Rams Rally Comes Up Short

ARLINGTON, Tex. – The Rams and coach Jeff Fisher’s approach to the preseason has been constant in that the result on the scoreboard isn’t as important as the opportunity to evaluate players and continue to improve from week to week.

After a step forward from the preseason opener last week against Kansas City, the Rams first units on both sides of the ball were stuck in neutral on

Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium.

The result was a 20-19 win for Dallas, dropping the Rams to 1-2 in the preseason.

“We didn’t move the ball like we would like to and like we did last week against Kansas City,” running back Steven Jackson said. “But this is what training camp provides. It puts stuff on film so we can correct it, make sure we are running the scheme right, communicating right up front. But all the mistakes we made as far as the offense, are all things that are correctable.”

After a blistering start last week against the Chiefs in which the Rams held a 14-0 lead within the opening five minutes, the Rams had the tables turned on them a bit in the first half of Saturday’s game.

Some of the areas Fisher has been hoping to see improvement were again an issue as the first team defense struggled to get off the field on third down and the first team offense labored to stay on it.

Entering the game, Fisher had said he didn’t expect to play the starters much longer than they played against the Chiefs, perhaps just an additional series or two on both sides of the ball.

But the starting offense wasn’t able to piece together a drive of any substantial length until the second quarter and even then needed the help of some special teams trickery to extend the series.

First and foremost, though, the first team defense had major issues finding stops. Dallas played starting quarterback Tony Romo with the first team offense for just one quarter despite a pre-game plan to play him into the second half.

That’s because Romo had such success early in the game that Dallas opted not to risk potential injury. In the opening 15 minutes, Romo went nine-of-13 for 198 yards with two touchdowns, both to wideout Dwayne Harris covering distances of 61 and 38 yards.

Harris’ touchdowns gave Dallas a 17-3 lead at the end of the quarter, a lead the Cowboys never relinquished.

The long scores were a result of missed tackles and coverage miscues.

“We had a communication problem on the long touchdown pass,” Fisher said. “We can do some things better. We gave up way too much through the air. A number of those situations would have been called back because of holding because it looked like we were getting tackled pretty often back there.

“We have to tackle better on defense. We tackled pretty well the first two weeks and we didn’t tackle well tonight.”

The offense, meanwhile, couldn’t gain traction picking up just two first downs in the first quarter. Despite the plan to play the starters about the same as last week, the group wasn’t on the field long enough to call it a night at the end of the first quarter.

Things picked up a bit in the second quarter as the Rams picked up four first downs, including one on a fake punt that saw safety Matt Daniels take a direct snap and race 30 yards for a first down on fourth down.

That drive was the highlight for the first offense as rookie running back Daryl Richardson got his first look with that group. Richardson had a catch for 9 yards and six carries for 27 yards.

Still, the Rams couldn’t punch one in the end zone and finished the first half with just 6 points, all coming off the powerful right leg of rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein, who converted 55 and 52 yard field goals.

All told, the numbers weren’t pretty on either side of the ball in the first half.

Offensively, the Rams had six first downs and were only one-of-seven on third down conversions. They finished with 114 yards of net offense and quarterback Sam Bradford was six-of-17 for 64 yards for a rating of 47.2.

Bradford came under fire quite a bit as well, as he was sacked twice and hit a handful of other times. Running back Steven Jackson started but did not get any carries and only played a few snaps. Rookies Isaiah Pead and Daryl Richardson took the bulk of the work with the first team at running back.

“We have two games in less than a week,” Jackson said. “And coach mentioned that we are going to play quite a bit on Thursday. And we would give Isaiah and Daryl more this game.”

As for the defense, that unit allowed Dallas to rack up 17 first downs, convert three-of-five third downs and post 342 total yards in the first 30 minutes. That added up to a 20-6 halftime deficit.

“We’ve got to get better as a whole,” Laurinaitis said. “We’ll continue to grow, but we’ve got to watch and learn from it and get better.”

The Rams did get a drive going at the end of the third quarter as backup quarterback Kellen Clemens hit rookie wideout Brian Quick in stride for a gain of 39 down the left sideline.

