Archive for October, 2007
Wednesday, October 31st, 2007
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Scott Linehan threw out a hefty carrot to Rams players during Tuesday’s squad
meeting: Have a decent practice Tuesday, and they wouldn’t have to come in
Wednesday.
“So we made sure we did decent at practice,” center Andy McCollum said,
chuckling.
After the players held up their end of the bargain, Linehan made good on his
end of the deal. The players were dismissed for the bye week Tuesday afternoon,
a day earlier than scheduled. Wednesday’s light workout, conditioning and film
study were canceled.
The team won’t gather again until Monday for practice and the start of
preparation for the Rams’ next contest, Nov. 11 in New Orleans.
(more…)
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Wednesday, October 31st, 2007
By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
While most of the team was planning rest and relaxation for the bye week, two
injured Rams had appointments with medical specialists.
Defensive end Leonard Little was in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday to see Dr.
Robert Anderson for an examination of the torn ligament in his left big toe.
Little will need surgery, but he wanted Anderson’s opinion as to whether he
could wait until after the season.
Guard Richie Incognito, who left Sunday’s game against Cleveland after
partially dislocating his right kneecap, will be in Birmingham, Ala., later
this week to consult with see Dr. James Andrews. Incognito will have
arthroscopic surgery, and then his availability for the rest of the season will
be determined.
“Once (Andrews) gets in there and scopes it, he’ll have a prognosis about how
long I’ll be out,” Incognito said. “If it’s a three-to-four-week deal, I’ll be
back. If it’s going to be longer, six to eight weeks, it looks like I’ll
probably go on injured reserve.”
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Thursday, October 18th, 2007
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Realistically, Steven Jackson is at least a week away from returning to the
Rams’ lineup. But the Pro Bowl running back took his first steps back to the
playing field Wednesday in practice.
Wearing the red “no-contact” jersey, Jackson took part in some individual
drills — running, cutting and catching passes. It was far from a full practice,
but the mere sight of No. 39 was a boost for his teammates.
“You could tell that it was his first day back,” tight end Randy McMichael
said. “He didn’t want to really try to push too much, aggravate it or
something. But it was good to see him out there. You know, see him smiling and
laughing, and seeing those ‘dreads’ flop at you on the run.”
(more…)
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Thursday, October 18th, 2007
By Jeff Gordon
STLTODAY
So how did the Rams get to 0-6 this season? How did they get into a discussion
about finishing 0-16 and getting the first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft?
A lot went wrong, obviously. Much has been made of their spotty draft history
-– especially in the Mike Martz Era -– but the Rams actually got a decent yield
from their last three crops.
After taking a longer look at the drafts, your cyber-correspondent came to
believe injuries and free-agent casualties were far bigger issues. See for
yourself:
(more…)
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Thursday, October 18th, 2007
By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Life was working out just dandy for Travis Taylor in 2000. A few months after
Baltimore made the wide receiver from the University of Florida the 10th
overall draft pick, Taylor caught three touchdown passes in his first two NFL
games.
A broken collarbone ended his rookie season after nine games, however, and
Taylor has struggled since to live up to the expectations that come with being
a first-round draftee. Taylor, who spent five seasons with the Ravens and the
last two with Minnesota, had been unemployed since Sept. 24 before signing
Tuesday with the Rams.
(more…)
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Monday, October 15th, 2007
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
BALTIMORE — Given all the injuries, plus the ineffectiveness of the St. Louis
offense, there was only one formula that could possibly get the Rams out of M&T
Stadium Sunday with a victory.
Namely, minimize mistakes on offense and make the most of any opportunity that
came their way.
Instead, the Rams did just the opposite. When Gus Frerotte wasn’t under siege
from the Baltimore pass rush — and he took a beating Sunday — he was hanging on
to the football too long.
As a result, one Frerotte pass after another was there for the taking. And the
hungry Ravens defense grabbed them like crabcakes at an Inner Harbor
restaurant. By day’s end, Frerotte had thrown a career-high five interceptions,
and lost a fumble as well, in a 22-3 Rams defeat.
At 0-6, the Rams have matched the worst start in the 70-year history of the
franchise.
“Our defense played their (bleeps) off for us, and we weren’t able to hold up
our end of the bargain,” tight end Randy McMichael said. “It’s frustrating,
because you have no excuse for it. No matter who’s here or who’s not here, we
still have enough talent on the football team to get it done.”
(more…)
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Monday, October 15th, 2007
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Oct. 15 2007
QUARTERBACK
And you thought Bulger was ineffective? Five interceptions and one lost fumble
by Frerotte says it all. GRADE: F
RUNNING BACKS
After topping 100 yards rushing last week, Leonard got a reality check from Ray
Lewis & Co. GRADE: D
(more…)
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Monday, October 15th, 2007
By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
BALTIMORE — Just a mile or so from the gravesite of macabre story-teller Edgar
Allan Poe, Rams quarterback Gus Frerotte suffered Sunday though his own tale of
horror.
The evil-doers came in the purple-and-black form of the Baltimore Ravens.
Sacked four times and whacked even more often, Frerotte was harried into six
turnovers — five interceptions and a fumble — in a 22-3 loss that dropped the
Rams to 0-6 in a season that Frerotte bitterly termed as “really screwed up.”
