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Cornerbacks at a premium for Rams
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ae485571-00e5-57e2-a48d-4b0616f027ed.html
Imagine playing a four-man front with only three defensive linemen. Or trying to protect a quarterback or open holes in the running game with just four offensive linemen.
Well, the Rams played pass defense for about 40 percent of Sunday’s 27-3 loss to Arizona with just two cornerbacks. OK, maybe that’s not quite as drastic as having fewer than five O-linemen on the field. Or having to slide a linebacker onto the defensive line.
But whenever the Cardinals went to three-wide receiver sets at the Edward Jones Dome, it meant the Rams had to use a safety to cover a wideout. And there’s not a wide receiver in the NFL who wouldn’t like that matchup.
The Rams have been playing with fire all season by keeping only four cornerbacks on their 53-man roster, and it caught up with them Sunday. One of those four, starter Trumaine Johnson, hasn’t played since suffering a thigh injury on an interception return midway through the third quarter of the Rams’ Nov. 22 game at Baltimore.
That left the Rams with only three healthy cornerbacks on the roster: Janoris Jenkins, Lamarcus Joyner and Marcus Roberson. The Rams finished out the Baltimore game with that trio, and got through the Cincinnati game with those three as well.
But against Arizona, with Johnson on the pregame inactive list for the second consecutive game, they lost Jenkins twice to collisions with teammates. On the fifth play from scrimmage against the Big Red, Jenkins and safety T.J. McDonald collided playing pass defense on a 20-yard completion from Carson Palmer to Michael Floyd.
Jenkins left the game to be checked for concussion symptoms, meaning for the next five plays of what turned out to be an 80-yard touchdown drive, the Rams had only two cornerbacks at their disposal.
Jenkins was cleared and returned to the game on Arizona’s next offensive series, but he left for good following another collision — this time with safety-linebacker Mark Barron on a 10-yard TD pass from Palmer to David Johnson with 5 minutes, 53 seconds left in the third quarter.
Arizona ran 29 more offensive plays, a total that doesn’t count three kneel-downs at the end of the game, against a Rams defense that had only Roberson and Joyner at cornerback.
“Well, there was a significant change in the lineup because we moved Lamarcus out to corner,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “Then, Rodney (McLeod) came down to play the nickel spot.”
When McLeod was playing nickel back, either Maurice Alexander or Cody Davis joined McDonald at safety — depending on which defensive package coordinator Gregg Williams was using at the time.
“We had players playing positions that they hadn’t played before against an outstanding quarterback,” Fisher said.
All told, 34 of Arizona’s 84 offensive plays came against a Rams defense that had only two corners. On about a dozen of those 34 plays, the Big Red used three or more wide receivers, with McLeod given the unenviable task of trying to cover Arizona star Larry Fitzgerald.
Because of his extra duty playing outside when Jenkins was out of the game, Joyner participated in a season-high 70 defensive snaps.
“I was prepared for it,” Joyner said. “Coach Dennard Wilson does a good job coaching corners and nickels to be ready. The next man up — that’s what we preach around here. When my number was called, when they needed me, I just did what I was coached to do.”
(Wilson is one of the Rams’ defensive backs coaches.)
Joyner doesn’t have much experience playing outside, but he did get some work there in college at Florida State and on the practice field with the Rams.
“So I felt pretty comfortable,” he said.
He matched his season high in both tackles (eight) and pass breakups (two), although he was called for pass interference in the fourth quarter defending J.J. Nelson on the outside.
McLeod held his own against Fitzgerald, but was beaten for a 68-yard reception on a “go route” by John Brown down the right sideline in the fourth quarter. On that play, Roberson ended up taking Fitzgerald in the slot, leaving McLeod isolated on the speedy Brown outside.
The Cardinals ended up kicking a field goal for their final points of the day on that drive.
In the first quarter, when Jenkins was sidelined for the first time, Palmer took advantage of the patchwork secondary to throw a 22-yard TD pass to Nelson.
The Rams were in zone coverage on the play, and Alexander for some reason moved up and let Nelson get behind him in the end zone for the game’s first score.
The Cardinals scored another TD with Jenkins out of the game, but this one had nothing to do with having only two corners in the game, or having a free safety cover a slot receiver. On this one, running back Kerwynn Williams scored on a 35-yard run out of a two-tight end set with the Rams’ front seven offering very little resistance.
Trumaine Johnson’s status remains uncertain for this week’s game against Detroit. And although the early signs are encouraging, there’s no guarantee Jenkins will pass the concussion protocol and be available for Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson & Co.
So the Rams are considering adding a cornerback, and in fact have talked to veteran cornerback Cary Williams. He was released Monday by Seattle and cleared waivers Tuesday. The remainder of his $3.5 million base salary is guaranteed (and paid) by the Seahawks, so he can sign with another team for the veterans’ minimum for the remainder of 2015, and double-dip, so to speak.
Williams was drafted by Fisher as a Tennessee Titan in 2008. But as of Tuesday evening, he was still a free agent and drawing interest from several teams, including Tennessee.
