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Daniel Leu
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STL Rams vs. Titans Official Game Day Thread
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Five Takeaways: Rams at Titans
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Five-Takeaways-Rams-at-Titans/0326049c-a835-4d8c-8528-203771001fab
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Rams looked like a team that has some work to do before the start of the season on Sunday night, dropping their contest to the Titans, 27-14. But the good thing is that there is still a lot of time left between now and Sept. 13.
As quarterback Nick Foles said, “Everything out here is fixable and we can fix it. We’ll get back to work.”
Here are five takeaways from the action.
1) The offense has work to do
Simply put, the Rams’ first unit on offense did not have a great showing against the Titans. There were positive moments, but St. Louis failed to put any points on the board in the first half.
“Tonight, we needed to get the ball in the endzone,” quarterback Nick Foles said. “We didn’t do our job. We need to get some points on the board, but it’s one of those things where there’s a lot we can learn from.”
Foles had a bad interception on the Rams’ first drive. The quarterback and wide receiver Kenny Britt did not look like they were on the same page on a 1st-down play, and Foles ended up throwing it into the hands of Tennessee’s Parrish Cox. The Titans’ cornerback took the pass back 24 yards for a touchdown.
“I think in the preseason you really just continue to grow together, working together, seeing different things, different looks,” Foles said. “It’s one of those things where all of these are learning opportunities. You can’t take it too hard. You just have to learn from it and move on and get better.”
2) Keenum making his case
Quarterback Case Keenum has in effect spent the most time at quarterback for the Rams in the first two exhibition contests, and he’s starting to make a good argument for himself to be the team’s backup quarterback. Tonight, he went 7-of-16 for 164 yards and a touchdown -- good for a 102.1 quarterback rating.
The highlight of Keenum’s night was no doubt an 80-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Givens. The Houston product stood in the pocket as a Tennessee defender came up to hit him and delivered a nice long ball down the middle of the field to Givens, hitting him in stride. The wideout’s quickness took over at that point, and no one was going to catch Givens as he sped down the field.
Keenum shuttled back and forth from the Texans to the Rams last year, and St. Louis re-acquired the quarterback via trade in March. If he continues to play well, it looks like he may have found a good spot as the Rams’ No. 2 signal-caller.
3) Foles did have a nice moment
While the first drive did not end well for the Rams, the second drive featured a good moment from St. Louis’ starting QB. On 3rd-and-4 from the visiting team’s 27, Foles got pressured up the middle, but felt out the rush well. He stepped to the side, avoided another rusher, then stepped up in the pocket and delivered a strike to Britt in the middle of the field. The 7-yard pass was enough for a first down.
When the Rams signed Foles to his extension earlier this month, general manager Les Snead said that the quarterback has the ability to make things happen with his feet. That play was a good example of those abilities.
Again, it’s clear that the offense has plenty to work on. But if the team can get more plays like that from Foles, then the offense should be in good shape.
4) Joyner making plays
Head coach Jeff Fisher has been quite complimentary of Lamarcus Joyner lately, and Sunday the defensive back showed why. According to the press box statistics, Joyner led the Rams in tackles through the first half with five, including a nice tackle for loss inside the red zone. He also had a big pass breakup in the middle of the field on a 3rd-and-long play in order to stall an early Titans drive.
“He’s going to be our inside guy,” Fisher said earlier this week. “He’s improving every day. He’s light years ahead of where he was last year. It was all happening really fast and it’s starting to slow down for him. When he knows exactly what to do, he does it very well. We’re counting on him to be effective in the slot, which means as a third corner, you’re probably going to play 50-60% of our snaps.”
Tonight the young corner certainly took advantage of his opportunities.
5) Fisher gets a nice ovation
As you surely know, Fisher was the head coach for the Titans organization for 16 full seasons. Tonight was the first time Fisher entered the building as an opposing coach, and Tennessee played a video tribute to commemorate the occasion.
Coach Fisher honored with a standing ovation. His first time back to the stadium since leaving the Titans. pic.twitter.com/ARoxXn504E
— Dani Klupenger (@daniklup) August 24, 2015
The assembled crowd gave Fisher a standing ovation, and the head coach gave a wave to acknowledge it. It was a nice moment from the second preseason matchup.
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Five-Takeaways-Rams-at-Titans/0326049c-a835-4d8c-8528-203771001fab
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Rams looked like a team that has some work to do before the start of the season on Sunday night, dropping their contest to the Titans, 27-14. But the good thing is that there is still a lot of time left between now and Sept. 13.
As quarterback Nick Foles said, “Everything out here is fixable and we can fix it. We’ll get back to work.”
Here are five takeaways from the action.
1) The offense has work to do
Simply put, the Rams’ first unit on offense did not have a great showing against the Titans. There were positive moments, but St. Louis failed to put any points on the board in the first half.
“Tonight, we needed to get the ball in the endzone,” quarterback Nick Foles said. “We didn’t do our job. We need to get some points on the board, but it’s one of those things where there’s a lot we can learn from.”
Foles had a bad interception on the Rams’ first drive. The quarterback and wide receiver Kenny Britt did not look like they were on the same page on a 1st-down play, and Foles ended up throwing it into the hands of Tennessee’s Parrish Cox. The Titans’ cornerback took the pass back 24 yards for a touchdown.
