Rams-Chiefs Post Game Coverage

[RamBill]

Chiefs knock off Rams 24-17 in preseason finale
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_d9ed50cd-36f4-5953-801f-ad148c667b51.html

The Kansas City Chiefs will be keeping the Governor's Cup.

With a 24-17 win over the Rams Thursday night at the Edward Jones Dome, the visitors maintain possession of the trophy, which goes to the winner of the intrastate series.

The Chiefs wrap up the preseason at 4-0 while the Rams finished 0-4.

The last time Kansas City went undefeated in the preseason, in 1969, it went on to beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.

The Rams, who finished 6-10 a year ago, will open the regular-season at noon on Sunday, Sept. 13 against the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks.

Tickets distributed for Thursday's preseason finale was 37, 616.

In a back-and-forth game, Kansas City broke a 17-17-halftime tie with an impressive time-consuming drive to open the second half. With second-year quarterback Aaron Murray at the helm, the Chiefs moved 81 yards on just 10 plays. On the scoring play, with 8:40 to play in the third quarter, Darrin Reaves took a short pass in the flat from Murray and withstood a big hit from Rams rookie Bryce Hager to get the ball over the goal line before fumbling. Cairo Santos' kick made it 24-17.

CHIEFS UP 24-17 WITH ONE QUARTER LEFT

Kansas City regained the lead with an impressive, time-consuming drive to open the second half. With second-year QB Aaron Murray at the helm, the Chiefs moved 81 yards on just 10 plays. On the scoring play, with 8:40 to play in the third quarter, Darrin Reaves took a short pass in the flat from Murray and withstood a big hit from Rams rookie Bryce Hager to get the ball over the goal line before fumbling. Cairo Santos' kick made it 24-17l

TEAMS TIED AT HALFTIME

Greg Zuerlein booted a 57-yard field goal with 1:45 to play before halftime, sending the Rams and Chiefs to halftime tied at 17 Thursday night at the Edward Jones Dome.

Down 14-7 after a quarter, Kansas City came right back, marching 80 yards on 12 plays to even the score on a 15-yard slant pass from ex-Mizzou star Chase Daniel to Chris Conley. Cairo Santos' kick tied it at 14 with 12:36 to play in the first half. It was the fifth touchdown pass of the preseason for Daniel, in his seventh NFL season.

After the Rams' Isaiah Pead was stuffed on fourth-down run near midifeld, the Chiefs regained the lead as Daniel engineered another scoring drive. Aided by a personal-foul penalty on the Rams' Eugene Sims, Kansas City moved 47 yards on nine plays and went up 27-14 on a Cairo Santos' field goal from 23 yards out with 4:02 to play before halftime.

Some quick halftime numbers:

• Nick Foles completed two of three passes for 49 yards. He had a 43-yarder to Tavon Austin and also had a tipped pass interceptied. Austin caught two passes for 49 yards. Isaiah Pead ran 12 times for 52 yards.

• Chase Daniel, the backup to Alex Smith, completed 16 of 20 passes for 117 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Chris Conley caught three passes for 38 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown on a slant pass from Daniel.

RAMS LEAD 14-7 AFTER ONE ONE QUARTER

The Chiefs took advantage of a pair of early mistakes to grab the early lead. After a false start penalty on Demetrius Rhaney turned a third-and-one to a third-and-six, a slant pass from Nick Foles went off the hands of Jared Cook and was picked off by Kansas City's Daniel Sorenson, who returned it to the Rams' 8.

Fullback Spencer Ware went seven yards on first down and finished the short drive with a 1-yard plunge to put the Chiefs on top 7-0 with 12:29 to play.

The Rams came right back, moving 73 yards on seven plays to tie it on a 1-yard run by Isaiah Pead with 8:30 to play in the first quarter.

The big play of the drive was a thrilling 43-yard pass play from Nick Foles to Tavon Austin. After catching a flanker screen on the left side, Austin reversed field and ended up going out of bounds on the right side at the Kansas City 36. After five straight runs by Pead _ and a facemask call on the Chiefs _ the Rams pulled even at 7-7 on a Greg Zuerlein extra point.

After a penalty on a punt return pushed a Kansas City drive back to its own 8, the Rams took the lead when third-year safety Cody Davis stepped in front of a Chase Daniel pass in the flat intneded for Chris Conley and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown that put the Rams on top. Zuerlein's kick made it 14-7 with 4 minutes to play in the opening quarter.

