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Rams vs. Bengals Preview
• By Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_fbe90b18-47e8-579e-ae21-040a6396ff07.html
COMING THIS WEEK
Entering November above .500 for the first time since 2006, the reeling Rams (4-6) have dropped three in a row and have not looked good doing so. Next up is a Sunday game in Cincinnati against the Bengals, who started 8-0 and are coming off tough-to-swallow losses to visiting Houston (10-6) and Sunday night in Arizona (34-31).
PLAYER TO WATCH
QB Andy Dalton. A second-round draft pick out of Texas Christian in 2011, the two-time Pro Bowl selection is one of just five QBs to throw for better than 3,000 yards in his first three pro seasons, joining Peyton Manning, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson.
As a starter, he’s 48-25-1 in regular-season action. He’s completed 62.1 percent of his passes for nearly 17,500 yards with 119 touchdowns, 71 interceptions and a passer rating of 87.8.
But he’s 0-4 in four playoff starts. In those games, he’s completed 55.7 percent of his passes for 873 yards with one touchdown and six interceptions and a 57.8 passer rating.
HE SAID IT
“Honestly, I don’t remember how they scored 21 points in the third quarter. It’s all a blur to me right now,’’ Bengals safety George Iloka said. “Obviously, we didn’t come out. ... I don’t know. I can’t tell you. I really don’t know.’’
After limiting ex-Bengal Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals to seven points and 102 yards of total offense in the first half Sunday, the Cincinnati defense was torched as Palmer threw three TD passes and amassed 205 yards of total offense in just 17 third-quarter plays. After the Bengals rallied, Arizona won on a Chandler Catanzaro field goal with one second to play.
INJURIES
Rams coach Jeff Fisher reported some relatively good news Monday, noting that the knee injury suffered by tackle Andrew Donnal was not an ACL tear, but “a somewhat significant MCL sprain’’ that will not require surgery. The coach said that QB Case Keenum (concussion) was “feeling better’’ and that CB Trumaine Johnson (thigh) should return to practice this week. DE Robert Quinn (back, hip) and T Rob Havenstein (calf) did not play Sunday.
Cincinnati CB Adam Jones (foot) did not play Sunday. During the game, the Bengals lost CB Darqueze Dennard (shoulder) and safety Shawn Williams (ankle). DTs Marcus Hardison and Pat Sims are slowed by knee injuries.
SERIES HISTORY
The Rams and Bengals have only met 12 times, with Cincinnati coming away with seven wins. Since the move to St. Louis in 1995, the Rams have taken three of five, with Cincinnati winning the last two. In the teams’ last meeting, in 2011, the visiting Bengals rallied from a 6-3 halftime deficit, getting TD runs late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, to win 20-13.
Joe Lyons
• By Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_fbe90b18-47e8-579e-ae21-040a6396ff07.html
COMING THIS WEEK
Entering November above .500 for the first time since 2006, the reeling Rams (4-6) have dropped three in a row and have not looked good doing so. Next up is a Sunday game in Cincinnati against the Bengals, who started 8-0 and are coming off tough-to-swallow losses to visiting Houston (10-6) and Sunday night in Arizona (34-31).
PLAYER TO WATCH
QB Andy Dalton. A second-round draft pick out of Texas Christian in 2011, the two-time Pro Bowl selection is one of just five QBs to throw for better than 3,000 yards in his first three pro seasons, joining Peyton Manning, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson.
As a starter, he’s 48-25-1 in regular-season action. He’s completed 62.1 percent of his passes for nearly 17,500 yards with 119 touchdowns, 71 interceptions and a passer rating of 87.8.
But he’s 0-4 in four playoff starts. In those games, he’s completed 55.7 percent of his passes for 873 yards with one touchdown and six interceptions and a 57.8 passer rating.
HE SAID IT
“Honestly, I don’t remember how they scored 21 points in the third quarter. It’s all a blur to me right now,’’ Bengals safety George Iloka said. “Obviously, we didn’t come out. ... I don’t know. I can’t tell you. I really don’t know.’’
After limiting ex-Bengal Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals to seven points and 102 yards of total offense in the first half Sunday, the Cincinnati defense was torched as Palmer threw three TD passes and amassed 205 yards of total offense in just 17 third-quarter plays. After the Bengals rallied, Arizona won on a Chandler Catanzaro field goal with one second to play.
INJURIES
Rams coach Jeff Fisher reported some relatively good news Monday, noting that the knee injury suffered by tackle Andrew Donnal was not an ACL tear, but “a somewhat significant MCL sprain’’ that will not require surgery. The coach said that QB Case Keenum (concussion) was “feeling better’’ and that CB Trumaine Johnson (thigh) should return to practice this week. DE Robert Quinn (back, hip) and T Rob Havenstein (calf) did not play Sunday.
Cincinnati CB Adam Jones (foot) did not play Sunday. During the game, the Bengals lost CB Darqueze Dennard (shoulder) and safety Shawn Williams (ankle). DTs Marcus Hardison and Pat Sims are slowed by knee injuries.
SERIES HISTORY
The Rams and Bengals have only met 12 times, with Cincinnati coming away with seven wins. Since the move to St. Louis in 1995, the Rams have taken three of five, with Cincinnati winning the last two. In the teams’ last meeting, in 2011, the visiting Bengals rallied from a 6-3 halftime deficit, getting TD runs late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, to win 20-13.
Joe Lyons
