St. Louis Rams Football

Jeff Fisher is headed to St. Louis

RamFan — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:18:00 GMT

Jeff Fisher is reportedly taking the weekend to decide whether he wants to coach the St Louis Rams.

Howard Balzer seems to think Coach Fisher is set to decide this weekend.

"All those factors, according to sources familiar with the thinking of Jeff Fisher, have led the former Tennessee Titans coach, who has been weighing serious interest from the Miami Dolphins and the Rams this week, to be on the verge of choosing St. Louis as the next stop in his coaching career. The decision is not final, and things can always change until a contract is signed, but despite the likelihood of leaving some money on the table in Miami, Fisher likes the potential on the Rams’ roster to turn things around relatively quickly."

Source: www.101espn.com

Report: Fisher “on the verge” of becoming Rams coach

"At least one source in St. Louis believes he’s going to pick the Rams. espn101.com says Fisher is “on the verge” of accepting the Rams coaching job"

Source: profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

(L-R): Tennessee Titan's head coach Jeff Fisher and Carter's Chord's Becky, Emily and Joanna Robertson. Source: musicrow.com

More News:

Fisher meets with Rams, Kroenke in Denver‎ Columbia Daily Tribune
NFL notes: Fisher under no pressure to return‎ CANOE
Jeff Fisher meets with Rams in Denver‎ Washington Post (blog)

Howard Balzer is the Managing Editor and Lead Columnist for 101Sports.com and host of "Pro Football Sunday" on 101 ESPN. Contact him via email at HBalzer@101espn.com and follow him on twitter @HBalzer721.

Philadelphia Eagles beat St. Louis Rams 31-13

RamFan — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson hurt his right leg Sunday while running all alone on a 47-yard touchdown run on the Rams' first offensive play of the 2011 season. Then things got worse.

QB Sam Bradford injured his right index finger (nerve damage?) when he struck the helmet of an Eagles defender in the fourth quarter. The second-year QB wasn't the only signal caller to get injured as Cincinnati rookie Andrew Dalton left his first NFL game with an injured right wrist.

Bradford expects to play in next week's Monday night game at the Giants after X-rays were negative. Jackson, who will undergo an MRI exam Monday, is hopeful the extra day will help him heal.

Jackson went straight to the locker room after the scoring run on a simple off-tackle handoff. He returned for a 9-yard carry on the first play of the Rams' next possession before limping off for good. St. Louis also lost wide receiver Danny Amendola to a dislocated left elbow in the fourth quarter. In addition, Rams cornerback Ron Bartell left with a stinger and offensive tackle Jason Smith departed with a high left ankle sprain.

You already knew that running back Steven Jackson left the game with a right quadriceps injury, but in the second half, receiver Danny Amendola -- who led the team with 85 catches last year and had five for 45 yards today -- dislocated his elbow and Sam Bradford had to leave the game to get a finger on his right hand X-rayed.

We don’t know the extent of Bradford’s injury, but the loss of Amendola could be costly. His injury leaves the rest of his season in serious doubt and means Brandon Gibson and Mike Sims-Walker will become the go-to receivers for whoever is playing quarterback. To make matters just a little bit worse, cornerback Ron Bartell also was lost to injury.

The lockout didn't bother Michael Vick. It simply left him with fresh legs for the season opener.

The Eagles quarterback was in dazzling form and the other Philly game-breakers were hard to catch, too, as the team opened its self-proclaimed Super Bowl drive with a 31-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

The Rams couldn't keep up, especially after losing stars Steven Jackson and Sam Bradford. Jackson will undergo an MRI for a right quadriceps injury Monday. X-rays were negative on Bradford's right index finger.

In a pre-game tribute to September 11, players and coaches from both teams stepped forward, all touching a huge flag that covered much of the field. Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo began his postgame remarks by praising the remembrance as a "special tribute."

Vick rushed for 98 yards and passed for two scores, LeSean McCoy scored twice and DeSean Jackson topped 100 yards receiving against a defense that couldn't use injuries as an excuse.

