RamView, November 25, 2012, Game #11: Rams 31, Big Dead 17, by Mike Franke
(Report and opinions on the game.)
The Rams make a long-awaited rebound, ending their winless streak, their turnover drought and their road rut while sweeping the stumbling Cardinals for the first time since 2003. Dare we accuse this young team of finally having “learned how to win?”
Position by position:
* RB: Putting the ball in Steven Jackson's hands works. The Rams knew all week they had to do it to beat Arizona, and Jackson did not disappoint, with a season-high 139 yards on 24 carries. After banging out 41 yards on 10 carries in the first half, Jackson turned the tide of the game in the 3rd, rallying the Rams from a 17-14 deficit with a big 46-yard run from the shadow of their own goal post. The play was set up to go left, but Jackson's field vision found him a backside block by Barry Richardson to cut back behind, with about an acre of grass wide open to run through after that. Knocked back hard on their heels, the Big Dead gave up a quick TD and never led again. Up 28-17 in the 4th, the Rams needed a knockout blow, and turned to their sledgehammer. He bashed off the left edge for 8. He crashed the right side behind Harvey Dahl for 6. Then, a little trickery, as Jackson became the league's highest-paid fullback for a play and hammered the right side again for 15. After that loosened Arizona up for a big completion to Chris Givens, Jackson pounded out 9 yards to get the Rams down to the 2. A fine play by Kerry Rhodes made the Rams settle for a clinching FG instead of a clinching TD, but couldn't bring back the seven minutes Jackson and the Rams ground off the clock getting there. Daryl Richardson (7-32) spiced up the classic recipe by zipping and slipping through the Arizona D, but it was the heavy helping of Jackson that made a satisfying post-Thanksgiving meal for Rams fans. The Rams knew Jackson had to get the ball and got it to him. The Cardinals knew Jackson was going to get the ball, and couldn't stop him. Pure power football.
full article: http://www.nflfans.com/rams2/article.ph ... 7065944642
(Report and opinions on the game.)
The Rams make a long-awaited rebound, ending their winless streak, their turnover drought and their road rut while sweeping the stumbling Cardinals for the first time since 2003. Dare we accuse this young team of finally having “learned how to win?”
Position by position:
* RB: Putting the ball in Steven Jackson's hands works. The Rams knew all week they had to do it to beat Arizona, and Jackson did not disappoint, with a season-high 139 yards on 24 carries. After banging out 41 yards on 10 carries in the first half, Jackson turned the tide of the game in the 3rd, rallying the Rams from a 17-14 deficit with a big 46-yard run from the shadow of their own goal post. The play was set up to go left, but Jackson's field vision found him a backside block by Barry Richardson to cut back behind, with about an acre of grass wide open to run through after that. Knocked back hard on their heels, the Big Dead gave up a quick TD and never led again. Up 28-17 in the 4th, the Rams needed a knockout blow, and turned to their sledgehammer. He bashed off the left edge for 8. He crashed the right side behind Harvey Dahl for 6. Then, a little trickery, as Jackson became the league's highest-paid fullback for a play and hammered the right side again for 15. After that loosened Arizona up for a big completion to Chris Givens, Jackson pounded out 9 yards to get the Rams down to the 2. A fine play by Kerry Rhodes made the Rams settle for a clinching FG instead of a clinching TD, but couldn't bring back the seven minutes Jackson and the Rams ground off the clock getting there. Daryl Richardson (7-32) spiced up the classic recipe by zipping and slipping through the Arizona D, but it was the heavy helping of Jackson that made a satisfying post-Thanksgiving meal for Rams fans. The Rams knew Jackson had to get the ball and got it to him. The Cardinals knew Jackson was going to get the ball, and couldn't stop him. Pure power football.
full article: http://www.nflfans.com/rams2/article.ph ... 7065944642