ST. LOUIS (AP)

Good thing the San Francisco 49ers opened the playbook in the finale.

Record-setting kicker David Akers showed off a strong left arm to match his left leg in a 34-27 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday as Michael Crabtree bamboozled defenders on a perfectly executed trick play for a touchdown.

It appeared to be the icing on a dominating performance that wrapped up the No. 2 playoff seed in the NFC and a first-round bye. Instead, it helped build just enough of a cushion against the usually offensive-challenged St. Louis Rams.

Crabtree caught scoring passes from Akers and Alex Smith for the 49ers, whose 24-point fourth quarter lead was in jeopardy before they sealed the victory.

Akers broke the NFL single-season field goal record last week and finished with 44, including five in the first half of the two St. Louis meetings. He missed on a 48-yarder, but clicked from 36 and 42 yards.

Crabtree and Vernon Davis had big days for a team short of pass catchers and Tarell Brown had a pair of interceptions that led to touchdowns as the 49ers (13-3) beat the Rams (2-14) for the second time in five games. The 49ers held St. Louis to just 157 total yards in a 26-0 victory that clinched the NFC West in Week 12 but were hanging on at the finish of the rematch after the Rams scored two touchdowns in just 13 seconds.

Brandon Lloyd caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Kellen Clemens, the Rams recovered Josh Brown’s onside kick and Cadillac Williams scored on a 1-yard run with 4:39 to go one play after drawing an interference call on Brown on an underthrown pass from Clemens in the end zone.

The Rams were rescued from the ignominy of landing the No. 1 draft pick for the second time in three years when the Colts (2-14) lost 19-13 to the Jaguars. The Colts hold the tiebreaker based on opponents’ strength of schedule.

The 49ers’ record under new coach Jim Harbaugh is their best since another 13-win season in 1997 under another rookie coach, Steve Mariucci.

The Rams scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, six better than their NFL-low game average, but were down to untested Tom Brandstater and third-and-17 after Clemens injured his right leg on a sack by NaVorro Bowman with 2:46 to go. Brandstater threw two incompletions, the 49ers took over at their own 40 and needed just one first down to seal it – and exhale.

San Francisco seemingly had cemented the win in the final minute of the third quarter on Akers’ first career touchdown pass for a 27-10 lead. The 49ers finished 6-2 on the road, the franchise’s best showing since 1996.

Harbaugh is just the fourth rookie head coach to win 13 games and third by the 49ers, topped by George Seifert’s 14-2 showing in 1989.

Clemens ran for an 18-yard score to give the Rams the early lead. Clemens made his third straight start in place with Sam Bradford (high left ankle sprain) and A.J. Feeley (broken right thumb) both sidelined. Bradford, the top pick in 2010, missed his fourth straight game and sixth overall.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo is just 10-38 in three seasons and his job is in jeopardy coming off a total bust this year on the heels of a six-win improvement last season. Attendance was announced as 55,990, about 9,000 shy of capacity at the Edward Jones Dome, but the stadium appeared no better than half-full and drained quickly in the second half.

The 49ers won without injured wide receivers Ted Ginn Jr. (ankle) and Kyle Williams (concussion), and with Frank Gore mostly watching and gaining just 9 yards on seven carries. Crabtree had 92 yards on nine receptions and Davis had 118 yards on eight catches, his second 100-yard game of the year.

Crabtree appeared to be walking off the field with the 49ers in field goal formation but stopped just shy of the sideline and lined up alone, allowing him to amble into the end zone on a 13-yard catch on Akers’ first career touchdown pass in 205 games.

Steven Jackson had 76 yards on 16 carries, a huge improvement over the first meeting against the 49ers in early December when he was held to 19 yards on 10 carries, before injuring his left arm in the third quarter. It appeared Jackson was hurt after dropping a low screen pass and then tackled hard by a pair of 49ers.

The 49ers began drives inside the St. Louis 35 on their first two touchdowns, and capitalized on Terrell Brown’s interception of a flea flicker from running back Jerious Norwood to Clemens on the go-ahead score. Two plays after the pick, Crabtree slipped Josh Gordy’s tackle on a sideline pattern and Quintin Mikell also missed on a 28-yarder that made it 14-7.

Clemens showed some nifty moves while dodging tackles on an 18-yard scramble for the Rams’ first rushing touchdown in three weeks and the early lead, and Smith matched him on an 8-yarder in the final minute of the first quarter. Smith slipped and fell in the pocket but recovered in plenty of time and benefited from Gore’s nice block on linebacker Chris Chamberlain at the goal line.

Notes: Gary Pinkel, who coached the 49ers’ Aldon Smith and the Rams’ Danario Alexander at Missouri, was on the sideline before the game. … The Rams cancelled the usual pregame pep rally and live music outside the stadium because of high gusting winds. … 49ers FB Bruce Miller (left knee) was sidelined in the second quarter, but was in uniform testing it with sprints before halftime.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Good thing the San Francisco 49ers opened the playbook in the finale.

