- Joined
- Nov 24, 2012
- Messages
- 2,624
- Name
- News Bot
By Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_0f64494f-a693-52c9-8338-bcc6e31bc00c.html
In a 28-21 victory over the Rams on Nov. 3, Tennessee’s Chris Johnson ran the ball 23 times for 150 yards and a pair of touchdowns. As a team, the Titans finished with 198 yards, averaging 5.7 on 34 carries, with four rushing touchdowns.
At that point, the Rams were ranked 28th in run defense, allowing 125.2 yards a game and an average of 4.4 a carry.
But all that’s changed in recent weeks.
In Sunday’s 23-13, victory over Tampa Bay at the Edward Jones Dome, the Rams’ defense allowed 111 net passing yards while limiting the Buccaneers to 59 yards on 23 carries, an average of 2.6.
With their sixth consecutive stellar effort, the Rams now have the seventh-ranked run defense in the NFL, allowing 102.3 yards a game and 3.8 a carry.
“We had a couple of rough games ... we had 75 rushes in five days and that’s a lot of run attempts to defend,’’ Rams coach Jeff Fisher said, referring to losses Sept. 22 at Dallas and Sept. 26 against San Francisco.
With wins in four of their last six games, the Rams have allowed 408 yards on 145 carries (2.8 per) since the frustrating loss to Tennessee in Week 9. In that span, they are allowing an average of 68 rushing yards a game with just one team (Arizona, with 107 yards on Dec. 8 ) surpassing the 100-yard mark.
The best individual rushing performance against the Rams in that six-game stretch belongs to Chicago’s Matt Forte, who ran for 77 yards on 16 carries.
“We made some changes up front, just some minor schematic changes, and it’s paying off for us,’’ said Fisher, noting that a key to the defensive success can be traced to the Rams’ improved play on the other side of the ball. “We’re running the football and our defense is staying off the field. We’re not getting the number of three-and-outs that we had early in the year and obviously there’s been focus and improvement. Safeties’ play has been much better. ... I think by and large we’re playing better.
“Above all, I think they’re just playing real hard.’’
OGLETREE, QUINN LEAD WAY
According to the coaches’ review of the game tape, rookie Alec Ogletree led the Rams on Sunday with 10 tackles, with fellow linebackers James Laurinaitis and Jo-Lonn Dunbar coming in with seven and six, respectively. With one game left, Ogletree has a team-leading 144 tackles, 10 more than Laurinaitis, who has led the Rams in each of his previous four seasons with the club.
Ogletree, who had seven solo tackles, also caused a pair of fumbles, had a quarterback pressure and teamed with Laurinaitis on a sack.
Defensive end Robert Quinn had three sacks Sunday to give him a league-leading 18 for the season. That total surpasses the club-record 17 set by Kevin Carter in the Rams’ Super Bowl championship season. Sacks did not become an official NFL stat until 1982.
Chris Long and rookie safety T.J. McDonald also had sacks. It was the first sack of McDonald’s NFL career.
“They both played very well,’’ Fisher said when asked about rookie starters McDonald and Ogletree. “T.J. got the sack. He had some nice open-field tackles, and ‘Tree’ had two more caused fumbles ... pleased with their improvement and their production.’’
In addition to six official sacks, the Rams had 12 quarterback pressures and five hits on Tampa Bay rookie quarterback Mike Glennon.
McDonald led the defensive backs with five tackles, with Rodney McLeod and Janoris Jenkins posting four apiece. Kendall Langford paced the defensive linemen with four tackles. Defensive end William Hayes recovered two fumbles.
RAM-BLINGS
Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein is tied for fifth in the NFL in field goal accuracy (.926), having converted 25 of 27 kicks. The second-year pro from Missouri Western is fourth in the league with 50 touchbacks, He has not allowed a return on 11 consecutive kicks dating back to the loss in Arizona on Dec. 8.
• When asked about injured rookie receiver and kick returner Tavon Austin on Monday, Fisher said, “I think he’s got a better chance this week than he did last.”
Austin has missed the last two games with an ankle injury.
• A week after being promoted from the practice squad to the active roster by the Minnesota Vikings, cornerback Robert Steeples (De Smet) was waived over the weekend. Steeples, who played in college for Missouri and Memphis, was signed as an undrafted rookie and spent time in training camp with the Rams. He joined the Vikings’ practice squad Sept. 11 and made his professional debut with six plays on special teams in Minnesota’s 48-30 rout of the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 15.
