Rams-49ers Post Game Media Coverage

[RamBill]

Todd Gurley leads way as Rams handle 49ers

http://espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=400791613

ST. LOUIS -- Todd Gurley is hard to bring down, and Tavon Austin is difficult to lay a finger on. That was quite a 1-2 punch for the St. Louis Rams.

Gurley concedes he's not as fast.

"Oh yeah, I'm 225 [pounds]," the rookie said after setting the tone in a 27-6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. "I can't beat a guy that's 180."

Gurley rushed for 133 yards on 20 carries, topping 100 yards for the fourth straight start to open his career. Austin caught a 66-yard touchdown pass and outran the defense to the pylon for a 2-yard score, compensating for an early lost fumble.

The Rams defense was stout, too, with three sacks and a safety. The St. Louis defense hasn't allowed a touchdown the last two games, permitting just four field goals.

"I could name anybody and everybody on the defense," end Robert Quinn said. "Everyone made some incredible plays."

Gurley, who had a 71-yard touchdown run, is the first rookie to open his career with four consecutive 100-yard games according to STATS with data available since 1991. Gurley's 566 rushing yards are the most in a player's first four NFL starts in the Super Bowl era, according to the league.

"I was looking forward to going against him. I've heard so much about him," 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks said. "He made some big plays on us today, so hats off to him and his offensive line, but we'll face him again."

The Rams (4-3) are 3-0 against the NFC West for the first time since 2004, and they're above .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2006.

"I expected to be here in years past; things didn't work out," coach Jeff Fisher said. "I'm not satisfied at all, and that has to carry over to the players as well."

The 49ers (2-6) were hit hard by injuries, losing Reggie Bush early to a knee injury, and haven't scored a touchdown in two games. They've lost six of seven, are 0-3 in the division and have lost two straight to St. Louis for the first time since 2004.

"We come to work every single day and we put the hours in," linebacker NaVorro Bowman said. "It's not like we're sitting on our behinds."

San Francisco was short-handed at running back after Bush, starting in place of the injured Carlos Hyde, hurt a knee on a punt return in the first quarter. Bush slipped on concrete near the stands a week after Browns quarterback Josh McCown was shaken up sliding on concrete into a pad in front of the stands.

Coach Jim Tomsula said he didn't see how Bush was injured.

The losers managed 189 yards and two field goals by Phil Dawson. James Laurinaitis and Michael Brockers tackled Mike Davis in the end zone on a run for a safety.

Both teams were whistled for 93 yards in penalties. The 49ers had a very costly call when Ahmad Brooks was called for grabbing Benny Cunningham's facemask, negating Brooks' 41-yard return for touchdown and retaining possession for St. Louis.

Gurley was untouched on his 71-yarder up the middle in the second quarter. Defenders lost ground as he picked up speed for the score that combined with a 2-point pass to Jared Cook made it 10-3.

Austin's 2-yard run with 18 seconds to go in the half put St. Louis up 20-6, a score set up by Cook's 49-yard reception after a pair of 49ers collided trying to make the tackle.

The Rams' 3-0 start against the NFC West is their best since they won seven in a row from Nov. 23, 2003, to Dec. 5, 2004. The franchise hasn't had a winning record since '03 and owner Stan Kroenke wants to move back to Los Angeles.

"St. Louis definitely deserves it and it feels good," Austin said. "I'm glad we can put some wins together, give the people out there something to cheer for."

The last rookie with a starting streak of four straight 100-yarders at any point in the season was Edgerrin James of Indianapolis in 1999.

Game notes
49ers WR Anquan Boldin (hamstring) was inactive for the first time in three seasons with the 49ers. ... Bush, 49ers backup safety L.J. McCray (right leg), TE Garrett Celek (concussion) and RB Mike Davis (hand) were ruled out at the start of the second half, and P Bradley Pinion (calf) was knocked out in the fourth quarter. ... Austin has a career-best seven touchdowns, one more than he had as a rookie in 2013. ... Rams P Johnny Hekker averaged 49.8 yards in eight attempts and the 49ers had minus-1 yard in returns.

 

[RamBill]

Gurley, Rams' defense overwhelm 49ers
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_7a4ca00b-28c4-54c3-b30b-d61aee859160.html

A lot of defense. A whole lot of Todd Gurley. And a dash or two by Tavon Austin. That's the formula that's working these days for the Rams.

For the second Sunday in a row the defense didn't allow a touchdown, limiting San Francisco to a pair of field goals and almost as many punts (10) as first downs (11).

Gurley topped 100 yards rushing for the fourth consecutive game, including a 71-yard touchdown run that gave St. Louis the lead for good in the second quarter.

And Austin provided the finishing touch with a 66-yard TD sprint on a quick screen from Nick Foles, giving him a career high seven touchdowns just seven games into his third NFL season.

Put it all together and it added up to a 27-6 victory Sunday for the Rams, who at 4-3 are above .500 in November for the first time since 2006. A total of 51,207 tickets were distributed for the game, according to the Rams.

Yes it's early, but next week's contest at 5-2 Minnesota pits the NFC's current No. 6 seed (the Vikings) against its current No. 7 seed (the Rams). Imagine that. Meaningful November football.

"Right now, all we're worried about is getting to 5-3; getting the next one," Rams safety T.J. McDonald said. "But it does feel good to get two in a row though, I can tell you that. We haven't been able to do that for a while."

The game started like many recent contests in the Rams-49ers rivalry. Plenty of intensity, plenty of hard-hitting, and not much offense.

"I think there's a rivalry there, yes," coach Jeff Fisher said. "They're the first to come together after the game and congratulate each other, but yeah, it's an emotional game."

• GORDO'S REPORT CARD: Straight A's for defense

Despite playing without their leading rusher (Carlos Hyde) and top receiver (Anquan Boldin) because of injuries, the 49ers moved 44 yards with the opening kickoff for a Phil Dawson field goal of 54 yards and an early 3-0 lead.

The Rams made it a 3-2 ballgame when James Laurinaitis and Michael Brockers combined to tackle running back Mike Davis in the end zone for a safety 4½ minutes into play.

But that's where the score stayed for a while. The Rams opened in the no-huddle, but couldn't get much going on offense as San Francisco's front 7 gave up rushing yards grudgingly to Gurley in the early going.

