ST. LOUIS (AP) — Last January, when the St. Louis Rams played the Seattle Seahawks for the NFC West title, Chris Long wanted to play his best. No regrets, no what ifs.

After the loss, Long was motivated. Not haunted.

“I’m not that type,” Long said. “Some people say, ‘Well, you should be that type.’ That’s why I try to play really hard, so those things I can leave them on the field.”

Set to face the Seahawks for the first time since, that philosophy still applies for a player who’s developed into one of the NFL’s top pass rushers. Although for a much different reason.

Each team is having a stinker of a season.

Seattle (3-6) vs. St. Louis (2-7) long ago was slotted for a late afternoon marquee start. Instead, their total of five wins is the lowest among this week’s matchups.

There’s only so much any one player can do about that.

Long’s play has been a key to the Rams’ surge, most of it on defense, the last few games. Although it’s too late to save a season long gone sour, St. Louis finally bears some resemblance to the team that made a six-victory improvement in Year 2 under coach Steve Spagnuolo.

Since getting manhandled by the Packers and Cowboys by a combined 58-10, the Rams have two wins and an overtime loss. Long got three sacks in an upset over the Saints and is among the league leaders with eight, blossoming as a force against the run, too, in his fourth season since being taken with the second overall pick of the 2009 draft.

The Seahawks lost three of four to start the year, then dropped three of four again. They showed surprising life last week with a 22-17 upset of the Ravens, but are four games behind the 49ers in the West.

Time for a little commiserating from coach Pete Carroll, whose team has also been ravaged by injuries. Carroll referenced the Rams’ brutal early schedule and the Cardinals’ also-ran status.

Carroll thinks the Seahawks are a better team than last year’s 7-9 division champs, just a bit young. Nearly half of the roster is in its first season with the franchise.

“I think we’ve all started slowly, other than the Niners who got off to a racehorse start, and we didn’t,” Carroll said. “So we’ll see what happens. There’s a lot of ball left, a lot of games out there.”

Maybe, if they can keep playing like last week, when they capitalized on three turnovers and Marshawn Lynch’s second straight 100-yard rushing game to beat their second division leader. Besides scoring Seattle’s lone TD, Lynch had four big runs and a first-down catch in the drive that ran out the final 5:52.

“That’s pretty much the way you see the game being won, running out the clock being up like that,” Lynch said. “It just so happened it was against the Ravens. That one is done, now we have to get ready for this one.”

Lynch has consecutive 100-yard games for the first time in his career, a big boost for a run game ranked near the bottom of the NFL.

“He has a nasty stiff-arm and he’s explosive,” Rams middle linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “He’s looking to score every carry.”

And he’s about to go up against the NFL’s worst team against the run, although the Rams have held two of the last three opponents below 100 yards.

The Rams’ Steven Jackson can do Lynch one better. Still bowling over tacklers in his eighth season, the 240-pound Jackson has stepped up in an effort to prevent the season from total collapse, and has three straight 100-yard games.

“Steven Jackson is roaring,” Carroll said.

Though he’s missed most of three games, Jackson is ninth in the NFL with 707 yards rushing and a 5.1-yard average — the best of his career.

“Jack means everything to our offense,” quarterback Sam Bradford said. “When Jack gets rolling, it just makes everything a lot easier for us. “

Not easy enough for Bradford, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season who’s battled injuries and personnel turnover in his second season and is running the NFL’s lowest-scoring offense. Since returning from a high left ankle sprain that sidelined him for two games, Bradford has one TD pass and two interceptions.

Bradford has only four touchdown passes on the year and two of his top anticipated targets are on injured reserve (Danny Amendola) or elsewhere (Mike Sims-Walker, with the Jaguars). But he offers no excuses about what’s been a disappointing year.

“It’s obviously nowhere near where it needs to be,” Bradford said.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — With their starting quarterbacks hurting, the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals meet with last place in arguably the worst division in pro football at stake.

The Rams and Cardinals match 1-6 records Sunday and, if a team can claim momentum in such a situation, it would be St. Louis. The Rams upset New Orleans 31-21 last weekend with backup A.J. Feeley replacing quarterback Sam Bradford.

“It definitely gives you something to build off of. It’s starting to turn the mood around,” running back Steven Jackson said. “Of course, whenever you go 0-6 or you go winless for a little bit, the mood changes and things become not as fun. The life has returned back into the locker room. Guys are feeling good about what we did last week, but we are completely focused that it is a week-to-week season. It’s good to get that one last week. Now we have to keep it going and prove that last week wasn’t just a fluke.”

Bradford might return this week after missing two games with a high left ankle sprain.

Meanwhile, Arizona’s Kevin Kolb has a turf toe injury to his right foot and could be replaced by second-year pro John Skelton, who went 2-2 as a rookie starter late last season.

“I got the experience under my belt,” Skelton said. “I got hit by an NFL player. I threw an NFL pass. The whole experience helps you in so many ways. I think I fit in now. Maybe last year in training camp and stuff I felt out of place. But now I know I can make all the throws. I’ve seen a lot of defenses, and I’ll be prepared for what they bring.”

No matter who plays quarterback, this is not where these teams thought they would be going into the halfway point of the season.