Record-setting kicker
David Akers
showed off a strong left arm to match his left leg in a 34-27 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday as
Michael Crabtree
bamboozled defenders on a perfectly executed trick play for a touchdown.

It appeared to be the icing on a dominating performance that wrapped up the No. 2 playoff seed in the NFC and a first-round
bye. Instead, it helped build just enough of a cushion against the usually offensive-challenged St. Louis Rams.

Crabtree caught scoring passes from Akers and
Alex Smith
for the 49ers, whose 24-point fourth quarter lead was in jeopardy before they sealed the victory.

Akers broke the NFL single-season field goal record last week and finished with 44, including five in the first half of the
two St. Louis meetings. He missed on a 48-yarder, but clicked from 36 and 42 yards.

Crabtree and
Vernon Davis
had big days for a team short of pass catchers and
Tarell Brown
had a pair of interceptions that led to touchdowns as the 49ers (13-3) beat the Rams (2-14) for the second time in five games.
The 49ers held St. Louis to just 157 total yards in a 26-0 victory that clinched the NFC West in Week 12 but were hanging
on at the finish of the rematch after the Rams scored two touchdowns in just 13 seconds.

Brandon Lloyd
caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from
Kellen Clemens
, the Rams recovered
Josh Brown
‘s on-side kick and Cadillac Williams scored on a 1-yard run with 4:39 to go one play after drawing an interference call on
Brown on an underthrown pass from Clemens in the end zone.

The Rams were rescued from the ignominy of landing the No. 1 draft pick for the second time in three years when the Colts
(2-14) lost 19-13 to the Jaguars. The Colts hold the tiebreaker based on opponents’ strength of schedule.

The 49ers’ record under new coach Jim Harbaugh is their best since another 13-win season in 1997 under another rookie coach,
Steve Mariucci.

The Rams scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, six better than their NFL-low game average, but were down to untested
Tom Brandstater
and third-and-17 after Clemens injured his right leg on a sack by NaVorro Bowman with 2:46 to go. Brandstater threw two incompletions,
the 49ers took over at their own 40 and needed just one first down to seal it – and exhale.

San Francisco seemingly had cemented the win in the final minute of the third quarter on Akers’ first career touchdown pass
for a 27-10 lead. The 49ers finished 6-2 on the road, the franchise’s best showing since 1996.

Harbaugh is just the fourth rookie head coach to win 13 games and third by the 49ers, topped by George Seifert’s 14-2 showing
in 1989.

Clemens ran for an 18-yard score to give the Rams the early lead. Clemens made his third straight start in place with
Sam Bradford
(high left ankle sprain) and A.J. Feeley (broken right thumb) both sidelined. Bradford, the top pick in 2010, missed his fourth
straight game and sixth overall.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo is just 10-38 in three seasons and his job is in jeopardy coming off a total bust this year on the heels
of a six-win improvement last season. Attendance was announced as 55,990, about 9,000 shy of capacity at the Edward Jones
Dome, but the stadium appeared no better than half-full and drained quickly in the second half.

The 49ers won without injured wide receivers Ted Ginn Jr. (ankle) and
Kyle Williams
(concussion), and with
Frank Gore
mostly watching and gaining just 9 yards on seven carries. Crabtree had 92 yards on nine receptions and Davis had 118 yards
on eight catches, his second 100-yard game of the year.

Crabtree appeared to be walking off the field with the 49ers in field goal formation but stopped just shy of the sideline
and lined up alone, allowing him to amble into the end zone on a 13-yard catch on Akers’ first career touchdown pass in 205
games.

Steven Jackson
had 76 yards on 16 carries, a huge improvement over the first meeting against the 49ers in early December when he was held
to 19 yards on 10 carries, before injuring his left arm in the third quarter. It appeared Jackson was hurt after dropping
a low screen pass and then tackled hard by a pair of 49ers.

The 49ers began drives inside the St. Louis 35 on their first two touchdowns, and capitalized on Terrell Brown’s interception
of a flea flicker from running back
Jerious Norwood
to Clemens on the go-ahead score. Two plays after the pick, Crabtree slipped
Josh Gordy
‘s tackle on a sideline pattern and
Quintin Mikell
also missed on a 28-yarder that made it 14-7.

Clemens showed some nifty moves while dodging tackles on an 18-yard scramble for the Rams’ first rushing touchdown in three
weeks and the early lead, and Smith matched him on an 8-yarder in the final minute of the first quarter. Smith slipped and
fell in the pocket but recovered in plenty of time and benefited from Gore’s nice block on linebacker
Chris Chamberlain
at the goal line.

Notes: Gary Pinkel, who coached the 49ers’
Aldon Smith
and the Rams’
Danario Alexander
at Missouri, was on the sideline before the game. … The Rams cancelled the usual pregame pep rally and live music outside
the stadium because of high gusting winds. … 49ers FB
Bruce Miller
(left knee) was sidelined in the second quarter, but was in uniform testing it with sprints before halftime.

