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(The Rams Tailgate Show) -- It was only the second Victory Monday for the Rams this year, but for coach Steve Spagnuolo, it might as well have been called Injury Monday.
During his media conference the day after the team's win over Cleveland, Spagnuolo had reports on 15 ailing players, and half the words on the transcript sent out by the team dealt with questions and answers about injuries.
When he got to the end of the list, he said, "There's so many names down here I could have forgot a couple. It's been a battle. This injury thing, I tell you what, I'm going to go right back and credit our coaches for how they fought through yesterday. When you lose people like that in the middle of a game, in the middle of a series, and you're trying to do substitution defenses, and defensively you could be in nickel, and you could be in dime and you're rolling people through ... it was challenging, but I thought the guys handled it real well on both sides of the football.
"Special teams gets to be a little hairy because once anybody gets hurt, it's a trickle-down effect. But we fought through it and found a way to get a win."
Spagnuolo knows he's not alone, although it's difficult to imagine a team being hit as hard as the Rams, especially at cornerback and wide receiver, much less offensive tackle, where one backup started the game Sunday (Adam Goldberg) and a second backup (Mark LeVoir, signed 18 days before the game), played virtually all of the second half.
"Everybody's going through (injuries)," Spagnuolo said. "I don't know which teams have had more or less. I just know what we're battling with, and it's been a struggle. I credit the people that are going in. I credit the coaches for hanging in there. This is not easy.
"It's hard to get continuity and execution and smoothness when the parts are interchanging. Usually at this point in the year, you're kind of hitting that groove, and it's into November, but that's all right, we'll just battle through it. We'll get some of the guys back, and we'll keep plugging away."
That's the approach he has to take, and for all the criticism leveled at him when the team loses, it seems apparent there is that resolve that exists no matter the record or what adversity has been faced.
Thanking the players and coaches for their "resiliency" Sunday, Spagnuolo said, "I'm not sure you can make those one, two, three or four, whatever, critical plays there in the course of the game, to win a game like that unless you've got coaches that work their butt off, which we have, and players that buy in and really tough it out and fight hard. I'm really kind of proud of that fact, so I credit both of those groups, players and coaches."
After all, with Tony Wragge at center, the line had two players on the field who weren't in training camp. And the seminal moment of the game, when Browns returner Josh Cribbs fumbled a punt, was caused by linebacker David Nixon, who was signed last Wednesday. Benched linebacker Ben Leber made the recovery.
When it was mentioned to Spagnuolo that Al Harris would be the ninth cornerback to go on injured reserve since training camp, one away from double figures, he said, "Is that what it is? Don't want to do that. We're going to try and stay away from that if we can."
-After the Rams' 13-12 victory over Cleveland on Sunday, defensive end Chris Long talked about how "brutal" the gusting wind was during the game. That wasn't the only thing that could be termed brutal.
A St. Louis team already depleted by injuries suffered even more Sunday, including season-ending knee injuries to cornerback Al Harris and tight end Michael Hoomanawanui. Both were placed on injured reserve Monday.
Harris went out on Cleveland's sixth offensive play of the game. He is the ninth cornerback placed on injured reserve by the Rams since the start of training camp. Harris' injury left the Rams with Justin King, Marquis Johnson and Josh Gordy at cornerback. Rod Hood was inactive Sunday. Nate Ness is on the practice squad.
Hoomanawanui suffered his knee injury as he gained 15 yards on a reception on the final play of the third quarter. With Lance Kendricks out due to a foot injury, the Rams' healthy tight ends are Billy Bajema and Stephen Spach. Ben Guidugli is on the practice squad.
But, there's more. With the Rams already playing without right tackle Jason Smith, who missed his third game because of a concussion, left tackle Rodger Saffold exited on the second official snap of the third quarter with a head injury and did not return.
Spagnuolo said Saffold was symptom-free Monday, and there is the hope Saffold will be able to practice at some point during the week.
Mark LeVoir, signed by the Rams on Oct. 26, took Saffold's place.
Once again, the Rams could be faced with a difficult roster decision if Saffold will miss some time but not the rest of the season. When Smith was originally hurt, it wasn't known how long he would be on the shelf. To sign LeVoir, the Rams waived promising linebacker Jabara Williams, who was then claimed by the Bears. If Saffold and Smith aren't available this Sunday against Seattle, there is no backup tackle on the roster, although Ryan McKee is on the practice squad.
Safety Darian Stewart suffered a neck injury, but he felt better Monday. Linebacker Chris Chamberlain had a stinger, and wide receiver Brandon Gibson was hampered by a groin injury during the game. Quarterback Sam Bradford left for one play in the third quarter when he took a helmet to his thigh.
Cornerback Justin King suffered a blow to the head on the final defensive play of the game, but he was symptom-free Monday.
Of course, the most bizarre injury happened when running back Cadillac Williams hurt his quad as he was running onto the field to give Jackson a breather.
"That one's hard to believe," Spagnuolo said.