The Rams were coming off a 7-9 record that was their best since 2006. The Cardinals, after a dismal 5-11 season, made several personnel moves, most significantly the trade to bring in Kolb. Yet St. Louis, with a rough early schedule and a slew of injuries, lost its first six. Arizona won its season opener, but with Kolb struggling more than anticipated has dropped six in a row.

“We expect to win every Sunday and if you don’t do that, you should not be playing in this league,” Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “We were disappointed and we kept grinding and kept grinding, guys kept working, nobody gave in, guys didn’t point fingers, and that was important.”

While the Rams stopped their free-fall, at least for now, the Cardinals are grasping for a much-needed win in their only home stop in a four-game stretch. Last Sunday’s 30-27 last-second loss at Baltimore was Arizona’s 11th consecutive road loss, a streak that dates to the 2010 season opener at St. Louis. The Cardinals had beaten the Rams eight times in a row before losing to them at home last December.

Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett expressed admiration for what the Rams were able to do against the heavily favored Saints.

“I’m pretty sure everybody in the world counted them out against the Saints and they proved everybody wrong,” Dockett said.

The Cardinals find no solace in the fact that four of their losses have come by four points or fewer. Last week against the Ravens, Arizona led 24-3 in the first half only to lose on a last-second field goal.

“It hurts,” Dockett said. “But you learn a lesson from that. The game ain’t over until it’s over.

The other close losses came by one at Washington, three at Seattle and four at home to the New York Giants. By contrast, only one of St. Louis’ losses was by single digits, 17-10 at home against Washington. Before they stunned the Saints, the Rams had been outscored 58-10 in consecutive defeats at Green Bay and Dallas, part of a brutal early schedule that also included games against Philadelphia and Baltimore.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, have struggled to protect the passer. Kolb has been sacked 24 times, the most for one NFC quarterback, and went down six times against the Ravens. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said it’s a combination of pass blocking and Kolb not getting the ball out quickly enough. It doesn’t help that the team has played Pittsburgh and Baltimore, two of the league’s top defenses, the past two weeks.

While the teams have had more than their fair share of woes, both have had some success on the ground.

Jackson, the Rams’ career leader in yards rushing, worked himself back from a quadriceps injury that occurred on the first play of the season to gain 159 yards in 25 carries, including two touchdowns against New Orleans.

Arizona’s Beanie Wells, despite a nagging sore knee, had 83 yards in 22 attempts against Baltimore. The two big backs have similar bruising running styles.

“Beanie is a horse now,” Spagnuolo said. “He can do anything. He can run outside, inside, he cuts it back, he runs over people, he can shake people. He’s a premier back.”

Even though he has missed a game, Wells has 506 yards rushing in 115 attempts, an average of 4.5 per carry. Jackson has 449 yards in just 84 carries, an average of 5.3.

Jackson’s style has led to a series of injuries, but he always seems to come back with a flourish.

“I would say you get frustrated at times,” he said. “You’d like your job to be smooth sailing, but that just hasn’t been my career. I take great pride in showing up each and every game, each and every day, regardless of the situation, and playing with pride and integrity.”

At the midpoint of the season, the Rams are playing an NFC West foe for the first time and the Cardinals for the second.

With their starting quarterbacks hurting, the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals meet with last place in arguably the worst division in pro football at stake.

The Rams and Cardinals match 1-6 records Sunday and, if a team can claim momentum in such a situation, it would be St. Louis. The Rams upset New Orleans 31-21 last weekend with backup A.J. Feeley replacing quarterback Sam Bradford.

“It definitely gives you something to build off of. It’s starting to turn the mood around,” running back Steven Jackson said. “Of course, whenever you go 0-6 or you go winless for a little bit, the mood changes and things become not as fun. The life has returned back into the locker room. Guys are feeling good about what we did last week, but we are completely focused that it is a week-to-week season. It’s good to get that one last week. Now we have to keep it going and prove that last week wasn’t just a fluke.”

Bradford might return this week after missing two games with a high left ankle sprain.

Meanwhile, Arizona’s Kevin Kolb has a turf toe injury to his right foot and could be replaced by second-year pro John Skelton, who went 2-2 as a rookie starter late last season.

“I got the experience under my belt,” Skelton said. “I got hit by an NFL player. I threw an NFL pass. The whole experience helps you in so many ways. I think I fit in now. Maybe last year in training camp and stuff I felt out of place. But now I know I can make all the throws. I’ve seen a lot of defenses, and I’ll be prepared for what they bring.”

No matter who plays quarterback, this is not where these teams thought they would be going into the halfway point of the season.

The Rams were coming off a 7-9 record that was their best since 2006. The Cardinals, after a dismal 5-11 season, made several personnel moves, most significantly the trade to bring in Kolb. Yet St. Louis, with a rough early schedule and a slew of injuries, lost its first six. Arizona won its season opener, but with Kolb struggling more than anticipated has dropped six in a row.

“We expect to win every Sunday and if you don’t do that, you should not be playing in this league,” Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “We were disappointed and we kept grinding and kept grinding, guys kept working, nobody gave in, guys didn’t point fingers, and that was important.”