GOVERNOR'S CUP UP FOR GRABS

The winless Rams and undefeated Kansas City Chiefs square off Thursday night for the Governor's Cup in the preseason finale for both clubs at the Edward Jones Dome. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Governor's Cup is a trophy presented to the winner of the intrastate showdown.

The Rams are 0-3 in the preseason after losing 18-3 at Oakland, 27-14 at Tennessee and 24-14 to visiting Indianpolis. The Chiefs are 3-0 this preseason, following up on a 34-19 road win in Arizona with home victories over Seattle (14-13) and Tennessee (34-10).

The last time Kansas City went unbeaten in the preseason was in 1969, when the 6-0 club went on to defeat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.

In the preseason, the Rams have won 14 of 22 games against the Chiefs. In the most recent meeting, in 2012, the Rams won 31-17 at home.

Kansas City has won all six regular-season games since the Rams moved to St. Louis and holds a 7-4 edge in the all-time series. The Chiefs took possession of the Governor's Cup with a 34-7 win over the Rams at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 8 last year. In that contest, the Rams grabbed the lead early, taking advantage of a 41-yard kickoff return from Benny Cunningham to open the game. Six plays later, Austin Davis hooked up with Lance Kendricks on a 1-yard scoring pass for a 7-0 St. Louis lead.

But Kansas City came on strong after halftime, scoring 34 unanswered points for a decisive midseason win.

The loss proved costly for the Rams, who lost left tackle Jake Long (knee) and wide receiver Brian Quick (shoulder) to season-ending injuries. Guard Rodger Saffold (shoulder) and center Scott Wells (elbow) also left that game due to injury, but both recovered in time to start the following week against San Francisco.

The Rams are one of three 0-3 teams in the preseason, joining Dallas and New Orleans. In previous preseasons under Fisher, the Rams finished 2-2 in 2012, 1-3 in 2013 and 1-3 in 2014.

RBS MASON, CUNNINGHAM, GURLEY SITTING OUT

Following are the players not dressed for the Rams: Rams: RBs Tre Mason, Benny Cunningham, CBs Trumaine Johnson and Brandon McGee, LBs Daren Bates and Jo-Lonn Dunbar, G Rodger Saffold, T Andrew Donnal, DE Robert Quinn and DTs Michael Brockers and Nick Fairley.

The list for the Chiefs is considerably larger. Some notable names: WR Jeremy Maclin (Kirkwood) and C Mitch Morse from Mizzou, QB Alex Smith, RB Jamaal Charles, S Eric Berry, LB Justin Houston, LB Derrick Johnson, T Eric Fisher, WR Jason Avant, TE Travis Kelce, LB Tamba Hali and LB Dontari Poe.

The he Rams are in all blue; the Chiefs go with white jerseys and red pants.

 

[RamBill]

Rams get through fourth preseason game healthy
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/21010/rams-get-through-fourth-preseason-game-healthy

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams opted to play the majority of their starters on both sides of the ball for a couple of series in Thursday night's 24-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Rams didn't win any of their four preseason games but they came out of Thursday's game with the most important number of all on their side: zero. Although playing starters in the fourth preseason game for just a series or two doesn't seem to serve much purpose, the Rams managed to escape without any serious injuries of note to any of their key starters.

While the team did preserve top players like end Robert Quinn, defensive tackle Aaron Donald and guard Rodger Saffold by keeping them on the bench, those that did play made it through about a quarter of work without any health issues.

As with all preseason games, staying healthy is the most important piece of all. And best I can tell, the Rams did pretty well in this preseason in the health department save for the season-ending foot injury to cornerback E.J. Gaines.

QB depth chart: As if it wasn't already clear, there really wasn't much of a competition here. It seemed Austin Davis might get a chance to showcase his skills for a potential trade in the fourth preseason game, but the Rams opted instead to play him just one series. Rookie Sean Mannion took over midway through the second quarter and finished the game. It's pretty clear that Mannion will be the No. 3 signal-caller behind Nick Foles and Case Keenum.

Maybe that dude could start: Note the word "could" instead of "should" here, but running back Isaiah Pead got the chance to start Thursday night and acquitted himself well. With Tre Mason and Todd Gurley nursing injuries, the Rams protected Benny Cunningham by having him sit out in case he needs to play a lot against Seattle in Week 1. But Pead would be next in line if Mason isn't ready and would likely play early in the year behind Cunningham in that scenario. He offered at least some semblance of hope that he could contribute if needed with 12 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. Which is more than we can say for his first three years.

