Hekker’s first punt of the season, Rams special teams have tightened up their coverage, allowing only 63 yards in returns on 30 subsequent punts.
znModeratorRams look for sunny side of .500 against rival 49ers
Jim Thomas
There will be no parade down Market Street next week if the Rams beat San Francisco. No rally at Kiener Plaza with speakers and confetti.
But usually at this time of year, you hand out the Halloween candy, November rolls around, and it’s time to think about where the Rams might be picking and who they might take in the upcoming draft.
This year, things feel and look a little different. The Rams are 3-3 and favored against their old West Coast rivals in Sunday’s noon kickoff at the Edward Jones Dome. Such a set of circumstances might be sneered at in other places around the NFL — Green Bay, New England, Denver, and even San Francisco not that long ago.
But in these parts, the local 11 hasn’t had a winning season since 2003. The scars of the worst five-year stretch in NFL history — 15-65 from 2007 through 2011 — remain fresh.
If the Rams defeat the 49ers, they will be 4-3 and above .500 in November for the first time since … 2006. That’s nine long years ago. That’s three head coaches ago — four if you count interim Jim Haslett.
That year, rookie NFL head coach Scott Linehan steered the Rams to a 4-1 start, and entered November with a 4-3 mark. Trouble was, they were early into a 1-7 nosedive that dropped their record to 5-8 before rallying to close the season with three straight wins and finish 8-8.
And that was that, the only post-Halloween “taste of the glory” over the past decade for long-suffering Rams fans. Pretty pitiful, eh?
But now come the 49ers, reeling at 2-5, coping with all kinds of anti-Colin Kaepernick talk, stripped of most of their marquee players from recent seasons. And, as of Friday, they’re minus feature back Carlos Hyde, ruled out for Sunday with what’s believed to be a stress fracture in his left foot.
They rank 32nd in total offense, 31st in total defense and had more punts (nine) than first downs (eight) their last time out — a 20-3 loss to Seattle on Oct. 22.
“Last week was a big win for us, and for us to have a chance to get in the win column again this week, it’s huge,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “But again, it’s a week-to-week thing. So you all can make whatever you want out of that, and what we’ve done here.
“But we’ve let a few go that we should’ve won. We probably won a couple that people didn’t expect us to win. This is our next game. So it would be great to find a way to win it.”
OK, so Fisher didn’t really want to go big picture. Not the first time that’s happened. But leave it to veteran linebacker James Laurinaitis — who was part of a 1-15 squad as a Rams rookie in 2009 and a 2-14 outfit in 2011 — to frame the moment.
“If you want to be different than what we’ve been in the past, you’ve gotta put two (wins) together,” Laurinaitis said. “And if you want to be different than what we’ve been since ’06, you’ve gotta find a way to be above .500 in November.
“So it’s not like it’s the Super Bowl that we’re playing Sunday, but heck yeah, it’s important.”
Making the moment all the more entertaining is the fact that it’s against not just a division rival, but the division rival for the Rams. Sunday marks the 132nd meeting between teams that have met twice a year every year since 1950.
(The teams played three times during the 1989 season because of a playoff game.)
There have been wild fluctuations in the series, with the 49ers taking 17 in a row in a streak that lasted nearly the entire decade of the ’90s. The Rams then won 10 of 12 from 1999 through 2004. But since then it’s been mainly ’Niners, with San Francisco going 14-5-1 against the Rams since the start of the ’05 season.
Even with the massive changes to the 49ers’ roster and coaching staff this past offseason, Laurinaitis says: “They know us well. We know them well. It’s gonna be a physical football game. These division games, a lot off times you wake up on Monday and you’re a little more sore than the other ones.”
There have been some memorable moments in the series since the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995:
• Linebacker Ken Norton Jr. celebrating a touchdown by punching the Busch Stadium goal posts in ’95. And then Dana Stubblefield coining the immortal phrase “same old sorry-(bleep) Rams” after a 44-10 49ers victory.
• The Tony Banks “era” beginning with a safety on his first series as a pro at Candlestick Park in 1996.
• The great Isaac Bruce scoring four TDs in 1999 as the Rams ended their 17-game losing streak to the 49ers with a 42-20 win at the Dome. Bill Walsh making a cameo in Dick Vermeil’s press conference, telling his longtime friend, “You’re going all the way.” (Turns out Walsh was right.)
• “Mad” Mike Martz breaking out a broom in the cramped visitors locker room at Candlestick, gleefully commemorating a 34-24 Rams victory and a series sweep in 2000.
• Martz pulling starting quarterback Scott Covington early in the 2002 season finale, a Monday Night affair, because the inexperienced Covington was calling the plays backwards in the huddle.
• Bruce catching what would be the final TD pass of his career — wait a minute, as a 49er! — starting a fourth-quarter San Francisco comeback in a 17-16 Rams defeat in 2008.
• It took 10 quarters to play the series in 2012. A 24-24 overtime tie Nov. 11 at Candlestick, followed by a 16-13 Rams victory 21 days later in St. Louis on a Greg Zuerlein field goal with 26 seconds left in OT.
