Jeff Fisher seeks 'culture change' in terms of penalties for Rams

[Juice]

http://www.espn.com/blog/st-louis-r...culture-change-in-terms-of-penalties-for-rams

Alden GonzalezESPN Staff Writer

IRVINE, Calif. -- Center Tim Barnes was whistled for a false start two minutes into the game, defensive tackle Aaron Donald was called for leverage midway thru the first quarter and defensive lineman Ian Seau was caught offside with 8:52 remaining in the third.

That's it.

The Los Angeles Rams drew only three penalties in their 28-24 win against the Dallas Cowboys in Saturday's preseason opener, a welcomed sign for coach Jeff Fisher, who has overseen one of the league's most penalized teams over the last four years.

"Penalties have been an issue for us since we got here," Fisher said, "and I really want to keep the numbers down."

The Rams have ranked within the bottom eight in the NFL in penalty yards per game in each of Fisher's four seasons as coach. They were 25th in 2015, 32nd in 2014, 29th in 2013, and 30th in 2012. Last season, the Rams had as many as 12 penalties in a game (twice) and never less than four (once).

"It's a culture change," Fisher said. "We just have to keep the penalties down."

Fisher put his players through extra running at the end of Monday's practice from UC Irvine. It was procedural, but also somewhat punitive. Fisher and his staff singled out the players who committed penalties in the previous game and scheduled them for additional suicides. The rest of their teammates joined in, as they're prone to do.

"Fortunately, for them, we had [three] penalties in the game," Fisher said. "We were the least-penalized team in the preseason this weekend. It's been a point of emphasis for us; we have to continue with it."

Some additional notes from Monday's practice, with stories on Jared Goff's evolution at quarterback and the pursuit of a better rushing attack posted earlier ...

• Cornerback E.J. Gaines was sidelined against the Cowboys because of a hamstring injury, but is on track to return for Week 2 of the preseason against the Chiefs, Fisher said. That would mark Gaines' first game action since 2014. The 24-year-old suffered a season-ending foot injury during training camp last season.
  
  
• The Rams waived injured safety Brian Randolph, who suffered a torn ACL on Saturday, and signed safety Michael Caputo, an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin. Fisher said Sunday that the team would eventually place Randolph on injured reserve and give him a chance to compete next season.
  
  
• The Rams will practice with full pads on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both workouts begin at 3:30 p.m. PT and will be open to the public. Quarterbacks and tight ends will sign autographs after practice on Tuesday. Running backs and wide receivers will follow on Wednesday.
  

 

[bubbaramfan]

Players finally buying into "no penalties". Hope it continues into the season.

 

[Juice]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/


Gary Klein

August 16, 2016, 9:05 PM

The Rams’ defensive line is supposed to be the team’s strength, a cornerstone for a unit that must be stout as the offense seeks to develop an identity beyond running back Todd Gurley.

So defensive tackle Aaron Donald took Coach Jeff Fisher’s words as a challenge.

After the Rams’ exhibition opener against the Dallas Cowboys, Fisher said his team was not ready to play run defense and that it would be a focus of attention this week in practice.

“It’s a challenge to us,” Donald said after Tuesday’s workout. “We have to improve our game.

“We had mistakes, but that’s part of the game. . . . That’s just going to motivate us to work harder.”

Donald, a two-time Pro Bowl player, leads a line that features tackle Michael Brockers and ends William Hayes and Robert Quinn.

Quinn was absent from practice Tuesday because he was in Brazil to watch his sister compete in the Olympics, Fisher said.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn attends Kentucky and won the NCAA 100-meter hurdles title. She is competing for Puerto Rico in the Rio de Janeiro Games.

Fisher said Quinn approached him during the summer about the possibility of leaving camp for the Olympics.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Fisher said, adding, “It’s a really a neat thing for Rob and his family. It’s the right thing to do to let him go down there.”

Quinn, a Pro Bowl pick in 2013 and 2014, is coming off back surgery and did not play against the Cowboys. But Fisher said he expected Quinn would play on Saturday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, “unless he has some flight issues.”

Donald said he was looking forward to playing the Chiefs after feeling “a little rusty” against the Cowboys.

“The speed of the game was a little different, but that’s part of the preseason — to get yourself ready,” he said. “It’s not going to be perfect. You want room for improvement, so that’s a good thing.”

Learning curve

Quarterback Jared Goff had a bit of a rough day.

The rookie had a pass intercepted by defensive back Marcus Roberson during seven-on-seven drills. Cornerback Lamarcus Joyner also picked off a pass during a team drill but the play appeared to have ended before the pass was thrown.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Players finally buying into "no penalties". Hope it continues into the season.

At the rate we where going I thought we where the New Version of the '1970's Raiders'!:rolllaugh:

 

[NERamsFan]

With the way we play and what is demanded from our players, I honestly can't see our penalties going down too much. I expect the same amount going into the year, and remember, we are again the youngest team so I expect similar penalites numbers. Just hope GRob cuts his down individually.