Who got hurt?: Receiver Daniel Rodriguez, who is known for his heroism in tours in Afghanistan and Iraq as an Army Sergeant, took a scary hit on a kick return in the second quarter. He was shaken up but walked off on his own. No surprise but it takes a lot more than a big hit to keep the Purple Heart recipient on the ground.

Player who stepped up: Safety Cody Davis has made a habit of coming up with interceptions in training camp. He carried it over to Thursday's game with an interception and return for a 24-yard touchdown. He's already a core special-teams player but increasingly looks like a player who could help on defense if needed.

Rookie watch: Undrafted defensive tackle Louis Trinca-Pasat started and played pretty much the entire game. He was as active as usual. It might be hard to make the numbers work to keep him as a ninth defensive lineman but he's done enough to earn a spot.

Man in the middle?: The Rams' center competition is as clear as mud as Tim Barnes, Barrett Jones and Demetrius Rhaney continue to rotate. Barnes started against the Chiefs with Rhaney next, then Jones. The decision on a starter might not be made until closer to the opener next week though there seems to be some momentum for Barnes. The question now becomes whether the Rams will keep all three and if not, who goes?

 

[RamBill]

Five Takeaways: Chiefs at Rams (Preseason)
By Myles Simmons

View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Five-Takeaways-Chiefs-at-Rams-Preseason/3c2c8acf-9b2d-44e2-9a7e-434f56739d07


The Rams and Chiefs finished off their preseason on Thursday night, with Kansas City posting a 24-17 victory to claim the Governor’s Cup. Here are five takeaways from the action.

1) Tavon Austin is (still) really fast

The Rams got Austin involved early on their second drive and it paid off well. The West Virginia product caught two screens in a row on the outside, but it was the latter that really made the difference.

Austin caught the pass on the left side of the formation, and then completely reversed field to run down the right sideline for a 43-yard gain. It was a classic display of what makes Austin such a weapon. His shiftiness and speed means he can take a play that may look like it’s going nowhere, and transform it into a big gain.

Austin said at halftime it felt good to finish off the preseason in that fashion.

“Coach (Jeff) Fisher said our plays were limited, so I had to go out there and try to make the best of something and give us a spark. I believe that’s what I did,” Austin said. “Hopefully I just keep on doing that the rest of the year.”

2) Pead shows his mettle

Running back Isaiah Pead has had a tough road coming back from tearing his ACL early in the preseason last year. But on Thursday night, he showed he has the chops to play in the league.



After Austin’s 43-yard screen pass placed St. Louis at the visitors’ 36, Pead got to work. The Cincinnati product ran it five straight times, reaching pay dirt for a 1-yard touchdown on the fifth.

“Definitely feels good to get back in the endzone,” Pead said. “Last time I did was against the Chiefs in the preseason a couple of years ago.”

Pead’s best run of the possession came on 2nd-and-7 at the Kansas City 12, when he broke a tackle in the backfield and received a nice block on the left sideline from wideout Brian Quick to spring him for a first down.

Pead finished the night with 12 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown -- a good showing by the running back.

“I feel confident in my abilities to help the team on special teams, of course offense, running back,” Pead said.

3) Davis notches a pick six

Known as one of the Rams’ special teams aces, safety Cody Davis has had a nice training camp making many plays on the defensive end. He took that into the game on Thursday by picking off a Chase Daniel pass and returning it to the house.

Davis read the play perfectly, jumped the curl route, and then high-pointed the ball to catch it for the interception. That’s all the safety needed as there was plenty of green in front of him for the 24-yard touchdown.

It’s a nice cap on what’s been a strong preseason for the Texas Tech product.

4) Forcing another turnover

St. Louis wasn’t done creating turnovers after Davis’ interception. Late in the second quarter, undrafted rookie cornerback Montell Garner put a nice form tackle on the Chiefs’ Spencer Ware and popped the ball out.



Linebacker Bryce Hager was right there to pick it up, and the Rams came away with an extra possession.

Both Garner’s play and Davis’ interception illustrate how the Rams can utilize turnovers to their advantage. Really, that’s a staple of what coordinator Gregg Williams likes to do with the defensive unit. Look for more of that as the season begins on Sept. 13.

5) Zuerlein from long range

We all know by now that kicker Greg Zuerlein can attempt a field goal from a long way and the ball will still have a good chance to get past the uprights.