“I think in the preseason you really just continue to grow together, working together, seeing different things, different looks,” Foles said. “It’s one of those things where all of these are learning opportunities. You can’t take it too hard. You just have to learn from it and move on and get better.”
2) Keenum making his case
Quarterback Case Keenum has in effect spent the most time at quarterback for the Rams in the first two exhibition contests, and he’s starting to make a good argument for himself to be the team’s backup quarterback. Tonight, he went 7-of-16 for 164 yards and a touchdown -- good for a 102.1 quarterback rating.
The highlight of Keenum’s night was no doubt an 80-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Givens. The Houston product stood in the pocket as a Tennessee defender came up to hit him and delivered a nice long ball down the middle of the field to Givens, hitting him in stride. The wideout’s quickness took over at that point, and no one was going to catch Givens as he sped down the field.
Keenum shuttled back and forth from the Texans to the Rams last year, and St. Louis re-acquired the quarterback via trade in March. If he continues to play well, it looks like he may have found a good spot as the Rams’ No. 2 signal-caller.
3) Foles did have a nice moment
While the first drive did not end well for the Rams, the second drive featured a good moment from St. Louis’ starting QB. On 3rd-and-4 from the visiting team’s 27, Foles got pressured up the middle, but felt out the rush well. He stepped to the side, avoided another rusher, then stepped up in the pocket and delivered a strike to Britt in the middle of the field. The 7-yard pass was enough for a first down.
When the Rams signed Foles to his extension earlier this month, general manager Les Snead said that the quarterback has the ability to make things happen with his feet. That play was a good example of those abilities.
Again, it’s clear that the offense has plenty to work on. But if the team can get more plays like that from Foles, then the offense should be in good shape.
4) Joyner making plays
Head coach Jeff Fisher has been quite complimentary of Lamarcus Joyner lately, and Sunday the defensive back showed why. According to the press box statistics, Joyner led the Rams in tackles through the first half with five, including a nice tackle for loss inside the red zone. He also had a big pass breakup in the middle of the field on a 3rd-and-long play in order to stall an early Titans drive.
“He’s going to be our inside guy,” Fisher said earlier this week. “He’s improving every day. He’s light years ahead of where he was last year. It was all happening really fast and it’s starting to slow down for him. When he knows exactly what to do, he does it very well. We’re counting on him to be effective in the slot, which means as a third corner, you’re probably going to play 50-60% of our snaps.”
Tonight the young corner certainly took advantage of his opportunities.
5) Fisher gets a nice ovation
As you surely know, Fisher was the head coach for the Titans organization for 16 full seasons. Tonight was the first time Fisher entered the building as an opposing coach, and Tennessee played a video tribute to commemorate the occasion.
Coach Fisher honored with a standing ovation. His first time back to the stadium since leaving the Titans. pic.twitter.com/ARoxXn504E
— Dani Klupenger (@daniklup) August 24, 2015
The assembled crowd gave Fisher a standing ovation, and the head coach gave a wave to acknowledge it. It was a nice moment from the second preseason matchup.
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RamWoodie
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Obviously there's work to do...but before I become critical, I'll wait to hear what Fisher has to say about what their goal was. Obviously getting the young players work was first.
I think in game 3 we will see the starters for at least 1-2 quarters...even so...I'm not worried until it ALL COUNTS.
I think in game 3 we will see the starters for at least 1-2 quarters...even so...I'm not worried until it ALL COUNTS.
HometownBoy
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I'm not defeated or sad, I'm pissed off. Game 3 better look a hell of a lot better, because this effort was simply bad.
DCH
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Give me Bill Clinton back as president and I'll take it in a heartbeat.
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Rams starters struggle with basics in preseason loss to Titans
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...uggle-with-basics-in-preseason-loss-to-titans
A few thoughts on the St. Louis Rams' 27-14 loss to the Tennessee Titans:
What it means: We already knew that the Rams had a lot of work to do on offense but if it's possible, a group that didn't score a touchdown on two drives last week took a step back on twice as many opportunities against the Titans. Making matters worse, the defense had some issues, with the first-team unit allowing 6.4 yards per play on three series, though it managed to limit the damage to three points. The result doesn't matter, but the Rams' struggles to do the basics such as blocking and tackling should be of more concern. Those fundamentals have been issues in recent preseasons and carried over to the regular season. The Rams can't afford for that to happen again.
Play of the game: Nearly seven quarters into the preseason, the Rams finally got their first touchdown when quarterback Case Keenum lofted a perfect deep ball to receiver Chris Givens, who caught it in stride for an 80-yard touchdown.
Stat of note: 2.4, as in 2.4 yards per carry. That's what the Rams' first-team offense mustered on nine attempts before calling it a night. If the Rams are to be a run-first team, that number must improve. This is where the blocking comes in.
Stat of note, part II: 5.7, as in 5.7 yards per carry allowed by the Rams' first-team defense. The Rams boast a dynamic pass rush but it won't mean much if they don't stop the run first. This is where the tackling comes in.
Injuries of note: The Rams made it through without losing any potential starters to obvious or serious injuries.