(The Rams Tailgate Show) -- It was only the second Victory Monday for the Rams this year, but for coach Steve Spagnuolo, it might as well have been called Injury Monday.
During his media conference the day after the team's win over Cleveland, Spagnuolo had reports on 15 ailing players, and half the words on the transcript sent out by the team dealt with questions and answers about injuries.
When he got to the end of the list, he said, "There's so many names down here I could have forgot a couple. It's been a battle. This injury thing, I tell you what, I'm going to go right back and credit our coaches for how they fought through yesterday. When you lose people like that in the middle of a game, in the middle of a series, and you're trying to do substitution defenses, and defensively you could be in nickel, and you could be in dime and you're rolling people through ... it was challenging, but I thought the guys handled it real well on both sides of the football.
"Special teams gets to be a little hairy because once anybody gets hurt, it's a trickle-down effect. But we fought through it and found a way to get a win."
Spagnuolo knows he's not alone, although it's difficult to imagine a team being hit as hard as the Rams, especially at cornerback and wide receiver, much less offensive tackle, where one backup started the game Sunday (Adam Goldberg) and a second backup (Mark LeVoir, signed 18 days before the game), played virtually all of the second half.
"Everybody's going through (injuries)," Spagnuolo said. "I don't know which teams have had more or less. I just know what we're battling with, and it's been a struggle. I credit the people that are going in. I credit the coaches for hanging in there. This is not easy.
"It's hard to get continuity and execution and smoothness when the parts are interchanging. Usually at this point in the year, you're kind of hitting that groove, and it's into November, but that's all right, we'll just battle through it. We'll get some of the guys back, and we'll keep plugging away."
That's the approach he has to take, and for all the criticism leveled at him when the team loses, it seems apparent there is that resolve that exists no matter the record or what adversity has been faced.
Thanking the players and coaches for their "resiliency" Sunday, Spagnuolo said, "I'm not sure you can make those one, two, three or four, whatever, critical plays there in the course of the game, to win a game like that unless you've got coaches that work their butt off, which we have, and players that buy in and really tough it out and fight hard. I'm really kind of proud of that fact, so I credit both of those groups, players and coaches."
After all, with Tony Wragge at center, the line had two players on the field who weren't in training camp. And the seminal moment of the game, when Browns returner Josh Cribbs fumbled a punt, was caused by linebacker David Nixon, who was signed last Wednesday. Benched linebacker Ben Leber made the recovery.
When it was mentioned to Spagnuolo that Al Harris would be the ninth cornerback to go on injured reserve since training camp, one away from double figures, he said, "Is that what it is? Don't want to do that. We're going to try and stay away from that if we can."
-After the Rams' 13-12 victory over Cleveland on Sunday, defensive end Chris Long talked about how "brutal" the gusting wind was during the game. That wasn't the only thing that could be termed brutal.
A St. Louis team already depleted by injuries suffered even more Sunday, including season-ending knee injuries to cornerback Al Harris and tight end Michael Hoomanawanui. Both were placed on injured reserve Monday.
Harris went out on Cleveland's sixth offensive play of the game. He is the ninth cornerback placed on injured reserve by the Rams since the start of training camp. Harris' injury left the Rams with Justin King, Marquis Johnson and Josh Gordy at cornerback. Rod Hood was inactive Sunday. Nate Ness is on the practice squad.
Hoomanawanui suffered his knee injury as he gained 15 yards on a reception on the final play of the third quarter. With Lance Kendricks out due to a foot injury, the Rams' healthy tight ends are Billy Bajema and Stephen Spach. Ben Guidugli is on the practice squad.
But, there's more. With the Rams already playing without right tackle Jason Smith, who missed his third game because of a concussion, left tackle Rodger Saffold exited on the second official snap of the third quarter with a head injury and did not return.
Spagnuolo said Saffold was symptom-free Monday, and there is the hope Saffold will be able to practice at some point during the week.
Mark LeVoir, signed by the Rams on Oct. 26, took Saffold's place.
Once again, the Rams could be faced with a difficult roster decision if Saffold will miss some time but not the rest of the season. When Smith was originally hurt, it wasn't known how long he would be on the shelf. To sign LeVoir, the Rams waived promising linebacker Jabara Williams, who was then claimed by the Bears. If Saffold and Smith aren't available this Sunday against Seattle, there is no backup tackle on the roster, although Ryan McKee is on the practice squad.
Safety Darian Stewart suffered a neck injury, but he felt better Monday. Linebacker Chris Chamberlain had a stinger, and wide receiver Brandon Gibson was hampered by a groin injury during the game. Quarterback Sam Bradford left for one play in the third quarter when he took a helmet to his thigh.
Cornerback Justin King suffered a blow to the head on the final defensive play of the game, but he was symptom-free Monday.
Of course, the most bizarre injury happened when running back Cadillac Williams hurt his quad as he was running onto the field to give Jackson a breather.
"That one's hard to believe," Spagnuolo said.