Well Zuerlein showed his leg power once again tonight, blasting a 57 yarder right down Broadway between the yellow posts, with plenty of room to spare.

While there was never any question about the kicker heading into the 2015 season, it’s still encouraging to see him hit from such long range -- even if it was in the fourth preseason game.

 

[RamBill]

Rams' Cody Davis, Isaiah Pead make strong closing arguments
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...vis-isaiah-pead-make-strong-closing-arguments

ST. LOUIS -- Here are some highs and lows in terms of individual performances from the St. Louis Rams' 24-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs:

HIGHS

WR Tavon Austin: Austin played only a handful of snaps, but he once again flashed a glimpse of what he can do when he gets the ball with a little bit of room to work. After a catch behind the line of scrimmage lost 6 yards because he had no blocking, Austin got a block on a second one and weaved his way to a 43-yard pickup. He finished with two catches for 49 yards and another highlight reel catch-and-run to add to his tape.

S Cody Davis: Davis has had a strong camp, seemingly coming up with an interception in practice almost every day. He carried it over into Thursday's game by reading Kansas City quarterback Chase Daniel's eyes on a short curl, jumping the route and returning the interception 24 yards for a touchdown. He also chipped in two tackles and a pass defended.

RB Isaiah Pead: In an effort to preserve Benny Cunningham, who might have to start in Week 1 against Seattle, the Rams gave Pead the first opportunity in the backfield and he made his case to stick on the roster with a strong second drive. On the drive, he threw a nice block downfield to help spring Austin and chipped in 21 yards on five carries with a drive-ending 1-yard touchdown plunge. He finished with 52 yards on 12 carries and put himself in good position to nail down a roster spot on the initial 53.

LOWS

WR Kenny Britt: Not that you can blame him much, but Britt didn't seem too interested in the preseason finale. He whiffed on a block that led to Austin's 6-yard loss and though he picked up his assignment on the ensuing play, he didn't put much effort into catching the ball on his lone target. He's clearly ready for the regular season.

TE Jared Cook: On the Rams' opening possession, quarterback Nick Foles threw a strike in traffic to Cook over the middle, but the ball bounced off Cook's hands for an easy interception to Kansas City safety Daniel Sorensen. The Chiefs scored a touchdown a couple of plays later and Cook's night ended with the starters soon after.

QB Sean Mannion: The Rams gave their third-round pick plenty of work as he took over in the second quarter and finished the game. He also showed why it's going to be awhile before he's ready to play. Mannion locked on to receivers and forced throws into traffic that were either nearly intercepted, got a wideout hurt or both. He finished 11-of-24 for 107 yards with a passer rating of 58.9.

 

[RamBill]

Gordo: Davis gets lost in Rams QB shuffle
• By Jeff Gordon

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_8c6a5ae6-253d-5dc3-895d-269f17c251e4.html

We may have witnessed the end of the Austin Davis Era Thursday night.

If we did, it ended rather quietly at the Edward Jones Dome as the Rams lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 24-17 to close their rather unimpressive preseason.

He was the third Rams quarterback into the Governor's Cup game, following Nick Foles and Case Keenum. Davis didn't throw a pass before giving way to rookie Sean Mannion, who got more playing time than the other three quarterbacks combined.

While offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti had only running plays for Davis, he turned Mannion loose. After completing just 1 of 6 passes for zero yards in the second quarter, Mannion got into rhythm during the second half -- hitting five straight passes for 46 yards.

He finished the game 11 for 24 for 107 yards and no touchdowns. He wasn't amazing, but he flashed notable potential.

Barring a surprising development, that was probably the last time you'll Davis operating the Rams offense. And this is why they call the NFL the Not For Long league.

A year ago Davis provided some surprising thrills during an otherwise dreary season. He rose, improbably, from the No. 4 slot in training camp to a highly productive starter.

He passed for 327 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-31 loss to Dallas. Then he passed for 375 yards and three TDs in a 34-28 loss at Philadelphia, adding 30 yards rushing on three scrambles.

True, it took injuries to starter Sam Bradford and back-up Shaun Hill to give him that chance. It also took the abject failure of rookie Garrett Gilbert, who cleared out of Davis' way with a dreadful preseason showing.

(Gilbert never looked like he belonged. From Day 1 last year, at his first post-draft news conference, he looked like a guy who was just there because he won an essay-writing contest.)