What's next: The Rams head home for the final two weeks of the preseason, starting with Saturday's game against the Indianapolis Colts at the Edward Jones Dome.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...uggle-with-basics-in-preseason-loss-to-titans
A few thoughts on the St. Louis Rams' 27-14 loss to the Tennessee Titans:
What it means: We already knew that the Rams had a lot of work to do on offense but if it's possible, a group that didn't score a touchdown on two drives last week took a step back on twice as many opportunities against the Titans. Making matters worse, the defense had some issues, with the first-team unit allowing 6.4 yards per play on three series, though it managed to limit the damage to three points. The result doesn't matter, but the Rams' struggles to do the basics such as blocking and tackling should be of more concern. Those fundamentals have been issues in recent preseasons and carried over to the regular season. The Rams can't afford for that to happen again.
Play of the game: Nearly seven quarters into the preseason, the Rams finally got their first touchdown when quarterback Case Keenum lofted a perfect deep ball to receiver Chris Givens, who caught it in stride for an 80-yard touchdown.
Stat of note: 2.4, as in 2.4 yards per carry. That's what the Rams' first-team offense mustered on nine attempts before calling it a night. If the Rams are to be a run-first team, that number must improve. This is where the blocking comes in.
Stat of note, part II: 5.7, as in 5.7 yards per carry allowed by the Rams' first-team defense. The Rams boast a dynamic pass rush but it won't mean much if they don't stop the run first. This is where the tackling comes in.
Injuries of note: The Rams made it through without losing any potential starters to obvious or serious injuries.
What's next: The Rams head home for the final two weeks of the preseason, starting with Saturday's game against the Indianapolis Colts at the Edward Jones Dome.
RamBill
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Visiting Rams fall to Titans
By Nate Latsch
http://www.scout.com/nfl/rams/story/1577903-visiting-rams-fall-to-titans
The St. Louis Rams fell to 0-2 in the preseason with a 27-14 road loss against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night at Nissan Stadium. Here’s a quick rundown of the good and the bad from the Rams’ second preseason game…
Highlights
• The Rams appeared to make it through the game without sustaining any major injuries. That wasn’t the case in the preseason opener against the Oakland Raiders when starting left guard Rodger Saffold (undisclosed) and special teams standout Daren Bates (knee) both suffered injuries.
• The Tennessee Titans honored former coach Jeff Fisher during his return to Nashville. Now in his fourth season with the Rams, Fisher coached the Oilers/Titans for 16 seasons.
• The Rams’ first touchdown of the season came in the third quarter when Case Keenum found speedster Chris Givens over the top of the defense for an 80-yard score. (Watch Keenum connect with Givens here.) Keenum completed seven of 16 passes for 164 yards and a QB rating of 102.1, a performance that would seem to ensure he will earn the backup spot.
• Reserve running back Trey Watts was the Rams’ best player on Sunday. He ran six times for 53 yards, including an 18-yard run, and caught three passes for another 46 yards. Watts made the roster as an undrafted free agent a year ago and may have been on the roster bubble this year after having to serve a suspension to start the season, but he likely solidified his spot with this strong performance.
• Undrafted rookie running back Malcolm Brown had another strong showing, punctuated by by turning short pass from Sean Mannion into a 54-yard touchdown with 52 seconds left. Brown finished with four catches for 78 yards and added 23 yards rushing on four carries. He may end up taking Watts’ roster spot for the first few weeks while Watts is serving his suspension.
• Mannion, the rookie third-round pick from Oregon State, completed six of seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. He’s completed 14 of 20 passes (70 percent) for 146 yards in his first two preseason games.
Lowlights
• Quarterback Nick Foles completed just three of seven passes for 18 yards and an interception (more on that in a bit). He was under pressure for much of his four series of work but even when he wasn’t he didn’t display good footwork or ball placement.
• Foles was intercepted by Perrish Cox on his second throw of the night and Cox returned it 24 yards for a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead. It was an easy play by Cox as either Kenny Britt or Tavon Austin appeared to run the wrong route and Foles didn’t adjust.
• Rams safety Mark Barron dropped an interception.
• Greg Zuerlein missed a 53-yard field goal attempt wide right in the second quarter. Not to be outdone, backup kicker Michael Palardy missed a field goal attempt wide left early in the fourth quarter.
• Competing for the backup quarterback spot, Austin Davis once again saw limited snaps. He completed one of his two passes for 21 yards.
• More penalties. The Rams were flagged for nine penalties for 71 yards after committing 10 penalties (for 75 yards lost) against the Raiders.
By Nate Latsch
http://www.scout.com/nfl/rams/story/1577903-visiting-rams-fall-to-titans
The St. Louis Rams fell to 0-2 in the preseason with a 27-14 road loss against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night at Nissan Stadium. Here’s a quick rundown of the good and the bad from the Rams’ second preseason game…
Highlights
• The Rams appeared to make it through the game without sustaining any major injuries. That wasn’t the case in the preseason opener against the Oakland Raiders when starting left guard Rodger Saffold (undisclosed) and special teams standout Daren Bates (knee) both suffered injuries.
• The Tennessee Titans honored former coach Jeff Fisher during his return to Nashville. Now in his fourth season with the Rams, Fisher coached the Oilers/Titans for 16 seasons.
• The Rams’ first touchdown of the season came in the third quarter when Case Keenum found speedster Chris Givens over the top of the defense for an 80-yard score. (Watch Keenum connect with Givens here.) Keenum completed seven of 16 passes for 164 yards and a QB rating of 102.1, a performance that would seem to ensure he will earn the backup spot.
