St. Louis Rams – Blog

Rams Working Through Injuries

- The Rams got back to work on Wednesday and began on field preparation for Sunday’s game against Seattle.

- On the injury front, there wasn’t much new to report. As expected, RB Steven Jackson was held out because of his groin injury. Spagnuolo indicated that Jackson was “improved” from earlier in the week but the Rams will continue to play it day to day with the goal of having him ready to play on Sunday regardless of practice reps this week.

- S Oshiomogho Atogwe also sat out the practice as his thigh injury continues to be a nuisance. The Rams will take a similar approach to Atogwe as Jackson in hopes of having him Sunday.

- WR Laurent Robinson (foot) and S Darian Stewart (hamstring) were also held out of the practice and are day to day.

- DT Clifton Ryan still hasn’t been cleared to go as he waits for word on his migraine headaches. Spagnuolo said doctors are still trying to figure out the root of the issue before Ryan is ready to return.

- TE Michael Hoomanawanui (ankle), TE Billy  Bajema (knee), LB Chris Chamberlain (knee) and DT Darell Scott (ankle) are status quo and did not practice.

- On the bright side, safety Craig Dahl was cleared from his concussion issues and returned to practice. He is still on a no contact order for practice but did most of the reps as the Rams don’t have a ton of contact in Wednesday drills. Dahl is wearing a visor to help protect him from brightness issues with the sun.

- RB Keith Toston made it through practice with his banged up shoulder and looked to be just fine.

- New addition RB Chauncey Washington also took part in his first practice and said he is adjusting to a different offense. He will be expected to contribute on special teams right away, though. He’s wearing No. 33, for the record.

- The Rams also officially brought back CB Kevin Dockery and placed CB Marquis Johnson on the practice squad. Dockery appears to be back to health from his previous hamstring injury.

- Indications are that John Greco will continue to work in at guard this week against the Seahawks. The Rams got a jolt from Greco, particularly in the running game against the Redskins. For his part, he says he’s happy to be healthy and contributing to the team in any way possible.

- Back tomorrow with notes from Thursday’s practice. As always, thanks for taking a look.

Wrapping Up Washington

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo just did his weekly reflection on the Rams’ victory yesterday against Washington and remains proud of his team’s efforts but also is clearly ready to get to work on this week and the Seahawks.

- Before delving into some of Spagnuolo’s thoughts, let’s get to the injury updates.

- First and foremost, RB Steven Jackson’s MRI came back with good news. He does NOT have a torn groin. It’s being called a strain and it’s apparently pretty mild. Jackson, on his Twitter feed (@sj39) earlier today said he was walking “pretty cool” and was feeling OK. The Rams will not rush him back but there is at least a possibility he could play this week. He’s being called day to day and the Rams will see how he’s feeling on Wednesday before throwing him into a practice.

- S Oshiomogho Atogwe aggravated his already ailing thigh injury when he was the victim of an illegal crackback block from Washington’s Santana Moss. Atogwe came out on the play and did not return to the game. Spagnuolo says the Rams are “hopeful” that he’ll be able to go this week but like Jackson, Atogwe will be closely monitored the rest of the week.

- The most serious of the injuries, as expected, was the torn ACL which was confirmed for WR Dominique Curry on Monday morning. He is out for the year and will be placed on injured reserve.

- S Craig Dahl did his exertion test Monday morning as he recovers from his concussion. He is expected to meet with an independent doctor on Tuesday morning and could be cleared in time for practice Wednesday. Even if that’s the case, though, Spagnuolo says he won’t be able to participate in contact drills Wednesday.

- DT Clifton Ryan is still dealing with his migraine issues but the Rams and Ryan remain optimistic that he’ll be cleared and ready to go this week.

- TE Billy Bajema (knee), LB Chris Chamberlain (foot), TE Michael Hoomanawanui (ankle) and WR Laurent Robinson (foot) are progressing as expected. Only Robinson would seem to have a chance to return this week but they are progressing toward getting back.

- On the bumps and bruises side of things, S Darian Stewart has a hamstring injury and will be day to day. RB Keith Toston has a shoulder sprain but played through it and will likely be OK to go this week. Fullback Mike Karney has a thumb injury that might need to be wrapped but he should be fine as well. DT Gary Gibson had an ankle issue but it wasn’t even serious enough for it to be listed on today’s report.

- As for the game, Spagnuolo made it a point, again, to thank the fans who showed up and created a raucous atmosphere. He also wanted to recognize the staff and players for their work in the game.

- That said, Spagnuolo was also clearly in the mood to move on to the next game and begin preparations for Seattle.

- Although the Rams got the win and did plenty of good things, Spagnuolo cited a few areas he wants to see cleaned up immediately: blocked field goals, penalties and fumbles.

- Spagnuolo, as usual, held himself accountable in saying that he needed to do a better job of clock management at the end of the first half. He was not pleased with himself for burning a timeout too early near the goal line because he wanted to keep the ball out of the hands of Donovan McNabb.