That drive got the Rams deep into Dallas territory and ended with Isaiah Pead finding some running room as he picked up 17 yards on four plays. The

Rams punched it in on a 2-yard pass from Clemens to Austin Pettis.

Kicker Garrett Lindholm missed the extra point to make it 20-12 Dallas with 12:50 to go. The Rams continued their comeback as third string quarterback

Austin Davis led an excellent drive capped by a 4-yard touchdown run fromChase Reynolds.

The extra point made for the final margin as the Rams couldn’t get it back and Dallas ran out the clock.

Now, it’s back to the drawing board for the final preseason game coming Thursday against Baltimore at the Edward Jones Dome.

Just like after the loss to Indianapolis in the preseason opener, the Rams will look to bounce back with a strong performance at home that they can carry into the regular season.

“I think that’s the challenge,” Bradford said. “I think coach Fisher challenged us with that tonight. With it being a short week, it means we have got to come in there tomorrow with the right mindset, look at the tape, learn from our mistakes and the two or three opportunities we have to make sure every rep is done well and get the most out of all of them.”

Governor's Challenge Progressing Well

When the Rams traveled to Joplin on June 22, they were returning to help rebuild a place that only a year earlier they had traveled the same five hours to help clean up in the wake of one of the most devastating tornados in history.

Saturday night’s preseason game between the Rams and Chiefs at the Edward Jones Dome provided a prime opportunity to again reflect on how far the Joplin rebuilding project has come but also serve as a reminder that the development has a long way to go.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced on Feb. 4 that he was “challenging” seven major sports entities in the state to come together to help build 35 homes in Joplin. The Rams quickly responded to his call.

Gov. Nixon attended Saturday night’s game in part to award the Governor’s Cup Trophy to the Rams as the winner of the annual preseason contest between the teams but also provided an update on how the Governor’s Challenge is going.

“First of all, all the teams jumped forward quickly, both the organizations and the players,” Gov. Nixon said. “It’s excited the folks in Joplin to add strength to the housing down there. I know the Rams are committed to it. I talked to a lot of folks who were down there afterwards and there were many more volunteers for Habitat.”

In June, the Rams returned to Joplin with 35 able-bodied rookies in tow and a staff of nearly 100 to help work on three of the five houses for the Rams “neighborhood” in the Joplin challenge.

Upon arrival at the Boys and Girls Club of Joplin, the rookies were dropped off to take part in a Play 60 activity with local children. The staff dispersed to paint trim and everybody converged at the three homes the Rams were working on to raise walls and nail them down.

The Governor’s Challenge made no pretense of being a short term project but the impetus for the project was to help continue to shine light on the fact that the Habitat for Humanity of Joplin and the city are in continuing need of volunteers.

“When you look at a situation which in 18 minutes, 14,000 people were made homeless, there were 7,800 houses wiped out, it’s a long term plan,” Gov. Nixon said. “That’s why this summer has been especially important. But we have got a long way to go still to rebuild those houses and to build that community back.”

Even since the Rams and other organizations such as the Chiefs, the Cardinals, Mizzou, the Blues, the Royals and the Kansas Speedway (NASCAR), have paid visits to Joplin to construct five homes, the response has been strong enough in the community to draw more volunteers.
The platform provided by the sports teams have been integral in ensuring that people never neglect or forget the wreckage left behind and the ongoing efforts to rebuild in its wake.

“The bottom line is in difficult situations, organizations like the St. Louis Rams have really helped us rebuild Joplin,” Gov. Nixon said. “But I’m here to say that with the Rams help, with the Chiefs help, the Cardinals, Mizzou and the other organizations, it has been a real shot in the arm to rebuilding Joplin.”

INJURY UPDATE: The Rams top two picks from April’s NFL Draft departed Saturday’s game early with injuries.

Defensive tackle Michael Brockers was poked in the eye early in the game and did not return but was OK after the game.

Receiver Brian Quick left in the third quarter with an apparent back injury. He went in for X rays but Fisher referred to Quick’s injury as back spasms after the contest. For the second week in a row, it didn’t appear that the Rams came out with any significant injuries.