• And just last season, almost a year ago to the day, the 49ers were poised for a last-second victory with a third-and-goal from the St. Louis 1 with 9 seconds remaining at new Levi’s Stadium. But Kaepernick fumbled on a quarterback sneak before crossing the goal line, and Laurinaitis recovered in the end zone to preserve a 13-10 Rams victory last Nov. 2.
It may be hard to top some of that history. But a winning record in November — for the first time since 2006 — might not be a bad way to go in what could be the final Rams-49ers game in St. Louis.
znModeratorI never said “Playoffs or bums” myself
That’s just me playfully running around with a premise. The danger of that is coming across as a judge of others’s expectations, though the truth is, I wasn’t aiming at anything more heavy than a nice chuckle. Either way, let a thousand flowers bloom.
A loss today would be disappointing. And I think they have a winning streak in them. But, my own hesitation is, with a junior varsity OL, it’s hard to be consistent.
.
znModeratorThese are the games where seasons are made or lost.
So we’ll see.
My own feeling is, this is not a playoff year. Playoffs would be gravy. This is like a winning season version of 98, IF they had signed Green in 98. But still not 99.
I think that because the offense has yet to be in sync at least 7 quarters in a row.
I guess I look at 2015 as the 2016 pre-season. I think they will have a winning record but if they don’t make the playoffs it wouldn’t stress me none.
It’s interesting how expectations escalate though.
.Unless they have a winning season Rams are bums.If they blow their chance at the playoffs Rams are bums.It’s make the superbowl or Rams are bums.Rams need a superbowl win or they are bums.How come only one superbowl win, the Patz have 9.
znModeratorfrom off the net
==
Aeneas1
well ya don’t see that every day, the rams as 8.5 favorites, which is the 11th largest point spread of the 212 games played so far in 2015…. the last time the rams were bigger favorites was in 2013, when they took on the hapless 0-4 jags at the ed, a jags team that would eventually finish the season with a 4-12 record that included a 32nd ranking in offensive scoring and a 30th ranking in offensive points allowed – the rams won and covered.
in the 10 games in which a team was favored by more points than the rams’ 8.5 so far this season – the favored team won 8 of the 10 games, while only 3 covered the spread.
the SF defense ranks 21st in offensive points allowed, gave up 43, 31 and 30 points to 3 different opponents so far this season… they did have a good game against the pack, but they’ve given up more than the league average in 4 of the 7 games they’ve played… anyway, division game, anything can happen….
znModeratorfrom off the net
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ISLANDRAMS79Eric Dickerson talks T. Gurley
Listening to Sirrius NFL on the way to work and they had their weekly show on called “pro football hall of fame”. each week they have a hall of fame guest , anyway E.D. was on and he spoke praise of Gurley, saying he will be special and the kid respects the game and it’s legacy. On draft day he was adament on the Rams taking him and really hope they grab this kid.
He tells players “you will be older longer then your younger” . so basically he said make the best of it. And Gurley will have a bright future with the Rams. Good things.
znModeratorStarting fast at top of Rams’ list against Niners
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at the Edward Jones Dome. Here are three things to watch from a Rams’ perspective in that matchup:
1. Starting fast: The Rams’ defense is good enough to keep them in the game for all four quarters against the Niners, but it sure wouldn’t hurt if the Rams’ offense actually woke up before the second half this week to help take some of the pressure off the defense. Simply put, the Rams’ offense has been atrocious in the first quarter of games.
The Rams have scored just once on their opening possession (a 17-yard drive after a fumble recovery on the kickoff against Arizona) and the offense has mustered just 10 points in the first quarter. Worse, the Rams aren’t even moving the ball in the opening quarter, averaging a league-low 2.85 yards per play and 30.8 yards. Perhaps most damning, the Rams have mustered only 11 first downs in the first quarter, which lags far behind everyone else in the league. Miami is 31st with 21.
San Francisco is yielding 89.7 yards per game and 5.92 yards per play in the first quarter, both of which ranks in the 20 range in the NFL, meaning there could be an opportunity for the Rams to get on track early in this one.
The Rams found an offensive spark last week when they went to the no huddle in the third quarter. Perhaps it could be used to get them off to a faster start this time around.
Carlos Hyde
Carlos Hyde’s status for this week is uncertain, but if he does play, the Rams must focus on slowing him down.
2. Slowing the run: In San Francisco’s seven games, they’ve lost by two or more touchdowns in four of them. In the Niners’ three other games, they’ve won two and lost the other by a field goal. While there are plenty of reasons for those varied outcomes, there’s one common denominator present in the wins and close game that isn’t in the blowout losses: running back Carlos Hyde has been prominently involved.Hyde was at his best in the season opener against Minnesota, a 20-3 victory in which he had 182 yards of offense and two touchdowns. He had 97 yards and a touchdown in a three-point loss to the New York Giants and 60 yards in a win against Baltimore. In all three games, Hyde had at least 21 carries, so even when he didn’t produce much against the Ravens, he was at least a heavy part of the game plan.
