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Rams notes: Cornerbacks show versatility amid injuries
• By Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_7d3fc644-50c0-5569-b482-e3af1e455c34.html
For the second time in as many weeks, an injury forced the Rams to do some shuffling in their short-handed secondary on Sunday.
Early in the second quarter of the 31-14 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona, rookie nickel back Lamarcus Joyner bounced off Big Red quarterback Carson Palmer and suffered a game-ending groin injury. Janoris Jenkins came off the bench after missing the previous two games with a knee injury to play opposite fellow third-year pro Trumaine Johnson, who was making his first start after going down with a knee injury during the preseason. Rookie E.J. Gaines then moved from corner to nickel.
A week earlier, in the 13-10 road win over the 49ers, Johnson made his season debut and saw more action than expected when starting cornerback Marcus Roberson went down with an ankle injury.
“I knew I was going to play. The coaches told me I wasn’t going to start, but I wasn’t expecting to play as much as I did,” said Jenkins, who had four tackles while playing 48 defensive snaps Sunday. “I felt pretty good. Just have to keep working, keep getting better.’’
Rams coach Jeff Fisher added: “‘Jenks’ came back and played well, made tackles. Felt pretty good (after the game), so we assume that he should be close to 100 percent for Sunday.”
Gaines, a sixth-round draft pick from Mizzou, was on the field for 64 of 66 defensive snaps Sunday and led the Rams’ cornerbacks with seven tackles and three pass breakups. He said the shift from corner to nickel during the game went relatively well.
“It really wasn’t that big a deal because it’s something I played a lot during OTAs and training camp, so it was mainly just refreshing my memory,” he said. “It’s different being in the middle, mainly because there’s so much more going on, but I handled it. I had some mental errors, things I need to cut down on, but overall, I felt I played pretty well. I just have to keep working to eliminate those small mistakes.
“Playing as much as I have, I’m at a point where I really can’t use being a rookie as an excuse.”
Fisher continues to be impressed by Gaines.
“Tells you a lot about him, he’s gone from outside to inside during the course of a game,” the coach said. “He was fine. He got his hands on the ball ... we didn’t have to scale down the third-down package. ... He prepares mentally for it and (I) thought he plugged in nicely.”
On 32 defensive snaps Sunday, Johnson made five tackles in his first start of the season.
Next up for the Rams is Sunday’s noon game against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos at the Edward Jones Dome.
In his 17th NFL season, the 38-year-old Manning is completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 2,912 yards with 29 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a passer rating of 112.0. His top receivers are Demaryius Thomas (65 catches, 1,002 yards, 6 TDs), Emmanuel Sanders (62, 852, 6) and tight end Julius Thomas (938, 423, 12).
Facing Manning, a five-time league MVP, is “a huge challenge,” Jenkins said. “He likes to get the ball out of his hands quick and he’s working with some great receivers. Hopefully we can get some pressure on him, but mainly we just have to be ready to compete.”
CHRIS LONG IN PRACTICE
For the first time since suffering an ankle injury in the season-opening loss to Minnesota on Sept. 7, defensive end Chris Long returned to practice Wednesday. Long, who had surgery, has been on the injured reserve-designated to return list.
“We started the window on Chris, so he’ll be able to practice,” Fisher said. “He didn’t do much today, but he’s going to keep adding to it. We feel like ... that designated IR situation gives you a 21-day period (and) we definitely think he’ll be ready to play within that time period. We wanted to get him back on the field.”
INJURY REPORT
The Rams had seven players sit out Wednesday’s practice: linebacker James Laurinaitis (foot), defensive end William Hayes (fibula), defensive back Lamarcus Joyner (groin), linebacker Daren Bates (groin), cornerback Marcus Roberson (ankle), defensive end Alex Carrington (quadriceps) and wide receiver Damian Williams (hamstring).
In addition, linebacker Will Herring (foot) was limited.
The Broncos practiced Wednesday without running back Ronnie Hillman (foot), middle linebacker Nate Irving (knee) and tight end Virgil Green (knee). Three starting offensive linemen — left tackle Ryan Clady (groin), right tackle Paul Cornick (shoulder) and left guard Orlando Franklin (knee) — were limited.
Among those going through full workouts for the Broncos were safety Quinton Carter (knee), linebacker Steven Johnson and running backs Juwan Thompson (knee) and Montee Ball (groin).
It was the first full practice since getting injured on Oct. 5 against the Cardinals for Ball, who starred at Timberland High in Wentzville and at the University of Wisconsin before being drafted by Denver in the second round in 2013.As a rookie, he rushed for 559 yards, caught 20 passes for 145 yards and scored four times. He started three of four games to open this season; he’s rushed 55 times for 172 yards and a touchdown to go along with nine catches for 62 yards.
“He was out there back practicing a week ago and I think made good progress,’’ Denver coach John Fox said when asked about Ball on Wednesday. “He practiced today and it went well.’’