Meanwhile, the 49ers' offense stayed stuck in neutral for much of the half after their opening field goal drive, gaining a total of only 6 yards on their next five possessions combined.

There were plenty of penalties, and a brief sideline scuffle following a San Francisco punt return on a sequence that saw Reggie Bush unable to stop once he hit the concrete surface at the Edward Jones Dome. The veteran left with a knee injury and did not return.

"In fairness to them, it's hard to overcome the loss of Anquan and Carlos Hyde, and then Reggie goes out," Fisher said. "And they had a couple of other issues out there. When you lose your playmakers like that, it's hard for anybody from an offensive standpoint."

The 49ers would finish with only 189 yards, a season-low yield by the St. Louis defense.

Gurley finally got going — and in a big way — early in the second quarter, when he burst through a gaping hole off right guard and didn't stop until he had gone 71 yards for a touchdown. Blocks by right tackle Rob Havenstein, center Tim Barnes, and pulling left guard Garrett Reynolds helped open things up.

It was Gurley's third TD of the season and his fourth-run of 45 yards-plus this season.

"I knew I wasn't going to get caught on that run," Gurley said. "I couldn't let that happen."

He finished with 133 yards on 20 carries. The Rams then made it 10-3 the hard way, when Foles completed a pass to tight end Jared Cook for a 2-point conversion with 10:25 left in the first half.

The teams then traded field goals, making it a 13-6 game until the closing seconds of the opening half.

But the Rams were able to mount an 80-yard TD drive in the final 1:53 to take a 20-6 halftime lead. The big play on the drive came on an pass over the middle to Cook on second-and-17 from the St. Louis 48. Cornerback Kenneth Acker and safety Eric Reid swooped in for the tackle, but Cook bounced off the pair and rumbled all the way to the San Francisco 3 before he was brought down.

Two plays later, Austin raced around right end for a 2-yard TD, diving across the goal line with the ball inside the pylon with 18 seconds left in the half.

It stayed 20-6, Rams, until Austin's 66-yard clincher on the quick screen with 8:34 left in the fourth quarter.

The Rams missed a chance to stretch their lead late in the third quarter when Greg Zuerlein's 40-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Quinton Dial. It's the second blocked Zuerlein field goal of the season.

On the previous series, San Francisco had a chance to make a game of it, when Rams running back Benny Cunningham fumbled, and 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks scooped up the football and ran 41 yards for an apparent TD.

But Brooks yanked on Cunningham's facemask on his way to picking up the loose football. Not only was the TD wiped out by the penalty, the Rams retained possession of the ball.

"I knew I hit him in the facemask," Brooks said. "I kind of figured that when I reached the end zone, it could potentially get called back, but it wasn't intentional."

When that play was called back, it turned out to be the last gasp for San Francisco, now 2-6.

"This is where we are," 49ers coach Jim Tomsula said. "This is who we are, and we need to get better — period."

As for the Rams, well, it's onward and upward.

"It feels good," Austin said. "I'm glad to put up some wins and give (the fans) something to cheer for when they come to the game."

Here are the updates posted by football writer Joe Lyons during Sunday's game:

With a 27-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome, the Rams won back-to-back games at home for the first since late in 2013. At 4-3, the Rams are over .500 in November for the first time since 2006.

The 49ers are 2-6.

For the second time in as many weeks, the Rams held their opponent without a touchdown. A week earlier, they defeated Clevland 24-6.

The Rams play Sunday in Minnesota against the 5-2 Vikings.

RAMS UP 20-6 WITH A QUARTER TO PLAY

The Rams added to their lead in the middle of the final quarter as Tavon Austin hauled in a flanker screen from Nick Foles and took advantage of some great downfield blocking from the offensive line to go 66 yards for his second touchdown of the day. Zuerlein's kick, with 8:34 to play, pushed the Rams' lead to 27-6.

The Rams caught a huge break with just under 5 minutes to play in the third quarter when a Benny Cunningham fumble was overturned due to a facemask call on the 49ers' Ahmad Brooks.

After Cunningham lost control of the ball, Brooks grabbed his facemask as a host of San Francisco defenders raced toward the loose ball. Brooks eventually scooped it up and ran it in for a touchdown. But the penalty wiped out the change of possession and gave the Rams a first down at the San Francisco 35.

The drive ended, however, when a 40-yard field goal try from Greg Zuerlein was blocked with 1:14 to play in the third quarter.

RAMS UP 20-6 AT THE HALF

The Rams grabbed their first lead of the day with 10:25 to play in the first half when Todd Gurley took a handoff up the middle with a huge hole and raced 71 yards without being touched for his third NFL touchdown. On the play for two, Nick Foles rolled to his right and connected with tight end Jared Cook, who went up to pull down a pass between a pair of 49er defenders to make it 10-3.

After a trade of punts that left the Rams with excellent field position at the San Francisco 39, the home team picked up a first down on a pass from Foles to Gurley, the drive stalled. A Greg Zuerlein field goal from 38 yards with 6:52 to play before halftime stretched the Rams' lead to 13-3.

San Francisco responded with a solid drive that was aided by a late-hit call against the Rams' Akeem Ayers. The defense closed things down from there, however, forcing the 49ers to settle for a 26-yard field goal from Phil Dawson with 1:53 to play in the half.

The Rams came right back, thanks to a big play from tight end Jared Cook. On a second-and-17 play from the Rams' 48, Cook hauled in a pass from Foles, bounced off a pair of San Francisco defenders and rumbled toward the end zone before being run down by the 49ers' Jaquiski Tartt at the 3. Two plays later, Tavon Austin took a handoff around the right side, making an acrobatic dive at the goal line to get the ball just inside the pylon with 18 seconds to play in the half. With Zuerlein's kick, the Rams took a 20-6 lead to halftime.

Some quick halftime numbers:

_ Gurley has 10 carries for 98 yards and the 71-yard touchdown. He also had three catches for 13 yards. Foles has completed 11 of 17 passes for 117 yards. Cook has two catches for 57 yards; Austin has two rushes for eight yards and a TD to go along with three catches for 32 yards.

On defense, James Laurinaitis leads the way with seven stops. Mark Barron has five.

