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Rams get taste of what they want in Redskins' run game, run defense
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...ame-and-run-defense-a-taste-of-what-rams-seek
LANDOVER, Md. -- When it comes to the X's and O's of why the St. Louis Rams lost to the Washington Redskins on Sunday, there's not much need to go too far in depth.
"In order for us to win the game," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said, "we were going to have to run it and stop the run and get off the field on third down, and we didn't do any one of those with any consistency."
For the Rams and their fans, perhaps the most disturbing part of Sunday's 24-10 loss to Washington was that they lost to a team playing the exact brand of football the Rams aspire to play.
The Redskins battered the Rams with a consistent, yet occasionally explosive, two-headed run game that made life easier for quarterback Kirk Cousins. On the other side of the coin, the Redskins took advantage of the Rams' young offensive line by shutting down their run game to keep St. Louis in third-and-long situations and then getting after quarterback Nick Foles.
"We didn't have any opportunities," Fisher said. "We couldn't put a drive together and they kept the ball."
Tre Mason gained just 26 yards on seven carries Sunday, further evidence the Rams need Todd Gurley on the field.
Yes, the Redskins kept the ball for what seemed like the entire game. As of this morning, they probably still have it.
All week, Rams players and coaches alike espoused the importance of stopping the run in order to rush the passer. With new offensive line coach Bill Callahan helping install a run game the Redskins hope resembles Dallas' of last year, Washington threw a different running attack at the Rams than the one they shut down last December.
To great effect.
Washington running backs Alfred Morris and Matt Jones gashed the Rams defense repeatedly. By the time it was over, Jones and Morris combined for 182 yards on 37 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per attempt. The immediate returns on that success were obvious as Washington had the ball for 37 minutes, 44 seconds and converted eight of 16 third-down opportunities. Cousins completed 23 of 27 passes.
The trickle-down effect was even greater.
"If you can't stop the run, you never get a chance to rush the passer and we don't get to play to our strength," Rams defensive end Chris Long said. "We never got out of that part of the ballgame where you can dissuade them from running the ball."
It didn't help that the Rams offense offered little help to a defense that rarely had a chance to come up for air. Against Seattle last week, the Rams used running back Benny Cunningham on screen passes as an extension of the run. So while the run game only mustered 76 yards on an average of 2.92 yards per rush against the Seahawks, the Rams were able to overcome it with Cunningham's four catches for 77 yards.
Having done their homework, the Redskins were unfazed by Fisher's week-long gamesmanship about the availability of running back Tre Mason and rookie Todd Gurley. Mason returned to the lineup and Gurley was inactive as expected -- and the Redskins offered little to no running room, regardless of who carried the ball.
Mason finished with 26 yards on seven carries and Cunningham carried once for no gain. In the screen game, Cunningham again had four catches but this time there was no room to operate as he finished with 27 receiving yards. Tavon Austin led the Rams in rushing with 40 yards on four carries, but even that limited success came mostly in the second half.
At halftime, the Rams had seven carries for 17 yards, four first downs and their longest drive went for a whopping four plays. All told, the Rams were 2 of 12 on third down.
"Everybody knows the run game and pass game work (together)," tight end Jared Cook said. "It’s going to be a long day if you can’t run it. I think the second half, we made some adjustments, got Tre going a little bit and went down the field, which opened it up for Kenny. We have just got to stick to the plan and stick to the script and keep going."
After the game, Fisher said that Gurley will be week-to-week moving forward. Given the Rams' offensive line woes, expecting Gurley to be the magic elixir is probably unfair.
But for a team that's managed just 143 yards on 39 carries (3.67 yards per carry) in the first two games, the Rams no longer just want Gurley in the lineup. They need him.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...ame-and-run-defense-a-taste-of-what-rams-seek
LANDOVER, Md. -- When it comes to the X's and O's of why the St. Louis Rams lost to the Washington Redskins on Sunday, there's not much need to go too far in depth.
"In order for us to win the game," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said, "we were going to have to run it and stop the run and get off the field on third down, and we didn't do any one of those with any consistency."
For the Rams and their fans, perhaps the most disturbing part of Sunday's 24-10 loss to Washington was that they lost to a team playing the exact brand of football the Rams aspire to play.
The Redskins battered the Rams with a consistent, yet occasionally explosive, two-headed run game that made life easier for quarterback Kirk Cousins. On the other side of the coin, the Redskins took advantage of the Rams' young offensive line by shutting down their run game to keep St. Louis in third-and-long situations and then getting after quarterback Nick Foles.
"We didn't have any opportunities," Fisher said. "We couldn't put a drive together and they kept the ball."
Tre Mason gained just 26 yards on seven carries Sunday, further evidence the Rams need Todd Gurley on the field.
Yes, the Redskins kept the ball for what seemed like the entire game. As of this morning, they probably still have it.
All week, Rams players and coaches alike espoused the importance of stopping the run in order to rush the passer. With new offensive line coach Bill Callahan helping install a run game the Redskins hope resembles Dallas' of last year, Washington threw a different running attack at the Rams than the one they shut down last December.
To great effect.
Washington running backs Alfred Morris and Matt Jones gashed the Rams defense repeatedly. By the time it was over, Jones and Morris combined for 182 yards on 37 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per attempt. The immediate returns on that success were obvious as Washington had the ball for 37 minutes, 44 seconds and converted eight of 16 third-down opportunities. Cousins completed 23 of 27 passes.
The trickle-down effect was even greater.
"If you can't stop the run, you never get a chance to rush the passer and we don't get to play to our strength," Rams defensive end Chris Long said. "We never got out of that part of the ballgame where you can dissuade them from running the ball."
It didn't help that the Rams offense offered little help to a defense that rarely had a chance to come up for air. Against Seattle last week, the Rams used running back Benny Cunningham on screen passes as an extension of the run. So while the run game only mustered 76 yards on an average of 2.92 yards per rush against the Seahawks, the Rams were able to overcome it with Cunningham's four catches for 77 yards.
Having done their homework, the Redskins were unfazed by Fisher's week-long gamesmanship about the availability of running back Tre Mason and rookie Todd Gurley. Mason returned to the lineup and Gurley was inactive as expected -- and the Redskins offered little to no running room, regardless of who carried the ball.
Mason finished with 26 yards on seven carries and Cunningham carried once for no gain. In the screen game, Cunningham again had four catches but this time there was no room to operate as he finished with 27 receiving yards. Tavon Austin led the Rams in rushing with 40 yards on four carries, but even that limited success came mostly in the second half.
At halftime, the Rams had seven carries for 17 yards, four first downs and their longest drive went for a whopping four plays. All told, the Rams were 2 of 12 on third down.
"Everybody knows the run game and pass game work (together)," tight end Jared Cook said. "It’s going to be a long day if you can’t run it. I think the second half, we made some adjustments, got Tre going a little bit and went down the field, which opened it up for Kenny. We have just got to stick to the plan and stick to the script and keep going."
After the game, Fisher said that Gurley will be week-to-week moving forward. Given the Rams' offensive line woes, expecting Gurley to be the magic elixir is probably unfair.
But for a team that's managed just 143 yards on 39 carries (3.67 yards per carry) in the first two games, the Rams no longer just want Gurley in the lineup. They need him.