The Eagles had 239 yards rushing, were 8 for 11 on third downs, and had 16 plays good for at least double digits. And yet, Vick felt it was far from perfect. For one thing, he connected on only 43 percent of his passes, his worst showing as a starter with the Eagles, going 14 for 32 for 187 yards.

St Louis Rams get great draft pick with Robert Quinn, DE

RamFan — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 05:27:00 GMT

With all the crazy picks Thursday night, it only makes sense that some talented players slipped down the board.

The St Louis Rams drafted UNC defensive end Robert Quinn with the No. 14 overall pick, a fantastic value for a player that we’ve heard was a top-five player on some boards. Quinn was last playing regularly at 19 years old before missing last season because of an NCAA suspension. Quinn has rare pass rushing skills. He should make an excellent and explosive bookend at defensive end with Chris Long. Getting Quinn this late for a defense that is growing an identity makes this one of our favorite picks of the night.

The NFL draft results have contained plenty of surprises through the first round. The St. Louis Rams did not surprise so much as they got lucky when the picked North Carolina DE Robert Quinn. Quinn was predicted to go much earlier in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. However, a surprising run on quarterbacks pushed Quinn further down and down. Robert Quinn was #6 on Mike Mayock's big board. Just 20-years-old, the NFL Network draft guru calls him one of the best speed rushers in the league.

Coach Spagnuolo is slowly recreating the arsenal of a defensive line he had with the New York Giants, when he could send in any number of combinations along the front front. Don't be surprised to see Quinn on the field with James Hall at the three-technique next to Fred Robbins and Chris Long bookending it on the other side. That's a deadly combination. A big first round home run for the St Louis Rams. I know many of us wanted to see them draft Julio Jones, but Quinn is the better pick with more draft value.

A two-time state heavyweight wrestling champion in high school, Quinn's biggest fight before arriving at Chapel Hill was recovering from brain surgery for a benign tumor in October of his senior season.

Quinn said he was experiencing a lot headaches, and the final straw for his parents was a series of three blackouts. Quinn said he broke down sobbing when doctors initially told him of the tumor and that his football career was likely over. But after a strong recovery, Quinn said he hasn't had a headache since the surgery and gets an MRI about every six months.

Cleared to resume his football career, "El Roy" wasted no time making an impact for the Tar Heels. Quinn took over the starting job the second game of his freshman season when Darrius Massenburg suffered a knee injury and went on to be named the ACC's Brian Piccolo Award winner as the league's most courageous player. He collected 34 tackles, 6.5 tackles for losses, two sacks and forced two fumbles in 12 starts.

Quinn's career really began to take off with a first-team All-ACC sophomore season as he increased his impact plays. He finished 2009 with a league-high 19 tackles for loss and was second in the ACC with 11 sacks to go along with six forced fumbles. NFL scouts were able to grill Quinn about his role in the scandal during team interviews at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, while team doctors carefully researched his brain surgery.

• 2009 First-Team All-ACC
• 2009 ACC Defensive Player of the Year Runner-Up
• 2009 Second-Team All-America (CBSsports.com)
• 2009 All-Sophomore Team by CollegeFootballNews.com
• 2008 Brian Piccolo Award Winner
• Earned UNC Coaches' Player of the Week honors after wins over The Citadel, East Carolina and Duke in 2009

Battled back from brain surgery as a high school senior to become one of the top defensive players in the country.