While the Rams stopped their free-fall, at least for now, the Cardinals are grasping for a much-needed win in their only home stop in a four-game stretch. Last Sunday’s 30-27 last-second loss at Baltimore was Arizona’s 11th consecutive road loss, a streak that dates to the 2010 season opener at St. Louis. The Cardinals had beaten the Rams eight times in a row before losing to them at home last December.

Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett expressed admiration for what the Rams were able to do against the heavily favored Saints.

“I’m pretty sure everybody in the world counted them out against the Saints and they proved everybody wrong,” Dockett said.

The Cardinals find no solace in the fact that four of their losses have come by four points or fewer. Last week against the Ravens, Arizona led 24-3 in the first half only to lose on a last-second field goal.

“It hurts,” Dockett said. “But you learn a lesson from that. The game ain’t over until it’s over.

The other close losses came by one at Washington, three at Seattle and four at home to the New York Giants. By contrast, only one of St. Louis’ losses was by single digits, 17-10 at home against Washington. Before they stunned the Saints, the Rams had been outscored 58-10 in consecutive defeats at Green Bay and Dallas, part of a brutal early schedule that also included games against Philadelphia and Baltimore.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, have struggled to protect the passer. Kolb has been sacked 24 times, the most for one NFC quarterback, and went down six times against the Ravens. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said it’s a combination of pass blocking and Kolb not getting the ball out quickly enough. It doesn’t help that the team has played Pittsburgh and Baltimore, two of the league’s top defenses, the past two weeks.

While the teams have had more than their fair share of woes, both have had some success on the ground.

Jackson, the Rams’ career leader in yards rushing, worked himself back from a quadriceps injury that occurred on the first play of the season to gain 159 yards in 25 carries, including two touchdowns against New Orleans. Arizona’s Beanie Wells, despite a nagging sore knee, had 83 yards in 22 attempts against Baltimore. The two big backs have similar bruising running styles.

“Beanie is a horse now,” Spagnuolo said. “He can do anything. He can run outside, inside, he cuts it back, he runs over people, he can shake people. He’s a premier back.”

Even though he has missed a game, Wells has 506 yards rushing in 115 attempts, an average of 4.5 per carry. Jackson has 449 yards in just 84 carries, an average of 5.3.

Jackson’s style has led to a series of injuries, but he always seems to come back with a flourish.

“I would say you get frustrated at times,” he said. “You’d like your job to be smooth sailing, but that just hasn’t been my career. I take great pride in showing up each and every game, each and every day, regardless of the situation, and playing with pride and integrity.”

At the midpoint of the season, the Rams are playing an NFC West foe for the first time and the Cardinals for the second.

GLENDALE, Ariz. – With their starting quarterbacks hurting, the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals meet with last place in arguably the worst division in pro football at stake.

The Rams and Cardinals match 1-6 records Sunday and, if a team can claim momentum in such a situation, it would be St. Louis. The Rams upset New Orleans 31-21 last weekend with backup A.J. Feeley replacing quarterback Sam Bradford.

“It definitely gives you something to build off of. It’s starting to turn the mood around,” running back Steven Jackson said. “Of course, whenever you go 0-6 or you go winless for a little bit, the mood changes and things become not as fun. The life has returned back into the locker room. Guys are feeling good about what we did last week, but we are completely focused that it is a week-to-week season. It’s good to get that one last week. Now we have to keep it going and prove that last week wasn’t just a fluke.”

Bradford might return this week after missing two games with a high left ankle sprain.

Meanwhile, Arizona’s Kevin Kolb has a turf toe injury to his right foot and could be replaced by second-year pro John Skelton, who went 2-2 as a rookie starter late last season.

“I got the experience under my belt,” Skelton said. “I got hit by an NFL player. I threw an NFL pass. The whole experience helps you in so many ways. I think I fit in now. Maybe last year in training camp and stuff I felt out of place. But now I know I can make all the throws. I’ve seen a lot of defences, and I’ll be prepared for what they bring.”

No matter who plays quarterback, this is not where these teams thought they would be going into the halfway point of the season.

The Rams were coming off a 7-9 record that was their best since 2006. The Cardinals, after a dismal 5-11 season, made several personnel moves, most significantly the trade to bring in Kolb. Yet St. Louis, with a rough early schedule and a slew of injuries, lost its first six. Arizona won its season opener, but with Kolb struggling more than anticipated has dropped six in a row.

“We expect to win every Sunday and if you don’t do that, you should not be playing in this league,” Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “We were disappointed and we kept grinding and kept grinding, guys kept working, nobody gave in, guys didn’t point fingers, and that was important.”

While the Rams stopped their free-fall, at least for now, the Cardinals are grasping for a much-needed win in their only home stop in a four-game stretch. Last Sunday’s 30-27 last-second loss at Baltimore was Arizona’s 11th consecutive road loss, a streak that dates to the 2010 season opener at St. Louis. The Cardinals had beaten the Rams eight times in a row before losing to them at home last December.

Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett expressed admiration for what the Rams were able to do against the heavily favoured Saints.

“I’m pretty sure everybody in the world counted them out against the Saints and they proved everybody wrong,” Dockett said.

The Cardinals find no solace in the fact that four of their losses have come by four points or fewer. Last week against the Ravens, Arizona led 24-3 in the first half only to lose on a last-second field goal.

