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By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20161002/this-magic-moment-belongs-to-rams-tavon-austin
GLENDALE >> As much lip as Tavon Austin gives his defensive teammates – and the quietest guy you’ll ever meet freely admits he’s the loudest guy in the stadium come game day – even he knew it was time to shut up and step up late in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals on Sunday.
“Someone needs to make a play,” he thought to himself as he lined up to take a punt return with just over five minutes left in the game.
The crazy thing is, from the blockers in front of Austin to the teammates standing on the sideline, there was a feeling among the Rams that someone was about to get sprinkled with the pixie dust again.
Just as Alec Ogletree did two weeks ago against the Seahawks while forcing a fumble to preserve a Rams win and Robert Quinn did seven days ago when he chased down Jameis Winston to save the day against the Buccaneers.
“We’re starting the get that feeling that someone, somehow, is going to make the play that needs to be made,” said defensive tackle Michael Brockers.
Austin was about to be that guy.
And you know what, if you’re being honest with yourself, you sensed something was about to happen too.
That is, when you weren’t screaming bloody murder wondering if they’d ever get out of their own way long enough to beat what’s turned out to be the very beatable Cardinals.
Just as you did the last three games, only for it to improbably all work out in the end.
Makes you wonder if something special is happening to the suddenly tough-minded and gritty Rams.
We can’t quite put a finger to it, but it’s fun and fascinating and absolutely surprising. And it’s pushed them to an improbable 3-1 start after Sunday’s 17-13 win over the Cardinals and first place in the NFC West and a growing sense of confidence within locker room.
“We’re starting to believe,” Austin said.
Maybe we all are.
It might not be pretty and it can be downright maddening watching them play offense, but they’re suddenly figuring out ways to win games they typically lost in years past.
In what’s becoming a bit of a theme to the Rams first season back in Los Angeles, they muddle around through long afternoons and sometimes force you to turn away in disgust at the lack of offensive imagination and the silly penalties and passes that miss the mark or catchable balls that fall to the ground.
You’ll cuss at them and throw your hands up in frustration. You’ll threaten to change the channel in anger or lose hope and give up.
But you don’t, because it’s becoming a thing now to – wait for it - stick it out to the very end with the Rams.
And witness some game-changing or game-saving play that rips victory from the jaws of defeat.
Like, say, the smallest guy on the team making the biggest play of the game to set the Rams up for the go-ahead touchdown and first place in the division.
And in the process, alter the way we look at the Rams and the way the Rams look at themselves.
“I feel when you win and you’re a 3-1 team, that will change the look of your team,” Rams linebacker Mark Barron said.
Amen to that.
With a tip of the hat to Austin.
As usual, the Rams defense was playing lights out against the high-powered Cardinals, building a near impenetrable wall at the goal line and battering Carson Palmer so viciously he eventually had to leave the game with a concussion.
The Rams offense, not so much.
Once again, they couldn’t get Todd Gurley off in the run game and while Keenum played admirably, it wasn’t reflected in points or production. With Gurley getting stonewalled again, and penalties sabotaging potential scoring drives, it was a mostly frustrating afternoon for the Rams offense.
Which is why the very reasonable 13 points the defense had surrendered to the Cardinals by the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter was only enough to keep the Rams in the game and not lead it.
Austin, as honest and conscientious as they come, bore his share of the responsibility for the offensive struggles, taking his spot in line with all the rest of the players on that side of the ball.
“Thing is, the defense was playing so great,” Austin said. “We put them in such tough positions but they kept fighting though. They kept us in the game. They did their job. So you want so badly to do your part.”
After Quinn and Aaron Donald sandwiched Palmer on a vicious sack to force a punt with 5:26 remaining, Austin lined up at the Rams 20-yard-line hoping against hope Cardinals punter Ryan Quigley would give him a chance.
I thought they were going to sky it, which is what they were doing all game,” Austin said.
Inexplicably Quigley sent a perfectly returnable ball floating in Austin’s direction.
“I lucked out and he gave me one,” Austin said.
Upon catching the punt Austin leaned right, and immediately saw on-coming Cardinals tackler Justin Bethel trip and fall.
“Once he fell down, that was the key,” said Austin, who raced to the right sideline and turned up the field. “We got some great blocks out there (special teams coach John Fassel) put a great return together and just did what I do best.”
The result was a 51-yard return that set the Rams up at the Cardinals 19. In fact, had it not been for a face mask penalty on Ifeanyi Momah it might have been more.
“I was gonna walk it in,” Austin said, laughing.
He didn’t need too. Two plays after Austin’s game-changing return Keenum hooked up with Brian Quick on a 4-yard touchdown pass and the Rams led 17-14.
“I gave us the momentum. Quicky finished it up,” Austin said.
Well, actually it was the defense that put the finishing touch on the Rams third straight win, with Barron intercepting Drew Stanton to end one comeback drive and T.J. McDonald picking off another Stanton pass at the back of the end zone as time expired to end another.
But Austin’s point was clear.
For the third week in a row, the Rams needed someone to step up and save the day. And for the third straight week someone did just that.
“At any given time, someone can pop,” Austin said.
It was his turn with the pixie dust Sunday.
You’re starting to believe next week, it’ll be someone else.