- The Rams will continue to scour for help at running back. They worked out Kevin Jones last week and took a look at Justin Fargas back in the preseason but have not brought anyone in. If Jackson is unable to go, the Rams will need another back to help provide some depth this week. The Rams will have a roster spot as Curry goes to I.R.

- It’s likely that CB Kevin Dockery will be brought back to the fold in the next day or so after he was released late last week.

- What Spagnuolo really wants to see this week is his team handle prosperity. While the victory could very well be great for confidence, it also could work against the Rams. That’s something Spagnuolo warned against on Monday:
“That could go one way or the other. I am hoping the guys handle it right. It’s a little bit of a confidence builder but if we are going to do this thing right, we forget about it and move on to the next game. You’ve heard me say this before after losses but it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, the approach is exactly the same.”

- Spagnuolo always finds a way to keep it even keel and he expects his team to do the same as they prepare for the Seahawks.

- I mentioned last night that John Greco stepped in at guard at times for Adam Goldberg yesterday and the Rams seemed to have some success running behind him in the second half. Spagnuolo indicated Monday that could well continue this week as the Rams work on developing their depth further.

- That will do it for this week’s version of Wrapping Up. Be sure to get your questions in for tomorrow’s chat where we’ll chop it up about the Rams’ win and what’s to come this week. Thanks for reading.

Wrapping Up Oakland

- Welcome to this week’s edition of Wrapping Up. Let’s get down to business.

- The Rams took some more bumps and bruises this week that could limit the roster again this weekend against Washington. Coach Steve Spagnuolo gave the full injury report and it looked like this…

- TE Billy Bajema has a mild MCL sprain and is expected to miss two to four weeks. That injury is believed to be similar to the one suffered by safety James Butler.

- Fellow TE Daniel Fells also has an MCL injury though it’s not as serious and he’s going to be day to day this week.

- DT Darell Scott probably has the most serious ailment, suffering a high ankle sprain in the same category as the one suffered by TE Michael Hoomanawanui last week. He’s expected to miss some extended time with that injury.

- DT Clifton Ryan will have a second opinion on his migraine headache issues this week after he was unable to play against the Raiders. The Rams are hopeful everything will come back OK from that ailment, especially with Scott out this week. The Rams could bring DT Jermelle Cudjo back to the varsity if Ryan and Scott are both not likely to play.

- LB Chris Chamberlain (foot) and Hoomanawanui (ankle) are out of their casts and in walking boots. They are still a ways away from getting back on the field but that’s a good sign for each of their recoveries.

- CBs Kevin Dockery and Justin King are making progress and could both return to practice this week with King’s return more likely earlier in the week than Dockery.

- As for the game, Spagnuolo expressed his disappointment at many of the same things that he was upset with in the immediate aftermath of the game. The penalties, the Rams’ inability to run the ball in the second half and the Raiders’ success running in the second half were the main culprits, according to Spagnuolo.

- Spagnuolo also put the blame on himself and the coaching staff, saying the Rams need to be better prepared, especially in the second half and come out with the same energy and intensity they had in the first half.

- The biggest issue to Spagnuolo in terms of the inability to run the ball is how that correlates to an inability to convert on third down. The Rams were just two-of-10 on third down against the Raiders, mostly because they rarely found themselves in manageable third down situations.

- “The combination of not being able to convert on third down and not being effective in running the ball on first and second kind of did us in a little bit,” Spagnuolo said. ” I don’t think they did anything different. They did it a little bit better and we probably blocked a little better in the first than we did in the second. And here we are.”

- As for the penalties and mistakes that have plagued the Rams in the first two weeks, Spagnuolo says they’re doing everything they can to correct them…”We are in there knocking out the mistakes,” Spagnuolo said. “I talked to the team this morning about some of the things that happened that shouldn’t happen. But after that it’s on to the next game.”

- On further review of some of the calls that went against them, particularly the close personal fouls, Spagnuolo did not want to address. He did say that he wants to team to be “aggressive but smart.”

- Spagnuolo was asked directly about the possibility of the Rams making a trade for a wide receiver, particularly one from a West Coast team that is currently suspended. Spagnuolo had this to say in response: “Billy and I always talk about that (stuff). Usually today, this afternoon is where we sit down and evaluate where we are at with injuries and who is available and all those other things. So we will have that this afternoon.”

- On the topic of receivers, Spagnuolo indicated that rookie Mardy Gilyard is closer to being ready to contribute to the offense, saying he will “get involved” and complimenting Gilyard’s work as a gunner on special teams.

- In the final evaluation of QB Sam Bradford’s second NFL start, Spagnuolo said he was pretty pleased with the way the rookie fought through the struggles he had in the third quarter…”There were a couple of things in there obviously he needed to do better. But he knows that. All in all, the offense that took the ball from the minus 3, all the way down to the 5, that was pretty impressive for a bunch of young players. I was proud of the way Sam, after struggling a little bit in the third quarter, then all of a sudden putting that together and being able to score to put us in a position to have a chance.”