© 2011 STATS LLC

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Sam Bradford was in street clothes, and A.J. Feeley was off target with his throws.

That meant a long day for the St. Louis Rams and their offense.

St. Louis struggled to get the ball past midfield and managed only 157 yards of offense while being shut out for the first time in more than two years in a 26-0 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Just another emotional blow in a season that can’t end soon enough for the Rams.

“We didn’t do a lot of things very well,” said Feeley, who committed two turnovers and was sacked four times. “They had us on our heels the whole time. As soon as we got something going, we somehow staggered a little bit and put ourselves in a bad situation.”

Feeley, starting in place of the injured Bradford, was only 12 of 22 for 156 yards. He missed several open receivers, fumbled near the Rams’ own goal line and threw an interception on the first series in the third quarter.

The journeyman quarterback didn’t get much help from St. Louis’ running game, either. Steven Jackson and Jerious Norwood each had 19 yards rushing while the Rams (2-10) were held to a meager 1.3 yards per carry.

“We knew we were facing a team that was looking to clinch the NFC West, so we knew we were going to get their best,” Jackson said. “Our defense did a really good job in the first half but overall, (the 49ers) were able to make plays, come up big in defensive situations and eventually they were able to crack it open.”

It didn’t help that the Rams kept getting hurt.

Feeley injured his right thumb early in the fourth quarter while left guard Jacob Bell left with knee and ankle injuries. Left tackle Adam Goldberg (ribs), defensive end Eugene Sims and cornerback Justin King were also knocked out of the game, but all three returned.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo is optimistic Bradford will be able to play in the Rams’ next game at Seattle on Dec. 12.

“He was very sore all the way through and it never really changed,” Spagnuolo said. “He was more than willing to give it a shot … but (we) did not think it was smart to take a chance that something worse could happen to him.”

While the Rams are stumbling, the 49ers are surging after clinching the NFC West division title and a spot in the playoffs.

Frank Gore helped run San Francisco (10-2) right into the postseason, becoming the 49ers’ career rushing leader by passing late Hall of Famer Joe Perry and finishing with 73 yards.

Alex Smith threw second-half touchdowns of 52 and 56 yards to Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams, and David Akers kicked four field goals to help Jim Harbaugh join George Seifert (1989) and Steve Mariucci (1997) as the only rookie coaches in franchise history to win a division title.

The only downer came when star linebacker Patrick Willis left the game in the first half with a right hamstring injury.

San Francisco became the NFL’s second team to secure a playoff berth behind defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay.

Despite further problems converting in the red zone early, San Francisco shut out an opponent for the first time since a 35-0 home win at Candlestick Park on Oct. 4, 2009. That was also the Rams’ last shutout.

The Niners also avenged a late-season loss from 2010 that was still plenty fresh. They had won five straight before losing at St. Louis in the second-to-last week.

Smith, who didn’t start that last game against the Rams, completed 17 of 23 passes for 274 yards with four sacks and no interceptions to finish with a career-high 142.3 quarterback rating. Gore ran for 2 yards early in the second quarter to give him 7,345 career yards rushing, moving him past Perry (7,344) for most in franchise history.

Akers kicked a 36-yard field goal on San Francisco’s second possession of the game to go up 3-0 with 4:54 left in the first quarter.

Ray McDonald knocked the ball away from Feeley midway through the second quarter to force a fumble and Aldon Smith recovered deep in St. Louis territory. That gave the 49ers first-and-goal at the 6, but they again failed to get into the end zone, settling for Akers’ 19-yard field goal.

“We just can’t seem to put anything together,” Feeley said. “We have to do a better job, plain and simple.”

Akers booted a 28-yarder 1:41 before halftime for his 31st field goal of the year, topping Jeff Wilkins’ single-season franchise mark of 30 set in 1996.

That gave the 49ers nine field goals — with only three TDs — in the last 14 trips to the red zone before Crabtree’s TD catch.

Davis dropped a would-be 40-yard touchdown catch in the end zone late in the second quarter on a perfectly thrown pass from Smith. Davis later had a catch and fumble for San Francisco, which hasn’t scored a first-half touchdown since Week 9 at Washington.

Rams DE Chris Long’s second-quarter sack on Smith gave him one in six straight games.

“The effort’s always there with this group,” Long said. “That’s not something I feel like anybody can question, but execution can definitely be questioned. The effort’s good, but that’s not going to win us any ballgames.”

Sam Bradford was in street clothes, and A.J. Feeley was off target with his throws.

That meant a long day for the St. Louis Rams and their offense.

St. Louis struggled to get the ball past midfield and managed only 157 yards of offense while being shut out for the first time in more than two years in a 26-0 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Just another emotional blow in a season that can’t end soon enough for the Rams.

