ST. LOUIS (AP)—Small consolation for the winless St. Louis Rams. Steven
Jackson should be good to go next week.

Jackson returned to the lineup after missing a game with a right leg injury,
but played sparingly and was no factor in a 37-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on
Sunday.

Maybe Jackson can make more of an impact against the Washington Redskins.

“We weren’t going to overuse him,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “We just
had a role for him and that was to protect him, and he understood that.”

Everything else went in reverse.

Rookie Torrey Smith(notes) scored three touchdowns on passes from Joe Flacco(notes)
totaling 133 yards in the first quarter, sparking a franchise record-setting day
on offense for Baltimore.

The Ravens (2-1) got back on their game and then some after stumbling in a
loss at Tennessee last week. A 406-yard first half that fueled a 27-point
cushion, and the game total of 553 yards, were both bests for the franchise that
moved from Cleveland in 1996.

Baltimore also sacked Sam Bradford(notes) five times, dealing out what the
quarterback thought was one of the worst physical beatings he’s taken in the
NFL.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Bradford said. “When we play the way
we did in the first half and let the game get out of control, it makes it tough
when you’re trying to fight back.

“Yeah, I probably am beat-up a little more than I have been.”

Jackson, who had been questionable, got the go-ahead after a workout on
Saturday. He finished with only 23 yards on four carries, while backup Cadillac
Williams had 75 yards on 18 carries.

“I didn’t have any setbacks in the game and that’s good news,” Jackson
said.

Needless to say, he was disappointed in the outcome and the Rams’ stumbling
start.

“For whatever reason, we’ve continued to stump ourselves,” Jackson said.
“Our hard work, especially in training camp, is not carrying over. All we can
do is look at ourselves in the mirror.”

Jackson said the Rams have plenty of time to turn it around.

“This season is not lost,” he said “We definitely need to get a ‘W’ and
we need to get one fast. I give you my word as a captain, guys are working
hard.”

St. Louis (0-3) finally scored with Brandon Gibson’s(notes) 34-yard catch late in
the third quarter. Haloti Ngata(notes) capped the scoring with a 28-yard fumble return
after Ray Lewis(notes) stripped Bradford on a sack late in the fourth quarter. By then,
the Edward Jones Dome was virtually empty.

Flacco was 27 for 48 for a career-high 389 yards, 192 more than last week.
Bradford was 16 for 32 for 166 yards with one touchdown and an interception, and
Rams were held to 244 yards.

The Ravens punted for the first time with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the third
quarter. Their lone failure was long field goal kicking, with Billy Cundiff(notes)
making three chances inside the 40, but missing twice from 51 yards.

Smith, a second-round pick who had 12 touchdown receptions last year at
Maryland, got his first career start ahead of injured Lee Evans(notes). Touchdown
catches of 74, 41 and 18 yards capped three of the Ravens’ first four
possessions, and the rookie finished with five receptions for 152 yards.

Smith beat cornerback Justin King(notes) down the right sideline on Baltimore’s
second offensive play, catching Flacco’s pass in stride and sprinting the last
30 yards. King, a starter because Ron Bartell(notes) was lost for the season with a
neck injury, was schooled again on the second score. Smith made the catch
running full-out near the back of the end zone.

King and safety Darian Stewart(notes) couldn’t cover Smith on a fade pattern into
the left corner of the end zone that put Baltimore ahead 21-0 late in the first
quarter.

Smith finished the half with four catches for 144 yards.

Flacco consistently got the ball out just in time to negate the Rams’
frequent blitzes. He had the three touchdown passes and no interceptions, just
like in the Ravens’ impressive opening 35-7 victory over the Steelers. Against
the Titans, he had one TD pass and two picks.

The Rams were expected to contend in the NFC West, but resembled the 2009
unit that dropped its first seven, got beaten four times by at least 19 points
at home, and went 1-15 in Spagnuolo’s first season.

St. Louis had six punts and an interception in the first half, mustering 81
yards and six first downs. Players were serenaded with boos as they trotted off
at halftime.

During the second quarter, Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk tweeted, “Has
anyone seen the Rams that played the preseason?” St. Louis was 4-0 in the games
that didn’t count.

ST. LOUIS (AP)—This NFL thing, it’s no big deal for Torrey Smith(notes). In their
dreams, the St. Louis Rams’ secondary will be chasing the rookie wide receiver
who registered barely a blip on the scouting report.