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ae485571-00e5-57e2-a48d-4b0616f027ed.html
Imagine playing a four-man front with only three defensive linemen. Or trying to protect a quarterback or open holes in the running game with just four offensive linemen.
Well, the Rams played pass defense for about 40 percent of Sunday’s 27-3 loss to Arizona with just two cornerbacks. OK, maybe that’s not quite as drastic as having fewer than five O-linemen on the field. Or having to slide a linebacker onto the defensive line.
But whenever the Cardinals went to three-wide receiver sets at the Edward Jones Dome, it meant the Rams had to use a safety to cover a wideout. And there’s not a wide receiver in the NFL who wouldn’t like that matchup.
The Rams have been playing with fire all season by keeping only four cornerbacks on their 53-man roster, and it caught up with them Sunday. One of those four, starter Trumaine Johnson, hasn’t played since suffering a thigh injury on an interception return midway through the third quarter of the Rams’ Nov. 22 game at Baltimore.
That left the Rams with only three healthy cornerbacks on the roster: Janoris Jenkins, Lamarcus Joyner and Marcus Roberson. The Rams finished out the Baltimore game with that trio, and got through the Cincinnati game with those three as well.
But against Arizona, with Johnson on the pregame inactive list for the second consecutive game, they lost Jenkins twice to collisions with teammates. On the fifth play from scrimmage against the Big Red, Jenkins and safety T.J. McDonald collided playing pass defense on a 20-yard completion from Carson Palmer to Michael Floyd.
Jenkins left the game to be checked for concussion symptoms, meaning for the next five plays of what turned out to be an 80-yard touchdown drive, the Rams had only two cornerbacks at their disposal.
Jenkins was cleared and returned to the game on Arizona’s next offensive series, but he left for good following another collision — this time with safety-linebacker Mark Barron on a 10-yard TD pass from Palmer to David Johnson with 5 minutes, 53 seconds left in the third quarter.
Arizona ran 29 more offensive plays, a total that doesn’t count three kneel-downs at the end of the game, against a Rams defense that had only Roberson and Joyner at cornerback.
“Well, there was a significant change in the lineup because we moved Lamarcus out to corner,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “Then, Rodney (McLeod) came down to play the nickel spot.”
When McLeod was playing nickel back, either Maurice Alexander or Cody Davis joined McDonald at safety — depending on which defensive package coordinator Gregg Williams was using at the time.
“We had players playing positions that they hadn’t played before against an outstanding quarterback,” Fisher said.
All told, 34 of Arizona’s 84 offensive plays came against a Rams defense that had only two corners. On about a dozen of those 34 plays, the Big Red used three or more wide receivers, with McLeod given the unenviable task of trying to cover Arizona star Larry Fitzgerald.
Because of his extra duty playing outside when Jenkins was out of the game, Joyner participated in a season-high 70 defensive snaps.
“I was prepared for it,” Joyner said. “Coach Dennard Wilson does a good job coaching corners and nickels to be ready. The next man up — that’s what we preach around here. When my number was called, when they needed me, I just did what I was coached to do.”
(Wilson is one of the Rams’ defensive backs coaches.)
Joyner doesn’t have much experience playing outside, but he did get some work there in college at Florida State and on the practice field with the Rams.
“So I felt pretty comfortable,” he said.
He matched his season high in both tackles (eight) and pass breakups (two), although he was called for pass interference in the fourth quarter defending J.J. Nelson on the outside.
McLeod held his own against Fitzgerald, but was beaten for a 68-yard reception on a “go route” by John Brown down the right sideline in the fourth quarter. On that play, Roberson ended up taking Fitzgerald in the slot, leaving McLeod isolated on the speedy Brown outside.
The Cardinals ended up kicking a field goal for their final points of the day on that drive.
In the first quarter, when Jenkins was sidelined for the first time, Palmer took advantage of the patchwork secondary to throw a 22-yard TD pass to Nelson.
The Rams were in zone coverage on the play, and Alexander for some reason moved up and let Nelson get behind him in the end zone for the game’s first score.
The Cardinals scored another TD with Jenkins out of the game, but this one had nothing to do with having only two corners in the game, or having a free safety cover a slot receiver. On this one, running back Kerwynn Williams scored on a 35-yard run out of a two-tight end set with the Rams’ front seven offering very little resistance.
Trumaine Johnson’s status remains uncertain for this week’s game against Detroit. And although the early signs are encouraging, there’s no guarantee Jenkins will pass the concussion protocol and be available for Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson & Co.
So the Rams are considering adding a cornerback, and in fact have talked to veteran cornerback Cary Williams. He was released Monday by Seattle and cleared waivers Tuesday. The remainder of his $3.5 million base salary is guaranteed (and paid) by the Seahawks, so he can sign with another team for the veterans’ minimum for the remainder of 2015, and double-dip, so to speak.
Williams was drafted by Fisher as a Tennessee Titan in 2008. But as of Tuesday evening, he was still a free agent and drawing interest from several teams, including Tennessee.