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_0f64494f-a693-52c9-8338-bcc6e31bc00c.html
In a 28-21 victory over the Rams on Nov. 3, Tennessee’s Chris Johnson ran the ball 23 times for 150 yards and a pair of touchdowns. As a team, the Titans finished with 198 yards, averaging 5.7 on 34 carries, with four rushing touchdowns.
At that point, the Rams were ranked 28th in run defense, allowing 125.2 yards a game and an average of 4.4 a carry.
But all that’s changed in recent weeks.
In Sunday’s 23-13, victory over Tampa Bay at the Edward Jones Dome, the Rams’ defense allowed 111 net passing yards while limiting the Buccaneers to 59 yards on 23 carries, an average of 2.6.
With their sixth consecutive stellar effort, the Rams now have the seventh-ranked run defense in the NFL, allowing 102.3 yards a game and 3.8 a carry.
“We had a couple of rough games ... we had 75 rushes in five days and that’s a lot of run attempts to defend,’’ Rams coach Jeff Fisher said, referring to losses Sept. 22 at Dallas and Sept. 26 against San Francisco.
With wins in four of their last six games, the Rams have allowed 408 yards on 145 carries (2.8 per) since the frustrating loss to Tennessee in Week 9. In that span, they are allowing an average of 68 rushing yards a game with just one team (Arizona, with 107 yards on Dec. 8 ) surpassing the 100-yard mark.
The best individual rushing performance against the Rams in that six-game stretch belongs to Chicago’s Matt Forte, who ran for 77 yards on 16 carries.
“We made some changes up front, just some minor schematic changes, and it’s paying off for us,’’ said Fisher, noting that a key to the defensive success can be traced to the Rams’ improved play on the other side of the ball. “We’re running the football and our defense is staying off the field. We’re not getting the number of three-and-outs that we had early in the year and obviously there’s been focus and improvement. Safeties’ play has been much better. ... I think by and large we’re playing better.
“Above all, I think they’re just playing real hard.’’
OGLETREE, QUINN LEAD WAY
According to the coaches’ review of the game tape, rookie Alec Ogletree led the Rams on Sunday with 10 tackles, with fellow linebackers James Laurinaitis and Jo-Lonn Dunbar coming in with seven and six, respectively. With one game left, Ogletree has a team-leading 144 tackles, 10 more than Laurinaitis, who has led the Rams in each of his previous four seasons with the club.
Ogletree, who had seven solo tackles, also caused a pair of fumbles, had a quarterback pressure and teamed with Laurinaitis on a sack.
Defensive end Robert Quinn had three sacks Sunday to give him a league-leading 18 for the season. That total surpasses the club-record 17 set by Kevin Carter in the Rams’ Super Bowl championship season. Sacks did not become an official NFL stat until 1982.
Chris Long and rookie safety T.J. McDonald also had sacks. It was the first sack of McDonald’s NFL career.
“They both played very well,’’ Fisher said when asked about rookie starters McDonald and Ogletree. “T.J. got the sack. He had some nice open-field tackles, and ‘Tree’ had two more caused fumbles ... pleased with their improvement and their production.’’
In addition to six official sacks, the Rams had 12 quarterback pressures and five hits on Tampa Bay rookie quarterback Mike Glennon.
McDonald led the defensive backs with five tackles, with Rodney McLeod and Janoris Jenkins posting four apiece. Kendall Langford paced the defensive linemen with four tackles. Defensive end William Hayes recovered two fumbles.
RAM-BLINGS
Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein is tied for fifth in the NFL in field goal accuracy (.926), having converted 25 of 27 kicks. The second-year pro from Missouri Western is fourth in the league with 50 touchbacks, He has not allowed a return on 11 consecutive kicks dating back to the loss in Arizona on Dec. 8.
• When asked about injured rookie receiver and kick returner Tavon Austin on Monday, Fisher said, “I think he’s got a better chance this week than he did last.”
Austin has missed the last two games with an ankle injury.
• A week after being promoted from the practice squad to the active roster by the Minnesota Vikings, cornerback Robert Steeples (De Smet) was waived over the weekend. Steeples, who played in college for Missouri and Memphis, was signed as an undrafted rookie and spent time in training camp with the Rams. He joined the Vikings’ practice squad Sept. 11 and made his professional debut with six plays on special teams in Minnesota’s 48-30 rout of the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 15.