Smith caught long touchdown passes from Joe Flacco(notes) totaling 133 yards on his
first three career receptions, a huge first half that sparked a franchise
record-setting day on offense by the Baltimore Ravens in a 37-7 rout of the
defenseless St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

“I’ve been playing football forever and I’ve been making plays forever,”
Smith said. “Having a game like this, it proves to other people that haven’t
seen me play, it lets them know I can play.”

The Ravens (2-1) got back on their game and then some after stumbling in a
loss at Tennessee last week. The 406-yard first half that fueled a 27-point
cushion, and the game total of 553 yards, were both bests for the franchise that
moved from Cleveland in 1996.

Baltimore also sacked Sam Bradford(notes) five times.

“I’m proud of the way we attacked, really in all three phases,” coach John
Harbaugh. “I like the way Joe got after it. Torrey Smith, what can you say? You
talk about a breakout performance in the first quarter, that’s pretty historic
right there.”

St. Louis (0-3) finally got on the scoreboard with Brandon Gibson’s(notes) 34-yard
catch late in the third quarter. Haloti Ngata(notes) wrapped up a thorough whipping
with a 28-yard fumble return after Ray Lewis(notes) stripped Bradford on a sack late in
the fourth quarter. By then, the Edward Jones Dome was virtually empty.

“I don’t have an explanation,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “I wish I did.
If I had, I would have solved it at halftime, but I don’t.”

Flacco was 27 for 48 for a career-high 389 yards, 192 more than last week.
This, he said, was more like it.

“Hey, we came out and attacked today,” Flacco said. “Is the goal getting
to the playoffs for us? No, we know we can do that. The goal is to win the Super
Bowl.”

Spagnuolo expected more of a conservative, pound-it-out approach from the
Ravens.

“They came in with a little different approach than we thought,” the coach
said. “They were winging it downfield and they were successful doing it.”

Bradford was 16 for 32 for 166 yards with one touchdown and an interception
and agreed with running back Steven Jackson’s assessment that the Rams got
bullied. After the game he appeared dazed, slumped in a chair in front of his
locker stall with legs askew.

“We knew that was kind of their M.O.,” Bradford said. “We did what we
didn’t want to do, which is fall behind. It’s like we weren’t even playing in
the first half.”

The Ravens punted for the first time with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the third
quarter. Their lone failure was long field goal kicking, with Billy Cundiff(notes)
making three chances inside the 40 but missing twice from 51 yards.

Cundiff hurt his right calf after getting hit on a roughing-the-kicker call
following the final touchdown and didn’t make the ensuing kickoff, but was fine
after the game.

Smith, a second-round pick who had 12 touchdown receptions last year at
Maryland, got his first career start ahead of injured Lee Evans(notes). Touchdown
catches of 74, 41 and 18 yards capped three of the Ravens’ first four
possessions, and finished with five receptions for 152 yards.

Smith burned cornerback Justin King(notes) down the right sideline on Baltimore’s
second offensive play, catching Flacco’s pass in stride and sprinting in the
last 30 yards. King, a starter because Ron Bartell(notes) was lost for the season with
a neck injury, was schooled again on the second score. Smith made the catch
running full-out near the back of the end zone.

King and safety Darian Stewart(notes) couldn’t cover Smith on a fade pattern into
the left corner of the end zone that put Baltimore ahead 21-0 late in the first
quarter.

Smith finished the half with four catches for 144 yards.

Flacco consistently got the ball out just in time to negate the Rams’
frequent blitzes. He had the three touchdown passes and no interceptions, just
like in the Ravens’ impressive opening 35-7 victory over the Steelers. Against
the Titans, he had one TD pass and threw two picks.

“He was lights out,” Rams defensive end Chris Long(notes) said. “He put the ball
exactly where he was supposed to in tight coverage. He was deadly in play-action
and bootleg stuff.”

Jackson started for St. Louis; he missed last Monday night’s loss to the New
York Giants with a right leg problem. He was no factor, finishing with 23 yards
on four carries. Backup Cadillac Williams had 75 yards on 18 carries.

The Rams were expected to contend in the NFC West, but resembled the 2009
unit that dropped its first seven, got beaten four times by at least 19 points
at home, and went 1-15 in Spagnuolo’s first season.