“I know a lot of stuff will be said about all this and what happened today, and
we’ve just got to live with it,” said Frerotte, subbing for banged-up starter
Marc Bulger for a second successive Sunday. “But it’s a tough way to play the
game. It makes you want to throw up.”
Frerotte, 36, has appeared in 130 games, with 81 starts, in his 14-year NFL
career. Never had he seen so many of his passes fall into enemy hands. Twice,
he’d been picked off four times (by the New York Giants in 1995 and San Diego
in 2000).
The six turnovers led to 12 Ravens points and eased the task for a proud unit
that came into the game ranked fourth in the league in total defense. “He’s a
tough veteran quarterback, and he stayed in there,” linebacker Ray Lewis said.
“But we knew we had to get to him, bottom line. And I think we did a great job
of doing that.”
Frerotte couldn’t disagree. Asked afterward where he was hurting, Frerotte
winced and said, “You name it.” Twice he stayed down after big hits, one to the
ribs and another to the jaw. The game ended with wide receiver Marques Hagans,
who caught a team-high five passes but also is the No. 3 quarterback, taking a
snap and a knee.
“You’ve got to feel for Gus, a guy that works so hard and takes pride in his
job,” Hagans said. Added newly acquired wideout Brandon Williams: “You never
want to see a guy down that much, taking that many shots. But that’s how the
games goes; sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down.”
(more…)
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Monday, October 15th, 2007
By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
BALTIMORE — In a cruel turn of irony, punter Donnie Jones — arguably the Rams’
most effective player during this 0-6 season — didn’t get much of a chance to
show off his left leg Sunday. The Rams’ first two series ended with Jones
punts; he didn’t get on the field thereafter.
That’s mainly because the Rams were busy handing the ball back to the Baltimore
Ravens, who collected 12 points off turnovers in their 22-3 victory.
Quarterback Gus Frerotte, a 14-year veteran, tossed a career-high five
interceptions and also lost a fumble.
(more…)
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Monday, October 8th, 2007
By Jeff Gordon
ONLINE SPORTS COLUMNIST
The Rams actually made some progress Sunday afternoon.
Rookie running back Brian Leonard ran for 102 yards, averaging 5.7 per carry.
Jeff Wilkins broke out of his perplexing slump by hitting all three of his
field goal attempts.
Fill-in quarterback Gus Frerotte threw touchdown passes to Drew Bennett, Torry
Holt and Randy McMichael while Marc Bulger got a little R&R on the sidelines.
(more…)
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Monday, October 8th, 2007
By Bryan Burwell
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
As the Rams continue on this cruel and inevitable march toward the pole
position in the ‘08 NFL draft, nothing much seems to change from Sunday to
Sunday. On this unsightly journey the scenery never alters. Wretched misfortune
looms over the horizon, excruciating depression is gaining in their rear-view
mirror, and buzzard’s luck is constantly riding shotgun.
“I’ve never been a part of anything like this on any level,” said an
understandably frustrated Dante Hall after Sunday’s 34-31 loss to the Arizona
Cardinals at the Edward Jones Dome.
(more…)
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Monday, October 8th, 2007
By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
As he watched Arizona cornerback Roderick Hood streak toward the end zone with
a football that only seconds earlier had been in his hands, Rams quarterback
Gus Frerotte had one desperate thought.
“I just hoped that somebody could catch him,” he said. But he knew better.
After stepping in front of tight end Randy McMichael and intercepting
Frerotte’s pass early in the fourth quarter, Hood had clear sailing. His
68-yard touchdown — on his second interception — put the momentum firmly in
Arizona’s camp, and the Cardinals went on to a 34-31 victory Sunday that
dropped the Rams to 0-5.
Frerotte, who started for banged-up Marc Bulger, was furious with himself for
that throw. “That was a back-breaker,” he said. “I was getting some pressure
and I was just trying to get it out of my hand and not take a sack. … I’m
smarter than that, I’ve played long enough that I can’t make a throw like that
that basically gives them the game.”
(more…)
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Monday, October 8th, 2007
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Richie Incognito made a name for himself Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome. But
when you’re an offensive lineman, that’s usually not a good thing. Making his
regular-season debut after being sidelined since mid-August with a high ankle
sprain, Incognito was flagged four times for 50 yards against Arizona.
All four penalties came in the second half. Two were unnecessary roughness
infractions, drawing 15-yard penalties apiece. The first came on the extra
point after a touchdown catch by Torry Holt early in the third quarter. The
second came on the Rams’ next possession, after an interception thrown by
quarterback Gus Frerotte.
(more…)
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Monday, October 8th, 2007
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Oct. 08 2007
QUARTERBACK:
Two of Frerotte’s three INTs should never have been thrown; one was returned
for a game-changing TD.
GRADE: D
RUNNING BACK:
Leonard topped 100 yards and averaged 5.7 yards per carry; maybe he should’ve
gotten the ball more often.
GRADE: B +
(more…)
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Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger, who has been playing with two broken ribs, will be replaced by backup Gus Frerotte for Sunday’s home game against Arizona.
“Bulger is hurt, and Frerotte is the quarterback until Bulger’s ribs heal,” Rams spokesman Rick Smith said.
Coach Scott Linehan told both quarterbacks Tuesday.
(more…)
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