Hyde has been dealing with a foot injury and has been ruled out for this week. Reggie Bush is the primary backup who will be asked to get the running game going. The Niners are 31st in the NFL in passing yards per game (ranked only better than the Rams), so slowing Bush and the run game should provide plenty of chances to get after quarterback Colin Kaepernick and force turnovers.
3. Airing it out: It’s no secret that running back Todd Gurley has already emerged as the focal point of the Rams’ offense and that will continue this week. But the Rams also need to start finding some traction in the passing game. Quarterback Nick Foles and Co. are last in the league in passing yards per game (though they’re middle of the road in yards per attempt). That’s not a big deal if the running game is rolling, but if it’s not, the Rams are in trouble.
Long passing plays would help loosen things up for Gurley and allow the Rams to put together long drives without having to piecemeal them together. The Niners’ defense offers a prime opportunity to do just that. San Francisco is 31st in the league in pass defense, allowing 292.7 yards per game, and 31st in net passing yards allowed per attempt at 8.07. They’ve also given up a whopping 28 pass plays of 20 yards or more (tied for 28th in the NFL) and seven pass plays of 40 yards or more (tied for third-from-last in the league).
znModeratorStarting fast at top of Rams’ list against Niners
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at the Edward Jones Dome. Here are three things to watch from a Rams’ perspective in that matchup:
1. Starting fast: The Rams’ defense is good enough to keep them in the game for all four quarters against the Niners, but it sure wouldn’t hurt if the Rams’ offense actually woke up before the second half this week to help take some of the pressure off the defense. Simply put, the Rams’ offense has been atrocious in the first quarter of games.
The Rams have scored just once on their opening possession (a 17-yard drive after a fumble recovery on the kickoff against Arizona) and the offense has mustered just 10 points in the first quarter. Worse, the Rams aren’t even moving the ball in the opening quarter, averaging a league-low 2.85 yards per play and 30.8 yards. Perhaps most damning, the Rams have mustered only 11 first downs in the first quarter, which lags far behind everyone else in the league. Miami is 31st with 21.
San Francisco is yielding 89.7 yards per game and 5.92 yards per play in the first quarter, both of which ranks in the 20 range in the NFL, meaning there could be an opportunity for the Rams to get on track early in this one.
The Rams found an offensive spark last week when they went to the no huddle in the third quarter. Perhaps it could be used to get them off to a faster start this time around.
Carlos Hyde
Carlos Hyde’s status for this week is uncertain, but if he does play, the Rams must focus on slowing him down.
2. Slowing the run: In San Francisco’s seven games, they’ve lost by two or more touchdowns in four of them. In the Niners’ three other games, they’ve won two and lost the other by a field goal. While there are plenty of reasons for those varied outcomes, there’s one common denominator present in the wins and close game that isn’t in the blowout losses: running back Carlos Hyde has been prominently involved.Hyde was at his best in the season opener against Minnesota, a 20-3 victory in which he had 182 yards of offense and two touchdowns. He had 97 yards and a touchdown in a three-point loss to the New York Giants and 60 yards in a win against Baltimore. In all three games, Hyde had at least 21 carries, so even when he didn’t produce much against the Ravens, he was at least a heavy part of the game plan.
Hyde has been dealing with a foot injury and has been ruled out for this week. Reggie Bush is the primary backup who will be asked to get the running game going. The Niners are 31st in the NFL in passing yards per game (ranked only better than the Rams), so slowing Bush and the run game should provide plenty of chances to get after quarterback Colin Kaepernick and force turnovers.
3. Airing it out: It’s no secret that running back Todd Gurley has already emerged as the focal point of the Rams’ offense and that will continue this week. But the Rams also need to start finding some traction in the passing game. Quarterback Nick Foles and Co. are last in the league in passing yards per game (though they’re middle of the road in yards per attempt). That’s not a big deal if the running game is rolling, but if it’s not, the Rams are in trouble.
Long passing plays would help loosen things up for Gurley and allow the Rams to put together long drives without having to piecemeal them together. The Niners’ defense offers a prime opportunity to do just that. San Francisco is 31st in the league in pass defense, allowing 292.7 yards per game, and 31st in net passing yards allowed per attempt at 8.07. They’ve also given up a whopping 28 pass plays of 20 yards or more (tied for 28th in the NFL) and seven pass plays of 40 yards or more (tied for third-from-last in the league).
znModeratorRams notebook: San Francisco’s Hyde ruled out of Sunday’s game
Joe Lyons
The San Francisco 49ers will be without leading rusher Carlos Hyde on Sunday when they take on the Rams in a noon game at the Edward Jones Dome.
Hyde, a second-year back out of Ohio State, is ninth in the league with 470 rushing yards and has been ruled out of the NFC West game with a stress fracture in his left foot.
With Hyde out, San Francisco will look to veteran Reggie Bush (eight carries, 28 yards), who has been slowed with a calf injury, and rookies Mike Davis (15 carries, 20 yards) and Jarryd Hayne (eight carries, 25 yards). Hayne, an Australian rugby star, has been used mainly as a punt returner.