St. Louis had six punts and an interception in the first half, mustering 81
yards and six first downs. Players were serenaded with boos as they trotted off
at halftime.

“I understand where the fans are coming from,” Bradford said. “They
deserve more out of us and we’ve got to give more. We share their frustration.”

During the second quarter, Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk tweeted, “Has
anyone seen the Rams that played the preseason?” St. Louis was 4-0 in the games
that didn’t count.

Notes: The Ravens’ previous yardage record was 548 in 2009 against the
Lions. Their only other 500-yard game was 501 yards against the Chiefs earlier
in 2009. … Ravens S Haruki Nakamura(notes) injured his left knee in the first half.
… The 74-yard pass was the longest of Flacco’s career. His previous game best
was 385 yards Oct. 18, 2009 at Minnesota.

This NFL thing, it’s no big deal for Torrey Smith. In their dreams, the St. Louis Rams’ secondary will be chasing the rookie wide receiver who registered barely a blip on the scouting report.

Smith caught long touchdown passes from Joe Flacco totaling 133 yards on his first three career receptions, a huge first half that sparked a franchise record-setting day on offense by the Baltimore Ravens in a 37-7 rout of the defenseless St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

“I’ve been playing football forever and I’ve been making plays forever,” Smith said. “Having a game like this, it proves to other people that haven’t seen me play, it lets them know I can play.”

The Ravens (2-1) got back on their game and then some after stumbling in a loss at Tennessee last week. The 406-yard first half that fueled a 27-point cushion, and the game total of 553 yards, were both bests for the franchise that moved from Cleveland in 1996.

Baltimore also sacked Sam Bradford five times.

“I’m proud of the way we attacked, really in all three phases,” coach John Harbaugh. “I like the way Joe got after it. Torrey Smith, what can you say? You talk about a breakout performance in the first quarter, that’s pretty historic right there.”

St. Louis (0-3) finally got on the scoreboard with Brandon Gibson’s 34-yard catch late in the third quarter. Haloti Ngata wrapped up a thorough whipping with a 28-yard fumble return after Ray Lewis stripped Bradford on a sack late in the fourth quarter. By then, the Edward Jones Dome was virtually empty.

“I don’t have an explanation,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “I wish I did. If I had, I would have solved it at halftime, but I don’t.”

Flacco was 27 for 48 for a career-high 389 yards, 192 more than last week. This, he said, was more like it.

“Hey, we came out and attacked today,” Flacco said. “Is the goal getting to the playoffs for us? No, we know we can do that. The goal is to win the Super Bowl.”

Spagnuolo expected more of a conservative, pound-it-out approach from the Ravens.

“They came in with a little different approach than we thought,” the coach said. “They were winging it downfield and they were successful doing it.”

Bradford was 16 for 32 for 166 yards with one touchdown and an interception and agreed with running back Steven Jackson’s assessment that the Rams got bullied. After the game he appeared dazed, slumped in a chair in front of his locker stall with legs askew.

“We knew that was kind of their M.O.,” Bradford said. “We did what we didn’t want to do, which is fall behind. It’s like we weren’t even playing in the first half.”

The Ravens punted for the first time with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. Their lone failure was long field goal kicking, with Billy Cundiff making three chances inside the 40 but missing twice from 51 yards.

Cundiff hurt his right calf after getting hit on a roughing-the-kicker call following the final touchdown and didn’t make the ensuing kickoff, but was fine after the game.

Smith, a second-round pick who had 12 touchdown receptions last year at Maryland, got his first career start ahead of injured Lee Evans. Touchdown catches of 74, 41 and 18 yards capped three of the Ravens’ first four possessions, and finished with five receptions for 152 yards.

Smith burned cornerback Justin King down the right sideline on Baltimore’s second offensive play, catching Flacco’s pass in stride and sprinting in the last 30 yards. King, a starter because Ron Bartell was lost for the season with a neck injury, was schooled again on the second score. Smith made the catch running full-out near the back of the end zone.

King and safety Darian Stewart couldn’t cover Smith on a fade pattern into the left corner of the end zone that put Baltimore ahead 21-0 late in the first quarter.

Smith finished the half with four catches for 144 yards.