“We didn’t do a lot of things very well,” said Feeley, who committed two turnovers and was sacked four times. “They had us on our heels the whole time. As soon as we got something going, we somehow staggered a little bit and put ourselves in a bad situation.”

Feeley, starting in place of the injured Bradford, was only 12 of 22 for 156 yards. He missed several open receivers, fumbled near the Rams’ own goal line and threw an interception on the first series in the third quarter.

The journeyman quarterback didn’t get much help from St. Louis’ running game, either. Steven Jackson and Jerious Norwood each had 19 yards rushing while the Rams (2-10) were held to a meager 1.3 yards per carry.

“We knew we were facing a team that was looking to clinch the NFC West, so we knew we were going to get their best,” Jackson said. “Our defense did a really good job in the first half but overall, (the 49ers) were able to make plays, come up big in defensive situations and eventually they were able to crack it open.”

It didn’t help that the Rams kept getting hurt.

Feeley injured his right thumb early in the fourth quarter while left guard Jacob Bell left with knee and ankle injuries. Left tackle Adam Goldberg (ribs), defensive end Eugene Sims and cornerback Justin King were also knocked out of the game, but all three returned.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo is optimistic Bradford will be able to play in the Rams’ next game at Seattle on Dec. 12.

“He was very sore all the way through and it never really changed,” Spagnuolo said. “He was more than willing to give it a shot … but (we) did not think it was smart to take a chance that something worse could happen to him.”

While the Rams are stumbling, the 49ers are surging after clinching the NFC West division title and a spot in the playoffs.

Frank Gore helped run San Francisco (10-2) right into the postseason, becoming the 49ers’ career rushing leader by passing late Hall of Famer Joe Perry and finishing with 73 yards.

Alex Smith threw second-half touchdowns of 52 and 56 yards to Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams, and David Akers kicked four field goals to help Jim Harbaugh join George Seifert (1989) and Steve Mariucci (1997) as the only rookie coaches in franchise history to win a division title.

The only downer came when star linebacker Patrick Willis left the game in the first half with a right hamstring injury.

San Francisco became the NFL’s second team to secure a playoff berth behind defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay.

Despite further problems converting in the red zone early, San Francisco shut out an opponent for the first time since a 35-0 home win at Candlestick Park on Oct. 4, 2009. That was also the Rams’ last shutout.

The Niners also avenged a late-season loss from 2010 that was still plenty fresh. They had won five straight before losing at St. Louis in the second-to-last week.

Smith, who didn’t start that last game against the Rams, completed 17 of 23 passes for 274 yards with four sacks and no interceptions to finish with a career-high 142.3 quarterback rating.

Gore ran for 2 yards early in the second quarter to give him 7,345 career yards rushing, moving him past Perry (7,344) for most in franchise history.

Akers kicked a 36-yard field goal on San Francisco’s second possession of the game to go up 3-0 with 4:54 left in the first quarter.

Ray McDonald knocked the ball away from Feeley midway through the second quarter to force a fumble and Aldon Smith recovered deep in St. Louis territory. That gave the 49ers first-and-goal at the 6, but they again failed to get into the end zone, settling for Akers’ 19-yard field goal.

“We just can’t seem to put anything together,” Feeley said. “We have to do a better job, plain and simple.”

Akers booted a 28-yarder 1:41 before halftime for his 31st field goal of the year, topping Jeff Wilkins’ single-season franchise mark of 30 set in 1996.

That gave the 49ers nine field goals – with only three TDs – in the last 14 trips to the red zone before Crabtree’s TD catch.

Davis dropped a would-be 40-yard touchdown catch in the end zone late in the second quarter on a perfectly thrown pass from Smith. Davis later had a catch and fumble for San Francisco, which hasn’t scored a first-half touchdown since Week 9 at Washington.

Rams DE Chris Long’s second-quarter sack on Smith gave him one in six straight games.

“The effort’s always there with this group,” Long said. “That’s not something I feel like anybody can question, but execution can definitely be questioned. The effort’s good, but that’s not going to win us any ballgames.”

St. Louis struggled to get the ball past midfield and managed only 157 yards of offense while being shut out for the first time in more than two years in a 26-0 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Just another emotional blow in a season that can’t end soon enough for the Rams.

“We didn’t do a lot of things very well,” said Feeley, who committed two turnovers and was sacked four times. “They had us on our heels the whole time. As soon as we got something going, we somehow staggered a little bit and put ourselves in a bad situation.”

Feeley, starting in place of the injured Bradford, was only 12 of 22 for 156 yards. He missed several open receivers, fumbled near the Rams’ own goal line and threw an interception on the first series in the third quarter.

The journeyman quarterback didn’t get much help from St. Louis’ running game, either. Steven Jackson and Jerious Norwood each had 19 yards rushing while the Rams (2-10) were held to a meager 1.3 yards per carry.