_ Colin Kaepernick has completed 12 of 23 passes for 98 yards; he also leads the 49ers with 16 yards on four carries. Vernon Davis has five catches for 23 yards.

49ERS UP 3-2 AFTER ONE QUARTER

San Francisco started strong, moving from its own 20 to the Rams' 36 on the opening drive of the game. Colin Kaepernick completed his first three passes and also scrambled for a first down as the 49ers went up 3-0 on a 54-yard field goal from Phil Dawson with 10:29 to play in the opening quartrer.

The Rams cut the lead to 3-2 with 4:24 to play in the first when James Laurinaitis and Michael Brockers combinded to tackle Mike Davis in the end zone for a safety.

The 49ers started the drive at their own 3, thanks to a pair of penalties, including one for a personal foul, on a punt. On the third successive loss on a run play, the Rams' picked up the safety.

On the ensuing drive, Nick Foles completed back-to-back passes to Tavon Austin. The first was good for a first down at midfield, but the second, a 25-yarder, resulted in a turnover when rookie Jaquiski Tartt knocked the ball away from Austin and another 49er rookie, Eli Harold, recovered and returned it to the St. Louis 47.

But the drive stalled.

RAMS, 49ers AT THE DOME

Looking for back-to-back wins at home for the first time since knocking off New Orleans and Tampa Bay late in 2013, the Rams (3-3) square off with a longtime rival Sunday when they take on the San Francisco 49ers (2-5) in a noon game at the Edward Jones Dome.

The Rams, who are wearing their 1999 blue and gold throwback uniforms, won 13-10 in the teams' most recent meeting as James Laurinaitis recovered a Colin Kaepernick fumble at the goal line in the contest's final seconds. That snapped a three-game winning streak against the Rams for the 49ers, who lead the overall series 65-63-3.

HYDE, BOLDIN OUT FOR 49ERS

San Francisco is without leading rusher Carlos Hyde and top receiver Anquan Boldin for Sunday's game. Hyde is sitting out after trying to play through a stress fracture in his left foot that he suffered in an Oct. 11 loss in New York against the Giants. The second-year back from Ohio State is ninth in the league with 470 rushing yards. He also leads the team with three touchdowns.

Boldin, who hurt his hamstring in practice on Thursday, has 31 catches for 372 yards and a pair of touchdowns this season.

In Hyde's absence, the 49ers will turn to veteran Reggie Bush (eight carries, 28 yards), who's been slowed this season with a calf injury. Rookie Mike Davis (15 carries, 20 yards) is the only other running back with carries this season for San Francisco roster.

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick is the team's second-leading rusher with 228 yards and a touchdown on 39 carries. For the first time in his NFL career, Kaepernick had no rushing attempts in the team's lat game, a 20-3 loss to visiting Seattle on Oct. 22.

The 49ers promoted running back Kendall Gaskins from their practice squad on Saturday.

Other inactives for the 49ers are; WR DeAndrew White, G Brandon Thomas, OL Ian Silberman and TE Blake Bell.

For the Rams, defensive end Chris Long (knee) will sit out again. A minor surprise with RB Tre Mason active despite getting limited work in practice this week due to an ankle injury.

Other inactives for the Rams: QB Sean Mannion, S Christian Bryant, RB Trey Watts, TE Justice Cunningham, G Cody Wichmann and DT Doug Worthington.

 

[RamBill]

Tavon Austin up, first-quarter offense down for Rams
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...-first-quarter-offense-down-for-st-louis-rams

ST. LOUIS -- A look at St. Louis Rams players who were “up” and those who were “down” in Sunday's 27-6 win against the San Francisco 49ers.

Note: Todd Gurley has been on this list every week and it will take something special to be any more "up" than he already is. On a day when many Rams performed well, we'll tip our hat to Gurley and acknowledge him elsewhere.

UP

WR Tavon Austin -- Austin's day took a rough turn early when he coughed up a fumble after a 24-yard gain to kill a first-quarter drive. But he rebounded nicely with four catches for 98 yards and a touchdown to go with three carries for 21 yards and another score. When Gurley is rolling, he partially has Austin to thank and when Austin is rolling, he has Gurley to thank. The two form a dynamic combination that gives the Rams' offense life.

LB Mark Barron -- It was another productive day at the office for the Rams' new weakside linebacker who prefers not to be called that. In unofficial press box statistics, Barron finished with nine tackles, two for loss and a pass defended. He's been a revelation in place of the injured Alec Ogletree and is making it more difficult on the Rams coaches to put him on the sideline.

DT Michael Brockers -- Playing next to end Robert Quinn and fellow tackle Aaron Donald, it can be easy to overlook Brockers but he's the guy who has helped the run defense get rolling and has become a dominant force in the middle. He had five tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits and was the driving force behind the safety the team scored in the first quarter when he pushed the pocket to allow linebacker James Laurinaitis to make the tackle.

DOWN

The Rams' penalty producers -- To this point in the season, the Rams had improved greatly in terms of penalties after accumulating more than any team in the NFL over the past three years combined. But that old problem reared its ugly head again Sunday as the Rams finished with 12 penalties for 93 yards. Coach Jeff Fisher said that's something the Rams will take a close look at this week but it's also something that can't continue if the Rams are going to keep rolling.

The first-quarter offense -- In search of an early spark, the Rams went no-huddle on the opening drive. It didn't help. They went three-and-out, had two first downs and mustered just 53 yards of total offense. Drops were again a problem for the pass-catchers, something that also must improve. The defense kept it close but the Rams have to find a way to get off to faster starts.

 

[RamBill]

Rams running back Todd Gurley talks to Nick Wagoner about his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game.

Watch Gurley's Post Game Comments

 

[RamBill]

With Todd Gurley rolling, Rams can contend in NFC West
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...d-gurley-rolling-rams-can-contend-in-nfc-west

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams still have to prove they can actually win the NFC West or earn a wild-card playoff berth. But in case there was any lingering doubt that it's possible, running back Todd Gurley erased it Sunday.

No, this isn't the Greatest Show on Turf and the Rams aren't going to be throwing for 300 yards a game and lighting up scoreboards like they did in the early 2000s. But as Gurley showed for the fourth consecutive game, he is the type of electrifying talent capable of elevating a team from pretender to contender.

