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By Howard Balzer for KSDK Sports
Sometimes it's not how many penalties or penalty yards a team accumulates, but rather when they occur and how they impact the game.
The Rams had seven penalties for 53 yards Sunday, the same exact numbers as the Falcons. However, consider this:
*Four of the penalties for 33 yards were on special teams and had a devastating effect on field position. Leaving the first for last, rookie wide receiver Stedman Bailey had two 10-yard penalties on punt returns that resulted in the Rams starting those two possessions at the 11- and 13-yard lines. Rookie linebacker Ray Ray Armstrong also had a penalty on a punt return that was only five yards because it was a half-the-distance penalty and set the Rams up at their 5-yard line.
The first special teams penalty (on the Rams' first possession of the game) occurred only because rookie Benny Cunningham made a poor decision and brought the ball out from nine yards deep in the end zone. Cunningham got to the 16-yard line, but Tim Barnes was flagged for holding, putting the ball at the 8-yard line. Making matters worse was a dislocated ankle suffered by safety Matt Daniels on the play.
Said coach Jeff Fisher, "We didn't have it (penalties) last week and now we are talking about consistency. You had a special teams unit that played really well last week and didn't hurt themselves and then we come up with three or four penalties this week. It was frustrating. It cost us probably 15 yards but when you get backed up 10 yards we have to start with that bad field position and it makes it hard especially when you are behind."
The Rams' average drive start in the game was the 16-yard line.
*Two penalties on offense cost the Rams 35 in "hidden" yardage. Wide receiver Austin Pettis was called for illegal motion on a pass play to running back Daryl Richardson that had moved the ball from the Atlanta 16 to the 5 for a first down. Instead, the penalty made it second-and-15 from the 21 and the Rams had to settle for a field goal.
On first-and-10 from their own 28, Richardson gained nine yards, but center Scott Wells was flagged on a borderline holding call. Instead of being at their 37, they were at the 18 and eventually punted.
*Finally, we'll deal with the offside penalty called on defensive end Chris Long on the Falcons' first possession. The Rams had Atlanta stopped on third-and-12, but Long was flagged despite it being obvious he moved when Atlanta right tackle Lamar Holmes backed up before the ball was snapped. The Falcons then made the first down on third-and-7 and continued the drive for a touchdown.
Said a stunned Long afterward, "Absolutely I was surprised. They'll (officials) watch tape, too, and they'll get better just like we will."
Of course, they weren't better on a brutal non-call on an obvious intentional grounding penalty on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan at the end of the third quarter that might have been a safety.
Rodger Saffold can't catch a break. Saffold suffered a knee injury with 7:41 remaining in the second quarter and didn't return. He was on crutches after the game. Following the season-opening game against Arizona when Saffold also went out with a knee injury, but only missed a handful of plays, he vowed to play all 16 games this season.
Unless the results of tests on Saffold's knee yield a surprise, that is now very unlikely. The persistent injuries will likely have the Rams moving on from Saffold after the season when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, as they did this past offseason with wide receiver Danny Amendola.
Fox Sports reported Sunday that Amendola now has an adductor muscle injury and might also have a sports hernia. No wonder Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is frustrated. The team let Wes Welker leave so they could sign Amendola.
Sam Bradford likes the no-huddle offense. Of course, we knew that before because the Rams have had success with it in the past. Sunday, it became necessary when the Rams fell behind 24-3.
Said Bradford, "I think it made a pretty big difference. It seemed to just put them on their heels a little bit. I don't think they were expecting us to go to it that quickly. We put our guys in space and they did a great job creating separation and then running with the ball after the catch, too. It was positive to see us perform that way in our no-huddle."
Considering what the Eagles are doing with their fast-paced offense (Philadelphia had 511 yards on just 58 plays Sunday while having the ball for only 19:43), Bradford was asked about running the offense the whole game. He said, "That is tough to say. I think we put a lot of pressure on them and wear them down but at the same time to play that way for an entire game; for those guys up front that is pretty tough on them to do that. But you never know and next week maybe it's something we'll go to a little sooner if we're struggling early."
That offense also results in a lot of wear and tear on the defense by being on the field too much. In Philadelphia's game Sunday, the Chargers had the ball for 40:17, ran 79 plays for 539 yards and converted 10-of-15 third downs.
Yes, Jared Cook is human, after all. Cook was targeted six times Sunday, and had just one reception for 10 yards. But, wide receiver Chris Givens had 105 yards on five receptions, including a 47-yarder, after catching just two passes for 27 yards in the opener. Austin Pettis had eight catches for 78 yards and a touchdown, while Tavon Austin was 6-for-47 with two touchdowns.
Said Cook, "They had a linebacker every time that I released and then had a safety up over the top. It just opened up opportunities for other guys to ball out. They definitely did some different things then the Cardinals did. That just comes with the game. That's part of it and no teams will be the same week to week."
The Quote: Richardson on the pass that bounced off his hands, was intercepted by Osi Umenyiora and returned 68 yards for a touchdown: "I took my eye off of it. I was looking to run and I need to make sure I eye ball that ball and catch it."
