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The St. Louis Rams are coming off a surprising 22-7 win at home against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. It was a game dictated by their defense against one 0f the league’s best offenses. The Rams have now beaten three out of the final four teams in last year’s playoffs in the Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers.
They will look to carry that momentum into Week 12 on the road against a tough home team in the San Diego Chargers, whose 4-1 record at Qualcomm Stadium this season has kept them in the playoff chase. Here are three questions the Rams must answer in Week 12 against the Chargers:
Can Tre Mason lead the offense?
The Rams had nothing short of a daunting task in Week 11 against the Broncos. Denver entered the game allowing a league-best 67.0 yards per game. It also looked like their offensive line would struggle to consistently create holes for the rookie running back, given that he was only able to run for 48 yards on 14 attempts the week prior against the Arizona Cardinals’ third-ranked rush defense.
However, that proved not to be the case with Tre Mason rushing for a career-best 113 yards on 29 carries, which was the most yardage that Denver has given up this season. St. Louis’ commitment to the rush was the biggest difference in this game compared to the week before, despite gaining only 16 total first downs in the game.
The Rams’ persistence with the running game against the Broncos eventually opened up some running lanes for the 21-year-old to gain consistent positive yardage late in the second half. They will need to carry that same mindset into Week 12 against the Chargers in order to have significant success on the ground.
Will the defense step up again?
Much of the credit went to the play of the defense in the Rams’ win over the Broncos. Although Denver gained nearly 400 total offensive yards, it was Robert Quinn and the Rams defense that dictated the game.
The defense played well through the first two quarters, outside of the Broncos’ final drive of the half, by forcing three punts and one turnover on downs. In the second half, they buckled down even more by allowing no scoring drives with two punts, two interceptions, and two turnovers on downs.
What stood out the most was their play in the fourth quarter. Their defensive line pressured Manning, which stopped him on two fourth downs late. One play resulted in a sack and the other in an incomplete pass.
The Rams also made outstanding plays on two interceptions in the quarter. The first interception came on the opening play of the quarter on a back shoulder snatch made by linebacker Alec Ogletree, and the latter was an acrobatic grab by cornerback Trumaine Johnson that sealed the win with five minutes left in the game.
The Rams will have another difficult challenge against Pro Bowl quarterback in Philip Rivers, who is expected to be motivated to bounce back from a sluggish performance in Week 11 against the Oakland Raiders. The key for St. Louis’ defense will be the play of the defensive line, which has performed significantly better with 18 sacks over the past five games.
Quinn and defensive rookie of the year candidate Aaron Donald must be at the forefront of creating problems for the Chargers’ offensive line. If the Rams can get pressure on Rivers, they could very well dictate the outcome of the game.
Can Shaun Hill be a factor?
In his first start since the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings, the 34-year-old Hill played quite an efficient game last week against one of league’s best defense in the Broncos. Hill went 20-of-29 for 229 passing yards with one touchdown and a 102.7 passer rating.
The Rams aren’t relying on Hill’s arm, but he did make a couple of huge plays in the game. His 63-yard touchdown strike down the middle of the field to Kenny Britt set the tone for the entire game and gave the Rams a much-needed 10-0 cushion. It was not just that one play that made a difference, but his ability to take care of the football and move the chains with his arm. The stability he brought to the quarterback position kept the Broncos from gaining any momentum.
The Rams will need Hill to do the same in Week 12, especially against a Chargers’ defense that ranks sixth in the league against the pass allowing just 222.4 yards per game. They must minimize their mistakes and keep the ball out of Rivers’s hands.
However, where the flow of the passing game lies with most is in the pass protection. It is no secret the Rams’ offensive line has struggled to block for their quarterbacks, allowing the second-most sacks (33) in the league through the first 10 games of this season. If the Rams cannot provide enough time for Hill, it is hard for one to believe that the offense will put points on the scoreboard.
The bottom line here is that the Rams’ offensive line must give Hill consistent protection, or else the offense will be in for a long Sunday afternoon in San Diego.