• Reserve running back Trey Watts was the Rams’ best player on Sunday. He ran six times for 53 yards, including an 18-yard run, and caught three passes for another 46 yards. Watts made the roster as an undrafted free agent a year ago and may have been on the roster bubble this year after having to serve a suspension to start the season, but he likely solidified his spot with this strong performance.
• Undrafted rookie running back Malcolm Brown had another strong showing, punctuated by by turning short pass from Sean Mannion into a 54-yard touchdown with 52 seconds left. Brown finished with four catches for 78 yards and added 23 yards rushing on four carries. He may end up taking Watts’ roster spot for the first few weeks while Watts is serving his suspension.
• Mannion, the rookie third-round pick from Oregon State, completed six of seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. He’s completed 14 of 20 passes (70 percent) for 146 yards in his first two preseason games.
Lowlights
• Quarterback Nick Foles completed just three of seven passes for 18 yards and an interception (more on that in a bit). He was under pressure for much of his four series of work but even when he wasn’t he didn’t display good footwork or ball placement.
• Foles was intercepted by Perrish Cox on his second throw of the night and Cox returned it 24 yards for a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead. It was an easy play by Cox as either Kenny Britt or Tavon Austin appeared to run the wrong route and Foles didn’t adjust.
• Rams safety Mark Barron dropped an interception.
• Greg Zuerlein missed a 53-yard field goal attempt wide right in the second quarter. Not to be outdone, backup kicker Michael Palardy missed a field goal attempt wide left early in the fourth quarter.
• Competing for the backup quarterback spot, Austin Davis once again saw limited snaps. He completed one of his two passes for 21 yards.
• More penalties. The Rams were flagged for nine penalties for 71 yards after committing 10 penalties (for 75 yards lost) against the Raiders.
Angry Ram
Captain RAmerica Original Rammer
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Michael Brockers wasn't' playing.
Janoris didn't play or not that much.
IDK how you can gauge intensity levels through the tv. It's not like they got ran over. 3 points that really shouldn't have happened to begin with.
RamBill
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Titans knock off Rams 27-14 in preseason action in Tennessee
• By Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_226922bb-a980-5bcf-9c2a-601b194eb12c.html
NASHVILLE • The Rams failed to get much of anything going on either side of the ball _ the exception being an 80-yard bomb from Case Keenum to Chris Givens with about 5 ½ minutes to play in the third quarter _ and fell 27-14 to the Tennessee Titans Sunday night in a nationally televised preseason game at Nissan Stadium.
The Rams, who fell to 0-2 in the preseason, will host the Indianapolis Colts Saturday at 7 p.m. The Titans evened their preseason record to 1-1.
Each team scored a late touchdown in the game. Tennessee went up 27-7 on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Alex Tanney to former University of Missouri star Chase Coffman with 1:45 to play. It was the second TD catch of the game for Coffman, a tight end in his sixth pro season.
The Rams answered as rookies Sean Mannion and Malcolm Brown hooked up on a 54-yard touchdown with 39 seconds to play. On the play, Brown, an undrafted free agent from Texas, hauled in a short pass, bounced off a pair of would-be tacklers and then tight-roped his wa down the left sideline for the TD.
Michael Palardy booted the extra point.
Keenum, who took over for starter Nick Foles in the second quarter, completed 7 of 16 passes for 164 yards and connected on an 80-yard post pattern with Givens with 5:28 to play in the third quarter for the Rams' first touchdown of the preseason.
Trey Watts was the other main offensive weapon for the Rams. The second-year back from Tulsa, who will be forced to sit out the first four games of the season while serving an NFL suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy, rushed six times for 53 yards and caught three passes for 46.
On defense, Lamarcus Joyner had four tackles and an assist for the Rams.
RAMS BREAK THROUGH
The Rams finally got something going with a big play late in the third quarter as Case Keenum hooked up with Chris Givens on an 80-yard post pattern with 5:38 to play in the third quarter for the first touchdown of the Rams' preseason. Michael Palardy, a University of Tennessee product, booted the extra point to make 20-7.
The Rams received a bit of a spark from second-year pro Trey Watts to open the second half. The running back from Tulsa rushed for one first down and turned a screen pass from Case Keenum into a 33-yard yard gain for . But again the drive stalled near midfield and the Rams were forced to punt.
Watts will be forced to sit out the first four games of the season while serving an NFL suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
Watts continued his strong play on the drive following the Rams' TD, rushing for 18, 12 and 9 yards on successive plays to close out the third quarter.
The Rams had a chance to score again early in the fourth quarter, but a 46-yard field goal try from University of Tennessee product Michael Palardy was off the mark.
TITANS UP 20-0 AT THE HALF
It's been all Titans so far as Tennessee took a 20-0 lead to the halftime break in preseason action at Nissan Stadium.
With 8:58 to play in the first half, the Titans' Marcus Mariota is finished for the night, replaced by 2014 draft choice Zach Mettenberger. Marriota, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft. completed five of eight passes for 59 yards and had a quarterback rating of 84.9. He should've finished with a touchdown pass _ his pass over the middle for Dexter McCluster was dropped at the goal line _ and an interception _ the Rams' Mark Barron couldn't quite make the play on a pass in the flat. It was the final play of the night for Mariota, last year's Heisman Trophy winner.