2009 - Sophomore Season
First-Team All-ACC and second-highest vote getter on the defensive side of the ball • Finished second in the ACC Defensive Player of the Year vote • Second-team All-America by CBSsports.com • Was a candidate for the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive end • Ranked first in the ACC and 15th in the country in tackles for losses with 19.0 and was second in the league and 16th in the nation in sacks with 11.0 • Ranked second in the ACC and fourth in the country with six forced fumbles • Also had 15 quarterback pressures • Has been the starter at defensive end since the second game of 2008 • Is one of the quickest players off the edge in the ACC • Finished the season with 52 tackles and three pass breakups • Posted three tackles vs. Pittsburgh in the Meineke Car Care Bowl • Forced a fumble and had four tackles, including 1.5 for loss, at NC State • Forced a fumble, recorded one sack, broke up a pass and added three tackles in a 31-13 win over Boston College • Had a 2-yard tackle for loss vs. Miami • Part of a defensive unit that held BC to just 198 total yards • Named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance in Carolina's 19-6 win over Duke • Had a team-high seven tackles, including three sacks for 26 yards, another 1.5 tackles for losses of eight yards, forced a fumble, broke up a pass on fourth down and registered six quarterback pressures • His three-sacks matched his career high set earlier in the season vs. Virginia • Dropped back into pass coverage to break up a pass on fourth down vs. the Devils • Led a Carolina defense that held Duke to 125 total yards and limited the Blue Devils potent passing attack to just 113 yards, more than 212 yards below their average • Broke up a pass and added a tackle in the win at Virginia Tech • Was double-teamed most of the night and had just one tackle against Florida State • Credited with five tackles, one sack, and 1.5 tackles for losses against Georgia Southern • Also forced a fumble and had two quarterback hurries against the Eagles • Had a phenomenal game vs. Virginia with a career-high three sacks and four tackles for losses of 28 yards • Posted a total of seven tackles and added a quarterback pressure vs. the Cavaliers • Registered a career-high 10 tackles, including 2.5 for losses, and forced a fumble at Georgia Tech • Had four tackles, including two sacks for 17 yards, in Carolina's 31-17 win over ECU • Played well with three tackles in Carolina's 12-10 win at Connecticut • Was one of the coach's players of the week for his play vs. The Citadel with three tackles, an 8-yard sack, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Ft. Dorchester High School: SuperPrep All-America • Ranked the No. 7 player in South Carolina by SuperPrep • Member of South Carolina's Shrine Bowl team and the U.S. Army All-American Game • Member of recruiting analyst Tom Lemming's All-America team • Ranked the No. 3 player in South Carolina and the No. 18 strongside defensive end in the country by Rivals.com • Rated the No. 11 defensive end in the country by ESPN.com • Ranked the No. 19 defensive end in the country by Scout.com • Member of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 • Senior season was shortened after undergoing brain surgery for a benign tumor • Made a full recovery and will be able to resume his football career • Had 54 tackles and five sacks, 10 TFL and 21 quarterback hurries before the surgery • Coached by Steve LaPrad • Two-time defending state heavyweight champion.

Personal
Son of Maria and James Quinn • Born May 18, 1990 • Nickname is "El Roy" • People say he looks like Cheeseburger Eddie from the movie "The Longest Yard" • Favorite TV shows are "Law & Order" and "House" • Listens to music before games • Would like to guest star on WWE • Would like to visit Puerto Rico • Favorite NFL team is the Dallas Cowboys • Enrolled in the General College.

Wrist surgery for Mardy Gilyard

RamFan — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 02:29:00 GMT

Wide receiver Mardy Gilyard has undergone surgery to repair a nagging wrist injury that bothered him even before he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams.

Mardy Gilyard was a fourth-round draft pick last April 2010 out of the University of Cincinnati, and from the earliest days of spring minicamp and practices the wrist appeared to bother him.

The surgery took place in mid January, with pins inserted in the wrist, and the wrist placed in a cast. Team medical officials hope Gilyard will be available for minicamps this spring, but want to make sure he takes the proper time to make sure the wrist fully heals.

At least four other St Louis Rams underwent surgery since the end of the season, most of which were minor procedures:

_ Cornerback Ron Bartell had a bone spur removed from his foot.

_ Linebacker Chris Chamberlain had calcium deposits cleaned out of his ankle.

_ Defensive end Chris Long had surgery to repair a late-season thumb injury.

_ Cornerback Jerome Murphy had surgery to repair a late-season finger injury. The pins that were inserted during surgery have already been removed.

Source: JIM THOMAS Stltoday.com

Josh McDaniels - a great sign for St Louis Rams

RamFan — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 07:24:00 GMT

Finally an aggressive OC to team up with Sam Bradford.

The St Louis Rams’ return to respectability is very real, and the recent hiring of Bronco ex-coach Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator solidifies a lot of the positive energy around the team. This wasn’t a move the St Louis Rams would have made in the past.

