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http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_7c477d6b-77ed-5e99-884b-07828cde84ec.html
CJ2K
Speedster Chris Johnson became “CJ2K” when he rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009; he’s one of just seven NFL players to top 2,000 yards in a season. Johnson has topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first five seasons, but his production has plummeted this year. He enters Sunday’s game with 366 yards, and a per-carry average of 3.2 — or 1.5 yards lower than his career average entering 2013. Coming off their best performance of the year on run defense, the Rams must respect Johnson’s breakaway ability.
EVERYTHING’S JAKE
The No. 8 overall draft pick in 2011, Titans QB Jake Locker was off to an excellent start, displaying improved accuracy and decision-making, before missing two games because of hip and knee injuries. He returned Oct. 20 vs. San Francisco, then used the Titans’ bye week to heal up. He has thrown eight TD passes and just one INT in five contests but also is a running threat. “He can extend plays, he can get outside the pocket,” defensive coordinator Tim Walton said. “So he’s also a dual-threat guy with the ball in his hand.”
THE RECEIVING END
Wide receiver Kenny Britt has all-but fallen off the grid for the Titans. The former first-round pick from Rutgers has only eight catches, has dropped several passes and lost his starting job three games ago. Kendall Wright, whom the Rams strongly considering drafting in 2012, has been the team’s most productive receiver with 40 catches. Veteran Nate Washington has big-play ability but also goes silent for long stretches. Former 49ers TE Delanie Walker (23 catches, 3 TDs) has been productive replacing Jared Cook.
SLOWING DOWN
After a quick start, the play of Tennessee’s front seven has leveled off in recent weeks. The Titans averaged 3½ sacks a game during their 3-1 start; they’re getting only two per game during their current three-game losing streak. On the ground, they’ve allowed 141 rushing yards per game in their losses to Kansas City, Seattle, and San Francisco; during the 3-1 start they were allowing only 99 yards per game. One of the team’s top defenders, MLB Moise Fokou, will miss his second straight game because of a knee injury.
STRONG SECONDARY
OK, we’re not talking Seahawk-strong here, but the Titans are far from pushovers on the back end. They have one of the better safety tandems in the game, with former Baltimore Raven Bernard Pollard providing a physical presence on run defense and free safety Michael Griffin tackling better and playing more consistently this season. Griffin’s status is questionable because of a quad injury. At cornerback, Alterraun Verner has been a turnover machine with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries in seven games.
RED ZONE BLUES
Following the Houston game, the Rams ranked third in the NFL in red zone efficiency, converting 66.7 percent (12 of 18) of their trips inside the 20 into TDs. They’re one-for-seven since then, including an 0-for-four outing Monday night vs. the Seahawks, tumbling to 17th in the league (13 of 25, 52 percent). “We’ve studied it, we’ve looked at it,” Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “There’s some things that we’re going to adjust and kind of get back to some core concepts. But it comes down to execution.”
THE SERIES
Including Super Bowl XXXIV, the teams have played only four times since the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995, and Sunday marks only the second meeting in the Gateway City. The most recent contest — Dec. 13, 2009 in Nashville — was no contest. Rams QB Keith Null threw five interceptions; Titans RB Chris Johnson had 186 yards rushing/receiving and three TDs. The Titans thrashed the Rams 47-7, with the 40-point margin of defeat the fourth worst in franchise history. “They’re bullies,” Rams DE Leonard Little said.
CJ2K
Speedster Chris Johnson became “CJ2K” when he rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009; he’s one of just seven NFL players to top 2,000 yards in a season. Johnson has topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first five seasons, but his production has plummeted this year. He enters Sunday’s game with 366 yards, and a per-carry average of 3.2 — or 1.5 yards lower than his career average entering 2013. Coming off their best performance of the year on run defense, the Rams must respect Johnson’s breakaway ability.
EVERYTHING’S JAKE
The No. 8 overall draft pick in 2011, Titans QB Jake Locker was off to an excellent start, displaying improved accuracy and decision-making, before missing two games because of hip and knee injuries. He returned Oct. 20 vs. San Francisco, then used the Titans’ bye week to heal up. He has thrown eight TD passes and just one INT in five contests but also is a running threat. “He can extend plays, he can get outside the pocket,” defensive coordinator Tim Walton said. “So he’s also a dual-threat guy with the ball in his hand.”
THE RECEIVING END
Wide receiver Kenny Britt has all-but fallen off the grid for the Titans. The former first-round pick from Rutgers has only eight catches, has dropped several passes and lost his starting job three games ago. Kendall Wright, whom the Rams strongly considering drafting in 2012, has been the team’s most productive receiver with 40 catches. Veteran Nate Washington has big-play ability but also goes silent for long stretches. Former 49ers TE Delanie Walker (23 catches, 3 TDs) has been productive replacing Jared Cook.
SLOWING DOWN
After a quick start, the play of Tennessee’s front seven has leveled off in recent weeks. The Titans averaged 3½ sacks a game during their 3-1 start; they’re getting only two per game during their current three-game losing streak. On the ground, they’ve allowed 141 rushing yards per game in their losses to Kansas City, Seattle, and San Francisco; during the 3-1 start they were allowing only 99 yards per game. One of the team’s top defenders, MLB Moise Fokou, will miss his second straight game because of a knee injury.
STRONG SECONDARY
OK, we’re not talking Seahawk-strong here, but the Titans are far from pushovers on the back end. They have one of the better safety tandems in the game, with former Baltimore Raven Bernard Pollard providing a physical presence on run defense and free safety Michael Griffin tackling better and playing more consistently this season. Griffin’s status is questionable because of a quad injury. At cornerback, Alterraun Verner has been a turnover machine with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries in seven games.
RED ZONE BLUES
Following the Houston game, the Rams ranked third in the NFL in red zone efficiency, converting 66.7 percent (12 of 18) of their trips inside the 20 into TDs. They’re one-for-seven since then, including an 0-for-four outing Monday night vs. the Seahawks, tumbling to 17th in the league (13 of 25, 52 percent). “We’ve studied it, we’ve looked at it,” Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “There’s some things that we’re going to adjust and kind of get back to some core concepts. But it comes down to execution.”
THE SERIES
Including Super Bowl XXXIV, the teams have played only four times since the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995, and Sunday marks only the second meeting in the Gateway City. The most recent contest — Dec. 13, 2009 in Nashville — was no contest. Rams QB Keith Null threw five interceptions; Titans RB Chris Johnson had 186 yards rushing/receiving and three TDs. The Titans thrashed the Rams 47-7, with the 40-point margin of defeat the fourth worst in franchise history. “They’re bullies,” Rams DE Leonard Little said.