Gurley again paved the way for the Rams (4-3), leading them to a 27-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers at the Edward Jones Dome. Gurley rushed for 133 yards on 20 carries, including a 71-yard touchdown that sparked a struggling Rams offense to its first lead.

In the process, Gurley became the most productive runner over his first four starts since the AFL/NFL merger. The 71-yard run also gave him his fourth consecutive game with a run of 45 yards or more.

What it means: For the first time since 2006, the Rams are above .500 entering November. They beat the Cleveland Browns last week and now San Francisco, giving them back-to-back wins for only the seventh time since Jeff Fisher took over as coach in 2012. Next week, the Rams travel to Minnesota with a chance for only their second three-game winning streak of the Fisher era.

What were they thinking? This doesn't come down to any one decision, but it's fair to wonder what the Rams' wide receivers were thinking early in the game. They have had issues with drops all year and that ugly habit showed up in the game's early moments. Even when Tavon Austin did catch one, he fumbled it for an early turnover to kill a drive. The Rams must get more from their pass-catchers moving forward.

One reason to get excited: The Rams are finally starting to show the ability to win games that observers believe they're supposed to. After a disappointing loss to the Washington Redskins in Week 2 and a 2-3 record at the bye, the Rams looked like a team poised to ride a roller coaster again this year. They still have plenty of work to do, but they are starting to look like the type of team that takes care of business against inferior opponents.

Fantasy watch: Austin continues to find himself in the end zone on a fairly consistent basis. He complemented Gurley well with two more touchdowns, including a 66-yard catch and run that essentially put the game away.

 

[RamBill]

ESPN Rams reporter Nick Wagoner gives his game ball to rookie running back Todd Gurley, while Niners reporter Paul Gutierrez rewards kicker Phil Dawson.

Watch Wagoner Talk Game Ball

 

[RamBill]

Rams coach Jeff Fisher praises his defense’s performance, and notes room for improvement on both sides of the ball following his team’s win over the 49ers at home. He talks with Steve Savard and D’Marco Farr right after the game.

Listen to Fisher Post Game

 

[KNUCKLEHEAD]

"I knew I hit him in the facemask," Brooks said. "I kind of figured that when I reached the end zone, it could potentially get called back, but it wasn't intentional."

LIAR!

 

[RamBill]

Foles: We have to keep developing-We have explosive players

Quarterback Nick Foles talks about his teammates making big plays, the defense playing well and Sunday being a team victory. Foles: “We have to keep developing. We have explosive players.”

Watch Foles Presser

 

[RamBill]

Fisher-Pleased with the W-but a lot of room to Improve

Head coach Jeff Fisher says he’s happy with the 27-6 win over San Francisco, but acknowledges his team can still improve in several areas. Fisher: “Pleased with the win, but we still have a lot of room for improvement.”

Watch Fisher's Presser

 

[RamBill]

The Rams Need More From Their Passing Game

Posted by: Bernie Miklasz

http://www.101sports.com/2015/11/01/the-rams-need-more-from-their-passing-game/

When it comes to passing the football, the Rams aren’t exactly delivering an impersonation of Air Coryell, or the Greatest Show on Turf. The 2015 Rams’ passing attack (if that’s the word) would have had Don Coryell and Mike Martz frustrated, embarrassed and on the verge of an emotional unmooring.

But this 2015 is what it is.

You mean, other than the sensational running back Todd Gurley?

Well, this:

— An offense that’s an extension of Jeff Fisher Football. Run the ball and defend. Run it some more, defend again. Run the clock down, and defend until the opponent surrenders.

— An offense that has the NFL’s least experienced offensive line.

— An offense that has a mostly mediocre cast of wide receivers and tight ends.

— An offense being guided by a first-time offensive coordinator, Frank Cignetti.

— An offense that has a new quarterback, Nick Foles.

The imagination is limited. The creativity is limited. The scope is limited. The points-scored total is definitely limited.

Will it change? There’s some hope, yes. But if the Rams are to emerge as a serious, rest-of-season threat to the first-place Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West, they’ll have to do more damage through the air.

That said, the Rams did hang 27 points on the 49ers Sunday. And with Gurley in the house, the Rams have their first true threat, their first big-play performer, since Marshal Faulk’s knees creaked to retirement after the 2005 season.

The offense remains under construction.

Is that an excuse? Hardly.

There are no excuses.

I’m just reaffirming the reality of the circumstances.

I don’t run the Rams. I just write about them.

Fisher and GM Les Snead drafted, signed or traded for the players that line up on offense. Fisher and the offensive staff coaches them. When Brian Schottenheimer left as the Rams’ offensive coordinator to take the same job on the collegiate level at Georgia, Fisher had a chance to go outside of the organization to bring in a new OC, but he promoted inside the team’s walls by elevating Cignetti.

This passing game was stocked by Fisher and Snead, and devised by Fisher’s coordinator and staff, and executed by players installed by the current regime at Rams Park.

Yes, you can win games by going repeatedly with Gurley and waiting for him to carry this burden on captivating runs. And he’s done a remarkable, odds-defying job of that so far. But unless Gurley is planning on running all the way to Canton and the Pro Football Hall of Fame right away, he can’t continue to do this by himself … even though he’s mostly been doing it by himself for the last four games. At some point, he’ll be stuffed and held to a low rushing total in a game.

The Rams have to give Gurley help. They have to cultivate a passing game that can burn defenses for loading up the box to squish Gurley under a pile of defensive linemen, linebackers and safeties.

A few token suggestions:

They Rams need to make more frequent use of play-action passes; Foles has been successful on those throws in Philadelphia and with St. Louis.

The Rams need to use of the middle of the field more frequently. They concentrate their passing game on the outside, and it’s become predictable.

And though the no-huddle offense was ineffective early against San Francisco, it’s too early to junk it.

Use the running backs in the passing game; the Rams have gotten some good gains with short stuff to their backs.

Why don’t the Rams go with quicker, shorter routes — like the slants?

The passing game can be perked up by trying some different things.

Because of the defense and Gurley, the Rams clobbered Cleveland and San Francisco for two consecutive wins and a 53-12 scoring differential despite converting only 2 of 21 third-down plays. Ugh.