“We knew we were facing a team that was looking to clinch the NFC West, so we knew we were going to get their best,” Jackson said. “Our defense did a really good job in the first half but overall, (the 49ers) were able to make plays, come up big in defensive situations and eventually they were able to crack it open.”

It didn’t help that the Rams kept getting hurt.

Feeley injured his right thumb early in the fourth quarter while left guard Jacob Bell left with knee and ankle injuries. Left tackle Adam Goldberg (ribs), defensive end Eugene Sims and cornerback Justin King were also knocked out of the game, but all three returned.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo is optimistic Bradford will be able to play in the Rams’ next game at Seattle on Dec. 12.

“He was very sore all the way through and it never really changed,” Spagnuolo said. “He was more than willing to give it a shot … but (we) did not think it was smart to take a chance that something worse could happen to him.”

While the Rams are stumbling, the 49ers are surging after clinching the NFC West division title and a spot in the playoffs.

Frank Gore helped run San Francisco (10-2) right into the postseason, becoming the 49ers’ career rushing leader by passing late Hall of Famer Joe Perry and finishing with 73 yards.

Alex Smith threw second-half touchdowns of 52 and 56 yards to Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams, and David Akers kicked four field goals to help Jim Harbaugh join George Seifert (1989) and Steve Mariucci (1997) as the only rookie coaches in franchise history to win a division title.

The only downer came when star linebacker Patrick Willis left the game in the first half with a right hamstring injury.

San Francisco became the NFL’s second team to secure a playoff berth behind defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay.

Despite further problems converting in the red zone early, San Francisco shut out an opponent for the first time since a 35-0 home win at Candlestick Park on Oct. 4, 2009. That was also the Rams’ last shutout.

The Niners also avenged a late-season loss from 2010 that was still plenty fresh. They had won five straight before losing at St. Louis in the second-to-last week.

Smith, who didn’t start that last game against the Rams, completed 17 of 23 passes for 274 yards with four sacks and no interceptions to finish with a career-high 142.3 quarterback rating.

Gore ran for 2 yards early in the second quarter to give him 7,345 career yards rushing, moving him past Perry (7,344) for most in franchise history.

Akers kicked a 36-yard field goal on San Francisco’s second possession of the game to go up 3-0 with 4:54 left in the first quarter.

Ray McDonald knocked the ball away from Feeley midway through the second quarter to force a fumble and Aldon Smith recovered deep in St. Louis territory. That gave the 49ers first-and-goal at the 6, but they again failed to get into the end zone, settling for Akers’ 19-yard field goal.

“We just can’t seem to put anything together,” Feeley said. “We have to do a better job, plain and simple.”

Akers booted a 28-yarder 1:41 before halftime for his 31st field goal of the year, topping Jeff Wilkins’ single-season franchise mark of 30 set in 1996.

That gave the 49ers nine field goals — with only three TDs — in the last 14 trips to the red zone before Crabtree’s TD catch.

Davis dropped a would-be 40-yard touchdown catch in the end zone late in the second quarter on a perfectly thrown pass from Smith. Davis later had a catch and fumble for San Francisco, which hasn’t scored a first-half touchdown since Week 9 at Washington.

Rams DE Chris Long’s second-quarter sack on Smith gave him one in six straight games.

“The effort’s always there with this group,” Long said. “That’s not something I feel like anybody can question, but execution can definitely be questioned. The effort’s good, but that’s not going to win us any ballgames.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Read More: Jerious Norwood (RB – STL), Bryan Kehl (LB – STL), Jason Smith (OT – STL), Sam Bradford (QB – STL), Danario Alexander (WR – STL), New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals, Nov 6, 2011 3:15 PM CST

The official St. Louis Rams Twitter account has released the details of today’s practice:

@STLouisRams: WR Danario Alexander aggravated hamstring a bit yesterday and did not practice after he was limited Wednesday.

@STLouisRams: LB Bryan Kehl is battling an ankle injury. He was limited. RB Jerious Norwood also still battling hamstring injury, also very limited.

Alexander, the undrafted free agent out of the 2010 Draft, has suffered with a variety of injuries throughout his playing career and has also struggled to produce in the 2011 NFL season, catching only 16 passes through five starts.

Bryan Kehl played at the strong side linebacker position in last week’s surprising win over the New Orleans Saints, but may able to play again this week against the Arizona Cardinals.

Meanwhile, Sam Bradford has practiced again, but was limited to drills.

Also appearing on the injury list, DT Darell Scott and RT Jason Smith continue to miss practice while recovering from concussions.

For the latest on the Rams, visit Turf Show Times, SB Nation’s St. Louis Rams blog.

The Rams secondary has been decimated by injuries this season.  Starters Ron Bartell and Jerome Murphy, along with nickel back Bradley Fletcher and dime back Justin King, have all suffered injuries this season. 

Bartell, Murphy and Fletcher are all out for the season.  All together, the Rams have lost seven defensive backs since the start of training camp.