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The St. Louis Rams are coming off a surprising 22-7 win at home against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. It was a game dictated by their defense against one 0f the league’s best offenses. The Rams have now beaten three out of the final four teams in last year’s playoffs in the Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers.
They will look to carry that momentum into Week 12 on the road against a tough home team in the San Diego Chargers, whose 4-1 record at Qualcomm Stadium this season has kept them in the playoff chase. Here are three questions the Rams must answer in Week 12 against the Chargers:
Can Tre Mason lead the offense?
The Rams had nothing short of a daunting task in Week 11 against the Broncos. Denver entered the game allowing a league-best 67.0 yards per game. It also looked like their offensive line would struggle to consistently create holes for the rookie running back, given that he was only able to run for 48 yards on 14 attempts the week prior against the Arizona Cardinals’ third-ranked rush defense.
However, that proved not to be the case with Tre Mason rushing for a career-best 113 yards on 29 carries, which was the most yardage that Denver has given up this season. St. Louis’ commitment to the rush was the biggest difference in this game compared to the week before, despite gaining only 16 total first downs in the game.
The Rams’ persistence with the running game against the Broncos eventually opened up some running lanes for the 21-year-old to gain consistent positive yardage late in the second half. They will need to carry that same mindset into Week 12 against the Chargers in order to have significant success on the ground.
Will the defense step up again?
Much of the credit went to the play of the defense in the Rams’ win over the Broncos. Although Denver gained nearly 400 total offensive yards, it was Robert Quinn and the Rams defense that dictated the game.
The defense played well through the first two quarters, outside of the Broncos’ final drive of the half, by forcing three punts and one turnover on downs. In the second half, they buckled down even more by allowing no scoring drives with two punts, two interceptions, and two turnovers on downs.
What stood out the most was their play in the fourth quarter. Their defensive line pressured Manning, which stopped him on two fourth downs late. One play resulted in a sack and the other in an incomplete pass.
The Rams also made outstanding plays on two interceptions in the quarter. The first interception came on the opening play of the quarter on a back shoulder snatch made by linebacker Alec Ogletree, and the latter was an acrobatic grab by cornerback Trumaine Johnson that sealed the win with five minutes left in the game.
The Rams will have another difficult challenge against Pro Bowl quarterback in Philip Rivers, who is expected to be motivated to bounce back from a sluggish performance in Week 11 against the Oakland Raiders. The key for St. Louis’ defense will be the play of the defensive line, which has performed significantly better with 18 sacks over the past five games.
Quinn and defensive rookie of the year candidate Aaron Donald must be at the forefront of creating problems for the Chargers’ offensive line. If the Rams can get pressure on Rivers, they could very well dictate the outcome of the game.
Can Shaun Hill be a factor?
In his first start since the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings, the 34-year-old Hill played quite an efficient game last week against one of league’s best defense in the Broncos. Hill went 20-of-29 for 229 passing yards with one touchdown and a 102.7 passer rating.
The Rams aren’t relying on Hill’s arm, but he did make a couple of huge plays in the game. His 63-yard touchdown strike down the middle of the field to Kenny Britt set the tone for the entire game and gave the Rams a much-needed 10-0 cushion. It was not just that one play that made a difference, but his ability to take care of the football and move the chains with his arm. The stability he brought to the quarterback position kept the Broncos from gaining any momentum.
The Rams will need Hill to do the same in Week 12, especially against a Chargers’ defense that ranks sixth in the league against the pass allowing just 222.4 yards per game. They must minimize their mistakes and keep the ball out of Rivers’s hands.
However, where the flow of the passing game lies with most is in the pass protection. It is no secret the Rams’ offensive line has struggled to block for their quarterbacks, allowing the second-most sacks (33) in the league through the first 10 games of this season. If the Rams cannot provide enough time for Hill, it is hard for one to believe that the offense will put points on the scoreboard.
The bottom line here is that the Rams’ offensive line must give Hill consistent protection, or else the offense will be in for a long Sunday afternoon in San Diego.
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