But Davis made the most of his opportunity. . . for a while. Fans hailed his emergence as the Quarterback of the Future . . . for a while.

Former NFL star Brett Favre raved about his fellow Southern Mississippi product. "Not to sound off my rocker, but he -- in my mind -- can be the next Tom Brady or Kurt Warner," Favre told ESPN. "(Brian) Hoyer as well. Austin, like those mentioned, just needed a legit opportunity."

The reality set in, as it so often does in life. Hill eventually regained his starting job, then the Rams started over after last season.

The team traded Bradford for Foles and a draft pick for Keenum, who had impressed the Rams during his fill-in stint as the No. 3 man last season.

The Rams also drafted Mannion with the express intent of developing him for the long haul. That pushed Davis back to the No. 4 slot in training camp, into the dreaded role of camp arm.

And there he stayed. Foles stayed healthy and looked good during this preseason. The same goes for Keenum, who sealed the deal with his 80-yard TD heave to Chris Givens.

The No. 3 job became Mannion's to lose this summer and he held on. He is a big guy, like Foles, and he possesses the strongest arm on the team. Mannion fixed his delivery before the NFL Draft and arrived at Rams Park with plenty to offer.

One lingering area of concern for Mannion: Staring at your targets will draw defensive backs to the area and put your target in peril, as Givens realized time and again Thursday night.

Mannion kept putting him into heavy traffic. The ball kept arriving the same as the defenders. Not good!

Here are some other thoughts on the Chiefs game:

Foles had one disastrous series, ended by a interception rifled off the hands off tight end Jared Cook. And he had one long TD drive, highlighted by a 43-yard catch-and-run play by Tavon Austin.
Circumstances thrust Isaiah Pead into the starting running back slot. He rushed 12 times for 52 yards and a TD in the first half to make his case for further employment. "Each week he's getting better," coach Jeff Fisher said. "Great effort on his behalf to get to this point."
Safety Cody Davis jumped a first quarter pass route when Chiefs QB Chase Daniel double-clutched. That put him in position for a nice 24-yard "pick six." Davis was wired for sound during the game, so Fisher is looking toward to getting some detail from him on that interception.
On the other hand, nickel back Lamarcus Joyner got beat inside for a 15-yard TD pass from Daniel to Chris Conley.
The offensive line unit held up OK after an early false start penalty on right guard Demetrius Rhaney, who was filling in for Rodger Saffold (shoulder injury). Garrett Reynolds filled in at left guard for Jamon Brown (ankle injury).
Rams defensive Eugene Sims swatted a pass back into Daniel, then rocks Daniel for good measure. That was a classic Rams personal four penalty.
Linebacker hopeful Cameron Lynch sniffed out a designed Daniel run in the red zone and dumped him for a third-down loss, forcing the Chiefs to settle for a field goal. Lynch had four other tackles and an assist, according to press box statistics, in a busy first half.
Rams opted to let feel-good story Daniel Rodriguez return kicks. The feel good ended with 3:58 left in the first half when he got hammered on a kickoff return. He eventually got up and left field mostly on his own power. Chase Reynolds assumed the kick return duties.
Cornerback Marcus Roberson had a could of nice pass break-ups, including one that nearly resulted in a deflection interception.
Cornerback hopeful Montel Garner forced a second-quarter fumble with a nice strip, freeing the ball for Bryce Hager to recover.
Safety Maurice Alexander had a memorable tackle-for-loss early third quarter, blowing up a swing pass. He had another crushing hit to break up a pass later in the quarter. And he had still another tackle for loss while pushing hard for further employment.

 

[RamBill]

Watch head coach Jeff Fisher talk postgame about the team’s preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Watch Fisher's Post Game Presser

 

[RamBill]

Rams fall to Chiefs in preseason finale
By Nate Latsch

http://www.scout.com/nfl/rams/story/1582415-rams-fall-to-chiefs-in-preseason-finale

The St. Louis Rams concluded their winless preseason with a loss to the visiting Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.

ST. LOUIS — The Rams closed out their winless preseason with a 24-17 loss to the visiting Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night at the Edward Jones Dome.

The Rams went into the game with several starters either inactive or only getting limited work.

Quarterback Nick Foles directed the Rams offense for just two series.

The first resulted in a tipped pass by Jared Cook that was intercepted by the Chiefs’ Daniel Sorenson and turned into a 1-yard touchdown run by Spencer Ware for an early 7-0 Kansas City lead.

The Rams pieced together a seven-play, 73-yard scoring drive on their next possession, highlighted by a 43-yard catch-and-run by Tavon Austin off a quick screen. Isaiah Pead ran the ball on five straight plays, including a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the score.

Foles, in his limited work, completed two of three passes for 49 yards, with one interception and a QB rating of 70.1.

Cody Davis intercepted a Chase Daniel pass and returned it 24 yards for an interception and a 14-7 St. Louis with 4:00 remaining in the first quarter.

The Chiefs scored twice in the second quarter to take the lead.

Daniel connected with Chris Conley for a 15-yard touchdown pass early in the quarter. Then Cairo Santos kicked a 23-yard field goal to make it 17-14.

The Rams tied the score, 17-17, with 1:45 left in the half on a 57-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein.

Pead’s performance in the first half was one of the few highlights.

The running back carried 12 times for 52 yards, an average of 4.3 yards per carry, and scored the touchdown.

The Chiefs went ahead 24-17 with 8:40 remaining in the third quarter on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Murray to running back Darrin Reaves.

 

[RamBill]

Check out highlights from St. Louis vs. Kansas City at the Edward Jones Dome.

Watch Game Highlights

 

[RamBill]

Myles Simmons recaps the final preseason contest against the Chiefs.

Watch Rams Post Game Report

 

[bskrilla]

Pead played damn fine on offense with solid runs, a TD and a great downfield block on Tavon's big gain. Tavon had a huge play from his atheticism, making players miss. 1st/2nd team defense was solid if unspectacular without a lot of starters. Foles was fine. Young GZ hit a 57 yarder, Oline was slightly abover average against medioce opponents.

Overall a good game. Made me feel pretty good going into wekk 1.

 

[Ramhusker]

Pead played damn fine on offense with solid runs, a TD and a great downfield block on Tavon's big gain. Tavon had a huge play from his atheticism, making players miss. 1st/2nd team defense was solid if unspectacular without a lot of starters. Foles was fine. Young GZ hit a 57 yarder, Oline was slightly abover average against medioce opponents.

Overall a good game. Made me feel pretty good going into wekk 1.

That was a good effort on the block on Tavon's run. If he could of completed the block, Tavon would of scored though. Pead made the team though with his performance.

 

[RamBill]

Resilient Pead a bright spot for Rams
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_2938503c-2e32-5213-a589-e00328ade32e.html

There have been more downs than ups for running back Isaiah Pead in the NFL. Many more.

He suffered a season-ending knee injury last season against Green Bay in the Rams’ second preseason game. In 2013, he served a one-game suspension to open the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

On the verge of this season, Pead has appeared in only 25 regular-season games with one start. But the former Big East offensive player of the year at Cincinnati and second-round draft pick in 2012 hasn’t given up on what to date has been a disappointing pro career.

If nothing else, Pead knocked off some rust in Thursday’s preseason finale against Kansas City. With the Rams resting Benny Cunningham, Pead started against the Chiefs and gained 52 yards on 12 carries — all in the first half of the Chiefs’ 24-17 victory over the Rams at the Edwards Jones Dome.

“Each week he’s getting better,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “He’s dropped the (knee) brace, which is a huge thing psychologically for him. Each week he’s getting better, so it’s great effort on his behalf to get to this point.”

And this just in: With 2015 first-round pick Todd Gurley not expected to play in the Sept. 13 season opener against Seattle, and Tre Mason questionable with a hamstring injury, Pead may very well be the Rams’ No. 2 running back (behind Cunningham) against the two-time defending NFC champions.

With Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on hand, it was the Chiefs who took the Governor’s Cup back to the western side of the Show-Me State. Another very light crowd watched, with tickets distributed announced at 37,616. There were maybe 25,000 fans in the seats, and many of them were Chiefs fans.

For only the second time since the franchise moved to St. Louis in 1995, the Rams went winless in exhibition play, finishing 0-4.

“Disappointed that we didn’t find a way to win a preseason game,” Fisher said. “But I’m also very excited to have it over now, as everybody else is, and move forward and get ready for the Seahawks.

“And we ended up with only Danny (Rodriguez) in the training room, which is a really good night — not a good thing for Danny but it’s a good thing overall for the club.”

Rodriguez, the wide receiver from Clemson and an Afghanistan war hero, suffered a concussion on a kickoff return late in the second quarter.

Back to Pead, he also got in the end zone Thursday with a rushing touchdown, something he did 27 times in college for the Bearcats. However, it wasn’t all peaches and cream for him against the Chiefs. On his last carries of the half, he had two cracks at a first down on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1, but couldn’t move the sticks.

“It’s always good to get out and contribute,” Pead said. “Definitely feels good to get back in the end zone. Last time I did was against the Chiefs in the preseason a couple of years ago.”

On a night when the Rams rested 10 of the 22 expected starters on offense and defense, quarterback Nick Foles played two series, backup safety Cody Davis returned an interception for a touchdown, backup linebacker Bryce Hager recovered his second fumble of the preseason, and Greg Zuerlein drilled a 57-yard field goal.

“I feel good about it,” Foles said of the Rams’ offense. “We still need to continue to improve and progress, which we will because we have the guys here, we have the coaches ... we come to work every day to get better. I feel good about where we’re at and I’m excited about where we’ll go.”

As is frequently the case in preseason finales, Thursday’s Bubble Bowl was an entertaining if not crisply-executed affair, filled with intense play by dozens of players on both teams fighting for a roster spot.

Second-year Rams safety Maurice Alexander, out of Eureka High, probably ensured his roster spot for 2015 with an active second half that included hard hits and pass breakups. Former minor leaguer Bradley Marquez may have shown enough at wide receiver and on special teams to at least earn a practice squad spot.

Even after the game, Fisher said there were a few undecided roster spots in terms of the 53-man roster the Rams will take into the regular season. He said the coaches won’t grade this game film Friday; instead they will look at it with an eye only in evaluating a few bubble players. The final roster cuts must be made by Saturday afternoon.

Kansas City took the early lead when Daniel Sorenson intercepted a well-thrown Foles pass that bounced off the hands of tight end Jared Cook on the Rams’ first series. He returned it 26 yards to the St. Louis 8, and two running plays later, the Chiefs were on the scoreboard thanks to a one-yard run by Spencer Ware.

The Rams tied things up on Pead’s one-yard TD run, capping a 73-yard drive that included a 43-yard reverse-field run by Tavon Austin that was aided by a Pead block.

Davis’ “pick 6” on a pass by former Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel made it 14-7 Rams and there were still four minutes left in the opening quarter.

“We like the turnovers,” Fisher said. “We got a defensive score finally, which is good, I thought Nick put together a second drive, which is good. We got Tavon, who made the big play. ... That’s what he’s here for.”

Even with those bright spots, the Chiefs scored 17 of the game’s final 20 points for the victory. Kansas City tied the score on a 15-yard TD pass from Daniel to Chris Conley, with Lamarcus Joyner getting beaten on the play.

After a Cairo Santos field goal gave the Chiefs a 17-14 halftime lead, the visitors took at 24-17 lead midway through the third quarter on a Darrin Reaves touchdown reception. He scored despite absorbing a big hit from Hager near the goal line.

Once Foles departed for the Rams, No. 2 QB Case Keenum got one series, as did Austin Davis. Davis was in for eight plays, and they were all handoffs. If Davis survives the final roster cuts over the weekend, it will be a major upset. Rookie Sean Mannion then took over for the rest of the game. Mannion struggled mightily, hitting only one of his first six passes and finishing 11 of 24 for just 107 yards.

 

[RamBill]

Rams notes: Davis' 'pick 6' is a highlight
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_2938503c-2e32-5213-a589-e00328ade32e.html

For third-year safety Cody Davis, interceptions on the practice field have become a common occurrence this summer in training camp. On Thursday against Kansas City, the Rams’ third-year safety from Texas Tech got one in a game, and he did more than catch the ball — he took it to the house.

Davis picked off a pass thrown by former University of Missouri star Chase Daniel late in the first quarter and raced down the sideline for a 24-yard touchdown. It was his first NFL touchdown, be it preseason or regular season, and gave the Rams a 14-7 lead with four minutes left in the opening quarter.

As fate, would have it, Davis was “miked up” for the game, so his reaction to his big play should be available soon on social media and the highlight shows.

As Davis said, look for “probably a bunch of yelling, everybody slapping my helmet.”

He added, “It’s one of those plays where you’re just reacting, not much thinking. It’s kind of a blur now but it was fun when it happened.”

In the locker room after the game, fellow safety T.J. McDonald referred to Davis as White Lightning. “He’s got a 41 ½-inch vertical and runs a 4.3,” volunteered McDonald, doing his best Mel Kiper.

“It was hand-timed,” Davis clarified, “So you can add whatever you want on that. But it was a 4.37 I think at a regional combine.”

Davis last had a “pick 6” in college, returning an interception 88 yards for a touchdown as a senior against Texas State.

Davis appeared to be a pretty safe bet for a roster spot before Thursday’s contest, but if any doubt remained, his pick 6 probably clinched it. Signed as an undrafted rookie in 2013, Davis spent the first four games of his rookie season on the practice squad before getting promoted to the active roster.

Last year, he developed into one of the Rams’ better special teams performers, recording 10 tackles covering punts and kickoffs.

SITTING IT OUT

As is normally the case in preseason finales, a scorecard was needed to keep track of who wasn’t playing Thursday in the Governor’s Cup game at the Edward Jones Dome.

Sitting out for the Rams were running backs Tre Mason, Todd Gurley, and Benny Cunningham; cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and Brandon McGee; linebackers Daren Bates and Jo-Lonn Dunbar; offensive linemen Rodger Saffold and Andrew Donnal; and defensive linemen Michael Brockers, Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, and Nick Fairley.

In the case of Cunningham, Johnson, Donald and Quinn, there were no injuries involved. They were just put on ice Thursday in anticipation of the Rams’ Sept. 13 opener against Seattle.

Among those sitting for the Chiefs were quarterback Alex Smith, running back Jamaal Charles, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (of Missouri), center Mitch Morse (of Missouri), and linebackers Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson, and Justin Houston.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

Spotted for the first time on a column of the Edward Jones Dome at one of the main entrances to the stadium was a sign regarding the “Banner & Sign Policy” for the building.

It read in part: “management reserves the right to prohibit any signs, banners, or similar items (including hand held signs) due to space availability, banner size, materials, interference with other fans, or message content.”

It went on to read that signs “must be football-related and be in good taste.”

Some Rams fans were upset during a Rams Park training camp practice that was televised live by the NFL Network last month because their signs were prohibited. Earlier in camp, some anti-Kroenke signs and keep the Rams in St. Louis signs were spotted at practice.

Some fans were further incensed later in camp when all manner of signs and banners were allowed by LA Rams fans attending the team’s practices against Dallas in Oxnard, Calif.

A Rams official later said the sign-policy banners were posted late last season in response to the Ferguson protests.

LONGTIME RIVALS

Not only have Jeff Fisher and Kansas City coaching counterpart Andy Reid coached against each other for years in the NFL, they squared off on the gridiron as high school players in the Los Angeles area.

Fisher reminded everyone of that fact when asked earlier in the week how long he’s known Reid.

“Played against him in high school. Is that long enough?” Fisher quipped.

Reid, an LA native, played for John Marshall High.

“He played offensive line,” Fisher recalled.

Fisher, meanwhile, was an all-American wide receiver at Taft High in Woodland Hills. “You don’t know who you’re playing against in high school,” Fisher said. “But yeah, we went back and we were in basically the same couple of conferences or divisions.”

PRESEASONS PAST

Thursday’s loss gave the Rams an 0-4 record this preseason, marking only the second time in the 21 seasons of “St. Louis” Rams football that the team went winless in the preseason.

It happened before in 2002, with the Rams still suffering hangover effects from their Super Bowl upset loss to New England. Besides going 0-for-the-preseason, Mike Martz’s team started the regular season 0-5 that year.

The Rams have finished exhibition play with a winning record only six times since the franchise moved to St. Louis in 1995. Three of those six successful preseasons came during former coach Steve Spagnuolo’s tenure.

Spagnuolo was Mr. August, going 10-2 in his three preseasons as Rams head coach. That matched his victory total in three regular seasons, in which he went 10-38.

 

[RamDino]

Thanks RamBill!!

 

[RamBill]

Thanks RamBill!!

You're welcome, RamDino

 

[RamBill]

Watch reporter Dani Klupenger talk with running back Isaiah Pead about his night against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Watch Pead Interview

 

[RamBill]

Watch reporter Dani Klupenger talk with Cody Davis about his pick six interception.

Watch Davis Interview

 

[RamBill]

Quarterback Nick Foles talks postgame after the team’s preseason game against the Chiefs.

Watch Foles Presser

 

[fearsomefour]

Aided by a personal-foul penalty on the Rams' Eugene Sims,

Good to see he is in mid season form.

 

[Rmfnlt]

The last time Kansas City went undefeated in the preseason, in 1969, it went on to beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.

Oh, those pesky exceptions...