The 49ers could also be without their top receiver, Anquan Boldin. The veteran missed practice Friday after suffering a hamstring injury on Thursday and is listed questionable for Sunday. Boldin has 31 catches for 372 yards and a pair of touchdowns this season.
The other injured players in San Francisco — LBs NaVorro Bowman (shoulder) and Ahmad Brooks (shoulder), G Alex Boone (shoulder, knee), T Joe Staley (shoulder), S Eric Reid (chest) and DT Tony Jerod-Eddie (not injury-related) — went through full workouts Friday and are listed probable.
Defensive end Chris Long (knee) is the only Rams player ruled out for Sunday. The team’s other seven players on the injury report went through full workouts Friday at Rams Park.
Defensive ends Robert Quinn (knee) and William Hayes (thigh) are listed questionable, as are running back Tre Mason (ankle) and safety T.J. McDonald (shoulder). Questionable generally means the player has a 50-50 shot at playing Sunday.
Rams listed as probable are middle linebacker James Laurinaitis (elbow), tight end Lance Kendricks (thumb) and defensive tackle Nick Fairley (illness).
LOCAL TIES
With Colin Kaepernick struggling — the fifth-year QB is ranked 24th in the league with a completion percentage of 61.4 percent and a passer rating of just 82.8 — there’s been some talk in San Francisco about making a change to give the team a different look.
The back-up is former Parkway West and Mizzou standout Blaine Gabbert. Selected with the 10th pick in the 2011 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Gabbert was acquired by the 49ers in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick on March 11, 2014. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Gabbert has yet to see action this season but did enjoy some success in the preseason, completing 23 of 28 (82.1 percent) of his passes for 203 yards with a touchdown.
Kaepernick, it turns out, was also drafted in 2011; he was the 49ers’ second-round pick at No. 36 overall.
While first-year head coach Jim Tomsula remains firm in his support of the hard-working and talented Kaepernick as his starting quarterback, the 49ers’ longtime defensive line coach is also a fan of Gabbert.
“You know what, I like Blaine Gabbert,’’ the coach said. “I just think Blaine’s a solid individual and I think he’s a talented player.’’
From there, the coach’s teleconference call with St. Louis reporters took a bit of an unexpected turn as Tomsula mentioned his own ties to St. Louis.
“Heck, guys, I got married in St. Louis, so we know about the kind of people that are from that area,’’ he continued. “I got married over there at Little Flower (Catholic church in Richmond Heights) on the Fourth of July, so I’ve spent a lot of time there. I love the St. Louis Zoo (and) Protzel’s Deli (in Clayton). That town is a great town.’’
THE NEW GUYS
The Rams filled a pair of openings on the practice squad by signing defensive end Gerald Rivers and defensive end and linebacker Zack Hodges.
It’s Rivers’ second stint with the Rams. The University of Mississippi product was signed as a undrafted free agent in 2013 and played in two games and made one tackle.
He was claimed off waivers late that season by Jacksonville and has also spent time with Miami, Denver and the New York Giants.
“Glad to be back. Feels like I’ve come home,’’ the 25-year-old said. “I got the call on Monday, hopped on a flight, came in for the workout and signed. It’s kind of like a family reunion, seeing the guys again. I’ve been around a little bit, but I’ve never felt as comfortable as I feel here.’’
Rivers was released from the Giants’ practice squad in mid-September.
“Just working out and trying to stay as ready as possible, hoping for another chance,’’ he said. “And now that I’m back with the Rams, it just feels right.’’
Hodges, a two-time Ivy League player of the year from Harvard, was in camp with the Indianapolis Colts.
“I was training, trying to keep my mind sharp,’’ the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Hodges said. “I remember playing here in the preseason, seemed like a great city. This is a great opportunity; now I just have to go out, show the coaches what I can do and try to make the most of it.’’
RAM-BLINGS
Early this week, Rams coach Jeff Fisher was asked about his confidence in kicker Greg Zuerlein, who enters Sunday’s action having converted just one of his last five field goal attempts. To be fair, one of the kicks was blocked and three of the others were from 53, 63 and 63 yards.
“No concerns. He’s hitting it really well,’’ the coach said. “He just needs to hit it between those two yellow poles. I didn’t like the (35-yard miss), but I have total confidence in Greg. He’s hitting it as well as he’s hit it since he’s been here.
“With the new rules, every kick is a field goal, so there’s more pressure on every single kick. That’s just my observation.’’
• The Rams’ Nick Fairley was fined $17,363 for a roughing-the-passer call in the fourth quarter against Cleveland’s Josh McCown.
• Cut earlier in the week by the Rams, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar has signed with New Orleans. Dunbar, 30, was signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2008 and played there through 2011.