Flacco consistently got the ball out just in time to negate the Rams’ frequent blitzes. He had the three touchdown passes and no interceptions, just like in the Ravens’ impressive opening 35-7 victory over the Steelers. Against the Titans, he had one TD pass and threw two picks.

“He was lights out,” Rams defensive end Chris Long said. “He put the ball exactly where he was supposed to in tight coverage. He was deadly in play-action and bootleg stuff.”

Jackson started for St. Louis; he missed last Monday night’s loss to the New York Giants with a right leg problem. He was no factor, finishing with 23 yards on four carries. Backup Cadillac Williams had 75 yards on 18 carries.

The Rams were expected to contend in the NFC West, but resembled the 2009 unit that dropped its first seven, got beaten four times by at least 19 points at home, and went 1-15 in Spagnuolo’s first season.

St. Louis had six punts and an interception in the first half, mustering 81 yards and six first downs. Players were serenaded with boos as they trotted off at halftime.

“I understand where the fans are coming from,” Bradford said. “They deserve more out of us and we’ve got to give more. We share their frustration.”

During the second quarter, Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk tweeted, “Has anyone seen the Rams that played the preseason?” St. Louis was 4-0 in the games that didn’t count.

Notes: The Ravens’ previous yardage record was 548 in 2009 against the Lions. Their only other 500-yard game was 501 yards against the Chiefs earlier in 2009. … Ravens S Haruki Nakamura injured his left knee in the first half. … The 74-yard pass was the longest of Flacco’s career. His previous game best was 385 yards Oct. 18, 2009 at Minnesota.

Read More: Brandon Gibson (WR – STL), Sam Bradford (QB – STL), Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams’ offense finally got on the board in the third quarter of their rough Week 3 contest with the Baltimore Ravens when Sam Bradford unleashed a beautiful throw on the run and hit a leaping Brandon Gibson in the chest for a 34-yard touchdown pass into the back of the end zone. Bradford’s roll-out and line drive throw was one of the most perfect passes in his short career to date, and it improved his still-ugly line to 9-for-20 for 100 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

For Brandon Gibson it’s his first touchdown of the season and a reminder of his strong preseason; he has four catches four 48 yards despite the offensive shutdown the Rams have been under all game. If the Rams can stop the Ravens once more in the third quarter he and Bradford are likely to get several more deep ball opportunities before the day is through; with Cadillac Williams and Steven Jackson both injured there wouldn’t be many other options even if they weren’t down 30-7. 

Read More: Joe Flacco (QB – BAL), Jason Smith (OT – STL), Rodger Saffold (OT – STL), Sam Bradford (QB – STL), Danario Alexander (WR – STL), Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams can’t get out of their own way. At the 15-yard-line in the start of the second quarter, down 21-0 after the defense finally stopped Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens, A Jason Smith unnecessary roughness penalty stuffed the drive on first down and pushed them back to the 30. There, Danario Alexander got tripped up going down the sideline, leading to a clean interception on Sam Bradford’s downfield pass. It’s emblematic of the Rams’ struggles this season, which has involved more disastrous mistakes than poor play.

If you’re Jason Smith, a perpetual disappointment as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft and passed in the depth chart by rookie Rodger Saffold last year, the goal has to be avoiding notoriety in this way. But that hasn’t happened; at his worst, Smith is not only ineffectual but also visible for all the wrong reasons. 

The Rams have to stop the Ravens again, and they have to score in the second quarter. Thanks to Smith’s inability to control his temper, they haven’t done that yet. 

ST. LOUIS – Let’s be real here, rushing offense never figured to be a primary weapon in the St. Louis Rams’ quest to beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

With linebacker Ray Lewis as the cork, Baltimore plugs holes and stuffs running backs as well as any team in the NFL. The Ravens come to St. Louis with a 1-1 record, having beaten Pittsburgh and falling to Tennessee. Those teams feature Rashard Mendenhall (Steelers) and Chris Johnson (Titans) respectively, two backs who combined for more than 2,600 yards last season.

Yet, after two games, the Ravens are ranked fourth in the league in run defense, having allowed 140 yards and a 3.1 yards-per-carry average during those initial confrontations. Making matters worse, the Rams are likely to be without road-paving back Steven Jackson, who remains hampered by a thigh injury. Jackson did not participate in practice Friday.