“It hurts,” Dockett said. “But you learn a lesson from that. The game ain’t over until it’s over.

The other close losses came by one at Washington, three at Seattle and four at home to the New York Giants. By contrast, only one of St. Louis’ losses was by single digits, 17-10 at home against Washington. Before they stunned the Saints, the Rams had been outscored 58-10 in consecutive defeats at Green Bay and Dallas, part of a brutal early schedule that also included games against Philadelphia and Baltimore.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, have struggled to protect the passer. Kolb has been sacked 24 times, the most for one NFC quarterback, and went down six times against the Ravens. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said it’s a combination of pass blocking and Kolb not getting the ball out quickly enough. It doesn’t help that the team has played Pittsburgh and Baltimore, two of the league’s top defences, the past two weeks.

While the teams have had more than their fair share of woes, both have had some success on the ground.

Jackson, the Rams’ career leader in yards rushing, worked himself back from a quadriceps injury that occurred on the first play of the season to gain 159 yards in 25 carries, including two touchdowns against New Orleans. Arizona’s Beanie Wells, despite a nagging sore knee, had 83 yards in 22 attempts against Baltimore. The two big backs have similar bruising running styles.

“Beanie is a horse now,” Spagnuolo said. “He can do anything. He can run outside, inside, he cuts it back, he runs over people, he can shake people. He’s a premier back.”

Even though he has missed a game, Wells has 506 yards rushing in 115 attempts, an average of 4.5 per carry. Jackson has 449 yards in just 84 carries, an average of 5.3.

Jackson’s style has led to a series of injuries, but he always seems to come back with a flourish.

“I would say you get frustrated at times,” he said. “You’d like your job to be smooth sailing, but that just hasn’t been my career. I take great pride in showing up each and every game, each and every day, regardless of the situation, and playing with pride and integrity.”

At the midpoint of the season, the Rams are playing an NFC West foe for the first time and the Cardinals for the second.

(Sports Network) – It’s been nearly a year since the St. Louis Rams last won
on the road, while the Arizona Cardinals haven’t won since Week 1 of this
season and the two teams have combined for just two victories in 2011.

Not exactly a marquee matchup.

Nonetheless, the Cardinals try to snap a six-game slide this Sunday against a
Rams club that is coming off its first victory of the season.

Arizona seemed poised to earn its first victory since Sept. 11 over Carolina
in its last time out, taking an 18-point lead into halftime against a talented
Baltimore squad last Sunday. However, the Ravens’ defense held the visiting
Cardinals in check over the second half and stormed back to beat the NFC West
residents by a 30-27 score on Billy Cundiff’s 25-yard field goal as time
expired.

It was the Cardinals’ 15th loss in their last 18 games dating back to last
year, including a seven-game losing streak to kick off that stretch. All three
of those wins did come at home, however.

“It’s hard right now,” Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “Our guys are
very disappointed after [the Baltimore] game because it was an opportunity to
do something that nobody thought we could do.”

Arizona got a gutsy effort from running back Beanie Wells, who started despite
a knee injury that limited him during the game. Complicating matters was
quarterback Kevin Kolb injuring himself early on in the contest.

Though Kolb took every snap, he is day-to-day this week due to a turf toe
ailment. Second-year pro John Skelton would get his fifth career start and
first this season if Kolb can’t go.

“It’s going to really depend on his ability to be able to run and plant off
[the foot],” Whisenhunt said of Kolb. “So that’s going to be [about] how much
movement he can get back if the swelling goes down. So we’ll see where it is as
it progresses, but it’s made a lot of progress since Sunday.”

Wells, meanwhile, did not practice on Wednesday but should still be ready for
this game.

St. Louis has been without its No. 1 quarterback in Sam Bradford for the past
two weeks due to a high left ankle sprain, but that didn’t stop the Rams from
picking up their first victory of 2011 with a 31-21 shocker over the high-
powered New Orleans Saints last weekend.

One the same day that several players from the MLB-champion St. Louis Cardinals
showed up with their World Series trophy in tow, running back Steven Jackson
stepped up in Bradford’s absence, rushing for a season-high 159 yards to go
along with two touchdowns.

St. Louis, which was the last team in the NFC to pick up a win, led 17-0 at
the half on the strength of a blocked punt and interception that helped set up
touchdowns, while young defensive back Darian Stewart iced the game with a 27-
yard pick-six later on.

In addition to Bradford, wide receiver Danario Alexander (hamstring),
linebacker Brady Poppinga (calf) and cornerback Justin King (groin) all missed
the game, leading to several players needing to step up.

“We had a lot of guys out today that normally would be out there,” said Rams
head coach Steve Spagnuolo afterward. “For the leaders to step up, guys like
[defensive end] James Hall and Steven Jackson, and lead their units, rally
them, that’s what this league’s all about. You need that and we got it [last
week]. Hopefully we can keep it going.”

A.J. Feeley started his second straight game in place of Bradford, getting his
first win as a starter since Dec. 26, 2004 while with Miami. Bradford, the top
pick of the 2010 draft, could be ready to return for this game after recently
shedding the cast and walking boot he had been in. Bradford did participate in
some of the Wednesday’s walk-through, but will be very limited in practice this
week.