• The Lincoln University football team coached by ex-Rams LB Mike Jones held a walk-through Friday afternoon at Rams Park. The Blue Tigers play Saturday at McKendree.
znModeratorIf the Rams Are Maturing, They Won’t Lose to the 49ers
Bernie Miklasz
http://www.101sports.com/2015/10/30/if-the-rams-are-maturing-they-wont-lose-to-the-49ers/
As of Friday morning the Rams were an 8.5-point favorite over the visiting San Francisco 49ers for Sunday’s noon game at the Edward Jones Dome. This is a rarity; the Rams haven’t been listed as more than touchdown favorite against an NFC West rival since 2005.
jeff fisherFisher’s Rams are an 8.5 point favorite to win Sunday, representing the largest spread against a division rival since 2005.
And since Jeff Fisher moved in as coach in 2012, the only time the Rams have been a heavier favorite in a home game came in 2013. Jacksonville entered as an 11-point underdog, and the Rams won 24-10.
The pressure is on for the Rams. The 49ers have drifted to the bottom of the NFC West with a 2-5 record. They’ve been wiped out by 17 points or more in four of their losses. (Average margin of defeat: a league-worst 19.8 points.) Turmoil surrounds quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has been the target of a whispering campaign, with anonymous criticism of his leadership, personality and unwillingness to engage teammates. The slurs obviously originated from inside team headquarters, probably from the same sources that tried to poison the rep of deposed head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The 49ers’ disarray includes massive roster subtractions, with a long list of impact players and team leaders that played major roles in the team’s 36-11-1 record (and the 2012 NFC Championship) between 2011 and 2013. But with Harbaugh and the team distracted by the nasty media leaks and the coach-management dissension, the 49ers’ collapse actually began late last season, when they finished 8-8 after losing four of their final five.
The franchise that comes into The Ed has lost nine of the last 12 games, with a glaring point differential of minus 114.
Through seven games the scoring-challenged 49ers are last in the 32-team NFL with an average of 14.7 points ,and no league offense has produced fewer net yards per game (295.) Kaepernick is having an identity crisis, seemingly reluctant to turn it loose as a runner and scrambler because of the team’s project to turn him into a pocket quarterback.
Dealing with pass-rush heat on 40 percent of his dropbacks, and pressured 83 times, Kaepernick already has been dropped for 25 sacks. Those breakdowns continue to ruin drives. And the 49ers aren’t finishing the drives that put them within range of the end zone, ranking 30th in red-zone offense with a TD rate of 35 percent. Defensively, the 49ers have done a good job against the run, but no NFL defense has given up more yards per game (421), and they’ve been torched for 28 pass completions that stretched 20+ yards. San Francisco opponents are averaging just under 26 points per game.
So yes, what I’m trying to say here is that the 49ers are bad. (Terrific insight, eh?) And this is a team that’s drifted into drama and dysfunction, which adds toxicity to that 2-5 record.
The 49ers shouldn’t be much of a threat, at least not to anyone except themselves. It’s true that upsets are always possible. And the Rams have yet to demonstrate consistency, trustworthiness or much of a passing-game offense. Other than the break-out rushing of rookie running back Todd Gurley, the Rams are mostly stuck on neutral on offense.
The 3-3 Rams have no basis for taking any opponent for granted, and it’s preposterous to even consider the possibility of complacency as they reengage their old rival. That said: the Rams have a new star and catalyst on offense, they’re as tough as anyone on defense, and they have a chance to be standing 4-3 after seven games for the first time since 2006.
The Rams can’t lose this game.
And they won’t lose this game unless we see the reappearance of a younger-and-dumb Rams’ team that crashes by being careless or undisciplined. You know, the stuff we’ve seen too often during Fisher’s 54-game term in office. The knucklehead penalties, the airhead pass defense, and the habit of losing close games because of unforced errors and a general loss of composure.
The Rams still commit too many pre-snap penalties, but they’ve cleaned up other spots left messy because of lapses in discipline. For example, the Rams have had only two roughing-the-passer penalties this season — and one was a horrible and completely unwarranted call. The Rams have been tagged for only three personal-foul penalties overall — or fewer than all but three NFL teams. To this point, the defense has cut down on the silly stuff that does nothing but keep the other team’s offense on the field.
Rams middle linebacker James Laurinaitis was talking about this other day, offering his opinion that the Rams are maturing. But JL made it clear that this is still an ongoing challenge, and he framed Sunday’s game as another test of the team’s legitimate growth. If the Rams truly are maturing, Laurinaitis said, then they’ll handle the assignment of winning Sunday’s game. And he’s right. If these Rams are a more poised and football-smart team, then they won’t overlook the ‘Niners, make frivolous and unavoidable mistakes, and repeatedly give the 49ers opportunities to steal Sunday from them. For whatever it’s worth, I believe the Rams are getting there — evolving into more cool-headed team. A team that will find ways to beat inferior opponents rather than find ways to beat themselves. We’ll see.
znModeratorRams Practice Report 10/30: Playing Within the Division
Myles Simmons
So far in 2015, the Rams have done a nice job of competing within the NFC West. They have won both of their divisional matchups — Week 1 against Seattle and Week 4 at Arizona — playing well in all three phases.