That said, there were a few positives on Sunday including:

— The all-purpose shaking and baking by Tavon Austin, who had 119 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage against the Niners. The haul: four catches for 98 yards, including a 66-yard catch-and-vanish touchdown that made the win a formality. And three rushes for 21 yards including a two-yard yard TD that put the Rams up by 14 points (20-6) at the half. True statement: Cignetti is getting more production out of Austin that Schottenheimer ever did.

— Foles had a 101.9 passer rating and an average of 8.3 yards per passing attempt. Granted, both numbers were inflated by Austin’s ability to elude defenders in his 66-yard streak for a touchdown.

— Foles hasn’t been intercepted during this two-game winning streak. In the Fisher Football formula, it’s essential for a quarterback to avoid giving gifts to the defense. The Rams have to make as few mistakes as possible on offense.

— And as part of the Fisher Football template, the quarterback has to do his part in finishing off opponents after Gurley and the defense batters away to build a lead. In the last two wins, Foles has played well in the second half, completing 11 of 15 passes, averaging 11.53 yards per attempt, hooking up with Austin for a touchdown, and avoiding interceptions.

— The Rams’ young offensive line gave up two sacks in the win over Cleveland, and didn’t allow a sack in the victory over the 49ers.

— Well, now … Jared Cook lives. The enigmatic tight end has mostly been on the receiving end of booing and derision this season. Dropped passes and loose handling of the football have increased Cook’s disapproval rating with the public. It’s no wonder. But this offense can’t grow and become more threatening unless Cook reemerges as a middle-field presence to make the defense pay attention to him. He’ll have to rebound, or this passing offense will stay flat and continue to stagnate. As I said on my radio show last week, the Rams can’t give up on Cook. They have to get him going, and revive his confidence. Accordingly, Foles connected with Cook on a huge play in the second quarter against the Niners. Cook got free down the left hash, pulled in Foles’ throw, banged his way past two 49ers, and was dragged down inside the 5-yard line after a 49-yard gain that set up Austin’s touchdown dive at the right pylon. It was a big moment in the win.

— The Rams have a good SEC combo working in the backfield. In providing quality relief for Georgia’s Gurley, Auburn football alum Tre Mason carried 15 times for 46 yards. Mason didn’t have much free space, but he was able to squirm for the available yards. Mason did a good job, and the Rams will need more of this from him. As great as Gurley is, he’s still on the way back from knee surgery. And though Gurley is in the clear medically, the Rams have to avoid overextending him. That’s where Mason comes in.

Thanks for reading …

–Bernie

 

[RamBill]

Winning Ugly? For the Rams, Any Victory is Beautiful

Posted by: Bernie Miklasz

http://www.101sports.com/2015/11/01/winning-ugly-for-the-rams-any-victory-is-beautiful/

Presuming I’ll be able to type this to completion without having to duck a penalty flag thrown by referee Jerome Boger’s hyperactive officiating crew, here are some quick-hit reactions to the Rams’ assertive 27-6 victory over the visiting San Francisco 49ers at The Edward Jones Dome:

An Update On the Path to Progress …

It was a rather ugly little slugfest Sunday, with the teams being penalized a combined 25 times (186 yards) by Boger’s crew. But with an acknowledgement of history — you know, the reality of the Rams last posting a winning season in 2003 — I’m not inclined to diminish the importance of any win based on artistic merit. Not for this team. And certainly not after the Rams won by 21 points and shoved the 49ers onto their team busses for the ride to Lambert Field.

With the win, the Rams are 4-3 after seven games for the first time since Oct. 29 of the 2006 season. That’s a long time ago. As a frame of reference the Rams haven’t had a winning record this deep into a season since the same week that the baseball Cardinals defeated the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 to capture the 2006 World Series. The Rams’ victory over the 49ers for that 4-3 record came nine years and six days after Jeff Weaver beat Justin Verlander in that Friday-night Game 5. And the last time the Rams were above .500 at this stage of the season, the Blues were being led by Keith Tkachuk, Doug Weight and Lee Stempniak. In CoMo, Mike Anderson was just getting underway in his first season as Mizzou’s new basketball coach. Closer to home, Kevin Lisch, Tommie Liddell and the rest of St. Louis U. basketball’s team was getting settled in for a 20-13 season. Yes, it’s been a very long time.

By throttling the 49ers, the Rams moved to 3-0 against NFC West rivals this season, having successfully handled their first tests against the Seahawks (a three-point win at home), Cardinals (a two-point win on the road), and the 49ers (by 21 points.) The Rams are now all even (10-10-1) in NFC West games since Jeff Fisher became the coach in 2012.

Does this team need more from its offense? Absolutely. Especially the passing game. There is no question about that. But for now, it’s best to pause and take a few minutes to appreciate what they’re doing — even though we all realize they’re going to have to score more points and get more production from their passing game to sustain this brief run of success.

I’m working on a piece on the offense.

After you read this — Part I — you can check out Part II.

Another Conquest For the Burly-Gurley Rams …

Gregg Williams’ burly defense smothered the 49ers, giving the visitors only brief gulps of oxygen that lasted long enough to kick two harmless field goals. (More on the defense later.) And then there was No. 30, rookie running back Todd Gurley, the new franchise player and quick-strike generator who is racing his way into the grand franchise tradition of distinguished running backs. It’s a lengthy list, one that includes Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickerson, Lawrence McCutcheon, Steven Jackson, Dick Bass, Deacon Dan Towler, Tank Younger, Jerome Bettis, Wendell Tyler, Jon Arnett, Willie Ellison and Cullen Bryant. Gurley is just getting started, but his impact already is changing the course of his team’s season.

In his first four NFL starts, Gurley has romped for 566 yards, an average of 141.5 yards per game. He’s averaging 6.4 yards per carry, has three touchdowns, and has bolted for 15 runs that gained 10+ yards. As the 49ers, Browns, Packers and Cardinals have learned, it’s possible to keep Gurley under control for a few series. But just when the defense starts to believe that their wall will hold, Gurley breaks through with a game-changing play. Suddenly, the wall comes down — instantaneously shattered, and leaving defense broken. And that’s how it played out again Sunday.

