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Now starting in Baltimore, Givens faces old team
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_052419f3-829d-5af4-b348-83cadbfab5b1.html
Jeff Fisher’s Rams teams have always been a tight-knit group. So just because a teammate leaves and goes elsewhere, doesn’t mean the friendship ends.
And so it is with wide receiver Chris Givens. After three-plus seasons running routes against Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson on the practice field at Rams Park, he will now be trying to beat them as a Baltimore Raven on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.
“That was my buddy when he was here,” Jenkins said. “We hung out a little bit. We got to know each other. I’m glad to see anybody that leaves here go somewhere and be successful.”
So Jenkins will exchange pleasantries before the game; maybe a man-hug afterwards. But in between?
“Between the white lines, it’s business,” Jenkins said. “I’ve got no words for him but Clamps. That’s all.”
“Clamps” is Jenkins’ term to describe his playing style — as in clamping down on a receiver.
Givens is expecting the trash-talking to start immediately if he’s lined up over Jenkins or Johnson.
“Nothing’s gonna change,” Givens said. “It’s gonna be the same that it’s been when I played against those guys in practice.”
Traded to Baltimore on Oct. 3 for a seventh-round draft pick, Givens faces his old friends seven weeks later.
“It’s gonna be exciting,” Givens told the Post-Dispatch. “I just can’t wait to play. It’s one of those games you look forward to.”
Givens still talks to Rams wide receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey about once a week, and touches base with Rams wide receivers coach Ray Sherman “every now and then.” He sent Case Keenum a congratulatory text earlier this week after Keenum was promoted to starting quarterback.
“That’s a good thing for him,” Givens said. “Case is a good guy, man. He’s a good quarterback; he just needed an opportunity.”
So did Givens.
He had that impressive rookie season with the Rams in 2012, when he caught 42 passes for a team-high 698 yards. He had a reception of 50 or more yards in five consecutive games that season, which set an NFL rookie record.
But Givens’ playing time and productivity dropped with each successive season — to 34 catches in 2013 and just 11 in 2014. He had just one catch for 7 yards as a Ram this season before the trade.
“It was very frustrating,” Givens said. “You put in a lot of work in the offseason ... and you don’t get that opportunity. It just makes you frustrated. It makes you that much more hungry.”
As to why his playing time decreased, Givens said, “I never really got a clear explanation. We started the season and it was like I was just another guy.”
The trade to Baltimore has given him a chance to revive his career.
“I was praying for something like this to happen, and then the day I got the call like all my prayers were answered,” he said.
A week or so before the trade, Givens got a hint that something might be in the works. He got a text from Baltimore wide receiver Michael Campanaro, a former college teammate at Wake Forest, telling him the Ravens coaches had been asking about him.
“And it kinda made sense because of everything that as going on,” Givens said.
Ironically enough, after a season-ending back injury to Campanaro, Baltimore made the trade for Givens.
In five games with the Ravens, Givens has 10 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown. His playing time has increased to the point where he moved into the starting lineup last week against Jacksonville, and he’s scheduled to start this Sunday against his old team.
“He’s fit in well,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said via conference call Wednesday. “He’s a hard-working guy and that’s a credit to how he’s been brought up in the league. Got some talent, and we like him.”
Givens made what looked like the game-winning reception last week against Jacksonville, a 14-yard reception on a corner route. But what proved to be a controversial field goal as time expired gave the Jaguars a 22-20 victory.
Givens said he and Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco already have a pretty good rapport, but work to build it every day in practice.
“He’s one of the better quarterbacks in this league; he’s gonna be like that for a long time,” Givens said. “He will get you the ball at any different time, so you’ve always got to be ready for it. He makes things easier because of how good he is.”
When they made the trade, the Ravens inherited what was left of Givens’ original Rams contract — a contract that expires after this season. Givens hopes the Ravens see enough that they’ll re-sign him beyond the 2015 campaign.
“I’m loving where I’m at,” Givens said. “I love everything about it. And it’s just one of those things that feels right. From the first day I got here everything just felt right.”
Come Sunday he’ll have some kind words for his former teammates, before and after the game. But when all is said and done he’ll be trying to beat them, and vice versa.
“No one on either side, neither one of us wants to walk away saying we lost,” Givens said. “So it’s gonna be a high-intensity game.”
“I’m not gonna go out there and kill him,” Johnson said. “We’re brothers still. He’s with the Ravens now, though, so we’re both playing for the win.”
No matter what, Givens won’t leave the stadium empty-handed. How so?
“I’m gonna take him his socks,” Austin said Wednesday, pointing to a box near his locker stall. “He left his socks here, so I’m gonna take him his socks. Just a little bit of memories.”
Yes, nothing says old times like a box full of old socks.