The Rams also could be without Jackson’s backup, Cadillac Williams, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury. Although Williams ran through some plays in practice, his participation was limited. He is questionable for Sunday and probably looms as a game-time decision.

Thus, the mail carriers against Baltimore’s bulky front could be Nos. 3 and 4 on the RB parade, Jerious Norwood and Quinn Porter. Both received the bulk of carries with the offense this week.

The math is daunting: a run-snuffing defense vs. a depleted running offense. It doesn’t take imagination to envision quarterback Sam Bradford coming out of Sunday afternoon with more arm fatigue than the Cardinals bullpen.

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo knows the importance of the Rams finding an equation that adds up differently.

“I think you have to (run the ball) in every game,” Spagnuolo said. “It doesn’t matter what defense you face, if it’s a good run-stopping defense or they’re not stopping the run real well. I think everything is more effective on offense if we’re able to run the football.”

The Rams appeared rather one-dimensional at New York on Monday night. After a robust 187 yards of rushing against Philadelphia in Week 1, the Jackson-less Rams had 59 yards and only one rushing first down against the Giants.

Falling behind on the scoreboard certainly affects those numbers somewhat, and Spagnuolo isn’t cockeyed enough to suggest the Rams can run wild Sunday. But if the Bradford Bunch is going to have time and space against the Ravens, it seems imperative the Rams keep the defense honest with some semblance of a rushing threat.

“We’ll try to do that no matter who is back there with opportunities to get the ball handed to them,” Spagnuolo said.

Moreover, Spagnuolo pointed out the importance of the backs in pass protection. The Rams can’t afford to have Norwood and Porter learn on the fly. “We have them both ready so if that’s the way we have to go, that’s what we’ll do,” Spagnuolo added. “I do think the mental challenge of it is more in the protection part.”

___

Receiver Austin Pettis, the team’s third-round pick from Boise State, got extensive time with the offense during practice and stayed afterward to field punts. Greg Salas, who returned punts Monday, is listed as probable with sore ribs. But depending on Salas’ situation, Pettis is the alternative.

One way or another, the rookie figures to see his first action Sunday.

“As of right now, I got some decent reps with the offense this week, so hopefully I can get in there and make some plays,” Pettis said.

On Sunday, Sept. 25, the St. Louis Rams will welcome the Baltimore Ravens to the Edward Jones Dome in hopes of capturing their first victory of the year.

Here are three keys to the game for the Rams:

Containing Ray Rice

Ravens running back Ray Rice is the player the Baltimore offense relies on more than anyone else, including quarterback Joe Flacco. When Flacco has a rough day, Rice will often pick the team up and put it on his shoulders. However, when Rice struggles, so does the Ravens offense.

The Rams won’t be able to stop Rice, but they can hope to contain him. If they can do that, as well as keep pressure on Flacco, then the St. Louis defense can keep the game close. It’s a tall order, but it’s possible.

Protect Sam Bradford and the football

The Rams have struggled to protect quarterback Sam Bradford thus far, and it’s not going to get easier against the tough Baltimore pass rush. The Rams may even need to use max-protection at times against the Ravens’ defense. However, if the Rams can keep Bradford upright, then he’ll be able to make some plays against the Baltimore secondary.

The Rams have also been plagued by turnovers in both of their games this season, and they are playing a team that forced seven Pittsburgh turnovers in week one. The Rams have to avoid putting themselves in that situation if they are going to have a chance at winning the game.

Air it out

Yes, the Rams need to establish their running game, but if the Ravens have a weakness, it’s against the pass. Despite Bradford’s off night against the Giants (22 for 46 passing), he was finally able to get receivers Mike Sims-Walker and Danario Alexander involved in the offense. The Rams should look to continue that trend this weekend and force the Ravens to stop them.

I can’t tell you how much of a relief it was to see Bradford actually throw down field last Monday. The team hasn’t had an offense this aggressive in years.

If the Rams’ receivers can get open, I think Bradford will be able to pick apart the Ravens’ secondary. I know that sounds crazy, but after watching Tennessee do it last week, I know it can happen.

Conclusion

I believe the one thing the Rams need to do more than anything against Baltimore is to protect Bradford. If they can protect him, they have a chance; however, there’s a reason that Baltimore is considered a Super Bowl contender. Their skill on both sides of the ball will make it very difficult for the Rams to accomplish any of the keys I’m talking about.