In his four starts, Gurley has been held to 31 yards rushing on 18 carries in the first quarter. And on Sunday, the 49ers brought a thicket of defenders close to the line to shut him down early; Gurley scraped for only 15 yards on six runs in the opening quarter. But the Rams keep feeding him the football, confident that Gurley will charge his way into the open field. It happened on his first carry of the second quarter — lightning that appeared in the form of a perfectly-blocked, 71-yard, breakaway for a touchdown.

This great Gurley escape gave the Rams a 10-3 lead and effectively ended the 49ers’ hopes of becoming the first defense to stop him since he tore a knee ligament in his final game for Georgia, against Auburn, on Nov. 15 of 2014. Considering the brutality of the Rams defense, the the ‘Niners had little chance of recovering from Gurley’s amazing gallop. Other than American Pharoah’s six-length triumph in the Breeder’s Cup Classic, this was the best run of the weekend.

The Rams are 3-1 with Gurley as their starting running back.

This Is the 49th Season of NFL ball In St. Louis, and This Is the Best Defense We’ve Had Here…

The Rams defense continued to muscle opponents onto the ground, keeping offensive invasions from advancing into the end zone. Yeah, I know. The 49ers offense is bad, weakened by injuries, and the joy and energy and light re gone from quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s performances. But it doesn’t matter. Winning matters, and the NFL standings don’t include asterisks next to a team’s victory total to note beatdowns of sad-sack opponents. Besides, the Rams have been playing tremendous on the defensive side for a while now, and there’s no legitimate basis to downgrade the unit’s domination of 2-6 San Francisco. This is what they’re supposed to do — correct?

The 49ers had 11 first downs, with three coming on their opening possession before the Rams’ defense broke a sweat. Overall the Niners converted only 3 of 17 third-down plays, and finished with 189 net yards. The 21 rushing attempts by the 49ers accumulated 38 yards, with a few Kaepernick dashes accounting for most of that. The SanFran running backs had 10 yards rushing on 15 carries. Kaepernick was sacked three times, pursued into misfiring on multiple instances, and completed only 20 of 41, and averaged a dinky 3.4 yards per passing attempt. On third down Kaepernick flunk 14 passes for only five completions and 35 yards, and his passer rating for the game was a lame 59.1.

Because of the Rams’ struggles and ineptitude on offense, this is a game that could have gotten away … but the Rams defense wasn’t going to let that happen. The group’s first-quarter safety made that clear. Until Gurley’s long TD run, the Rams’ defense provided the only two points by the home team.

The Rams defense has allowed the opponents’ offense to score only eight touchdowns in 85 possessions this season, a rate of 9.4 percent that’s the stingiest in the NFL. And the Rams have been hit for only five TDs in their opponents’ 16 red-zone opportunities. That red-zone touchdown yield of 31.2 percent is the best by an NFL defense this season.

Overall the Rams’ defense has given up only 104 offensive points in seven games, an average of 14.8 points.

The Rams Defense Continues to Rule the Dome …

With the defense guarding the home turf, the Rams are 3-1 at The Ed this season. Even before Gurley moved into a starting and starring role, the Rams’ defense has made it awfully difficult for visiting teams to reach the end zone. Here’s the breakdown, and I’ve excluded three offensive possessions that ended with the visiting team taking a knee to run out the clock at the end of the half or — in Pittsburgh’s win — in the final seconds of the fourth quarter:

Seattle, 11 possessions — one TD on offense.

Pittsburgh, 9 possessions — one TD on offense.

Cleveland, 12 possessions — no touchdowns.

San Francisco, 14 possessions — no touchdowns.

That’s two offensive touchdowns in 46 possessions for visiting teams in St. Louis this season.

Not counting kneel downs, the Rams haven’t allowed an offensive touchdown at home in 32 consecutive possessions. The last touchdown was a 1-yard run by Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell two minutes into the second quarter on Sept. 27 during the Rams’ 12-6 loss.

This has been quite a stand by the Williams’ defense.

A final reminder that I’ll also have a piece on some of the positive parts (non-Gurley) of the Rams’ offense in Sunday’s win.

(In fact, it’s there for you now.)

As always…

Thanks for reading.

–Bernie

 

[RamBill]

Todd, Tavon and defense are Rams' victory formula
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_2a8b79e0-1040-5511-969e-2d7373268979.html

Center Tim Barnes and right guard Jamon Brown sealed off the inside. Right tackle Rob Havenstein and pulling left guard Garrett Reynolds took care of the outside with second-level blocks.

The result was a huge hole for Todd Gurley. And quarterback Nick Foles had the best view in the house. “He just exploded through it,” Foles said.

And when that happened, Foles knew there was only one thing left to do.

“I’m just trying to run down there so I can celebrate with him,” Foles said. “Yeah, right when he busted through, I knew no one was going to catch him. He’s too fast.”

Too fast and too good.

Gurley’s second-quarter touchdown run helped break open what had been an intense, physical defensive struggle. Tavon Austin, who’s even faster, added a couple TDs of his own, and the defense did the rest in a 27-6 Rams victory Sunday over rival San Francisco at the Edward Jones Dome.

A lot of defense. A whole lot of Gurley. And a dash or two by Austin. That’s developing into the victory formula these days for the Rams.

For the second game in a row the defense didn’t allow a touchdown, limiting San Francisco to a pair of field goals and almost as many punts (10) as first downs (11). For only the fourth time during coach Jeff Fisher’s tenure here, the Rams held an opponent under 200 yards offense _ San Francisco had 189.

Gurley topped 100 yards rushing for the fourth consecutive game. His 566 yards in four starts is the most for an NFL player in his first four NFL starts in the Super Bowl era. St. Louis native Billy Sims held the previous mark, with 539 yards in his first four starts with the Detroit Lions in 1980.

After gaining 133 yards on 20 carries Sunday, Gurley is the first rookie in NFL history to rush for 125 yards-plus in four consecutive games.

“Well, I keep bringing up that ‘S’ word, which is ‘special,’ “ Fisher said. “We’ve been saying that he’s special. Again, credit him to get to this point, and credit the guys around him. Because they’ve bought into the run game. They bought into that philosophy, which you have to have. He’s obviously getting a lot of people’s attention.”