Mettenberger, a sixth-round draft pick from LSU, led the Titans on an eight-play, 62-yard drive capped by his 3-yard scoring pass to former Mizzou tight end Chase Coffman on a third-and-goal play with 4:28 to play. Succop's kick made it 17-0.
The Rams have also replaced their quarterback as Case Keenum takes over for Foles with about 4 minutes left in the half. Keenum managed to get the Rams into Tennessee territory. But the drive stalled and a 53-yard field goal try by Greg Zuerlein with 1:04 left in the opening half sailed wide right.
The Titans quickly moved the ball downfield and added to their lead with a 32-yard field goal from Succop with three seconds left in the half.
The drive was highlighted by back-to-back-to-back passes good for first downs from Mettenberger to Dorial Green-Beckham, who starred at Mizzou before being dismissed from the squad. He transferred to Oklahoma but did not play there and was drafted in the second round (50th overall) by the Titans last spring.
Some more halftime numbers:
• Foles completed three of seven for 18 yards and an interception. Stedman Bailey has two catches for 34 yards.
• Green-Beckham leads the Titans with four catches for 40 yards. Mettenberger completed nine of seven passes for 91 yards and a TD after taking over for Mariota.
• Tennessee has 13 first downs to just four for the Rams. The home team has 226 total yards of offense; the Rams have just 84. On the plus side, the Rams have converted four of eight third-down plays.
TITANS TAKE CONTROL EARLY
The Titans grabbed the lead midway through the opening quarter. After a Rob Havenstein holding call set up a first-and-20 from the Rams' 21, Tennessee's Perrish Cox stepped in front of Rams' wideout Kenny Britt and picked off a short Nick Foles' pass to the right and returned it 24 yards to put the home team on top 6-0. The extra point from Ryan Succop made it 7-0 with 8:03 to play in the opening quarter.
With 34 seconds left in the quarter, Succop booted a 27-yard field goal to close out an eight-play, 71-yard drive. Key plays on the drive included a 35-yard pass from 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota to Craig Stevens and a personal foul against the Rams' Robert Quinn for a hit on Mariota with linebacker James Laurinaitis wrapped around the young quarterback's feet.
RAMS, TITANS ON NATIONAL TV
In a nationally televised game from Nissan Stadium, the Rams (0-1) and Tennessee Titans (0-1) square off in preseason action at 7 p.m.
Tonight marks a homecoming for Rams head coach Jeff Fisher _ and for a number of other Rams players and staff.
Fisher joined the Houston Oilers as a defensive coordinator in 1009 and replaced Jack Pardee as head coach before the end of the season. He was retained and held the job for 16 seasons, through the franchise's move to Tennessee in 1997 _ first in Memphis and then Nashville.
During his tenure, Fisher led the Titans to six playoff berths, three division titles and an AFC title in 1999, when Tennessee fell 23-16 to the Dick Vermeil's Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Fisher's 147 victories are the most in club history, 88 more than the No. 2 on the list, Bum Phillips.
The Titans haven't been to the playoffs since Fisher left after the 2010 season and are 24-40 over that span. A year ago, they finished 2-14.
There are six members of Fisher's coaching staff who played or coached in Tennessee _ assistant head coach Dave McGinnis, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, senior defensive assistant Chuck Cecil, wide receivers coach Ray Sherman, linebackers coach Frank Bush and assistant linebackers coach Joe Bowden.
In addition, there are four Rams who once played for the Titans: defensive end William Hayes, tight end Jared Cook, linebacker Akeem Ayers and wide receivers Kenny Britt and Damian Williams.
The Titans' 90-man training camp roster features just six players _ safety Michael Griffin, punter Brett Kern, cornerback Jason McCourty, linebacker Derrick Morgan, tight end Craig Stevens and offensive lineman Fernando Velasco _ who were with the club when Fisher last coached here in 2010.
RAMS INACTIVES
The following players will not see action this evening at Nissan Stadium: wide receiver Brian Quick, running back Todd Gurley, cornerbacks, Brandon McGee and E.J. Gaines, linebackers Daren Bates and Korey Toomer, guards Rodger Saffold and Cody Wichmann, tight end Brad Smelly and defensive tackle Doug Worthington.
Rams are in white jerseys and blue pants.
THE MATCHUP
Both teams are coming off road losses to open the preseason. The Rams fell 18-3 to the Raiders in Oakland while the Titans couldn't overcome an early 17-0 deficit in losing 31-24 to the Falcons in Atlanta.
While the Rams lead the overall series (regular and postseason) with seven wins in 12 games, the Titans lead the preseason series 7-4.
The Titans beat the Rams 28-21 at the Edward Jones Dome in 2013 in the teams' last regular-season meeting. It was the only time Fisher has coached against his former club.
MIZZOU CONNECTION
The Titans' roster features four players _ linebacker Zaviar Gooden, long snapper Beau Brinkley, tight end Chase Coffman and wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham.
Gooden will not play against the Rams due to a hamstring injury. Others not playing for the Titans are cornerbacks Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Jason McCourty, linebackers Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil and J.R. Tavai and nose tackle Sammie Hill.
• By Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_226922bb-a980-5bcf-9c2a-601b194eb12c.html
NASHVILLE • The Rams failed to get much of anything going on either side of the ball _ the exception being an 80-yard bomb from Case Keenum to Chris Givens with about 5 ½ minutes to play in the third quarter _ and fell 27-14 to the Tennessee Titans Sunday night in a nationally televised preseason game at Nissan Stadium.