That’s why I have Baltimore winning this game. The Ravens are just too talented for the Rams.

Prediction:

Baltimore Ravens 24 St. Louis Rams 10

St. Louis Rams Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson has been out of the lineup since injuring his right thigh Sept. 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Though he “didn’t get much work in,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Jackson finally “tested his right thigh in practice Thursday.” Jackson’s readiness for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens “remains questionable to doubtful,” the paper reports, but at least he is finally able to step back onto the field.

“I was able to get out there today, practice a little bit, get a few reps in,” Jackson said, according to the Post-Dispatch. “I’m starting to familiarize myself with the game plan and knowing what Baltimore does. So mentally, I’m right on key with the team. I just have to continue over the next few days to see how the quad reacts to me actually doing physical work that’s football related.”

Jackson rushed for 1,241 yards last season and scored six touchdowns.

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Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Related: , Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams

The future needs to be now for the St. Louis Rams, so if that means playing hurting star running back Steven Jackson this week against the Baltimore Ravens, so be it.

Some schools of thought would argue that the Rams don’t have much of a shot to beat the Ravens even with Jackson in the lineup, so sitting him and giving him another week of rest is a good move.

That concept is understandable if you’re the better team, but if the Rams want to be taken seriously they cannot afford to be conservative.

According to Jim Thomas of stltoday.com, the Rams may be leaning towards being conservative with Jackson’s injury though:

For the first time since suffering the injury Sept. 11 against Philadelphia, Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson tested his right thigh in practice Thursday. But he didn’t get much work in, being officially listed as limited participation, and remains questionable to doubtful for Sunday’s St. Louis Rams home game against Baltimore.

“I was able to get out there today, practice a little bit, get a few reps in,” Jackson said. “I’m starting to familiarize myself with the game plan and knowing what Baltimore does. So mentally, I’m right on key with the team. I just have to continue over the next few days to see how the quad reacts to me actually doing physical work that’s football related.”

The desire to protect your star player is understandable, but the Rams need to go out and play for the here-and-now.

The Rams are building a great team, but the process can only last for so long. The window to the playoffs and beyond is so small in the NFL.

Building for the future is a great thing, but there has to be a point when you realize that the future is now.

That time needs to be now for the St. Louis Rams.

Nobody expects them to beat the Ravens, but with Jackson in the lineup they have a legitimate chance to do so.

A win over one of the better teams in the AFC would go a huge way towards boosting the overall confidence of the team, which is even more important after their 0-2 start.

The NFC West is arguably the easiest division in the NFL. If the Rams can get on a roll and bounce back from this bad start, they would have a good chance at making a comeback.

The first step is getting a win under their belts, though, and they won’t be able to do that without Jackson.

It’s understandable if they sit him in order to protect him from injury in the long-term, but they might as well start thinking about next season while they are at it.

2011 is still a salvageable season.

The Rams need to win now, and they need Steven Jackson to do so.

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson sat out practice once again on Wednesday with a right quad injury.

Head coach Steve Spagnuolo admitted that he is unsure if his star ball-carrier will be available for Sunday’s matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Even if Jackson does return, it’s unlikely the Rams can make much noise this season after such a tough start.

The Rams lost to the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 31-13 in Week 1, which was understandable. However, on Monday night, they dropped a 28-16 contest against the New York Giants, a team so banged up they (allegedly) resorted to faking injuries to slow down the Rams’ attack.

St. Louis should have been able to handle the Giants regardless of tactics. The fact that they couldn’t get by the G-Men doesn’t bode well for the rest of the season.

Even if Jackson does return this weekend, he probably won’t be at 100 percent. Either way, it probably won’t matter much. The Rams face the Ravens, who boast one of the NFL’s fiercest run defenses. After facing Pittsburgh and Tennessee—teams that typically boast terrific rushing offenses—the Ravens have given up just 70 yards rushing per game.

Without Jackson and a viable running attack, the Rams look poised to drop to 0-3. After that, they face the (currently) 2-0 Washington Redskins before hitting the bye week. An 0-4 start would almost surely sink St. Louis this season.

Yes, the NFC West is a very weak conference, but the Arizona Cardinals look like a team that could at least reach 9-7. An 0-3 or 0-4 start for the Rams would be disastrous for their playoff hopes.