In the Rams’ Week 8 game against the Saints, their defensive secondary had by far their best performance of the season.  Would the Rams still be open to adding a solid veteran if the chance came along?

We may soon find out, as the New England Patriots have released corner back Leigh Bodden.

Bodden was moved from outside corner to more of a slot coverage role with the Pats this season, and according to reports, he didn’t embrace that role.  Bodden is a very good player.  He is probably good enough to step right in and start for the Rams.

The Rams might also take a look at running back Tashard Choice, who was just released by the Dallas Cowboys.   

I always liked Choice and thought he was that second or third back that was just biding his time before he got a shot somewhere else.  With Jerious Norwood not able to stay healthy, and Cadillac Williams slowing down, maybe Choice would be worth a look.

Choice averaged over five yards per carry during his first two seasons in the league, and he is a very capable pass catcher.  The knock on Choice is that he isn’t a good special teams player, and that might hurt his chances with the Rams.

If Choice doesn’t get a call from the Rams, expect the Detroit Lions to have him on speed dial.

The other noteworthy cut this week that I guarantee the Rams will take a look at is Bears ex-safety Chris Harris, who was also cut this week.  Harris was good enough to be the Bears’ opening day starting safety last season.  He would probably not start for the Rams, but he has to be an upgrade over Craig Dahl, who gets a lot of time as a backup with the Rams.

With one or two more moves, the Rams could be a completely different team.  Brandon Lloyd has been a great addition.  Steven Jackson is finally healthy.  Greg Salas has matured into a very reliable target.  Mark Clayton should be healthy and ready to play next week. 

Also, expect Sam Bradford to make his return to the lineup.

The Rams might be firing on all cylinders at just the right time, as their schedule softens up.  One or two waiver wire pickups might be the final push that puts this team over the hump.

Read More: Jerious Norwood (RB – STL), Brady Poppinga (LB – STL), Justin King (CB – STL), Jason Smith (OT – STL), Rodger Saffold (OT – STL), Sam Bradford (QB – STL), Danario Alexander (WR – STL), New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams are preparing for their Week 8 bout with the New Orleans Saints, but they’re likely going to be missing some key players this weekend. Quarterback Sam Bradford once again missed practice on Wednesday due to his high ankle sprain and is considered doubtful for Sunday.

He’s not the only player on the Rams’ official injury report, though, so we’ll go into some detail here. The other big names that didn’t practice are wide receiver Danario Alexander, starting linebacker Brady Poppinga, starting cornerback Justin King and starting right tackle Jason Smith, who’s battling concussion symptoms.

The Saints haven’t released their official injury report yet, but we’ll be sure to update you as soon as it happens. You can find the full St. Louis Rams injury report and check for official updates here.

DNP – Did not participate in practice

- QB Sam Bradford

- WR Danario Alexander

- RB Jerious Norwood

- RT Rodger Saffold

- RT Jason Smith

- LB Brady Poppinga

- CB Justin King

- DT Darell Scott

LP – Limited participation in practice, less than 100% of normal player’s reps

- DE C.J. Ah You

For the latest on the Rams, visit Turf Show Times, SB Nation’s St. Louis Rams blog.

ST. LOUIS — Running back Ryan Torain rushed for 135 yards and one touchdown as the Washington Redskins held off the St. Louis Rams 17-10 Sunday before 56,113 fans at the Edward Jones Dome.

The Rams fell to 0-4 heading into their bye week. The Redskins improved to 3-1.

The Rams entered the fourth quarter trailing 17-0.

The Rams finally got on the scoreboard on a 32-yard field goal by Josh Brown with 10:09 left in the fourth quarter.

Cornerback Justin King, much-maligned after giving up three touchdown passes in the first quarter last week against the Baltimore Ravens, intercepted a pass and returned it 50 yards to the Washington 31.

A pass to Danario Alexander along with an unnecessary roughness penalty at the end of the play gave the Rams a first-and-goal from the Washington 3.

However, they had to settle for the field goal after left tackle Rodger Saffold was flagged for a holding penalty and rookie tight end Lance Kendricks dropped a pass in the end zone.

The Rams closed the gap to 17-10 on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Sam Bradford to Steven Jackson with 5:45 left in the game.

Jackson’s TD catch capped off a 10 plays, 60-yard drive.

The Rams got the ball back when middle linebacker James Laurinaitis intercepted Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman and returned the ball to the Washington 19.

A 5-yard illegal shift penalty and then back-to-back sacks of Bradford forced the Rams to punt.

The Rams got the ball back at their 28 with 3:20 left. They turned the ball over on downs with 2:11 to go after failing to move the ball past their own 39.

The Redskins were able to run out the clock after Torain picked up a first down with a four-yard gain on third-and-3.

Bradford completed 20 of 43 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown. He was sacked seven times.

Redskins pad lead with field goal in the third quarter

Washington kicker Graham Gano kicked a 38-yard field goal as the Redskins increased their lead to 17-0 over the St. Louis Rams in the third quarter.