The Rams, who fell to 0-2 in the preseason, will host the Indianapolis Colts Saturday at 7 p.m. The Titans evened their preseason record to 1-1.
Each team scored a late touchdown in the game. Tennessee went up 27-7 on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Alex Tanney to former University of Missouri star Chase Coffman with 1:45 to play. It was the second TD catch of the game for Coffman, a tight end in his sixth pro season.
The Rams answered as rookies Sean Mannion and Malcolm Brown hooked up on a 54-yard touchdown with 39 seconds to play. On the play, Brown, an undrafted free agent from Texas, hauled in a short pass, bounced off a pair of would-be tacklers and then tight-roped his wa down the left sideline for the TD.
Michael Palardy booted the extra point.
Keenum, who took over for starter Nick Foles in the second quarter, completed 7 of 16 passes for 164 yards and connected on an 80-yard post pattern with Givens with 5:28 to play in the third quarter for the Rams' first touchdown of the preseason.
Trey Watts was the other main offensive weapon for the Rams. The second-year back from Tulsa, who will be forced to sit out the first four games of the season while serving an NFL suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy, rushed six times for 53 yards and caught three passes for 46.
On defense, Lamarcus Joyner had four tackles and an assist for the Rams.
RAMS BREAK THROUGH
The Rams finally got something going with a big play late in the third quarter as Case Keenum hooked up with Chris Givens on an 80-yard post pattern with 5:38 to play in the third quarter for the first touchdown of the Rams' preseason. Michael Palardy, a University of Tennessee product, booted the extra point to make 20-7.
The Rams received a bit of a spark from second-year pro Trey Watts to open the second half. The running back from Tulsa rushed for one first down and turned a screen pass from Case Keenum into a 33-yard yard gain for . But again the drive stalled near midfield and the Rams were forced to punt.
Watts will be forced to sit out the first four games of the season while serving an NFL suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
Watts continued his strong play on the drive following the Rams' TD, rushing for 18, 12 and 9 yards on successive plays to close out the third quarter.
The Rams had a chance to score again early in the fourth quarter, but a 46-yard field goal try from University of Tennessee product Michael Palardy was off the mark.
TITANS UP 20-0 AT THE HALF
It's been all Titans so far as Tennessee took a 20-0 lead to the halftime break in preseason action at Nissan Stadium.
With 8:58 to play in the first half, the Titans' Marcus Mariota is finished for the night, replaced by 2014 draft choice Zach Mettenberger. Marriota, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft. completed five of eight passes for 59 yards and had a quarterback rating of 84.9. He should've finished with a touchdown pass _ his pass over the middle for Dexter McCluster was dropped at the goal line _ and an interception _ the Rams' Mark Barron couldn't quite make the play on a pass in the flat. It was the final play of the night for Mariota, last year's Heisman Trophy winner.
Mettenberger, a sixth-round draft pick from LSU, led the Titans on an eight-play, 62-yard drive capped by his 3-yard scoring pass to former Mizzou tight end Chase Coffman on a third-and-goal play with 4:28 to play. Succop's kick made it 17-0.
The Rams have also replaced their quarterback as Case Keenum takes over for Foles with about 4 minutes left in the half. Keenum managed to get the Rams into Tennessee territory. But the drive stalled and a 53-yard field goal try by Greg Zuerlein with 1:04 left in the opening half sailed wide right.
The Titans quickly moved the ball downfield and added to their lead with a 32-yard field goal from Succop with three seconds left in the half.
The drive was highlighted by back-to-back-to-back passes good for first downs from Mettenberger to Dorial Green-Beckham, who starred at Mizzou before being dismissed from the squad. He transferred to Oklahoma but did not play there and was drafted in the second round (50th overall) by the Titans last spring.
Some more halftime numbers:
• Foles completed three of seven for 18 yards and an interception. Stedman Bailey has two catches for 34 yards.
• Green-Beckham leads the Titans with four catches for 40 yards. Mettenberger completed nine of seven passes for 91 yards and a TD after taking over for Mariota.
• Tennessee has 13 first downs to just four for the Rams. The home team has 226 total yards of offense; the Rams have just 84. On the plus side, the Rams have converted four of eight third-down plays.
TITANS TAKE CONTROL EARLY
The Titans grabbed the lead midway through the opening quarter. After a Rob Havenstein holding call set up a first-and-20 from the Rams' 21, Tennessee's Perrish Cox stepped in front of Rams' wideout Kenny Britt and picked off a short Nick Foles' pass to the right and returned it 24 yards to put the home team on top 6-0. The extra point from Ryan Succop made it 7-0 with 8:03 to play in the opening quarter.
With 34 seconds left in the quarter, Succop booted a 27-yard field goal to close out an eight-play, 71-yard drive. Key plays on the drive included a 35-yard pass from 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota to Craig Stevens and a personal foul against the Rams' Robert Quinn for a hit on Mariota with linebacker James Laurinaitis wrapped around the young quarterback's feet.
RAMS, TITANS ON NATIONAL TV
In a nationally televised game from Nissan Stadium, the Rams (0-1) and Tennessee Titans (0-1) square off in preseason action at 7 p.m.
Tonight marks a homecoming for Rams head coach Jeff Fisher _ and for a number of other Rams players and staff.