The Rams are currently allowing an NFL-worst 177.5 rushing yards per game. That needs to be fixed immediately if they hope to turn things around. Though the defense is only giving up 185.5 passing yards per game (sixth in the NFL), giving up that many yards on the ground allows opposing teams to control the clock and the game.

With or without Jackson, Sam Bradford can only do so much with the offense. The key to the Rams turning their season around will come defensively.

It won’t matter if their Pro Bowl running back returns if they can’t stop the run themselves.

By Dan Moore

– Managing Editor

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Sep 21, 2011 – Danario Alexander fantasy football super-sleepers, take heart: The Rams have seen the near future, and it’s Danario Alexander, Mizzou football icon, disgruntled left-knee owner, touchdown-catcher. After Greg Salas’s awful performance through two games, Danny Amendola’s injury, and Lance Kendrick’s relative invisibility, Alexander, Brandon Gibson, and Mike Sims-Walker are the last wide receivers standing, at least until Mark Clayton comes back.

That’s good news for Alexander and Alexander-owners; a week after being placed on the inactive list, the receiver caught three balls for 122 yards and Sam Bradford’s only touchdown pass. There’s going to be plenty more where that came from on Sunday, when the Rams face the Baltimore Orioles.

Alexander’s knee is a constant worry, and it could go at any moment; there’s a reason the Rams signed him as an undrafted free agent, and a reason he wasn’t their receiving leader in 2010 despite three of the team’s best performances. But so long as he’s around—and nobody else is—the Rams are going to let him show exactly what he’s got.

Here’s hope it’s a lot. 

Read More: Mark Clayton (WR – STL), Mike Sims-Walker (WR – STL), Danny Amendola (WR – STL), Brandon Gibson (WR – STL), Sam Bradford (QB – STL), Danario Alexander (WR – STL), Greg Salas (WR – STL), Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams

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As St. Louis prepares to travel to New York to face the Giants on Monday Night Football, the Rams must succeed in six key areas to come back to Missouri with a win and some momentum before facing the Baltimore Ravens at the Edward Jones Dome on September 25.  

In week one versus the Philadelphia Eagles, known by some as the “dream team,” St. Louis walked off the field with a 31-13 loss.  

The outcome could have been much different if:

-Lance Kendricks catches a wide open pass near the goal line that would have almost certainly ended in a touchdown.  Net result: -4.

-Billy Bajema does not false start on 2nd and goal from the one-yard line.  Net result: -4.

-Sam Bradford does not fumble the ball that ended in a touchdown for Philadelphia.  Net result: -10 to -14.

-Josh Brown makes the 47-yard field goal that he missed: Net result: -3.  

Those four plays alone resulted in -21 to -25.  

Those plays only told part of the story, however.  The Rams accumulated six drops and nine penalties against the Eagles.  Both areas must be cleaned up to find success Monday night at New York.  

Furthermore, St. Louis failed to contain Michael Vick on several occasions.

The Rams failed to keep the Eagles from going deep in the passing game.   

Finally, Steven Jackson went down for the day after two runs.  

Although backup runner Cadillac Williams played terrific, he is no Steven Jackson.  The Rams clearly missed his leadership, energy, and the attention he demands from the opponents’ defense.

Looking back, the game could have had a different outcome.   

I gave five keys for the Rams to come up with a win versus Philly in week 1. 

1. Contain Michael Vick: Major fail.  Vick ran for 98 yards rushing and the Rams failed to maintain the right edge on one occasion allowing Vick to convert on a key third and 18 play with his feet.

2. Keep the Eagles from getting deep: Fail. DeSean Jackson beat Ron Bartell over the top for a big play early in the game, and ended up with six catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.

3. Experienced Josh McDaniels versus new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo: Mixed review. Castillo had not coached defense at any level since 1995.  McDaniels is known as one of the better offensive coordinators in the game. 

The Rams only managed to put up 13-points, however, on the day.  The results could have been much different if not for a half dozen drops, a missed field goal, a fumble in the red zone, and a false start on second and goal at the one. 

4. Attack the middle of the field: Mixed review.  The Rams did a good job of attacking the middle, the problem was–they couldn’t catch the ball.  Lance Kendicks, Greg Salas, Brandon Gibson, and the sure-handed Danny Amendola all dropped balls in the middle of the field.  The plan and execution were fine but without the catches it was all for nought.

