Fisher: Miscues Are the Difference in Loss to Tennessee

[News Bot]

Jonathan Webb
http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and...ennessee/b7235f65-48bc-4439-ae76-d9437bfe1852


Amidst another stout performance from his rookie running back and a significant second-game improvement from his quarterback, the Rams may well have been headed for their fourth win of the season on Sunday, if not for the outcome of two plays.

A missed field goal near the end of the first half and an early fumble proved to be too much to overcome on Sunday.

“We missed a field goal and fumbled the ball in plus territory, to pretty much sum it up,” Head Coach Jeff Fisher said. “There’s all kinds of things that happened in the game. Their run defense struggled with our run game. ‘Kell’ (QB Kellen Clemens) played better, but to me, the big difference was the missed field goal and the fumble in that game.”

The first miscue came on the Rams’ first possession of the game. On a drive in which the Rams traveled from their own 20-yard line to the cusp of the Titans’ red zone, RB Benny Cunningham lost control of the football while appearing to switch the ball from his right arm to his left. The fumble thwarted what would have had the Rams on the verge of a potential game-tying scoring opportunity.

“It just squirted out, and he’s not a fumbler,” Fisher said following Sunday’s game.

Tied 7-7 near the end of the first half, the Rams placed themselves in field-goal range following CBCortland Finnegan’s first interception of the season. Second-year K Greg Zuerlein, who entered the game having connected on 14 of his 15 attempts, pushed his 44-yard kick wide right to keep the game deadlocked entering halftime.

The two key mishaps were certainly not helped by the season-best performance from Tennessee RB Chris Johnson. While Johnson may not have been the game’s determinant on Sunday, he was a key contributing factor, as he finished the day with 150 yards rushing on 23 carries.

“We got a lot of good run stops against a good run football team, but obviously, we have to do better,” Fisher said. “We told them all week that that was going to be their emphasis, it was going to be their attack. They had two weeks to prepare and he (Johnson) can run – he can really go. They cut our defense a couple times, but the positive is we had a lot of good run stops as well. I don’t believe that was really the difference in the ball game. It was a contributing factor, but I don’t think it was the difference.”

 

[NJRamsFan]

Im starting to get annoyed with Fisher in regards to kellen clemens....Not that I am blaming him for this loss, however, it seems as if Fisher and co are willing to throw everyone besides clemens under the bus..

 

[jap]

Im starting to get annoyed with Fisher in regards to kellen clemens....Not that I am blaming him for this loss, however, it seems as if Fisher and co are willing to throw everyone besides clemens under the bus..

I strongly suspect Fish, like many veteran head coaches, is reluctant to chastise the offensive leader publicly. Much of this may have stemmed from a confrontation between the legendary Vince Lombardi and his soft-spoken QB, Bart Starr. Vince chewed out Bart viciously before the team at one point early. Bart set up a private meeting with Vince where he pointed out (paraphrasing):

"Coach, don't ever chew me out in front of the guys again! I have to lead these men on the field, and it is that much harder to be a leader if they see me being blasted for my mistakes." To his credit, Vince agreed with his offensive leader.

The modern tendency to chastise QB's in private and not in front of the entire team probably stems front that well known confrontation between Lombardi and Starr.

 

[Ram Quixote]

Im starting to get annoyed with Fisher in regards to kellen clemens....Not that I am blaming him for this loss, however, it seems as if Fisher and co are willing to throw everyone besides clemens under the bus..

Who is he throwing under the bus? He refers to Cunningham's fumble, yet he says Benny isn't a fumbler. He mentions the missed FG. But these are plays to him, not players. How can I know that? It's just how Fisher talks about them.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

It is easy to get frustrated after a loss. Try to remember that the Rams are still a young team and the rebuild is still ongoing. I think every coach deserves his three years to prove that he can win when taking over a team, especially a young one that had huge player turnover in his first year.