“We’ll check him out,” Fisher said. We had some bumps and bruises but so far, so good.”

ROOKIES PROVIDE POINTS: After the first-team offense finished doing its work for the night, the Rams turned to a trio of rookies to handle the rest of the scoring for the evening.

Backup running back Isaiah Pead had the strangest stat line of the night as he finished with six carries for negative-5 yards with a touchdown. He leaped over the Chiefs for a 1-yard score in the third quarter.

“That type of situation you can’t come away with anything less than a touchdown,” Pead said. “We practice that every day at practice and it paid off today.”

Pead was followed by fellow rookie back Daryl Richardson, who had a strong outing in his attempts. Richardson finished with 27 yards on six carries and punched in a score from 4 yards out in the fourth quarter.

“It was good to get Daryl in there,” Fisher said. “You can see how explosive Daryl Richardson is when he gets the ball.”

And, of course, rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein did what he does, knocking in three extra points and booming a 52-yard field goal right down the middle with room to spare near the end of the first half.

SITTING IT OUT: The Rams had a lengthy list of players sitting out Saturday night’s contest because of various injuries and a trio of guys missing the game because they were signed in the past couple of days.

Receivers Brandon Gibson and Danario Alexander, cornerbackBradley Fletcher, safety Darian Stewart, center Scott Wells, endJamaar Jarrett and defensive tackle Trevor Laws stayed on the sidelines because of various injury issues.

On the bright side, Fisher said the Rams expected to get some of those players back this week, including Wells, who has yet to participate in a practice in this camp.

Defensive tackle John Gill and receivers Charles Gilbert and Brandyn Harvey did not play because they were signed recently and hadn’t practiced much or at all with the team.

Among the players not playing for Kansas City were top cornerback Brandon Flowers and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, who just signed his one-year franchise tender offer.

RAMS HONOR FANS: Before Saturday's game, the Rams rewarded 90 of their most loyal fans.

A group of 90 original Personal Seat License Holders were afforded the opportunity to form a fan tunnel in the pregame introductions of the offense and each person was given a brand new Nike jersey with the No. 12 for the year on it.

A History Lesson from 1998 and Hope for 2012

1998

Tony Banks. Remember that guy? He was the Rams' starting QB in 1998. Banks completed a respectable 59.1 percent of his passes but threw 14 interceptions to only seven touchdowns. To be fair to Banks, he didn't have much to work with.

His leading receiver was Amp Lee, a running back, who caught 64 passes. The team's best receiver, Issac Bruce, only played in five games. Bruce managed only 32 catches in '98 and caught only one touchdown. Ricky Proehl caught 60 passes and looked like a decent third or fourth receiver. Unfortunately for the Rams, Proehl was the top wideout on the team.

The Rams went through five starting running backs, ranging from Robert Holcombe to the immortal Amp Lee. Incredibly, the Rams' leading rusher that season, June Henley, ran for only 313 yards. The Rams were still reeling from the boneheaded decision to draft Lawrence Phillips in in 1996, and we all remember how that turned out.

Yes, the Rams were bad in 1998. They were pitiful, pathetic, a laughingstock. At 4-12, they had the 24th ranked offense in the league (17.8 ppg) and the 24th ranked defense (23.6 ppg). This was a team going nowhere.

1999

So after the debacle that was the 1998 Rams, the team overhauled everything in 1999. They traded for Marshall Faulk, drafted Torry Holt and brought in Trent Green as a free agent. So the Rams filled holes as QB, RB and WR.

The Rams looked good in the preseason, but then Green went down with a season-ending knee injury. Luckily for Rams' fans, the team had a future Hall of Famer and former grocery bagger on the bench in Kurt Warner. Once Warner teamed up with Faulk, Holt and Bruce, "The Greatest Show on Turf" was born.

Orlando Pace, entering his third season and just his second as a full-time starter, emerged as a dominant left tackle. Role players like Proehl and Az-Zahir Hakeem became just that—role players. So instead of being overmatched as starters, they were terrific complementary players.