Gano’s field goal came at the end of an eight-play, 82-yard drive on the opening possession of the second half.

The third quarter brought more frustration for the Rams’ offense, which produced minus-4 yards in the period.

The Rams reported that tight end Michael Hoomanawanui left the game in the second quarter after taking a blow to the head. His return was questionable.

Redskins go up 14-0 in the second quarter

Running back Ryan Torian had a 20-yard touchdown run as the Redskins led the Rams 14-0 Sunday at halftime.

The Rams were in field goal range when right tackle Jason Smith was called for a 15-yard personal foul for grabbing a face mask.

On the next play — third-and-22 — Bradford fumbled as he was being sacked by rookie Ryan Kerrigan.

The loose ball was recovered by Washington’s Barry Cofield at the St. Louis 44.

Three plays later, Torian ran around the left side for a touchdown.

Rams fans booed when tight end Lance Kendricks and center Jason Brown were called for back-to-back false-start penalties on a drive late in the second quarter, but the boos really came cascading down as the team ran off the field at the end of the second quarter.

Rams quarterback Sam Bradford completed 10 of 18 passes for 73 yards in the first half.

Rams running back Steven Jackson had 14 carries for 42 yards.

Redskins take 7-0 lead in the first quarter

Rex Grossman threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss as the Redskins led the 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Grossman threw to Moss, who’d cut across the end zone to catch the ball before going out of bounds on a third-and-4 play from the St. Louis 6 with 3:06 left in the opening quarter.

The touchdown capped an 11-play, 69-yard drive.

The Rams managed only three first downs in the first quarter. Rams wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker was booed by the fans after dropping two passes on the same offensive series.

Left guard Jacob Bell suffered a left hamstring injury, while defensive tackle Gary Gibson suffered a right hip injury. Both players’ return was questionable.

Norwood is surprise inactive

Running back Jerious Norwood was the lone surprise among the St. Louis Rams’ inactives for their game against the Washington Redskins.

Running back Quinn Porter, a first-year player signed off the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad a couple of weeks ago, was active instead of Norwood.

Porter is capable of returning kicks.

As expected, wide receiver Danny Amendola, who has beens sidelined with a dislocated elbow, was inactive.

Also inactive for the Rams were: wide receiver Greg Salas, defensive end C.J. Ah You, cornerback Ron Hood, linebacker Jabara Williams and tight end Stephen Spach.

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.

ST. LOUIS (AP)—The St. Louis Rams may be forced to use a pair of backups
at running back against Baltimore on Sunday.

Steven Jackson injured his right quadriceps in the opener against
Philadelphia and did not play in Monday’s loss to the New York Giants. Cadillac
Williams, who rushed for 91 yards in replacing Jackson against the Eagles, hurt
his hamstring in the first quarter against the Giants. Williams finished the
game but gained just 36 yards on 13 attempts.

Williams did not practice Wednesday or Thursday but got some work in
Friday’s practice. Jackson also saw some limited time.

“I’m not going to say he went full-tilt there and opened it up,” coach
Steve Spagnuolo said about Williams. “At least he got some work today. (It) may
be a game-time decision.”

If neither can go, Jerious Norwood(notes) and Quinn Porter(notes) move up and Spagnuolo
said he has confidence in both backs. The Rams signed Norwood, a sixth-year pro,
before training camp. Porter is in his first year in the NFL after being
released by Cleveland.

“Both of those guys know what they’re doing,” Spagnuolo said. “They’ve
got the bulk of the work in practice.”

Norwood played in only 12 games the last two seasons at Atlanta, including
just two last year when he sustained a season-ending knee injury.

He had his best season as a rookie in 2006 when he rushed for 633 yards and
two touchdowns. He had 613 rushing yards and a touchdown in 2007 and he had 489
yards and four touchdowns in 2008.

Norwood said he is ready.

“You know when a guy goes down, the next guy’s got to be able to pick up
the slack and keep rolling,” Norwood said. “That’s what being a professional
is all about—being able to handle your business.”

Jackson said he will be a game-day decision like he was against the Giants.
He hurt the quad on a 47-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the season. He
came in for another carry—a 9-yard gain—and has not played since.

“A quad injury is very delicate because you have to not only test it to see
where it is, but if you do a little bit too much you could actually re-injure it
and bring you back down to square one,” he said. “It’s definitely an injury
that is pretty delicate and you have to treat it as such.”

Jackson said he believes Norwood will be able to play well if he gets the
nod.

“I think Jerious, he brings definitely home-run capabilities especially
when you get him out on the edges,” Jackson said. “He does a good job of that.
He’s a threat inside and outside of the tackles and he does a pretty good job of
catching the ball down the field.”

Williams would like to get back out there and overcome the fumbled lateral
that changed the game with the Giants. On a third-and-eight, Williams got a
backward pass from Sam Bradford(notes) at the New York 25. Williams dropped the ball,
but didn’t go after it, thinking it was an incomplete pass.