5. Run, run, run.  Pass.  The Rams ran for 154 yards against the Eagles.  Even after Steven Jackson went down after just two carries, St. Louis ran well.  Cadillac Williams, the Rams backup running back, ran for 9-yards and filled in admirably. 

Out of five keys, the Rams passed in only one area and left the field with a loss to open the season.

In looking ahead to the Monday night matchup in New York, I believe there are six areas that the Rams must successfully scratch off their to-do list to come home to St. Louis from the Big Apple victorious.

ST. LOUIS — Wide receiver Mark Clayton is returning to the St. Louis Rams after recovering from the knee surgery that prematurely ended his season last year.

Clayton has agreed to a one-year deal with the Rams.

He confirmed the move with a twitter post, writing, “It’s official! Another year in the Lou! Grace that’s all I can say.”

Clayton, 29, was acquired the week before the start of the 2010 season in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens.

He caught 10 passes for 119 yards in the Rams’ season-opener against Arizona, and he was the team’s leading receiver with 23 receptions for 306 yards and two touchdowns when he suffered a torn patellar tendon against Detroit in Week 5.

Clayton was placed on injured reserve, and he underwent surgery.

The Rams have been interested in bringing back Clayton, an unrestricted free agent, but they were waiting for his knee to heal sufficiently.

Clayton’s best season was in 2006 when he caught 67 passes for 939 yards and five touchdowns for the Ravens.

ST. LOUIS — The curtain won’t be raised on the real show until Sept. 11, but the St. Louis Rams will be holding their dress rehearsal for the 2011 season today.

Starters could play into the second half when the Rams (2-0) square off against the Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) at 7 p.m. today at Arrowhead Stadium in their third preseason game.

“Depending on the pitch count here and the number of plays, we’d like to get them out in the second half and go a series,” Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “Now that may change if we get the play number really high, but I think there is still a lot of timing, execution, lot of things to clean up.”

The running attack and the run defense are the two areas where Spagnuolo would like to see some improvement.

The Rams had only 44 rushing yards on 22 carries and yielded 198 rushing yards on 35 carries in a 17-16 win over the Tennessee Titans last Saturday.

We’re interested to see if we can run the ball better than we did last week, and if we can stop the run better than we did last week, and lots of other things,” Spagnuolo said. “I think the guys know that even though it’s not a regular-season game, there is some importance to it. To get ready and carry some confidence into the next two weeks.

“Having said that, if it doesn’t go right we’ll bounce back from that, too. But we want to go out and see where we are at.”

Rams running back Steven Jackson is expected to see his most extensive action of the preseason.

Jackson rushed for only 10 yards on six carries against the Titans.

“He’ll tell you, he needs to get some reps,” Spagnuolo said. “We’ll get him. We have to be careful now, but (we’ll) get him enough reps where he feels like he is ready to play in a football game because we don’t know how many he’ll get next week. We’ll kind of play that by ear. We’d like the offense to kind of get into a flow and get used to each other.”

On defense, the Rams will have new starting linebackers opposite middle linebacker James Laurinaitis.

Brady Poppinga and Ben Leber, who are both free agent acquisitions, will start instead of Na’il Diggs and Bryan Kehl.

Spagnuolo said the move was part of the evaluation process as those four linebackers have been competing for two starting spots.

“We wanted James to get that feel and also give those guys a chance to see what it feels like,” Spagnuolo said. “But there’s no final decisions made in any way. We thought to keep the competition even and open that we should go about it that way in this particular game.”

The Chiefs have struggled in the preseason. They lost 31-13 to the Baltimore Ravens after giving up three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and they were shut out by Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-0.

The Chiefs now are 1-9 in the preseason under coach Todd Haley.

Spagnuolo said safety Mikail Baker, defensive tackle Jermelle Cudjo, tight end Mike Hoomanawanui and defensive tackle Fred Robbins will sit out the game.

With the first cutdown date looming next week — teams must cut from 90 to 80 players by next Tuesday — the game will be the last chance for some of the fringe players to impress the coaching staff.

The Rams will play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night at Everbank Field in their final preseason game.

Final cuts down to 53 players must be done by Sept. 3, and the Rams will open the regular season against the Philadelphia Eagles at noon Sept. 11 at the Edward Jones Dome.