Archive for the ‘Game Recaps’ Category
Monday, December 17th, 2007
By Jeff Gordon
ONLINE SPORTS COLUMNIST
Sunday, Dec. 16 2007
It was (bad) business as usual for the Rams Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome.
Scott Linehan devised a safety-first offensive game plan featuring bulldozing
back Steven Jackson. The Rams sustained two impressive first-half scoring
drives and trailed the Green Bay Packers by just three points at the half.
Jim Haslett’s defensive unit did some good things, with Brandon Chillar forcing
a fumble (which Adam Carriker recovered) and O.J. Atogwe picking off two
passes. Even rookie cornerback Jonathan Wade broke up a couple of passes, which
was unusual for him.
But . . .
As usual, the Rams found ways to fail. Their kicking game was awful. They
consistently gave the Packers short fields.
They were prone to penalties, getting flagged 13 times for 93 yards. Jeff
Wilkins chunked another field goal attempt.
(more…)
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Monday, December 17th, 2007
By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Quarterbacks rarely ask to get knocked down. But the Rams’ Marc Bulger, who had
missed two games after suffering a concussion, was eager to find out how he
would withstand the contact.
“I was hoping to get the first hit out of the way,” he said. He didn’t have to
wait long: On the second play of the Rams’ first series Sunday, Green Bay
linebacker Nick Barnett burst through for a sack.
“I felt fine,” Bulger reported.
Even after a solid blow to the head later, Bulger was unfazed.
“I’m not sure if it was a knee or a fist or what got me,” he said. “I was
worried for a second or two, but it went away. So, I’m back to 100 percent.”
(more…)
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Monday, November 12th, 2007
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
NEW ORLEANS — Marc Bulger’s most meaningful handoff of the season didn’t take
place on the field Sunday. Minutes after the Rams’ startling 37-29 victory over
heavily favored New Orleans, Bulger turned in the visitors’ locker room and
handed a game ball to. …
Scott Linehan.
In a season of offensive crises and eight straight losses — as well as the
“infamous” rolling of the eyes in Seattle — it was a nice gesture by Bulger.
Bulger said he didn’t act on his own in handing the game ball to the Rams’
beleaguered head coach.
(more…)
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Monday, November 12th, 2007
By Bernie Miklasz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
NEW ORLEANS — Can we see some IDs?
We’ll need to verify this with two forms of identification.
Who were these people in the Rams uniform?
Sunday at the Louisiana Superdome, the Rams produced a blast from the past, a
three-hour reprisal of the “Greatest Show” era. It was reminiscent of a time
when the coach called daring plays, a Pro Bowl quarterback zipped precision
passes to graceful receivers, and an undersized defense buzzed with energy.
For the first time during this tortuous season, the Rams were all of those
things, and more. Rams coaches had the smartest strategy and clearly won the
battle of the game plans. The brash Rams players played with an air of
confidence, overwhelmed their stunned opponent and silenced a disbelieving
crowd.
(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 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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Tuesday, October 2nd, 2007
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
In Dallas, quarterback Tony Romo is being called the Magic Man and the second
coming of Roger Staubach.
Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis called it the greatest play in NFL history.
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips called it a miracle play.
Monday in St. Louis, they still were shaking their heads over Romo’s Ramble,
that improbable 70-yard scramble — for a net 4-yard gain — that turned the
momentum Dallas’ way late in the first half Sunday at Texas Stadium.
Rams coach Scott Linehan said he’s never seen a play quite like that.
(more…)
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Monday, September 17th, 2007
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
The wheels didn’t fall off Sunday, but they were wobbly. Very wobbly. For the
second week in a row, the Rams’ “drive” to the playoffs veered dangerously off
course.
This time, a 17-16 loss to San Francisco left the Rams in an 0-2 ditch, and
about to engage in a stretch of six road contests over the next eight games.
For those keeping score, only four of the past 60 teams to start a season 0-2
have reached the postseason. And only one of those four — the 2003 Philadelphia
Eagles — lost their first two home games as the Rams have done. What now?
“Like anybody else, you’ve got to go home, feel the pain, look at the tape, and
then decide what you want to do,” place-kicker Jeff Wilkins said.
(more…)
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Monday, September 17th, 2007
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Sep. 17 2007
Grading the Rams after their 17-16 loss to the San Francisco 49ers:
QUARTERBACK
Bulger didn’t see a couple of open receivers but otherwise did an admirable
job, given the beating he took from the 49ers’ pass rushers.
GRADE: A minus
RUNNING BACK
It looked like Jackson missed a couple of run reads, and some pass rushers on
blitz pickup, as well.
GRADE: D
(more…)
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