“It feels pretty good walking around,” Bradford said of his ankle on Wednesday.
“I haven’t tested it with running or full-speed drops but [head athletic
trainer Reggie Scott] has a plan and we are on that plan. We came out here and
did a little bit today and we’ll hopefully do a little more [Thursday] and see
where it is by the end of the week.”

At 1-6, both the Rams and Cardinals sit five games back of the first-place
San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West. St. Louis will play its first divisional
game of the season on Sunday, and five of its next six contests are against NFC
West teams. Arizona has lost its only division game this year.

The Rams have lost five straight on the road since a victory in Arizona on
Dec. 5 of last season.

SERIES HISTORY

This long-played series, which dates back to 1937, is tied at 31-31-2 overall
after the Rams recorded a 19-6 triumph at University of Phoenix Stadium last
December. That victory halted a string of eight consecutive Arizona wins in
the set, including a 17-13 decision in St. Louis in the 2010 season opener.
The Rams had lost in Arizona in each of the three previous seasons prior to
last year’s verdict, but did come through with road wins over the Cards in
both 2005 and 2006.

The only postseason meeting between the two occurred in 1975, when the then-
Los Angeles Rams pulled out a 35-23 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in an NFC
Divisional Playoff.

Whisenhunt owns a 7-1 record against the Rams since taking over as the
Cardinals’ head coach in 2007, with the lone defeat taking place during Week
13 of last season. Spagnuolo is 1-3 against Arizona and in head-to-head bouts
with Whisenhunt as well.

WHEN THE RAMS HAVE THE BALL

With Bradford (1177 passing yards, 3 TD, 2 INT) out another week, Jackson (449
rushing yards, 16 receptions, 5 total TD) threw the Rams’ 28th ranked
offense on his shoulders and put together his best outing of the season.
Jackson’s two-touchdown effort took a lot of pressure off Feeley (392 passing
yards, 1 TD, 1 INT), who threw for 175 yards on 20-of-37 passing while getting
sacked four times. Arizona does have a decent run defense, so whomever is St.
Louis’ quarterback this week may need to make more plays. Having wide receiver
Brandon Lloyd in the mix will help that. Playing in his second game since being
acquired in a trade with the Broncos, Lloyd (31 receptions, 410 yards, 1 TD)
was targeted 13 times against New Orleans and made a team-leading six catches
for 53 yards. One of those was an eight-yard scoring throw from Feeley near the
end of the first half. With Alexander (16 receptions, 1 TD), one of St. Louis’
leading receivers, out, rookie Greg Salas (20 receptions) added five receptions
for 47 yards and Jackson made four grabs for another 32. Wideout Brandon Gibson
(19 receptions, 1 TD) turned two catches into 27 yards, showing that the Rams
like to spread the ball out.

Arizona’s disappointing loss last weekend was not without plays from the
defense, but the unit had no answer for the Ravens in the second half. The
Cardinals allowed 156 yards in the first half, but yielded 249 yards along with
24 points over the final two quarters. With linebacker Joey Porter (16 tackles,
1 sack) out with a knee injury, rookie Sam Acho (9 tackles, 2 sacks) got his
first NFL start in the loss and finished with six tackles, a sack and a forced
fumble, while fellow backup O’Brien Schofield (12 tackles, 1.5 sacks) also had
a sack that resulted in a fumble that led to a score. Cornerback Richard
Marshall (30 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT) notched an interception, but was part of a
secondary that failed to contain former Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin,
who logged seven catches for 145 yards. That secondary also remains without
safety Kerry Rhodes (24 tackles, 2 sacks) due to a foot injury, with his
replacement Rashad Johnson (19 tackles) leading the way with eight tackles last
Sunday. Rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson (32 tackles, 1 INT) also struggled
in coverage last week and will likely be tested again in this game. Arizona’s
run defense, led by tackle Darnell Dockett (21 tackles) and linebacker Daryl
Washington (36 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT), ranks 15th in the league with 113.1
yards allowed per game, though the Cards are yielding 277.6 yards through the
air per game.

WHEN THE CARDINALS HAVE THE BALL

Arizona will be thankful to see the Rams’ 30th-ranked defense this weekend
after facing the league’s top-ranked unit in each of previous two games. After
taking on Pittsburgh in Week 7, the Cardinals logged just 207 yards versus
Baltimore, using some turnovers and an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown
from Peterson to rack up points. The game ball definitely belonged to Wells
(506 rushing yards, 7 TD) after he gutted out 83 yards with a touchdown on 22
carries, and the Cardinals needed every yard due to Kolb’s injury. Kolb (1706
passing yards, 8 TD, 8 INT) was sacked six times and completed just 10 of his
21 pass attempts for 153 yards in the game. He was also picked off once while
finding Early Doucet (28 receptions, 3 TD) for a touchdown through the air.
There’s little doubt the Cardinals will try again to get Larry Fitzgerald (34
receptions, 2 TD) involved this week. The perennial Pro Bowler had 98 yards on
just three catches versus the Ravens and is sure to draw most of the attention
from the Rams’ secondary. That could open up the door for Doucet, wide receiver
Andre Roberts or tight end Jeff King (14 receptions, 2 TD) to make some plays.
King had three catches last weekend as Todd Heap (13 receptions) missed the
game with a hamstring issue and fellow tight end Rob Housler suffered a groin
injury during the game. Also of concern is an ankle issue sustained by rookie
Anthony Sherman, the only listed fullback on the team’s depth chart before
Reagan Maui’a was signed on Tuesday.