Sometimes it's not how many penalties or penalty yards a team accumulates, but rather when they occur and how they impact the game.
The Rams had seven penalties for 53 yards Sunday, the same exact numbers as the Falcons. However, consider this:
*Four of the penalties for 33 yards were on special teams and had a devastating effect on field position. Leaving the first for last, rookie wide receiver Stedman Bailey had two 10-yard penalties on punt returns that resulted in the Rams starting those two possessions at the 11- and 13-yard lines. Rookie linebacker Ray Ray Armstrong also had a penalty on a punt return that was only five yards because it was a half-the-distance penalty and set the Rams up at their 5-yard line.
The first special teams penalty (on the Rams' first possession of the game) occurred only because rookie Benny Cunningham made a poor decision and brought the ball out from nine yards deep in the end zone. Cunningham got to the 16-yard line, but Tim Barnes was flagged for holding, putting the ball at the 8-yard line. Making matters worse was a dislocated ankle suffered by safety Matt Daniels on the play.
Said coach Jeff Fisher, "We didn't have it (penalties) last week and now we are talking about consistency. You had a special teams unit that played really well last week and didn't hurt themselves and then we come up with three or four penalties this week. It was frustrating. It cost us probably 15 yards but when you get backed up 10 yards we have to start with that bad field position and it makes it hard especially when you are behind."
The Rams' average drive start in the game was the 16-yard line.
*Two penalties on offense cost the Rams 35 in "hidden" yardage. Wide receiver Austin Pettis was called for illegal motion on a pass play to running back Daryl Richardson that had moved the ball from the Atlanta 16 to the 5 for a first down. Instead, the penalty made it second-and-15 from the 21 and the Rams had to settle for a field goal.
On first-and-10 from their own 28, Richardson gained nine yards, but center Scott Wells was flagged on a borderline holding call. Instead of being at their 37, they were at the 18 and eventually punted.
*Finally, we'll deal with the offside penalty called on defensive end Chris Long on the Falcons' first possession. The Rams had Atlanta stopped on third-and-12, but Long was flagged despite it being obvious he moved when Atlanta right tackle Lamar Holmes backed up before the ball was snapped. The Falcons then made the first down on third-and-7 and continued the drive for a touchdown.
Said a stunned Long afterward, "Absolutely I was surprised. They'll (officials) watch tape, too, and they'll get better just like we will."
Of course, they weren't better on a brutal non-call on an obvious intentional grounding penalty on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan at the end of the third quarter that might have been a safety.
Rodger Saffold can't catch a break. Saffold suffered a knee injury with 7:41 remaining in the second quarter and didn't return. He was on crutches after the game. Following the season-opening game against Arizona when Saffold also went out with a knee injury, but only missed a handful of plays, he vowed to play all 16 games this season.
Unless the results of tests on Saffold's knee yield a surprise, that is now very unlikely. The persistent injuries will likely have the Rams moving on from Saffold after the season when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, as they did this past offseason with wide receiver Danny Amendola.
Fox Sports reported Sunday that Amendola now has an adductor muscle injury and might also have a sports hernia. No wonder Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is frustrated. The team let Wes Welker leave so they could sign Amendola.
Sam Bradford likes the no-huddle offense. Of course, we knew that before because the Rams have had success with it in the past. Sunday, it became necessary when the Rams fell behind 24-3.
Said Bradford, "I think it made a pretty big difference. It seemed to just put them on their heels a little bit. I don't think they were expecting us to go to it that quickly. We put our guys in space and they did a great job creating separation and then running with the ball after the catch, too. It was positive to see us perform that way in our no-huddle."
Considering what the Eagles are doing with their fast-paced offense (Philadelphia had 511 yards on just 58 plays Sunday while having the ball for only 19:43), Bradford was asked about running the offense the whole game. He said, "That is tough to say. I think we put a lot of pressure on them and wear them down but at the same time to play that way for an entire game; for those guys up front that is pretty tough on them to do that. But you never know and next week maybe it's something we'll go to a little sooner if we're struggling early."
That offense also results in a lot of wear and tear on the defense by being on the field too much. In Philadelphia's game Sunday, the Chargers had the ball for 40:17, ran 79 plays for 539 yards and converted 10-of-15 third downs.
Yes, Jared Cook is human, after all. Cook was targeted six times Sunday, and had just one reception for 10 yards. But, wide receiver Chris Givens had 105 yards on five receptions, including a 47-yarder, after catching just two passes for 27 yards in the opener. Austin Pettis had eight catches for 78 yards and a touchdown, while Tavon Austin was 6-for-47 with two touchdowns.
Said Cook, "They had a linebacker every time that I released and then had a safety up over the top. It just opened up opportunities for other guys to ball out. They definitely did some different things then the Cardinals did. That just comes with the game. That's part of it and no teams will be the same week to week."
The Quote: Richardson on the pass that bounced off his hands, was intercepted by Osi Umenyiora and returned 68 yards for a touchdown: "I took my eye off of it. I was looking to run and I need to make sure I eye ball that ball and catch it."