Sunday’s contest will bring in the third team, San Francisco, into the Edward Jones Dome. And even though the 49ers have a new coaching staff, the Rams still have a good amount of familiarity with them. That’s especially because the players and the systems they’re running haven’t changed too much.
“You know the personnel well, you know the scheme well,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “So a lot of times, you’re not getting surprised by anything.”
“You know San Fran is going to get in a certain formation and run power,” Laurinaitis continued. “You know they’re going to do it, and they say, ‘OK, try to stop it.’ And it’s just man-on-man kind of stuff. You have to win your individual matchup.”
That’s part of why the team has such respect for the 49ers. With all the knowledge each team has of one another, a game can swing either way.
“This is a division game,” defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said. “They know us, we know them. We always play in a dog fight and always play hard. Believe me, our guys have been very respectful in all the meetings and all the practices this week because they know how good that team is.”
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Punter Johnny Hekker received some national recognition on Thursday when he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month. Hekker averaged 48.3 yards on his 16 punts in October, including three punts inside the 20-yard line against the Browns on Sunday. He also had punts of 56 and 57 yards over the course of the month.
“It’s a huge honor to be recognized for an entire month of production,” Hekker said Friday. “Frankly, I wasn’t super astonished with the way I played. I have to chalk it up to my teammates — just the way they were able to keep me comfortable out there. It’s easy to sit back there, relax and punt the ball when everyone is doing their job very, very well. Our punt team is protecting really well.”
Hekker is only the second punter in franchise history to receive the honor.
“The recognition is great to have, but more so than personally, I think it speaks to how my teammates have been preparing this last month,” Hekker said.
FROM THE OTHER SIDE
It’s easy to see why anyone would be impressed with the way running back Todd Gurley has played. There’s clearly a reason he was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month.
But while everyone notices what Gurley does on Sundays, Williams said his demeanor behind the scenes is even more impressive.
“He brings a big smile to my face, yes he does,” Williams said. “Leadership has no age. You can be a leader at any age of your life. But you better [set] a good example, and you better go about doing things the right way. And behind the scenes, he does things the right way, too.”
The defensive coordinator said Gurley’s humility was easy to notice from the day he entered the building. And that’s part of why the running back has so quickly earned the respect of his teammates and coaches.
“Everybody likes him when he’s out there and you can see him doing those things — I like him behind the scenes, too,” Williams said. “He’s a good young man.”
BIG PLAY HAYES
Defensive end Will Hayes spent time filling in for an injured Chris Long last year, and did well in the role. Now he’s doing the same for a few weeks while Long deals with a knee injury, and Williams has been impressed with the returns. Hayes had two sack/fumbles on Browns quarterback Josh McCown in last week’s victory.
“He’s super important,” Williams said. “He’s a tough player when he plays. It was fun to see him rise up and take ownership of that position, because no longer was he rotating with Chris Long. He had to get ready to rise.
“And he did a great job last year,” Williams added. “He was our production leader last year for the entire season. He won that award. So, it’s always fun to see him do that.”
Behind the scenes, Williams says Hayes is one of the best players to help boost morale. And that’s part of what makes him such a key contributor to the defense.
“He’s constantly keeping things stirred up,” Williams said. “He does do a great job in the training room, in the classroom, all those things.”
A LITTLE COMPETITION
Finally, the Rams ended practice Friday as they do every week with some competition between the first groups on offense and defense. The team runs three plays inside the 5-yard line and the objectives for both units is clear on each play. For defense, prevent a touchdown. For offense, get one.
On this Friday, though, there was a bit of a dispute as to who won.
“It was 2-1, defense,” Williams said — saying one catch was out of bounds, and there was holding on another. “I’ll give them the third one.”
“The offense won 3-0,” head coach Jeff Fisher said, adding he gets the final vote on that. “But I’m not fudging at all. They got in three times.”
“They got beat last week, too, so that’s a good sign,” Fisher added.
As Williams put it, it’s a good way to finish the week with high spirits.
“The fun part about it, you see their interest and their ‘swag’ pick up just competing — just competing and having fun,” Williams said. “And the camaraderie back and forth on offense and defense — it’ll still be going on in the locker room.”[/quote]
znModeratorCarlos Hyde ruled out for Sunday
Josh Alper
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/10/30/carlos-hyde-ruled-out-for-sunday/
SANTA CLARA, CA – Earlier on Friday, we noted that 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin would miss Friday’s practice after having his hamstring tighten up on him during Thursday’s session.
The prospect of playing without Boldin isn’t a pretty one for the 49ers offense, so it’s good news for them that Boldin said, via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, there was “no doubt” in his mind that he’d play on Sunday against the Rams. The team’s offense won’t be whole, however.
Running back Carlos Hyde has been ruled out of the contest. Hyde said recently that he has a stress fracture in his foot, but has been listed as questionable on the team’s injury reports and in the lineup for the last few weeks. The 49ers have a bye in Week 10, which may mean a lot of Reggie Bush, Jarryd Hayne and Mike Davis out of the backfield for the next two weeks.