So is Austin. He stretched just inside the pylon with the football for a 2-yard TD run just before halftime. And then put the finishing touches on the 49ers with a 66-yard TD sprint midway through the fourth quarter on a quick screen pass from Foles — who again had the best seat in the house.

“Stedman Bailey does a great job blocking right out there with him, and our guys did a great job blocking down field,” Foles said. “Then Tavon does his thing. He weaves in and out of every defender.”

Foles then added with a chuckle, “And he weaved in and out of a couple guys twice. So he just sort of showed you why he’s so special.”

Seven games into 2015, Austin already has a career-high seven touchdowns.

Put it all together and the Rams (4-3) are above .500 in November for the first time since 2006. Sure, it’s early, but next week’s contest at 5-2 Minnesota pits the NFC’s current No. 6 seed (the Vikings) against its current No. 7 team (the Rams).

“It feels really good, I’m not going to shy away from it,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “This is what we really expected this year with this team. Quite frankly, we expected it last year as well, but more so this year.”

Even so, Fisher opened his postgame news conference by saying he’s pleased with the victory, but not really satisfied. Apparently, he has some expectations for this squad.

“I think we’ve gotta be very careful not to be satisfied with the fact that we’ve won two here — two consecutive games,” Fisher said. “Because we’ve still got a long way to go and a lot of room for improvement.”

The Rams committed 12 penalties (for 93 yards) Sunday, lost a fumble deep in San Francisco territory, and would’ve lost another for a 49ers scoop and score if not for a 49ers penalty.

Even though the Rams had a season-high 388 yards of offense, their abysmal work on third down continues. They were one for 12 on third-down conversions Sunday, with the day’s only conversion coming on that 66-yard Austin TD.

Even on defense, where the Rams have yielded only two field goals apiece to the 49ers and Browns over the past two weeks, Fisher wants more.

“I told the guys inside (the locker room) 12 points in two weeks is too many,” he said. “That’s the approach you have to take.”

The game started like many recent contests in the Rams-49ers rivalry. Plenty of intensity, plenty of hard hitting and not much offense. On four or five occasions, there was extracurricular shoving after the whistle.

The worst was a brief sideline scuffle following a San Francisco punt return on a sequence that saw Reggie Bush unable to stop once he hit the concrete surface at the edge of the field. The veteran left with a knee injury and did not return.

“This is a rivalry game,” defensive tackle Michael Brockers said. “It’s a division game, too. So they know us and we know them. If you come out pushing after the play, we’re just not gonna let it go. This is a young team. We’re feisty. We’re hungry.

“And we’re gonna fight back. Or push back a little bit. We’re not trying to hurt this team, but just let ’em know that we’re not going for that. And that’s what we did today.”

Despite playing without their leading rusher (Carlos Hyde) and top receiver (Anquan Boldin) because of injuries, the 49ers moved 44 yards with the opening kickoff for a Phil Dawson field goal of 54 yards and an early 3-0 lead.

The Rams made it a 3-2 ballgame when Brockers and James Laurinaitis combined to tackle running back Mike Davis in the end zone for a safety 4½ minutes into play.

That’s where the score stayed for a while. The Rams opened in the no-huddle but couldn’t get much going early. Until, that is, Gurley saw that hole and headed through the wide-open spaces on his 71-yard run.

“There’s no better feeling going through something untouched for a touchdown,” he said.

 

[RamBill]

Austin scores twice in Rams' blowout win over 49ers
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_43f21244-d42f-5c03-a5aa-3acd862ab173.html

At 5-feet-8 and 176 pounds, Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin can sometimes be overshadowed on the football field. That’s been especially true in recent weeks with rookie running back Todd Gurley bursting onto the scene.

With 566 yards against Arizona, Green Bay, Cleveland and San Francisco, Gurley has rushed for more yards in his first four starts than anyone since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. On Sunday, the rookie from Georgia rushed 20 times for 133 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter that put the Rams on top to stay in a 27-6 rout of NFC West rival San Francisco at the Edward Jones Dome.

But Austin, the team’s first-round draft choice in 2013, had a similarly impactful game, rushing three times for 21 yards with a 2-yard touchdown run just before halftime to make it 20-6, and leading the team with four catches for 98 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown on a flanker screen in the fourth quarter to close out the day’s scoring.

“Oh man, it’s good playing with a guy like that,’’ Gurley said. “He’s a dual threat and can be in the backfield, slot, everywhere.’’

Quarterback Nick Foles agreed: “Those are two dynamic players that are extremely explosive. Once they get in the open field, they do electrifying things. You have a receiver (in Austin) that can go in the backfield and do a bunch of things.’’

With the Rams up 13-6 in the final minute of the opening half, Austin followed up on a 49-yard strike from Foles to tight end Jared Cook with a jet sweep around right end. The play was well-defensed, but Austin used his speed to get the corner and somehow got the football inside the pylon before his momentum carried him out of bounds for the touchdown.

“Cook did a good job of making the block for me, and I was able to stretch out and find the end zone,’’ Austin said.

The score remained 20-6 into the fourth quarter when Austin collected a short pass on the left side, picked up some down-field blocking and cruised to the end zone for 66-yard score with 8½ minutes to play.

“Just a screen play,’’ he said. “Kenny (Britt) had an awesome block and the O-line did a great job of getting out in front of me. They opened the hole and I was able to use my speed to do the rest.’’

Foles added: “Standing right behind it, I probably had the best view in the house. ... Our guys do a great job of blocking downfield (and) then Tavon does his thing. He weaves in and out of every defender and he weaved in and out of a couple of guys twice. He just showed why he’s so special.’’

With two touchdowns Sunday and five in his last four games, Austin has a career-high and team-leading seven scores this season. He scored six times as a rookie and had three TDs a year ago. He leads the team in receiving with 24 catches for 285 yards and is second to Gurley in rushing with 141 yards on 17 carries. In addition, he’s among the league leaders, averaging 11.3 yards on 12 punt returns.

“The big difference I see in Tavon this year is confidence,’’ second-year tackle Greg Robinson said. “The coaches are putting the ball in his hands in all sorts of ways and he’s showing that he’s a playmaker.’’

Austin’s Sunday was not perfect. Late in the first quarter, after hauling in a 24-yard pass from Foles, Austin lost control of the ball on a tackle by San Francisco rookie Jaquiski Tartt. Another 49ers rookie, Eli Harold, recovered.

