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Everything goes right for Rams
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_bb0dd7d4-49d1-5215-a322-262a6c7635ac.html
Tre Mason had a feeling Sunday morning, and he let it be known to anyone who would listen.
“He said he was gonna have a big day,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “He guaranteed me that before the game — and he did.”
And that was only part of it.
“I told the team before we went out there: ‘Let’s get 50-plus today,’” Mason said.
Now, 50 points by one team in a game doesn’t happen often — not in the NFL. The teams are too evenly balanced.
But Mason and the Rams did just that at the Edward Jones Dome, pummeling the Raiders 52-0 before a crowd announced at 55,650. And Mason indeed had a huge day, scoring three touchdowns, rushing for 117 yards on just 14 carries, and catching three passes for 47 yards.
One of those receptions was a 35-yard screen pass from quarterback Shaun Hill for the first score of the day.
Early in the second quarter, one of those carries went for 89 yards and a touchdown to give the Rams a 28-0 lead.
“Before that long run, I told Shaun I might break this one,” Mason said.
Fifty points. A long TD run. That made Mason two for two on predictions.
“I don’t know if he’s a prophet. But goodness, what a prediction,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said.
“It happened twice, so I don’t know what was up with me,” an ebullient Mason said.
But before you start pestering Mason for Powerball numbers, let it be known that he’s been down this road before.
“It’s not the first time he’s said it (about having a big game),” Fisher said. “So, he’s very confident. He loves to play.”
Mason, who also scored on an 8-yard run early in the fourth quarter, has now logged 100 yard-plus rushing days twice in the past three games. His 89-yard sprint was the second-longest run in franchise history, exceeded only by a 92-yard run by Kenny Washington, way back in 1947 against the Chicago Cardinals.
“I was just feeling good today,” Mason said. “They told me I was ‘miked’ up, so I had to give them a good show.”
If Mason was even half as good talking as he was playing Sunday, hearing what he said during the game should be entertaining. A block by fullback Cory Harkey helped spring Mason, and then wide receiver Tavon Austin got in the way of two Raiders defenders downfield to help escort him to the end zone.
Mason may have been the headliner, but there were several highlight players and highlight plays for the Rams (5-7). The team scored on each of its first six possessions, taking a staggering 38-0 lead at halftime. The 38 points ties for the second-most points scored in the first half of a Rams game in franchise history.
Hill threw for two TDs and ran for another. His 2-yard scamper around right end midway through the opening quarter was his first rushing TD since 2008 (as a San Francisco 49er) and only the fourth of his 13-year NFL career.
Wide receiver Stedman Bailey didn’t score but became only the second Rams player all season to post 100 yards receiving. He did so with five catches for exactly 100 yards, all in the first quarter.
Austin scored for the second week in a row on a jet sweep, racing 18 yards around left end for a TD this time and a 21-0 Rams lead late in the first quarter.
“There’s a couple plays Schotty’s got in for me,” Austin said, referring to offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. “I’m just thankful that it happened.”
The first nine plays of the game for the Rams were passes, with Hill completing eight of them. Most were short, quick bubble screens or slants, with the Rams attacking the perimeter of the Oakland defense.
“That was Shaun doing a really good job,” Fisher said. “We had a lot of runs called, and Shaun had the option to throw the ball out sideways. I think he (checked out of) six runs in the first two or three series.”
On defense, the Rams pitched their first shutout since a 20-0 shutout of — guess who? — Oakland late in the 2006 season.
The Rams had a half-dozen sacks against starting Oakland QB Derek Carr and replacement Matt Schaub, including three by Robert Quinn. The Rams forced a season-high five turnovers, including three interceptions.
Cornerback Trumaine Johnson had two of those three “picks,” returning the second interception 43 yards for the Rams’ final touchdown of the day with 5:24 to play in the fourth quarter.
“He’s got ball skills,” Fisher said. “You saw that against Denver . We’ve seen it before. He studies and he prepares hard.”
The Rams did an excellent job of shutting down the Oakland running game, limiting the Raiders to 61 yards and 2.9 yards a carry. Unlike the San Diego game a week ago, the Rams didn’t play much “off” coverage against the Raiders until they piled up the big lead.
Even with their cornerbacks playing tighter to the line of scrimmage, Oakland didn’t have a pass play go for more than 18 yards.
Put it all together and it was about as impressive an afternoon for the Rams as one could imagine. The 52-point margin of victory was the second-biggest in Rams franchise history. (In 1976, they defeated Atlanta 59-0.)
OK, Sunday’s rout came against the lowly Raiders (1-11), but it was a Raiders team coming off a 24-20 upset of Kansas City their last time out. And a Raiders team that had lost five games by seven points or fewer this season.
“To be honest with you, I’d be lying to you if I thought this was coming,” Laurinaitis said. “I have a ton of respect for that (Oakland) team over there. Watch what they did on film. In my opinion, they’re a really bad holding call (away) from beating the Patriots. They played Seattle well up there, and we know how hard that is.
“So I think this was the kind of thing which was a perfect storm.”