The Rams will look to dial up the pressure again this weekend after recording
six sacks last Sunday versus the Saints. Defensive end Chris Long (14 tackles,
6 sacks) had three of those, a career high, while defensive tackle Fred
Robbins (12 tackles, 1 sack) and rookie end Robert Quinn (6 tackles, 2 sacks)
also had quarterback takedowns. Quinn also came up with a blocked punt late in
the first half. Linebacker James Laurinaitis (57 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) had
the team’s other sack and led the Rams with 10 tackles, while cornerback Josh
Gordy (14 tackles) started in place of an injured Justin King (30 tackles, 1
sack, 1 INT) and posted seven tackles in addition to his first career
interception. Stewart (37 tackles) ended with six tackles and another backup,
cornerback Marquis Johnson, had four stops. Chris Chamberlain (24 tackles, 1
sack) got his third straight start at weakside linebacker and posted three
tackles in the win. St. Louis’ 32nd-ranked run defense limited New Orleans to
56 yards on 20 attempts, an average of 2.8 yards per carry, though the Saints
did get one of their two touchdowns on the ground. With Wells’ among the league
leaders in rushing scores, Laurinaitis and safety Quintin Mikell (43 tackles, 1
sack, 1 INT) will need to have their unit ready to stop the run.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Whether it’s Kolb or Skelton, the Cardinals need to find a way to get
Fitzgerald the ball. The playmaker has caught 12 touchdowns over his last 13
games versus the Rams, with that total representing his best against any
single opponent.

The Rams were able to get pressure on the Saints last week and will look to
take advantage of a troublesome Cardinals offensive line. The entire unit
struggled versus the Ravens and Whisenhunt is still deciding whether Brandon
Keith or Jeremy Bridges will start at right tackle. Both had problems a week
ago.

All eyes should be on how the inexperienced Rams secondary performs for a
second straight week. The unit should be full of confidence after containing
Drew Brees and isn’t likely to be intimidated by Arizona’s options under
center.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Two teams with NFC West title hopes instead meet nine weeks into the season
trying to get out of the division’s basement. Momentum will seem to be on St.
Louis’ side after last weekend’s big win, but as noted above, the Cardinals
have had the Rams’ number over the past few years. Both teams have questions
under center due to injury, with St. Louis having the edge among the backups
due to Feeley’s experience. The Rams and Cards both give up their fair share
of points and a shootout favors the hosting club, but nagging injuries to Kolb
and Wells should swing things in St. Louis’ favor.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Rams 17, Cardinals 13

The Sports Network

By Satchel Price

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Oct 26, 2011 – The St. Louis Rams shook up their roster a tad today, making a couple of moves that were first reported by Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Earlier today, the Rams signed offensive lineman Mark LeVoir to give the team some depth as starting right tackle Jason Smith battles concussion symptoms. They released linebacker Jabara Williams in order to free up space on the active roster for LeVoir.

LeVoir, 29, began this season with the Baltimore Ravens but was released by the team last week. He’s played in 35 games since joining the NFL in 2007, including two starts with the New England Patriots in 2008 and another start with the Ravens in Week 4 of this season. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame.

Williams, the Rams’ seventh-round pick from earlier this year, played special teams with St. Louis the past two weeks after being inactive for the first quarter of the season. Drafted out of Stephen F. Austin, he was never viewed as a potential starter in St. Louis.

Read More: Mark LeVoir (G – STL), Jason Smith (OT – STL), Jabara Williams (LB – STL), Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, St. Louis Rams

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Receiver Danny Amendola and cornerback Bradley Fletcher will miss the rest of the season for the winless St. Louis Rams.

Fletcher tore a knee ligament in practice Wednesday and Amendola was to have surgery Thursday for the left elbow he dislocated in the season opener.

Amendola led the team with 85 receptions last season. The Rams had been hopeful he’d return after the team’s bye week. But he had a setback in his rehab and got a second medical opinion on Wednesday in Dallas.

“Initially it might seem like a drop-off, but we expect these guys to step up and play,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said Wednesday in anticipation Amendola would be out for an extended period. “We miss Danny, there is no question about that.”

Fletcher was hurt in a collision with wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker, who had what was believed to be a minor shoulder injury.

Fletcher is the second cornerback the Rams have lost for the season. Ron Bartell went on IR after sustaining two fractures in his neck in the opener.

The Rams (0-4) have been hard-hit at the position.

A third cornerback, Jerome Murphy, was knocked out for the year with an ankle injury in training camp and three others, seventh-round pick Mikail Baker, Dionte Dinkins and Tim Atchison, are on injured reserve.

Cornerback Marquis Johnson could return from the physically unable to perform list after the Oct. 16 game at Green Bay. Johnson has been rehabbing from a knee injury sustained last season.

The starters against the Packers could be Justin King, who had an interception last week against Washington, but gave up three touchdown passes the previous week against the Ravens, and 36-year-old Al Harris.