New York’s Michael Boley(notes) alertly picked it up and took it in for a touchdown
and a 14-6 lead early in the second quarter.

“It was just a boneheaded move by me, just knowing it’s a lateral like
that, you’ve got to be aware and get on the ball,” Williams said. “Just a
boneheaded move by me.”

He is optimistic he can play Sunday.

“I feel good, so I should be ready to go,” Williams said. “I don’t feel
too bad.”

By Dan Moore

– Managing Editor

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Sep 19, 2011 – Steven Jackson remains questionable on the St. Louis Rams’ Week 2 injury report despite not practicing all week following a strange quadriceps injury suffered while running in the open field on his Week 1 touchdown dash against the Philadelphia Eagles. For all that (relative) optimism, most football fans and analysts seem convinced Cadillac Williams will be lining up against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, with Jackson held back despite all his usual protestations. 

Jackson’s a hard player to keep out of a game—even out of a series, as his historically invisible backups have shown—but the Rams signed Williams and Jerious Norwood for this exact reason—so they’d be able to keep Jackson fresh and as near 100% as he could get as often as they could manage. Williams’s outstanding performance Week 1—he ran for 91 yards on 19 carries and caught five balls for 49 yards, his best performance since he rushed for 129 yards back in 2009. If Williams and Norwood can combine to perform about like Jackson, there’s no reason to rush Jackson back. 

Read More: Jerious Norwood (RB – STL), Cadillac Williams (RB – STL), Steven Jackson (RB – STL), New York Giants, St. Louis Rams

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The St. Louis Rams have signed running back Jerious Norwood, who has spent all five of his NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. Norwood has strong ties to two men in the Rams organization. 

He was drafted by Atlanta when Rams GM Billy Devaney was there and played for Rams running back coach Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State.

He will back up Steven Jackson and likely provide help as a third down back.

After the Rams baffled many of their fans over the last two years by not adding a proven backup runner, today they eliminated a crater-sized hole and filled a dire need with the addition of Norwood. 

For the first time in Jackson’s career, he will be have a legitimate No. 2 running back behind him, assuming Norwood is healthy.  He possesses the ability to capably spell Jackson during games or fill in for Jackson if he gets banged up for a game or two along the way.

During his career, the 28-year-old has averaged over five yards per carry and nearly 10 yards per catch primarily as a second running back for Atlanta. 

Norwood checks in at 5’11 and 209 pounds, capable of hitting the home run and taking it to the house with any touch.  He is explosive on the outside, capable of beating linebackers around the edge and getting into the secondary consistently. 

In 2006, Norwood ran a blazing 4.32 40 at the NFL scouting combine.  He showed further explosive athleticism sporting a 36.5 inch vertical and a 10′ 2″ broad jump.

He’s a solid receiver out of the backfield, too, having caught 28 balls in 2007 and 36 in 2008.  This should help him contribute on third downs, potentially spelling Jackson. 

He will likely receive at least a handful of touches on the ground and/or through the air each game. 

Norwood is also a candidate for kick return duties.  During his career, he has averaged 25.5 yards per return.  By comparison, Danny Amendola averaged a solid 22.8 yards on returns in 2010.

The concern with Norwood, particularly lately, has been his durability.  Out of 80 career regular season games, he has only managed to play in 57. 

Last season, he only played in two games before being placed on injured reserve after suffering an ACL injury. 

In 2009, he missed six games suffering from a hip injury and complications from a concussion. 

According to the Jackson Clarion Ledger, on June 26, Norwood reports that he is healthy and says “I’ll be ready to roll this football season. (Rehab) is pretty much over with.”

Taking a positive spin on the durability issue, Norwood has taken relatively few hits in the NFL after enduring all these injuries.  After five seasons, he only has 373 career carries. 

That isn’t much more than one average season’s worth for Steven Jackson.

So if Norwood is fully recovered from his ACL injury and has maintained his speed and skill set, he may be a very young 28 with lots left in the tank.

At the very least, the Rams have added quality depth to the backfield.

Some suggest the Rams may still be in the hunt for former Miami Dolphin halfback Ronnie Brown.  Time will tell if that comes to fruition.    

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that the Rams are also looking at Cadillac Williams.

In lieu of this signing, the Rams have effectively filled every area of need in this offseason’s free agency period.

In about a week, the Rams have added depth and potential starters at: safety, outside linebacker, defensive tackle, offensive guard, wide receiver and now, running back.

With this signing, I would have to give the Rams an A- for their work thus far in free agency. 

They have addressed every major area of need in some manner and have certainly improved their chances for competing for the NFC West crown in 2011. 

Although the first half of the Rams schedule looks particularly tough, the Rams look tough too. 

If the Rams can survive that portion of the schedule having tallied even just three of four wins, they may still be in decent shape to make a run at the playoffs in the second half of the season.