Fisher joined the Houston Oilers as a defensive coordinator in 1009 and replaced Jack Pardee as head coach before the end of the season. He was retained and held the job for 16 seasons, through the franchise's move to Tennessee in 1997 _ first in Memphis and then Nashville.
During his tenure, Fisher led the Titans to six playoff berths, three division titles and an AFC title in 1999, when Tennessee fell 23-16 to the Dick Vermeil's Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Fisher's 147 victories are the most in club history, 88 more than the No. 2 on the list, Bum Phillips.
The Titans haven't been to the playoffs since Fisher left after the 2010 season and are 24-40 over that span. A year ago, they finished 2-14.
There are six members of Fisher's coaching staff who played or coached in Tennessee _ assistant head coach Dave McGinnis, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, senior defensive assistant Chuck Cecil, wide receivers coach Ray Sherman, linebackers coach Frank Bush and assistant linebackers coach Joe Bowden.
In addition, there are four Rams who once played for the Titans: defensive end William Hayes, tight end Jared Cook, linebacker Akeem Ayers and wide receivers Kenny Britt and Damian Williams.
The Titans' 90-man training camp roster features just six players _ safety Michael Griffin, punter Brett Kern, cornerback Jason McCourty, linebacker Derrick Morgan, tight end Craig Stevens and offensive lineman Fernando Velasco _ who were with the club when Fisher last coached here in 2010.
RAMS INACTIVES
The following players will not see action this evening at Nissan Stadium: wide receiver Brian Quick, running back Todd Gurley, cornerbacks, Brandon McGee and E.J. Gaines, linebackers Daren Bates and Korey Toomer, guards Rodger Saffold and Cody Wichmann, tight end Brad Smelly and defensive tackle Doug Worthington.
Rams are in white jerseys and blue pants.
THE MATCHUP
Both teams are coming off road losses to open the preseason. The Rams fell 18-3 to the Raiders in Oakland while the Titans couldn't overcome an early 17-0 deficit in losing 31-24 to the Falcons in Atlanta.
While the Rams lead the overall series (regular and postseason) with seven wins in 12 games, the Titans lead the preseason series 7-4.
The Titans beat the Rams 28-21 at the Edward Jones Dome in 2013 in the teams' last regular-season meeting. It was the only time Fisher has coached against his former club.
MIZZOU CONNECTION
The Titans' roster features four players _ linebacker Zaviar Gooden, long snapper Beau Brinkley, tight end Chase Coffman and wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham.
Gooden will not play against the Rams due to a hamstring injury. Others not playing for the Titans are cornerbacks Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Jason McCourty, linebackers Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil and J.R. Tavai and nose tackle Sammie Hill.
RamBill
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2015 NFL Preseason St. Louis Rams vs. Tennessee Titans: QB Nick Foles, RB Benny Cunningham, DE Chris Long, OLB Alec Ogletree Interviews
By 3k
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/8...s-rams-tennessee-titans-interviews-recap-news
Rams QB Nick Foles
(On how he thought the first team offense played)
"Tonight, we needed to get the ball in the endzone. We didn’t do our job. We need to get some points on the board, but it’s one of those things where there’s a lot we can learn from. Everything out here is fixable and we can fix it. We’ll get back to work. The second group right now is moving the ball really nicely. There are a lot of good things and we’re just going to improve on the things we didn’t do well."
(On if you need to get some of those mistakes out of the way in preseason)
"Yeah, I think in the preseason you really just continue to grow together, working together, seeing different things, different looks. It’s one of those things where all of these are learning opportunities. You can’t take it too hard. You just have to learn from it and move on and get better."
Rams RB Benny Cunningham
(On how he feels about his play in the first team offense)
"I feel like there’s most definitely room for improvement. I feel like the guys are motivated. We’re going to be able to put some points up this season. We just have to figure it out, eliminate mistakes and bring it all together."
(On this being a special moment getting to play back home)
"It feels good playing in front of family and friends. It’s most definitely a blessing. You know, I’m going to cherish this moment forever."
Rams DE Chris Long
(On how he feels the first team defense played)
"Not good enough. Not sharp enough. A couple of people were out of gas. A couple of things we need to fix. They’re not big deal issues, but we need to fix them and that’s what preseason is for."
Rams LB Alec Ogletree
(On how he thinks the first team defense played)
"I think the first team defense played…we played alright. I don’t think we did as well as we wanted to, but we definitely did some good things out there today. We touched a couple of balls and got off the field on third down a couple of times."
(On if he’s happy with the field goal in the redzone)
"Yeah, you know, we got a couple of red zone stops. Like I said, we did a lot of good things, but we definitely have a long ways to go and have to keep working."
By 3k
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/8...s-rams-tennessee-titans-interviews-recap-news
Rams QB Nick Foles
(On how he thought the first team offense played)
"Tonight, we needed to get the ball in the endzone. We didn’t do our job. We need to get some points on the board, but it’s one of those things where there’s a lot we can learn from. Everything out here is fixable and we can fix it. We’ll get back to work. The second group right now is moving the ball really nicely. There are a lot of good things and we’re just going to improve on the things we didn’t do well."
(On if you need to get some of those mistakes out of the way in preseason)
"Yeah, I think in the preseason you really just continue to grow together, working together, seeing different things, different looks. It’s one of those things where all of these are learning opportunities. You can’t take it too hard. You just have to learn from it and move on and get better."