Boldin officially drew a questionable tag for the game in St. Louis.
znModeratorThis is the same QB who led SF to consecutive playoff wins
over the Packers. And now he’s a mole-killer ? How does that happen?IMO? When he first starting playing, SF had a superior OL, one of the 2-3 best. Now that OL is not the same. It;s a shadow of what it was. So he is far more exposed than he was.
October 30, 2015 at 1:02 pm in reply to: Laurinaitis says maturing Rams are winning games they’re supposed to win #33230znModeratorI don’t count the Pittsburgh game. No one gave the Rams a chance in that game.
Rams were favored vs Pittsburgh
Yeah, that’s what I meant.
October 30, 2015 at 12:16 pm in reply to: Laurinaitis says maturing Rams are winning games they’re supposed to win #33227znModeratorHowever, I still think Rothlisberger’s injury made that game a ‘should win’ game but I’m not as married to that as I was
I think in another 100 or so post exchange on this, we can reach the stage where we testily agree to disagree, while getting in some passive aggressive jabs at one another.
Or we can just say this is how we differ—I;m a glass half-full kinda guy, and you are looking at the wrong table and mistaking the wrong glass for an armadillo.
October 30, 2015 at 8:48 am in reply to: Laurinaitis says maturing Rams are winning games they’re supposed to win #33220znModeratorWell, this season the Rams have lost to two teams they should have beaten. They lost to Washington on the road and Pittsburgh at home.
I’m using a different approach than you. I am saying, in advance, could the Rams reasonably be favored.
Some say the Washington game fits that. I dunno yet. There’s a possibility that Washington is better than we assumed.
I don’t count the Pittsburgh game. No one gave the Rams a chance in that game.
Why did they lose either game? IMO because the offense is going to take time.
So to me, you’re saying that’s a game they COULD HAVE won. (GB too for that matter.) But to me, even that’s a nice glass half-full surprise. It was not a thing anyone thought in advance, BR going out or not. In the end Pitts. will be a team with a winning record and looking back, will not count as a team anyone would reasonably expect the Rams SHOULD HAVE won, though it was a nice revelation that they COULD HAVE won it.
…
October 30, 2015 at 2:21 am in reply to: Laurinaitis says maturing Rams are winning games they’re supposed to win #33212znModeratorYou know I really think you can put numbers to this.
Games Rams were supposed to win.
First, to look at this right, the way I see it, there really isn’t a solid Rams “contender” across the last 3 years. Consider this: how many times, in the last 48 games, have they had the following 3 things: (1) a starting qb, (2) a relatively healthy OL (ie. not that many injuries) and/or a relatively healthy VETERAN OL, and (3) a legit running threat (ie. not Richardson). Across the 48 games from 2012-14, it has been 11 times. Other than that, they really haven’t had a full offense that entire time. A team can handle injuries and win (Kendricks, Ogletree, Gaines, Long, Saffold). But when injuries compromise the effectiveness of an entire key unit (like the OL) it causes trouble.
Now as games they shoulda won. How many actually is that?
In 2012, they lost 2 of 6 of games that where the Rams should have won, which basically means teams which losing records (though 7-9 and 8-8 teams on the road don’t count as that for me…that’s much more evenly matched.) They beat Arizona twice (they were 5-11 that year), Buffalo, and Tampa. Those were the “you should be favored” games. They lost to Detroit and the Jets. The Miami game was on the road and they were 7-9 that year which does not make them easily beatable.
In 2013, they lost 2 of 6 such games. They beat an 8-8 Chicago at home, plus Jacksonville, Houston, and Tampa. They lost 2: Atlanta (on the road) and Tennessee (at home).
In 2014, they lost 3 of 7 such games, but that was with a year-long compromised and then completely injured up OL and 2 back-up qbs, one of whom got benched. It’s reasonable to expect them to beat the 7-9 Vikes and 8-8 49ers at home, but they lost those 2. They also lost to the Giants in a winnable game. But then they won against Tampa, SF, Oakland, and Washington.
Overall their record in such games is 12-7 (63%). But that avg. number hides the difference between 2012-3 and 2014. Before 2014, it’s 8-4 (67%). In 2014, it’s 4-3 (57%)
So anyway, granting the team was young and often dealing with qb and OL injuries, the games that meet JL’s descriptions include the 2012 Jets game, the 2013 Titans game, and the 2014 Vikes and Giants games. I think it’s those 4 games that give them the taint of maddening inconsistency. Of those, the one that doesn;t really bother me is the 2014 Vikes game, the opener. They were a mess when they started that season IMO. The issue in that game wasn’t preparation or lack of focus. The Jets, Titans, and Giants game do fit the description. Maybe this year’s Washington game, but I dunno yet…in the end it could turn out that Washington was a much tougher team than we thought at first, especially playing them on the road.
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znModeratorWhich side of Kaepernick will Rams see?
Jim Thomas
From pass rushers, to pundits, and apparently even teammates, is there anyone who isn’t piling on Colin Kaepernick these days?
Once considered in the vanguard of a new generation of NFL quarterbacks, a struggling Kaepernick is getting the business from seemingly every direction these days.