A team that looked so awful in 1998 took the NFL by storm. The Rams had the No. 1 ranked offense and the No. 4 ranked defense in the NFL. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, they also won the Super Bowl.

2011

The Rams were terrible in 2011. They had the 32nd ranked offense (12.1 points per game) and the 26th ranked defense (25.4 points per game). The Rams finished the season at 2-14, marking the fourth time in five years the team won three or less games.

However, if you look past the numbers, you'll see that this is a team that had a little bit of talent. The problem was, they didn't have any depth. So when the tsunami of injuries hit the Rams, and they lost their front-line talent, they were left exposed.

The Rams lost both starting offensive tackles last season. They lost their top three corners before halftime of Week 1. They also lost their best receiver for the season in the first half of Week 1. To make matters worse, the team was going through all of this while trying to learn a brand new offense when they didn't have a true offseason to learn it.

It was just a mess.

With no protection, and nobody to throw the ball to, starting QB Sam Bradford was beat to a pulp. He ended up missing six games because of injuries, and he never looked like the same player who was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year just a season ago.

2012

So what does all this have to do with the Rams now? Well, just like in 1998, the Rams are coming off of a terrible season, and just like in 1998, the Rams have several new pieces. I'm not saying the Rams will go 13-3 or win the Super Bowl, but they will be a lot better than they were a year ago.

Chris Givens, Brian Quick and Steve Smith were all brought in to upgrade the receivers. Danny Amendola, the most consistent receiver the Rams have, also returns from injury. Steven Jackson is still a beast, and the Rams also brought in Isaiah Pead, a talented rookie, to give Jackson some help.

There is no doubt the Rams are more explosive on offense.

There are still questions on offense. One, just how good is Sam Bradford?

Also, will we ever find out how good Bradford is if the o-line keeps getting him killed? I think Bradford could be really, really good, but this o-line has to play a lot better. With both starting tackles coming back from injuries, and an All Pro center brought in via free agency, the line should be much, much better in 2012.

The defense has a pair of studs at defensive end and two new starting defensive tackles. James Laurinaitis is one of the best MLBs in the NFL. Two talented corners return from injury, but they'll likely be backups to Cortland Finnegan (free agent), Janoris Jenkins (draft), and Trumaine Johnson (draft).

Darian Stewart was a bright spot at safety last year, and he is paired up with veteran Quintin Mickell, who is also a good player.

The Rams' D looks very good on paper. The lone question mark is at OLB, where the Rams are relying on retreads and rookies.

The Rams' offense will be much improved as long as the O Line plays better in 2012. With new head coach Jeff Fisher and new o-line coach Paul Boudreau, these guys are going to play hard-nosed football, or they'll be looking for a new job next year.

So, the Prediction?

The Rams have added Brian Quick, Isaiah Pead, Chris Givens, Scott Wells, Rokevius Watkins and Steve Smith on offense. Danny Amendola, Greg Salas, Jason Smith, and Rodger Saffold are all returning from injury.

On defense, the Rams brought in Cortland Finnegan, Kendall Langford, Jo Lonn Dunbar, Trevor Laws, Michael Brockers, Janoris Jenkins, Trumaine Johnson and Matt Daniels. They have Bradley Fletcher, and Jerome Murphy coming back from injury.

The Rams, needing one starter and a lot of depth at OLB, have brought in Aaron Brown, Sammy Brown, Justin Cole, Mario Haggan, Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Josh Hull, Noah Keller and Rocky McIntosh to battle it out in camp. If one or two of these players emerge as reliable players, the Rams will have filled a major team need.

Add it all up, and the Rams have 20-22 "new players" if you consider guys like Amendola and Fletcher didn't even get to play last year. That is a major infusion of talent to this roster, assuming the players we drafted are actually good NFL football players.

So what does it all mean? What's the point?

I believe we are headed for a major improvement over what we saw a year ago. I think the Rams will win as many as nine games, maybe even 10 if everything goes absolutely perfect. Or maybe they'll suffer key injuries, the o-line will struggle again and Bradford will get beat up. Maybe they'll only win four games.

Either way, this is a much better football team than it was in 2011.