Decision costs the Rams
September 18th, 2007 | by Kevin Morris |
By
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
On a day when the Rams’ defense yielded only 186 yards, the only glaring
blemish was a 43-yard touchdown run by San Francisco’s Frank Gore on a
fourth-and-1 play late in the third quarter. Strong safety Corey Chavous went
for the football near the line of scrimmage, and Gore made Chavous and the Rams
pay.
“I tried to strip the ball, and he spun while I was stripping it, and basically
got away from me,” Chavous said. “It just led to him breaking more tackles.”
Gore was sidelined during the exhibition season with a broken hand, so the Rams
stressed even more than usual trying to strip the football.
“We know he had the hand problem,” defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said. “I
thought we were doing a good job of trying to get the ball out. But in that
case, I think Corey just made a poor decision. … You’ve got to secure the
tackle first, and then the second and third men in have to try to get the ball
out.”
In that case, even if Gore gets the first down, the 49ers still have about 40
yards to go for a TD.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
All five Rams turnovers this season have come on fumbles. One of the fumbles
came Sunday when quarterback Marc Bulger lost the ball on a sack. No matter how
careful you are with the football, that’s going to happen from time to time.
But what’s confounding about the giveaways is that wide receiver Torry Holt,
wide receiver-return man Dante Hall (above) and running back Steven Jackson
aren’t known as fumblers. Those three players have accounted for the other four
lost fumbles. So sooner or later, this has to end, right?
“It can’t last because we can’t allow it to last,” coach Scott Linehan said.
“It’s happening because we’re too loose with the football. That starts with
coaching. We say that we practice it, but it’s not carrying over in the games.
Hopefully, it’s a lesson we’ve learned the hard way and we won’t continue it.”
INJURY UPDATE
— RG Richie Incognito (ankle) is expected to miss another week or two.
— CB Tye Hill (back) is expected to miss another three to five weeks, although
the Rams deny he has broken ribs.
— LB Pisa Tinoisamoa (ankle) is questionable for Tampa Bay.
—OG Claude Terrell (thigh, knee) underwent an MRI on Monday, but the injury is
not thought to be serious.
— OT Milford Brown (ankle) missed part of the 49ers’ game, but the injury is
not thought to be serious.
— WR Drew Bennett (quad) came out of the 49ers’ game OK.
— QB Marc Bulger (ribs, knee) remained sore on Monday but is expected to be OK.
— DE Leonard Little (toe) should be fine for Sunday.
THE STAT
In 1998, the last time the Rams started 0-2 with both losses at home, the team
finished 4-12.
QUOTABLE
“These are the challenges that make or break you. I think as a football team,
we’re a high-character group, and that character will be tested.” — Chavous, on
the 0-2 start.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Rams begin a stretch of six road contests over the next eight games with a
trip to Tampa Bay. The Rams are 0-2 in Tampa since the move to St. Louis in
1995, having lost there most recently 26-14 in 2002. In that game, a battered
Kurt Warner threw four interceptions, matching a career high, and was sacked
five times.
