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Rams notes: Look who's out there for the coin toss
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_62d0bab7-8b68-5457-969e-c619f6e1a78e.html
LANDOVER, MD. • Never let it be said that Jeff Fisher lacks a sense of humor.
To wit, the Rams’ coach sent out Stedman Bailey, Michael Brockers, Janoris Jenkins, Alec Ogletree, Zac Stacy and Greg Robinson for the pregame coin toss at FedEx Field.
Although Fisher occasionally will send out different players, the team captains – as voted on by the players just before the start of the regular season – are James Laurinaitis and Chris Long on defense; Shaun Hill on offense; and Johnny Hekker for special teams.
So what was up with Sunday’s coin toss captains for the Rams? Think about it for a moment. Here’s a hint: RGIII.
That’s right, Bailey, Brockers, Jenkins, Ogletree, Stacy and Robinson were all drafted over the past three seasons from picks (and spinoff trades) from the 2012 trade that brought quarterback Robert Griffin III to Washington. Among that group, all but Stacy started Sunday.
All told, the Rams ended up with eight players in the RGIII trade. A seventh, running back Isaiah Pead, is on the injured reserve list.
The eighth player, offensive guard Rokevious Watkins, is no longer with the team.
Interestingly, Fisher didn’t mention his choice of game day captains during his postgame news conference. Apparently, he didn’t tell the six players, either.
“I didn’t know that was the statement that was made,” said Bailey, who caught two passes for 47 yards in the Rams’ 24-0 victory. “Now that you’re telling me, that makes a lot of sense. I’m glad Coach Fisher did that.”
Maybe it was a little jab at Washington. Keep in mind, Fisher is a close friend of coach Mike Shanahan, who was fired after the 2013 season.
About two minutes before the Rams headed out to the field for kickoff, Bailey said Fisher approached the six players separately and “whispered in everybody’s ears that we’d be out for the coin toss.”
Fisher made no mention about the RGIII trade, Bailey said. In fact, Fisher never brought it up all week to the players.
As the six players walked out to midfield for the coin toss, Bailey said: “We just kinda looked at each other like, ‘OK, maybe these are the guys that have been playing good lately.’ We weren’t really sure.’ “
Griffin III came off the bench following the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter when starter Colt McCoy left with a strained neck after a jarring sack by Robert Quinn. Griffin completed three of four passes for 33 yards and was sacked by Aaron Donald.
SITTING IT OUT
Defensive backs Lamarcus Joyner (groin) and Marcus Roberson (ankle) are healthy, but the Rams are continuing to go without them on game day. Both rookies were among the team’s inactives against Washington. The others: TE Justice Cunningham, OG Brandon Washington, TE Alex Bayer, DT Alex Carrington and DE Ethan Westbrooks.
For Washington, three starters were on the inactive list, including star wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who was scratched because of a shin injury.
BURWELL TRIBUTE
There was a seat set aside for late Post-Dispatch columnist Bryan Burwell in the press box at FedEx Field, with a vase of flowers and a photo placard that read: The Washington Redskins honor the life, work, and spirit of Bryan Burwell.
Several media members stopped by to look at the tribute, say a prayer, and take a photo.
There was a moment of silence in honor of Burwell before kickoff.
HAYES RETURNS
After missing the entire practice week following the death of his grandmother, to whom he was very close, DE William Hayes re-joined the Rams on Saturday night at the team hotel. Hayes registered his fourth sack of the season and had two tackles for loss.
