Rams News Recap: August 29

[RamBill]

Rams Notes: Rams’ Davis Enjoys Chance to Start –PD
Granted it was only a preseason game, but Thursday’s exhibition finale against Miami marked quarterback Austin Davis’ first start in the pros.

With Four Cuts Remaining, Sam Still a Ram –PD
Michael Sam will neither sit by the phone nor unplug it Saturday — the day of reckoning for his NFL career.

Rams Look Like Eight-Win Team as Opener Approaches –101ESPN

Jim Thomas Rams Report After the Miami Game –Radio Interview

Austin Davis on Being the Rams #2 Quarterback –Video

Five Cuts Remain on Rams –ESPN
Michael Sam survived a round of cuts by the St. Louis Rams on Friday, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Rams Coach Jeff Fisher: “Our training room is empty” –Video

Rams at Dolphins Highlights –Video

NFLRank: No. 6 Robert Quinn –Wagoner
The annual #NFLRank project got underway last week as a panel of 85 NFL analysts across ESPN’s many platforms went through the process of ranking the Top 100 players in the league on each side of the ball.

Cautious Move Was Right One For Fisher –Wagoner
St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher often talks about his preferred preseason method of bringing his starters along with a gradual build of snaps during the exhibition season.

St. Louis Rams’ Final Projected Roster –Wagoner

Sam vs. Westbrooks: Who Makes the Cut? –Video

Jim Thomas: Will Sam Make the Rams Roster? –Video

Rams QB Austin Davis’ Post Game Comments from Miami –Video

Rams Rookie CB E.J. Gaines Post Game Comments –Video

Jeff Fisher Recaps Rams Loss to the Dolphins with Farr and Savard –Radio Interview

 

[RamBill]

Morning Ram-blings: Penalties dialed back
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11074/morning-ram-blings-penalties-dialed-back

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The penalty flag is a staple of the preseason. Partly because so many young players are struggling to keep up and/or adjusting to the rules and partly because the exhibition season is the time when officials work on enforcing the league's points of emphasis.

The results this year amounted to a deluge of laundry covering the field during the first three weeks of the preseason. But, as NFL Nation columnist Kevin Seifert writes, the league walked it back a little bit in the final exhibition game.

Simply put, the games couldn't continue to be called as tightly as they were the first three weeks but the league also was able to send the message of what is and isn't legal even if it meant over-enforcing points of emphasis such as illegal hands to the face, defensive holding and illegal contact.

The increase of those infractions being called was staggering but don't expect it to continue in the regular season.

I.C.Y.M.I.

A roundup of Friday's Rams stories appearing on ESPN.com. ... In the wee hours of the morning, we looked at DE Michael Sam's confidence that he belongs on an NFL roster. ... To complement that, we examined the tough decision facing the Rams when it comes to Sam and the roster. ... Here's the observation deck with thoughts and notes from the preseason finale. ... Here's my final 53-man roster projection. ... The Rams did the right thing not playing their starters against Miami. ... In the final #NFLRank, Rams defensive end Robert Quinn lands at No. 6, which I believe is too low.

Elsewhere:

Grantland's Bill Barnwell attempts to predict the unpredictable for this NFL season.

Bill Simmons offers his annual NFL preview with a gambling slant.

Bad news for the 49ers, good news for the rest of the NFC West (especially the Rams) as Aldon Smith gets a nine-game suspension.

ESPN Insider Mark Dominik discusses Sam's chances of making the roster.

At stltoday.com, Jim Thomas breaks down the team's final preseason contest.

Columnist Bill McClellan explores the Rams to Los Angeles story further.