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_bb0dd7d4-49d1-5215-a322-262a6c7635ac.html
Tre Mason had a feeling Sunday morning, and he let it be known to anyone who would listen.
“He said he was gonna have a big day,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “He guaranteed me that before the game — and he did.”
And that was only part of it.
“I told the team before we went out there: ‘Let’s get 50-plus today,’” Mason said.
Now, 50 points by one team in a game doesn’t happen often — not in the NFL. The teams are too evenly balanced.
But Mason and the Rams did just that at the Edward Jones Dome, pummeling the Raiders 52-0 before a crowd announced at 55,650. And Mason indeed had a huge day, scoring three touchdowns, rushing for 117 yards on just 14 carries, and catching three passes for 47 yards.
One of those receptions was a 35-yard screen pass from quarterback Shaun Hill for the first score of the day.
Early in the second quarter, one of those carries went for 89 yards and a touchdown to give the Rams a 28-0 lead.
“Before that long run, I told Shaun I might break this one,” Mason said.
Fifty points. A long TD run. That made Mason two for two on predictions.
“I don’t know if he’s a prophet. But goodness, what a prediction,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said.
“It happened twice, so I don’t know what was up with me,” an ebullient Mason said.
But before you start pestering Mason for Powerball numbers, let it be known that he’s been down this road before.
“It’s not the first time he’s said it (about having a big game),” Fisher said. “So, he’s very confident. He loves to play.”
Mason, who also scored on an 8-yard run early in the fourth quarter, has now logged 100 yard-plus rushing days twice in the past three games. His 89-yard sprint was the second-longest run in franchise history, exceeded only by a 92-yard run by Kenny Washington, way back in 1947 against the Chicago Cardinals.
“I was just feeling good today,” Mason said. “They told me I was ‘miked’ up, so I had to give them a good show.”
If Mason was even half as good talking as he was playing Sunday, hearing what he said during the game should be entertaining. A block by fullback Cory Harkey helped spring Mason, and then wide receiver Tavon Austin got in the way of two Raiders defenders downfield to help escort him to the end zone.
Mason may have been the headliner, but there were several highlight players and highlight plays for the Rams (5-7). The team scored on each of its first six possessions, taking a staggering 38-0 lead at halftime. The 38 points ties for the second-most points scored in the first half of a Rams game in franchise history.
Hill threw for two TDs and ran for another. His 2-yard scamper around right end midway through the opening quarter was his first rushing TD since 2008 (as a San Francisco 49er) and only the fourth of his 13-year NFL career.
Wide receiver Stedman Bailey didn’t score but became only the second Rams player all season to post 100 yards receiving. He did so with five catches for exactly 100 yards, all in the first quarter.
Austin scored for the second week in a row on a jet sweep, racing 18 yards around left end for a TD this time and a 21-0 Rams lead late in the first quarter.
“There’s a couple plays Schotty’s got in for me,” Austin said, referring to offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. “I’m just thankful that it happened.”
The first nine plays of the game for the Rams were passes, with Hill completing eight of them. Most were short, quick bubble screens or slants, with the Rams attacking the perimeter of the Oakland defense.
“That was Shaun doing a really good job,” Fisher said. “We had a lot of runs called, and Shaun had the option to throw the ball out sideways. I think he (checked out of) six runs in the first two or three series.”
On defense, the Rams pitched their first shutout since a 20-0 shutout of — guess who? — Oakland late in the 2006 season.
The Rams had a half-dozen sacks against starting Oakland QB Derek Carr and replacement Matt Schaub, including three by Robert Quinn. The Rams forced a season-high five turnovers, including three interceptions.
Cornerback Trumaine Johnson had two of those three “picks,” returning the second interception 43 yards for the Rams’ final touchdown of the day with 5:24 to play in the fourth quarter.
“He’s got ball skills,” Fisher said. “You saw that against Denver . We’ve seen it before. He studies and he prepares hard.”
The Rams did an excellent job of shutting down the Oakland running game, limiting the Raiders to 61 yards and 2.9 yards a carry. Unlike the San Diego game a week ago, the Rams didn’t play much “off” coverage against the Raiders until they piled up the big lead.
Even with their cornerbacks playing tighter to the line of scrimmage, Oakland didn’t have a pass play go for more than 18 yards.
Put it all together and it was about as impressive an afternoon for the Rams as one could imagine. The 52-point margin of victory was the second-biggest in Rams franchise history. (In 1976, they defeated Atlanta 59-0.)
OK, Sunday’s rout came against the lowly Raiders (1-11), but it was a Raiders team coming off a 24-20 upset of Kansas City their last time out. And a Raiders team that had lost five games by seven points or fewer this season.
“To be honest with you, I’d be lying to you if I thought this was coming,” Laurinaitis said. “I have a ton of respect for that (Oakland) team over there. Watch what they did on film. In my opinion, they’re a really bad holding call (away) from beating the Patriots. They played Seattle well up there, and we know how hard that is.
“So I think this was the kind of thing which was a perfect storm.”