Rams RB Benny Cunningham
(On how he feels about his play in the first team offense)
"I feel like there’s most definitely room for improvement. I feel like the guys are motivated. We’re going to be able to put some points up this season. We just have to figure it out, eliminate mistakes and bring it all together."
(On this being a special moment getting to play back home)
"It feels good playing in front of family and friends. It’s most definitely a blessing. You know, I’m going to cherish this moment forever."
Rams DE Chris Long
(On how he feels the first team defense played)
"Not good enough. Not sharp enough. A couple of people were out of gas. A couple of things we need to fix. They’re not big deal issues, but we need to fix them and that’s what preseason is for."
Rams LB Alec Ogletree
(On how he thinks the first team defense played)
"I think the first team defense played…we played alright. I don’t think we did as well as we wanted to, but we definitely did some good things out there today. We touched a couple of balls and got off the field on third down a couple of times."
(On if he’s happy with the field goal in the redzone)
"Yeah, you know, we got a couple of red zone stops. Like I said, we did a lot of good things, but we definitely have a long ways to go and have to keep working."
RamBill
Legend
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
Nick Foles, offensive line stuck in neutral, Trey Watts rising
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...nsive-line-stuck-in-neutral-trey-watts-rising
Here are some highs and lows in terms of individual performances from the St. Louis Rams' 27-14 loss against the Tennessee Titans:
Highs
WR Chris Givens: The Rams finally got their first touchdown of the preseason with a little more than five minutes left in the third quarter of the second game. It came courtesy of Givens, who burned the Titans for an 80-yard score with a perfect throw from quarterback Case Keenum. The deep ball is Givens' best trick but it's one the Rams can use and probably why he'll stick on the roster for a fourth season.
RB Trey Watts: Watts is suspended the first four games of the season for violation of the league's policy on substance abuse, which means he needs strong preseason performances to earn a roster spot. Nights like Sunday should help. He finished with 53 yards on six carries and added two catches for 42 yards.
QB Case Keenum: Competing for the No. 2 quarterback job, Keenum offered at least one reason to lock down the job with the aforementioned touchdown pass to Givens. It was the best throw by any Rams signal caller this preseason and finally got the Rams in the end zone. The final numbers weren't overwhelming as he finished seven-of-16 for 164 yards with the score for a rating of 102.1 but anyone on the offense providing big plays should get thumbs up.
Lows
QB Nick Foles: Foles was responsible for the Titans' first touchdown, throwing an aimless pass out into the flat that Perrish Cox intercepted and returned 24 yards for a touchdown. He finished three-of-seven for 18 yards with that pick and no touchdowns for a rating of 10.7.
The starting offensive line: Of course, Foles' struggles were due in part to the struggles of this group. Without left guard Rodger Saffold, that unit didn't allow a sack but there was plenty of pressure. What's worse, they only managed to pave the way for 2.4 yards per carry on nine attempts. That's not nearly enough for a team that wants to be run-centric.
CB Marcus Roberson: Roberson has had a strong camp but had a costly miss on a tackle that led to Hakeem Nicks' 40-yard catch-and-run and allowed a couple of other completions for sizable gains. He's all but certain to be the team's No. 4 cornerback but will need to be more consistent to elevate beyond that in 2015.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...nsive-line-stuck-in-neutral-trey-watts-rising
Here are some highs and lows in terms of individual performances from the St. Louis Rams' 27-14 loss against the Tennessee Titans:
Highs
WR Chris Givens: The Rams finally got their first touchdown of the preseason with a little more than five minutes left in the third quarter of the second game. It came courtesy of Givens, who burned the Titans for an 80-yard score with a perfect throw from quarterback Case Keenum. The deep ball is Givens' best trick but it's one the Rams can use and probably why he'll stick on the roster for a fourth season.
RB Trey Watts: Watts is suspended the first four games of the season for violation of the league's policy on substance abuse, which means he needs strong preseason performances to earn a roster spot. Nights like Sunday should help. He finished with 53 yards on six carries and added two catches for 42 yards.
QB Case Keenum: Competing for the No. 2 quarterback job, Keenum offered at least one reason to lock down the job with the aforementioned touchdown pass to Givens. It was the best throw by any Rams signal caller this preseason and finally got the Rams in the end zone. The final numbers weren't overwhelming as he finished seven-of-16 for 164 yards with the score for a rating of 102.1 but anyone on the offense providing big plays should get thumbs up.
Lows
QB Nick Foles: Foles was responsible for the Titans' first touchdown, throwing an aimless pass out into the flat that Perrish Cox intercepted and returned 24 yards for a touchdown. He finished three-of-seven for 18 yards with that pick and no touchdowns for a rating of 10.7.
The starting offensive line: Of course, Foles' struggles were due in part to the struggles of this group. Without left guard Rodger Saffold, that unit didn't allow a sack but there was plenty of pressure. What's worse, they only managed to pave the way for 2.4 yards per carry on nine attempts. That's not nearly enough for a team that wants to be run-centric.
CB Marcus Roberson: Roberson has had a strong camp but had a costly miss on a tackle that led to Hakeem Nicks' 40-yard catch-and-run and allowed a couple of other completions for sizable gains. He's all but certain to be the team's No. 4 cornerback but will need to be more consistent to elevate beyond that in 2015.