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_052419f3-829d-5af4-b348-83cadbfab5b1.html
Jeff Fisher’s Rams teams have always been a tight-knit group. So just because a teammate leaves and goes elsewhere, doesn’t mean the friendship ends.
And so it is with wide receiver Chris Givens. After three-plus seasons running routes against Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson on the practice field at Rams Park, he will now be trying to beat them as a Baltimore Raven on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.
“That was my buddy when he was here,” Jenkins said. “We hung out a little bit. We got to know each other. I’m glad to see anybody that leaves here go somewhere and be successful.”
So Jenkins will exchange pleasantries before the game; maybe a man-hug afterwards. But in between?
“Between the white lines, it’s business,” Jenkins said. “I’ve got no words for him but Clamps. That’s all.”
“Clamps” is Jenkins’ term to describe his playing style — as in clamping down on a receiver.
Givens is expecting the trash-talking to start immediately if he’s lined up over Jenkins or Johnson.
“Nothing’s gonna change,” Givens said. “It’s gonna be the same that it’s been when I played against those guys in practice.”
Traded to Baltimore on Oct. 3 for a seventh-round draft pick, Givens faces his old friends seven weeks later.
“It’s gonna be exciting,” Givens told the Post-Dispatch. “I just can’t wait to play. It’s one of those games you look forward to.”
Givens still talks to Rams wide receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey about once a week, and touches base with Rams wide receivers coach Ray Sherman “every now and then.” He sent Case Keenum a congratulatory text earlier this week after Keenum was promoted to starting quarterback.
“That’s a good thing for him,” Givens said. “Case is a good guy, man. He’s a good quarterback; he just needed an opportunity.”
So did Givens.
He had that impressive rookie season with the Rams in 2012, when he caught 42 passes for a team-high 698 yards. He had a reception of 50 or more yards in five consecutive games that season, which set an NFL rookie record.
But Givens’ playing time and productivity dropped with each successive season — to 34 catches in 2013 and just 11 in 2014. He had just one catch for 7 yards as a Ram this season before the trade.
“It was very frustrating,” Givens said. “You put in a lot of work in the offseason ... and you don’t get that opportunity. It just makes you frustrated. It makes you that much more hungry.”
As to why his playing time decreased, Givens said, “I never really got a clear explanation. We started the season and it was like I was just another guy.”
The trade to Baltimore has given him a chance to revive his career.
“I was praying for something like this to happen, and then the day I got the call like all my prayers were answered,” he said.
A week or so before the trade, Givens got a hint that something might be in the works. He got a text from Baltimore wide receiver Michael Campanaro, a former college teammate at Wake Forest, telling him the Ravens coaches had been asking about him.
“And it kinda made sense because of everything that as going on,” Givens said.
Ironically enough, after a season-ending back injury to Campanaro, Baltimore made the trade for Givens.
In five games with the Ravens, Givens has 10 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown. His playing time has increased to the point where he moved into the starting lineup last week against Jacksonville, and he’s scheduled to start this Sunday against his old team.
“He’s fit in well,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said via conference call Wednesday. “He’s a hard-working guy and that’s a credit to how he’s been brought up in the league. Got some talent, and we like him.”
Givens made what looked like the game-winning reception last week against Jacksonville, a 14-yard reception on a corner route. But what proved to be a controversial field goal as time expired gave the Jaguars a 22-20 victory.
Givens said he and Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco already have a pretty good rapport, but work to build it every day in practice.
“He’s one of the better quarterbacks in this league; he’s gonna be like that for a long time,” Givens said. “He will get you the ball at any different time, so you’ve always got to be ready for it. He makes things easier because of how good he is.”
When they made the trade, the Ravens inherited what was left of Givens’ original Rams contract — a contract that expires after this season. Givens hopes the Ravens see enough that they’ll re-sign him beyond the 2015 campaign.
“I’m loving where I’m at,” Givens said. “I love everything about it. And it’s just one of those things that feels right. From the first day I got here everything just felt right.”
Come Sunday he’ll have some kind words for his former teammates, before and after the game. But when all is said and done he’ll be trying to beat them, and vice versa.
“No one on either side, neither one of us wants to walk away saying we lost,” Givens said. “So it’s gonna be a high-intensity game.”
“I’m not gonna go out there and kill him,” Johnson said. “We’re brothers still. He’s with the Ravens now, though, so we’re both playing for the win.”
No matter what, Givens won’t leave the stadium empty-handed. How so?
“I’m gonna take him his socks,” Austin said Wednesday, pointing to a box near his locker stall. “He left his socks here, so I’m gonna take him his socks. Just a little bit of memories.”
Yes, nothing says old times like a box full of old socks.
:shades::mustache::cheers: