Rams notes: LB Ogletree will return to practice next week

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RamBill

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Rams notes: LB Ogletree will return to practice next week
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_a2196344-6c10-57c7-858c-5119f41ba3e2.html

When the Rams return to the practice field early next week, third-year linebacker Alec Ogletree is expected to be with them.

Ogletree, the team’s leading tackler in 2013 and 2014, suffered a broken leg in the Rams’ 24-22 win at Arizona on Oct. 4 and was later placed on the injured reserve-designated to return list.

“We’re going to start the (21-day) window and see how he is,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Friday while meeting with the media at Rams Park. “He ran outside last week. He’s not ready to play, but we’ll see how it goes.”

Earlier in the week, Fisher said, “The goal would be to see if he’d be available for San Francisco (in the season finale on Jan. 3). If not, then he’s got a head-start on the offseason program.”

A first-round draft pick in 2013, the 6-foot-2, 245-pound Ogletree was playing the best football of his young NFL career and again leading the Rams with 55 tackles, including 46 solos, at the time of his injury.

BAILEY PEP TALK

Prior to Thursday’s 31-23 win over visiting Tampa Bay, the Rams received a huge lift thanks to a pep talk from wide receiver Stedman Bailey via FaceTime.

“It was something that I’d never experienced before,” Fisher said. “It was really special. Really special.”

Fisher said that Bailey, 25, has been making steady progress in his rehab, but Thursday afternoon was the first time many of his teammates had a chance to see or communicate with him since the third-year wideout was shot twice in the head on Nov. 24.

“I haven’t had a chance to see the TV tape,” Fisher said. “We had it set up and really, it was special. The guys didn’t anticipate it. He wished them well. As a matter of fact, it gave him a chance to talk to them. Somebody asked, ‘Do you have anything to say to your teammates?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, go kick some ass!’

“Must mean he’s getting better.”

Wide receiver Tavon Austin, who played with Bailey at West Virginia before both joined the Rams as draft choices in 2013, had a touchdown catch and a touchdown run in Thursday’s game. He and a few other teammates will take advantage of the Rams’ long weekend to make a quick trip to Miami to visit Bailey.

DEFENSE/PARTICIPATION NUMBERS

According to the coaches review of the game tape, safety Rodney McLeod paced the defensive effort with a career-high 15 tackles, including 10 solos. Other tackle leaders were cornerback Trumaine Johnson (nine), safety/linebacker Mark Barron (eight) and safety Maurice Alexander (eight). A second-year pro making his third career start, Alexander is a Eureka High product.

The Rams had no sacks on Thursday night, but they did manage to record 22 pressures and 14 hits on Jameis Winston, the No. 1 overall pick in last spring’s draft. Defensive end William Hayes had seven QB pressures while second-year standout Aaron Donald had six tackles, three for loss, two pressures and three hits.

The Buccaneers ran 80 offensive plays to 52 for the Rams, with Tampa Bay finishing with a 31:20-28:40 edge in time of possession.

Linebacker James Laurinaitis, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, McLeod and Alexander were on the field for all 80 defensive snaps while quarterback Case Keenum joined offensive linemen Greg Robinson, Garrett Reynolds, Tim Barnes, Cody Wichmann and Rob Havenstein on the field for all 52 offensive snaps.

Tight end Lance Kendricks and Austin were next with 43 snaps apiece. Running back Todd Gurley took 34 snaps, with receiver Kenny Britt coming in at 33.
RAM-BLINGS

Even with the win, Fisher is still not a fan of the Rams’ Color Rush yellow uniforms.

“Not many coaches wear sunglasses in indoor facilities, but I was very close. Very bright,” he joked.

But on a serious note, Fisher continued: “What was difficult for us was identifying their personnel groupings on their (red) jerseys. … (And) I will mention that to the league office. From my standpoint, I think that’s a competitive advantage. I mean, you had no problem telling who we had on the field.”

• From Rams media: Benny Cunningham’s 102-yard kickoff return Thursday was the fourth-longest non-scoring kickoff return in NFL history behind Detroit’s Ameer Abdullah (104) earlier this season, Minnesota’s Percy Harvin (104) in 2011 and San Diego’s Keith Lincoln (103) in 1962.

• With 10 touchdowns, Tavon Austin is the first Rams’ player to reach double-figures since 2006 when Steven Jackson had 16 and Torry Holt had 10.

• On Friday, the Miami Dolphins waived 11th-year DT C.J. Mosley (Missouri) from injured reserve. Mosley, 32, played in 11 games this season before going down with a calf injury. He was drafted by Minnesota in the sixth round of the 2005 draft and has also had stints with the Jets, the Browns, the Jaguars and Lions.
 

Mikey Ram

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Why would they even think of bringing him back for the final game ??? That makes zero sense to me...Maybe I'm missing something... Not like it would be the first time for that !!!
 

iced

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Why would they even think of bringing him back for the final game ??? That makes zero sense to me...Maybe I'm missing something... Not like it would be the first time for that !!!

in case by some miracle we can make the playoffs
 

jrry32

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From Rams media: Benny Cunningham’s 102-yard kickoff return Thursday was the fourth-longest non-scoring kickoff return in NFL history behind Detroit’s Ameer Abdullah (104) earlier this season, Minnesota’s Percy Harvin (104) in 2011 and San Diego’s Keith Lincoln (103) in 1962.

Poor Benny. That dude earned a TD on that play. Hell of a run. Too bad he couldn't break our KR TD streak.(I think it's been like a decade) Getting tackled by that last defender just short of the end-zone had to make him angry. We should have let him come on the field and try to pound it in after he caught his breath.
 

RamDino

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Poor Benny. That dude earned a TD on that play. Hell of a run. Too bad he couldn't break our KR TD streak.(I think it's been like a decade) Getting tackled by that last defender just short of the end-zone had to make him angry. We should have let him come on the field and try to pound it in after he caught his breath.

What difference does it make? You know the Rams are going to score. It's first and goal from the 2. Oh wait... never mind!
 

den-the-coach

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We should have let him come on the field and try to pound it in after he caught his breath.

Should have faked the hand off to Gurley on 2nd down and hit the Tight End works most of the time.
 

-X-

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“What was difficult for us was identifying their personnel groupings on their (red) jerseys. … (And) I will mention that to the league office. From my standpoint, I think that’s a competitive advantage. I mean, you had no problem telling who we had on the field.”
That's a great point. I had really really hard time seeing those in the Bills/Jets game.
The freaking Jets basically disappeared into the field when I was watching, but I'm one of those color blind dudes, so...
 

DaveFan'51

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Why would they even think of bringing him back for the final game ??? That makes zero sense to me...Maybe I'm missing something... Not like it would be the first time for that !!!
Maybe because he had the " IR Designated to return" label they are obligated to look at him. IDK. But your right it doesn't make a lot of sense!
 

Akrasian

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Maybe because he had the " IR Designated to return" label they are obligated to look at him. IDK. But your right it doesn't make a lot of sense!

I suspect it's more that they are telling Ogletree that if he works hard in practice and looks like he's ready he will get to play. It's motivational. The Rams want him to work hard, so they can see if he'll be ready for next season. If he's able to get fully ready for the last game, then with a full offseason of work he'll be able to hit the ground playing as well as he did this season before the injury.
 

-X-

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I don't see what the big deal is. If he's medically cleared, is healthy, works hard, and is game-ready, then what's the problem?
It's not like he's prone to reinjury if he's 100% recovered from it. And if he is, then does it matter when he comes back?