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20161002/this-magic-moment-belongs-to-rams-tavon-austin
GLENDALE >> As much lip as Tavon Austin gives his defensive teammates – and the quietest guy you’ll ever meet freely admits he’s the loudest guy in the stadium come game day – even he knew it was time to shut up and step up late in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals on Sunday.
“Someone needs to make a play,” he thought to himself as he lined up to take a punt return with just over five minutes left in the game.
The crazy thing is, from the blockers in front of Austin to the teammates standing on the sideline, there was a feeling among the Rams that someone was about to get sprinkled with the pixie dust again.
Just as Alec Ogletree did two weeks ago against the Seahawks while forcing a fumble to preserve a Rams win and Robert Quinn did seven days ago when he chased down Jameis Winston to save the day against the Buccaneers.
“We’re starting the get that feeling that someone, somehow, is going to make the play that needs to be made,” said defensive tackle Michael Brockers.
Austin was about to be that guy.
And you know what, if you’re being honest with yourself, you sensed something was about to happen too.
That is, when you weren’t screaming bloody murder wondering if they’d ever get out of their own way long enough to beat what’s turned out to be the very beatable Cardinals.
Just as you did the last three games, only for it to improbably all work out in the end.
Makes you wonder if something special is happening to the suddenly tough-minded and gritty Rams.
We can’t quite put a finger to it, but it’s fun and fascinating and absolutely surprising. And it’s pushed them to an improbable 3-1 start after Sunday’s 17-13 win over the Cardinals and first place in the NFC West and a growing sense of confidence within locker room.
“We’re starting to believe,” Austin said.
Maybe we all are.
It might not be pretty and it can be downright maddening watching them play offense, but they’re suddenly figuring out ways to win games they typically lost in years past.
In what’s becoming a bit of a theme to the Rams first season back in Los Angeles, they muddle around through long afternoons and sometimes force you to turn away in disgust at the lack of offensive imagination and the silly penalties and passes that miss the mark or catchable balls that fall to the ground.
You’ll cuss at them and throw your hands up in frustration. You’ll threaten to change the channel in anger or lose hope and give up.
But you don’t, because it’s becoming a thing now to – wait for it - stick it out to the very end with the Rams.
And witness some game-changing or game-saving play that rips victory from the jaws of defeat.
Like, say, the smallest guy on the team making the biggest play of the game to set the Rams up for the go-ahead touchdown and first place in the division.
And in the process, alter the way we look at the Rams and the way the Rams look at themselves.
“I feel when you win and you’re a 3-1 team, that will change the look of your team,” Rams linebacker Mark Barron said.
Amen to that.
With a tip of the hat to Austin.
As usual, the Rams defense was playing lights out against the high-powered Cardinals, building a near impenetrable wall at the goal line and battering Carson Palmer so viciously he eventually had to leave the game with a concussion.
The Rams offense, not so much.
Once again, they couldn’t get Todd Gurley off in the run game and while Keenum played admirably, it wasn’t reflected in points or production. With Gurley getting stonewalled again, and penalties sabotaging potential scoring drives, it was a mostly frustrating afternoon for the Rams offense.
Which is why the very reasonable 13 points the defense had surrendered to the Cardinals by the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter was only enough to keep the Rams in the game and not lead it.
Austin, as honest and conscientious as they come, bore his share of the responsibility for the offensive struggles, taking his spot in line with all the rest of the players on that side of the ball.
“Thing is, the defense was playing so great,” Austin said. “We put them in such tough positions but they kept fighting though. They kept us in the game. They did their job. So you want so badly to do your part.”
After Quinn and Aaron Donald sandwiched Palmer on a vicious sack to force a punt with 5:26 remaining, Austin lined up at the Rams 20-yard-line hoping against hope Cardinals punter Ryan Quigley would give him a chance.
I thought they were going to sky it, which is what they were doing all game,” Austin said.
Inexplicably Quigley sent a perfectly returnable ball floating in Austin’s direction.
“I lucked out and he gave me one,” Austin said.
Upon catching the punt Austin leaned right, and immediately saw on-coming Cardinals tackler Justin Bethel trip and fall.
“Once he fell down, that was the key,” said Austin, who raced to the right sideline and turned up the field. “We got some great blocks out there (special teams coach John Fassel) put a great return together and just did what I do best.”
The result was a 51-yard return that set the Rams up at the Cardinals 19. In fact, had it not been for a face mask penalty on Ifeanyi Momah it might have been more.
“I was gonna walk it in,” Austin said, laughing.
He didn’t need too. Two plays after Austin’s game-changing return Keenum hooked up with Brian Quick on a 4-yard touchdown pass and the Rams led 17-14.
“I gave us the momentum. Quicky finished it up,” Austin said.
Well, actually it was the defense that put the finishing touch on the Rams third straight win, with Barron intercepting Drew Stanton to end one comeback drive and T.J. McDonald picking off another Stanton pass at the back of the end zone as time expired to end another.
But Austin’s point was clear.
For the third week in a row, the Rams needed someone to step up and save the day. And for the third straight week someone did just that.
“At any given time, someone can pop,” Austin said.
It was his turn with the pixie dust Sunday.
You’re starting to believe next week, it’ll be someone else.