- Spagnuolo acknowledged Bradford’s comfort level in the no huddle offense at the end of the game, an area Bradford excelled at Oklahoma.

- On the other side of the ball, Spagnuolo was pleased with how rookie CB Jerome Murphy competed in his first NFL playing time as he worked extensively in the nickel position. While Murphy was targeted a lot by the Raiders, he battled and came up with an important interception to keep the Rams alive. For his first game, Spagnuolo thought Murphy did pretty well.

- Back on the injury front for a moment, the Rams seem to continue to get hit at the same positions over and over. Here’s the way things look right now at a few positions and how the Rams figure to go about handling the personnel at those spots:
DT: (Healthy) Fred Robbins, Gary Gibson.  (Hurt or sick) Clifton Ryan, Darell Scott – Should those two be out this week, Cudjo could get called back up from the practice squad to the active roster.
CB: (Healthy) Ron Bartell, Bradley Fletcher, Jerome Murphy, Marquis Johnson. (Banged up) Dockery, King – It appears the Rams are about to get King and Dockery back. That would perhaps allow Johnson to return to the practice squad and free a roster spot somewhere else.
TE: (Healthy) Darcy Johnson, Fendi Onobun. (Injured) Hoomanawanui, Bajema, Fells – Pending the way Fells responds to treatment this week, the Rams might again have a need at this position. For at least the next two weeks, Hoomanawanui and Bajema will be out and likely longer. Spagnuolo said Onobun still has some work to do to be ready to contribute so that could also factor into this equation.
S: (Healthy) Oshiomogho Atogwe, Darian Stewart. (Mostly healthy) James Butler. (Injured) Craig Dahl – It’s possible Dahl could recover from the concussion in time to play this week but the Rams won’t rush anyone back from a head injury. Butler stepped in for Dahl at the end of the Oakland game and appears to be slowly getting back into football shape. Spagnuolo indicated he’d be the top option to fill in for Dahl but it also remains to be seen if Butler is ready to take on a full workload, meaning another body could be brought in to help at safety or Stewart could see a more active role.

- That’s going to do it for this week. Back with updates throughout the week and don’t forget to send your questions to Nick’s Mailbag which goes down every Tuesday right here at 12:30. Thanks for stoppin’ by.

Rams Begin Oakland Prep

- The Rams got back on the practice field Wednesday afternoon with a two-plus hour workout as they begin the process of preparing to play Oakland on Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum.

- First, a bit of business as the Rams made some roster moves late Tuesday, shuffling the practice squad and providing some depth at tight end.

- The Rams released DT Jermelle Cudjo and brought back tight end Darcy Johnson, who was with the team in training camp. Johnson was back on the practice field in his customary No. 87 on Wednesday afternoon. Cudjo is a candidate to go to the practice squad upon clearing waivers.

- Speaking of the practice squad, the Rams released RB Allen Patrick and WR Brandon McRae and brought in LB/FB Britt Miller and FB/TE Jamie McCoy. Clearly, the Rams are searching for insurance because of the injuries to TE Michael Hoomanawanui and LB Chris Chamberlain.

- Local fans might be familiar with Miller, who played his college ball at Illinois. He has been converted to a fullback but also can play linebacker and special teams as he did last year in San Francisco.

- No decision has been made yet on Chamberlain, who has a fractured toe and is expected to miss six to eight weeks. It’s possible he could still go on injured reserve but nothing appears imminent. Hoomanawanui is also expected to be out six to eight weeks.

- Wednesday’s practice represented a major shift in player participation as injuries hit the Rams fairly hard over the weekend. RB Steven Jackson (knee), WR Laurent Robinson (ankle), Hoomanawanui (ankle), Chamberlain (toe), CB Kevin Dockery (hamstring) and CB Justin King (hamstring) didn’t participate in the practice. Jackson and Robinson are expected to be OK but are being monitored on a day to day basis. Dockery isn’t likely to be ready to go but King still could bounce back.

- Additionally, LB Josh Hull suffered an MCL injury early in practice. He was on crutches with a brace afterward and Spagnuolo said he could miss some extended time.

- Clearly, the Rams will need to find some linebacker depth from somewhere in the next day or so.

- DT Fred Robbins has a lower leg injury and was limited. He’s expected to be fine.

- As for the work on the field, Brandon Gibson got more work with Robinson out as Amendola jumped into the slot. Spagnuolo says Gibson is making strides but will need to be a contributor on special teams to get a more regular role.

- Speaking of special teams, the three specialists – Josh Brown, Donnie Jones and Chris Massey – went to a local field to practice kicking on dirt because that’s what they’ll work on in Oakland.

- Spagnuolo said his team came out “hungry” on Wednesday but called the practice a bit sluggish.

- Spagnuolo also said that Amendola will continue his heavy workload but that Mardy Gilyard will continue working on kick returns.

- That’s it for today. Thanks for reading.