Recent pickup Rod Hood and Josh Gordy, promoted from the practice squad two weeks ago, may get playing time against the Packers.

“Well, I think it’s possible,” defensive coordinator Ken Flajole said before the severity of Fletcher’s injury was known. “We’d have to be smart about what we called.

“We couldn’t ask them to learn everything that we’ve had in since the beginning of training camp because there’s just too much volume and too short of a time.”

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Rams have lost two starters to injury, putting cornerback Bradley Fletcher and wide receiver Danny Amendola on season-ending injured reserve.

Fletcher tore a knee ligament in practice Wednesday and Amendola was to have surgery Thursday on the left elbow he dislocated in the season opener.

Amendola led the Rams with 85 receptions last year. The team had been hopeful he’d return after the bye week, but he had a setback in his rehab.

“Initially it might seem like a drop-off, but we expect these guys to step up and play,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said Wednesday in anticipation Amendola would be out for an extended period. “We miss Danny, there is no question about that.”

Fletcher was hurt in a collision with wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker, who had what was believed to be a minor shoulder injury.

Fletcher is the second cornerback the Rams have lost for the season. Ron Bartell went on the IR after sustaining two fractures in his neck in the opener.

The Rams (0-4) have been hard-hit at the position.

A third cornerback, Jerome Murphy, was knocked out for the year with an ankle injury in training camp and three others, seventh-round pick Mikail Baker, Dionte Dinkins and Tim Atchison, are on injured reserve.

Cornerback Marquis Johnson could be returning from the physically unable to perform list after the Oct. 16 game at Green Bay. Johnson has been rehabbing from a knee injury sustained last season.

The starters against the Packers could be Justin King, who had an interception last week against Washington, but gave up three touchdown passes the previous week against the Ravens, and 36-year-old Al Harris.

Recent pickup Rod Hood and Josh Gordy, promoted from the practice squad two weeks ago, may get playing time against the Packers.

“Well, I think it’s possible,” defensive coordinator Ken Flajole said before the severity of Fletcher’s injury was known. “We’d have to be smart about what we called.

“We couldn’t ask them to learn everything that we’ve had in since the beginning of training camp because there’s just too much volume and too short of a time.”

Fletcher tore a knee ligament in practice Wednesday and Amendola was to have surgery Thursday for the left elbow he dislocated in the season opener.

Amendola led the team with 85 receptions last season. The Rams had been hopeful he’d return after the team’s bye week, But he had a setback in his rehab and got a second medical opinion on Wednesday in Dallas.

“Initially it might seem like a drop-off, but we expect these guys to step up and play,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said Wednesday in anticipation Amendola would be out for an extended period. “We miss Danny, there is no question about that.”

Fletcher was hurt in a collision with wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker, who had what was believed to be a minor shoulder injury.

Fletcher is the second cornerback the Rams have lost for the season. Ron Bartell went on IR after sustaining two fractures in his neck in the opener.

The Rams (0-4) have been hard-hit at the position.

A third cornerback, Jerome Murphy, was knocked out for the year with an ankle injury in training camp and three others, seventh-round pick Mikail Baker, Dionte Dinkins and Tim Atchison, are on injured reserve.

Cornerback Marquis Johnson could be returning from the physically unable to perform list after the Oct. 16 game at Green Bay. Johnson has been rehabbing from a knee injury sustained last season.

The starters against the Packers could be Justin King, who had an interception last week against Washington, but gave up three touchdown passes the previous week against the Ravens, and 36-year-old Al Harris.

Recent pickup Rod Hood and Josh Gordy, promoted from the practice squad two weeks ago, may get playing time against the Packers.

“Well, I think it’s possible,” defensive coordinator Ken Flajole said before the severity of Fletcher’s injury was known. “We’d have to be smart about what we called.

“We couldn’t ask them to learn everything that we’ve had in since the beginning of training camp because there’s just too much volume and too short of a time.”

Jason Smith was in the starting lineup last week against the Baltimore Ravens and was benched before it was all said and done. He will have a chance to redeem himself this week, but the match-up is another difficult one.

Last week, Smith struggled handling Terrell Suggs and the Ravens exotic blitz packages. Playing against the Ravens pass rush is difficult for every tackle in the NFL, but Jason Smith’s failure to slow down the rush has led to him being labeled as a bust.

This week, the former No. 2 overall pick will have to shed the bust label.

He will be competing against two of the most promising young pass rushers in the NFL. Brian Orakpo has been a monster in his first two seasons, collecting 19.5 sacks in that span. Opposite of him is rookie Ryan Kerrigan who is already turning heads this year with 1.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.

Jason Smith will have to keep Sam Bradford clean if he wants to keep his job. 

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Rams are optimistic Steven Jackson will have a larger workload this weekend when they host the Washington Redskins.

Jackson has been hobbled by a strained quadriceps muscle. He was hurt on the Rams’ first play of the season against Philadelphia.

The Rams’ captain scored a touchdown on that 47-yard run but he pulled up as he crossed the goal line. He had one more carry in that game – for nine yards – and didn’t play in the second game against the Giants.

Jackson saw limited time against the Ravens, who left St. Louis with a 37-7 victory that kept the Rams winless. He carried the ball just four times for 23 yards.