The San Francisco QB has heard boos from the home fans at Levi’s Stadium, and gotten mocked by Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews.
In recent weeks, reports surfaced claiming he’s aloof and “on an island” in the 49ers’ locker room. Another report said teammate Vernon Davis called him out during a heated team meeting.
Apparently, when Kaepernick comes home after a tough day on the field, his dog kicks him.
OK, that’s not really the case. But Matthews did celebrate a sack of Kaepernick in an Oct. 4 game by kissing his biceps. (That’s Kaepernick’s signature move after scoring a touchdown.)
Matthews was also captured on the FOX television broadcast of that contest shouting: “You ain’t Russell Wilson, bro!” at Kaepernick, a reference to the NFC West’s other young, dashing dual-purpose quarterback.
Kaepernick is still young — he turns 28 on Tuesday. But he’s no longer dashing — at least he wasn’t last week against Seattle. Kaepernick didn’t have a single carry, the first time that’s happened in his 46 regular-season starts as a 49er.
But the Rams, striving to remain relevant this season at 3-3, can’t afford to take Kaepernick lightly in Sunday’s noon kickoff against San Francisco at the Edward Jones Dome.
“I know Kap’s getting some criticism for this or that, but his numbers are really no different than they’ve been the last three years,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “We went back and checked. He’s rushing the football. He’s throwing the football.”
All the Rams need do is put on the tape of Kaepernick’s last two starts in St. Louis, when his combined numbers were 37 completions in 58 attempts (63.8%) for 510 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions. His overall passing rating in those two contests: 120.6.
“Two years ago we had to go in there on a short week, Thursday night game, back against the wall because we had lost two games going into that, and we came away with a hard-fought win,” 49ers defensive coordinator Geep Chryst told San Francisco reporters Thursday.
The 49ers won that contest 35-11.
“Last year’s game, remember we had a big, long pass just before the two-minute (mark), and that was like it broke some ice,” Chryst said.
And broke the Rams’ backs. The Rams were up 14-3 in the closing seconds of the first half when cornerback Janoris Jenkins bit on a double move by 49ers wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. The result was an 80-yard touchdown reception on a Kaepernick pass. The 49ers went on to win 31-17.
In the 3½ seasons since he has been a starting QB, Kaepernick has rushed for more than 1,800 yards and scored 11 touchdowns.
The Rams have done a pretty good job vs. Kaepernick the runner over the past two seasons, limiting him to 83 yards (and no rushing TDs) over four contests. But they still respect his legs as well as his arm.
“He’s a long strider, but he’s got great speed,” Fisher said. “In the open field, he can make you miss. The frustrating part about defending him is he’ll push up the field, he’ll make a move, he’ll head to the sideline, and before you blink he’s picked up 20 yards and a big first down.
“So he can shift field position very, very quickly. He knows what he’s doing in the zone read and the read-option stuff. You go back and look at a couple games, he’s been very productive in it.”
Kaepernick rushed for between 41 and 57 yards in each of the 49ers’ first four games this season. But he has carried only six times — total — over their last three contests.
“I think people look to kind of take it away a little bit now,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “He picks and chooses. He tries to (run) a lot on third-and-short … take off and get the first down. He can still run with the best of ’em.”
On passing plays, Laurinaitis said he has noticed that Kaepernick is less effective scrambling when teams pressure him up the middle.
“It’s always easier when quarterbacks try to escape out the edge, because you have angles and you can kind of rally (to the ball),” Laurinaitis said. “It’s when they escape up the middle that it puts you under a lot of pressure in the open field.”
So this is a game where a player such as defensive tackle Aaron Donald could do some damage, particularly since San Francisco’s interior blocking has frequently left much to be desired. For example, right guard Jordan Devey gave up 3½ sacks in the 49ers’ 20-3 loss to Seattle in a Thursday night game Oct. 22.
As a passer, Kaepernick ranks 24th in both completion percentage (61.4) and passer rating (82.8) this season for 2-5 San Francisco. When Fisher talks about the numbers being about the same, that completion percentage is a little higher than Kaepernick’s career number (60.1 percent) entering this season. But the passer rating is below his career number (90.6).
To a large degree, Kaepernick looks less sure of himself in the pocket these days. He is missing, and missing badly, too often on routine throws. Occasionally, the body language from 49ers receivers after one of those errant throws is telling. They’re frustrated.
Normally careful with the football, Kaepernick only has five interceptions this season. But four of them came in his first 10 throws Sept. 27 at Arizona, with two of them returned for touchdowns in a 47-7 rout.
But Kaepernick also has had three outings this season where he’s had better than a 100 passer rating, and two games where he has thrown for more than 300 yards. Even so, he realizes there’s room for improvement, especially after a summer in which he worked diligently with former Rams great Kurt Warner on his game.
“I would say that I have to take it to another level,” Kaepernick said. “I have to be able to make plays for this team, and I have to be a difference-maker when I step on the field.”
Which Kaepernick shows up Sunday against the Rams? Hard to tell. But it’ll probably be one who tries to throw against Jenkins on a double move by the receiver.
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