• By Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_7d3fc644-50c0-5569-b482-e3af1e455c34.html
For the second time in as many weeks, an injury forced the Rams to do some shuffling in their short-handed secondary on Sunday.
Early in the second quarter of the 31-14 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona, rookie nickel back Lamarcus Joyner bounced off Big Red quarterback Carson Palmer and suffered a game-ending groin injury. Janoris Jenkins came off the bench after missing the previous two games with a knee injury to play opposite fellow third-year pro Trumaine Johnson, who was making his first start after going down with a knee injury during the preseason. Rookie E.J. Gaines then moved from corner to nickel.
A week earlier, in the 13-10 road win over the 49ers, Johnson made his season debut and saw more action than expected when starting cornerback Marcus Roberson went down with an ankle injury.
“I knew I was going to play. The coaches told me I wasn’t going to start, but I wasn’t expecting to play as much as I did,” said Jenkins, who had four tackles while playing 48 defensive snaps Sunday. “I felt pretty good. Just have to keep working, keep getting better.’’
Rams coach Jeff Fisher added: “‘Jenks’ came back and played well, made tackles. Felt pretty good (after the game), so we assume that he should be close to 100 percent for Sunday.”
Gaines, a sixth-round draft pick from Mizzou, was on the field for 64 of 66 defensive snaps Sunday and led the Rams’ cornerbacks with seven tackles and three pass breakups. He said the shift from corner to nickel during the game went relatively well.
“It really wasn’t that big a deal because it’s something I played a lot during OTAs and training camp, so it was mainly just refreshing my memory,” he said. “It’s different being in the middle, mainly because there’s so much more going on, but I handled it. I had some mental errors, things I need to cut down on, but overall, I felt I played pretty well. I just have to keep working to eliminate those small mistakes.
“Playing as much as I have, I’m at a point where I really can’t use being a rookie as an excuse.”
Fisher continues to be impressed by Gaines.
“Tells you a lot about him, he’s gone from outside to inside during the course of a game,” the coach said. “He was fine. He got his hands on the ball ... we didn’t have to scale down the third-down package. ... He prepares mentally for it and (I) thought he plugged in nicely.”
On 32 defensive snaps Sunday, Johnson made five tackles in his first start of the season.
Next up for the Rams is Sunday’s noon game against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos at the Edward Jones Dome.
In his 17th NFL season, the 38-year-old Manning is completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 2,912 yards with 29 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a passer rating of 112.0. His top receivers are Demaryius Thomas (65 catches, 1,002 yards, 6 TDs), Emmanuel Sanders (62, 852, 6) and tight end Julius Thomas (938, 423, 12).
Facing Manning, a five-time league MVP, is “a huge challenge,” Jenkins said. “He likes to get the ball out of his hands quick and he’s working with some great receivers. Hopefully we can get some pressure on him, but mainly we just have to be ready to compete.”
CHRIS LONG IN PRACTICE
For the first time since suffering an ankle injury in the season-opening loss to Minnesota on Sept. 7, defensive end Chris Long returned to practice Wednesday. Long, who had surgery, has been on the injured reserve-designated to return list.
“We started the window on Chris, so he’ll be able to practice,” Fisher said. “He didn’t do much today, but he’s going to keep adding to it. We feel like ... that designated IR situation gives you a 21-day period (and) we definitely think he’ll be ready to play within that time period. We wanted to get him back on the field.”
INJURY REPORT
The Rams had seven players sit out Wednesday’s practice: linebacker James Laurinaitis (foot), defensive end William Hayes (fibula), defensive back Lamarcus Joyner (groin), linebacker Daren Bates (groin), cornerback Marcus Roberson (ankle), defensive end Alex Carrington (quadriceps) and wide receiver Damian Williams (hamstring).
In addition, linebacker Will Herring (foot) was limited.
The Broncos practiced Wednesday without running back Ronnie Hillman (foot), middle linebacker Nate Irving (knee) and tight end Virgil Green (knee). Three starting offensive linemen — left tackle Ryan Clady (groin), right tackle Paul Cornick (shoulder) and left guard Orlando Franklin (knee) — were limited.
Among those going through full workouts for the Broncos were safety Quinton Carter (knee), linebacker Steven Johnson and running backs Juwan Thompson (knee) and Montee Ball (groin).
It was the first full practice since getting injured on Oct. 5 against the Cardinals for Ball, who starred at Timberland High in Wentzville and at the University of Wisconsin before being drafted by Denver in the second round in 2013.As a rookie, he rushed for 559 yards, caught 20 passes for 145 yards and scored four times. He started three of four games to open this season; he’s rushed 55 times for 172 yards and a touchdown to go along with nine catches for 62 yards.
“He was out there back practicing a week ago and I think made good progress,’’ Denver coach John Fox said when asked about Ball on Wednesday. “He practiced today and it went well.’’