Jackson has been limited in practice both Wednesday and Thursday. However, his presence on the practice field shows he is making progress.

“I’ve been able to practice all week, so that’s having things go in the right direction,” Jackson said. “I’ll be out there on Sunday.”

Having Jackson practice is a good thing, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said.

“You can tell he’s still not full speed, but he is getting there,” Spagnuolo said. “That’s a positive sign. I don’t think he’s 100 percent, but he is getting there. Every day he is getting better and better.”

Quarterback Sam Bradford is encouraged by what he has seen from Jackson in practice.

“He looked great. He looked fast,” Bradford said. “He looked like himself and that’s definitely going to be big for us.”

Spagnuolo said it’s his desire Jackson will be carrying a bigger load against the Redskins (2-1).

Playing in last week’s loss to Baltimore, Jackson showed his determination to do anything to help the Rams. He has played hurt before, including last season, and his will against Baltimore’s fierce defense impressed his coach.

“I want to complement Steve for being a team player,” Spagnuolo said. “Just having him in the huddle, I think, is big for our football team. That was kind of the reasoning and then I just kept my fingers crossed and said some prayers that it wouldn’t go backward.”

Notes: Cadillac Williams (hamstring) had full participation in Thursday’s practice after being limited Wednesday. … WR Danny Amendola (elbow) remains out of practice and is listed as doubtful for Sunday. … Sunday’s game against Washington is a sellout.

By Brendan Porath

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Sep 28, 2011 – After a tough loss to hated rival Dallas, the Redskins turn around on a short week and head to the Midwest to face a winless St. Louis Rams team. The Rams, predicted by many to take a step up and win the NFC West, are 0-3 with each loss coming by double digits. They were blown out at home by the Ravens last week.

Quarterback Sam Bradford was expected to flourish under new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels but his struggles have mirrored his team’s, as only Kerry Collins, Matt Cassel, and Luke McCown have worse passer ratings through three weeks. Bradford is dealing with a sprained toe but is listed as probable and is expected to play. Steven Jackson, who saw limited action against the Ravens due to a quad injury, is also expected to play.

Expect the Skins defense, which has looked good each of the first three weeks, to sustain Bradford’s early season struggles against the NFC East. The Skins are currently road favorites, giving 1.5 points to the Rams. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM as the Skins look to go 3-1 heading into their bye week.

For more on the Redskins vs. Rams, visit this StoryStream. Visit Hogs Haven for more on the Redskins, and visit Turf Show Times and SB Nation St. Louis for more on the Rams.

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The St. Louis Rams brought Mike Sims-Walker in to be the veteran focal point of Sam Bradford’s revamped receiving corps, but ever since the Philadelphia Eagles blanketed him with their top cornerbacks he’s become the forgotten man of the offense. Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens Sims-Walker was targeted six times, fewer than both Danario Alexander, who barely made the team, and Brandon Gibson, who looked like an afterthought until the preseason. If it weren’t for Danny Amendola’s injury Sims-Walker, who’s seen most of his targets in the short-to-midrange game, might be the fourth option in a Rams passing game increasingly focused on the big play. 

Of course, Gibson and Alexander didn’t exactly reward Bradford’s confidence in them in Week 3. Gibson missed a bomb that would have been a sure touchdown by tripping in his route and then letting the ball slip out of his hands after he had to dive for it, while Alexander fell down on a route of his own, leaving the Ravens wide open for an interception on what might have been a drive-breaking sideline catch. 

Mike Sims-Walker hasn’t exactly dominated the Rams’ receiving game like some thought he might, but his six-reception, 92 yard performance Week 2 is what might be expected of him if Sam Bradford finds some consistency and his only veteran receiver—nothing as dramatic as Danario Alexander might provide, but consistent chain-movement. In that sense, Brandon Gibson, who did make an outstanding catch for the Rams’ only touchdown of Week 3, is his primary competition. 

You would think after the first time Justin King got burned for a touchdown by Torrey Smith, the coaching staff would make an adjustment. 

Surely after the second touchdown they would make some sort of major change or at least realize King is incapable of covering him.

But after the third time in just the first quarter? That’s not on King, that’s on the coaching staff. 

If the Rams take a turn for the worst and the eventual outcome results in owner Stan Kroenke replacing the current regime, then it’s possible that the game against the Ravens will be remembered as the game that officially began to raise questions regarding the competency of coach Steven Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney. 

St. Louis fans are witnessing the same mental mistakes every single week, whether it be fumbles, dropped passes, missed tackles or blown coverage. 

At some point it becomes more than just a rare mistake by the individual player and becomes more about discipline, and a lack of discipline that is displayed by an entire team is usually the result of poor coaching. 

And it’s not just mental errors. This coaching staff was incapable of making adjustments during the game against the Ravens, and this is nothing new. 

In 2010, the coaching staff was frequently called out on their inability to make halftime adjustments, which is evident due to the fact that they were outscored 162-116 in the second half of games during their 2010 season; they have been outscored 31-20 in the second half of games this season. 

But what’s alarming is not the fact that the team is 0-3 against three very good football teams, but rather that the team looks flat and has lost convincingly all three times. 

Perhaps Spagnuolo should consider abandoning the “nice guy” routine until his team shows at least the slightest bit of passion.