“I was trying to make a play and lost the ball,’’ Austin said. “It was my first fumble of the year and hopefully my last. No excuses, but it definitely made me try to work a little harder to make up for it.’’

He did that and more before leaving the field to chants of “Tavon.’’

“Felt like I was back home in West Virginia. Back there, they did that all the time,’’ he said. “I’m thankful for the fans and I’m glad we could get a win for them.’

Veteran guard Garrett Reynolds said the Rams’ quick-strike ability eases some of the pressure on a young and developing offensive line.

“Having guys like that, guys who can break a play at any time, definitely helps our confidence,’’ the seventh-year pro said. “It allows us to stick with the plan and not let one bad series get us down. We’re able to stay together and keep doing what we’re doing because we know that on any play, our guys are capable of breaking a long one. Mainly, we’re just trying to get in the way for them.

“But it’s just fun to watch the way those guys move. It’s a blast.’’

Austin said the presence of Gurley opens up possibilities for everyone in the offense.

“That’s the way football works,’’ he said. “When a team has a great running back, it forces the linebackers to respect the run instead of getting back in coverage. And that opens things up for the passing game.

“It all works together, so we just have to keep pushing forward and do what we can to keep it rolling. Today, we’re feeling pretty good because we won, but tomorrow, it’s back to work to prepare for next week’s game.’’

The Rams travel to Minnesota for a Sunday matchup with the 5-2 Vikings.

 

[RamBill]

Rams notebook: 49ers nearly make it a close game
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_72c2a314-b948-5358-904b-049b4f4ae3e4.html

As dominant as the Rams were for much of Sunday’s 27-6 victory, there was a moment in the third quarter when San Francisco threatened to make a game of it.

Facing a third-and-4 at the 50, Rams running back Benny Cunningham headed around right end in search of a first down. But 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead poked the ball out, and teammate Ahmad Brooks was in hot pursuit for the loose football.

Brooks picked up the ball and raced 41 yards for an apparent touchdown with 4 minutes, 45 seconds to play in the third quarter. Just like that, it looked like the Rams’ lead was down to 20-13 and they might be in for a tight finish.

But while on his way to the bouncing ball, Brooks yanked on Cunningham’s facemask. Instead of a TD and a one-possession game, the Rams got 15 yards on the penalty, a first down, and maintained their 20-6 lead.

The possession ended with a blocked Greg Zuerlein field goal attempt from 40 yards, but the Rams added a Tavon Austin touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to register their most lopsided win of the season.

“Do I think I had a touchdown?” Brooks, an outside linebacker, said afterward. “I did have a touchdown. I knew I hit him in the facemask. I kind of figured that when I reached the end zone it could potentially get called back. But it wasn’t intentional.

“I was fighting for the ball. He’s a smaller guy. So by me being taller and trying to get to the ball, I guess I grazed his facemask.”

It looked like Brooks did a lot more than “graze” Cunningham’s facemask, but it was a huge play in the game nonetheless.

MASON LIVES

After missing the Cleveland game with an ankle injury, second-year Rams running back Tre Mason saw his first extensive action of the season, carrying 15 times for 46 yards Sunday. He also caught a pass for 6 yards, basically finishing out the contest for Todd Gurley after the Rams took that 27-6 lead.

Mason, also inactive for the season opener against Seattle because of a hamstring injury, was happy to get his most extensive action of the season.

“Without a doubt. Sitting and being on the sideline is not the move,” Mason said, laughing.

He had only 20 carries all season before Sunday, and just four carries since September. The team’s leading rusher as a rookie last season with 765 yards, Mason looked quick against San Francisco, although he may not be totally healthy.

“The game of football, I was always told you’re never 100 percent after the first game,” Mason said. “But I felt like I got myself back and feeling like myself again, where I could get rolling.

“Gotta be ready when called on, and be available.”

SITTING IT OUT

Rams inactives Sunday were DE Chris Long (knee), QB Sean Mannion, S Christian Bryant, RB Trey Watts, TE Justice Cunningham, OG Cody Wichmann and DT Doug Worthington.

Four players listed as questionable Friday on the Rams’ final injury report of the week all played against San Francisco: Mason, DE Robert Quinn, DE William Hayes and S T.J. McDonald.

Quinn, who has practiced sparingly over the past two weeks because of a knee injury, was credited with a sack, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and a pass breakup, according to unofficial press box stats.

“I’m OK,” Quinn said, when asked about the knee. “A little rest always helps. But I’ll be all right.”

RAM-BLINGS

McDonald’s father, Tim McDonald, is defensive backs coach in Buffalo but took advantage of the Bills’ bye week to watch his son play Sunday. The Rams are now 3-0 when McDonald’s father is watching in person, with previous victories over Denver and Seattle.

There were 51,207 tickets distributed in the 66,000-seat dome for Sunday’s game. Once again, it looked as if about 40,000 to 45,000 spectators were actually in the stands.
The Rams’ rushing total of 197 yards was a season high. Were it not for three kneel-downs by quarterback Nick Foles to end the game, each of which resulted in a 1-yard loss, the Rams would’ve had 200 yards rushing for the first time since a Game 11 contest against Chicago in 2013.
Rookie wide receiver Bradley Marquez caught his first NFL pass Sunday, good for a 5-yard gain in the first quarter.

======================

 

[jap]

ST. LOUIS -- Todd Gurley is hard to bring down, and Tavon Austin is difficult to lay a finger on. That was quite a 1-2 punch for the St. Louis Rams.

Gurley concedes he's not as fast.

"Oh yeah, I'm 225 [pounds]," the rookie said after setting the tone in a 27-6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. "I can't beat a guy that's 180."

The Thunder & Lightning name-tag seems so appropriate for these two on a couple levels. Besides the obvious physical implications---thunder = BOOM and lightning = The Flash, there is the speed comparison with TGII's jets analagous to the speed of sound (thunder) while Tavon's warp speed show is more likened to the speed of light (lightning).

 

[RamBill]

Catch CBS Sports' panel (including Pete Prisco) recap of the action from St. Louis where the Rams beat the 49ers 27-6.

Watch Game Recap