They were cheap and had a dysfunctional front office with unclear leadership. They weren’t a place that a guy like McDaniels with options would want to go. More importantly, the old Rams wouldn’t have paid enough to get him. (The Rams reportedly made up a $200,000 gap in pay to close the deal.)

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch calls the hire a high-risk, high-reward move. We agree, although the biggest risk may be that it could work too well and Bradford will need another coordinator in a few years. That’s a risk worth taking.

Longtime Rams quarterback coach *** Curl is now out in St. Louis, which isn’t a huge surprise. Josh McDaniels’ brother Ben could possibly come in to coach the quarterbacks, but ultimately McDaniels is the quarterbacks coach anyhow. He constantly worked with Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow in Denver, even when he was the head coach.

This was a move that a confident head coach makes. Steve Spagnuolo knows he’s building a playoff-caliber defense and isn’t threatened by bringing in another strong offensive coaching mind. The St Louis Rams are going to be a tough team to game plan for.

“Who gives you trouble?” Spagnuolo asked himself when thinking about candidates. “Who drives you nuts in preparing for them? And he does that. He’s creative. In sitting and talking to him, he sees things kind of the same way I do.”

McDaniels, fired in December after an 11-17 run in two seasons in Denver, will replace Pat Shurmur, who became the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

He'll join a team built around QB Sam Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick last April who started all 16 games for the 7-9 Rams.

McDaniels was the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots before joining the Broncos in 2009.

He tutored Pro Bowl QB Tom Brady and current Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel while with the Patriots.

The Rams hope he can continue to develop Bradford into a franchise QB.

McDaniels, who also met with the Minnesota Vikings, joined the Rams on a day when he was rumored to be a candidate for the offensive coordinator position with the Seattle Seahawks -- who fired Jeremy Bates on Tuesday.

St Louis Rams list RB Steven Jackson as questionable

RamFan — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 16:02:00 GMT

St. Louis, MO - St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Seattle due to a groin strain. Jackson, who suffered the injury in a Week 3 win against the Redskins, was a limited participant at practice on Friday after missing the previous two sessions.

Prior to exiting on Sunday, Jackson had 10 carries for 58 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He has 214 rushing yards, a TD and 62 yards on nine receptions through the Rams' first three games. Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo said both Jackson and safety Oshiomogho Atogwe (thigh) will be game-time decisions.

Steven Jackson has not practiced all week and he has not even ran on the side during practice. Jackson will need to test the groin on Friday or Saturday for him or the team doctors to think he has any chance of playing on Sunday. He probably will end up a game time decision after warming up on Sunday morning.

I would guess that the Rams hold him out of Sunday’s game against Seattle so that he does not fully tear his groin putting him out a month or longer. That would be the safest route for the Rams to keep their franchise runner is top form for the full season. It is not worth getting injured when playing at 75% when the Rams have their 3 headed backup running back set to deploy against Seattle.

St. Louis. Seahawks-Rams game meets NFL's sellout requirements

RamFan — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 15:59:00 GMT

St Louis, Missouri — The St. Louis Rams met NFL sellout requirements for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks, and the game will be televised locally.

The team said Friday that support from several corporations including Express Scripts, Energizer, Build-A-Bear and KTVI ensured the game met requirements. St. Louis had received a 24-hour extension to muster support.

Tickets remained for the game, although interest has increased since the Rams took quarterback Sam Bradford with the first pick of the draft.

St. Louis was 1-15 last year and ended a 14-game home losing streak last week with a 30-16 victory over the Washington Redskins. The last three home games last year were blacked out on local TV.

St Louis Rams - Cardinals will be televised in Saint Louis

RamFan — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:51:00 GMT

Although some tickets remain for Sunday's regular-season opener at the Edward Jones Dome, sources say that by today's deadline, the St. Louis Rams will have met NFL requirements for a sellout. That means that the game against the Cardinals will be televised live here.

KTVI (Channel 2) will air the regular-season opener, with kickoff set for 3:15 p.m.