Summary of St. Louis Rams’ 2011 Season

ST. LOUIS – With this being the first weekend since the bye that the Rams did not play, it is a good time to reflect on what has happened this season and ponder the future for the Rams next season. Here is a recap of each regular season game for the 2011 NFL season for the Rams.

Week 1 – Philadelphia Eagles = Loss: 31-13. The ‘Dream Team’ came to St. Louis with high expectations and delivered with a convincing road win against the Rams, who were supposed to be contenders for the division. Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson all had big numbers. The Eagles’ defense got a fumble return touchdown and Steven Jackson had a long touchdown run on the first play of the game, which consequently, led to his thigh injury.

Week 2 – @ New York Giants = Loss: 28-16. The Rams’ first road game and primetime game of the season led to defeat, mainly due to the Rams’ countless mistakes. Much like last week, the Giants’ defense got a fumble return touchdown. Danario Alexander scored the lone touchdown for the Rams.

Week 3 – Baltimore Ravens = Loss: 37-7. The worst game of the year for the Rams, considering the game was at home, the Rams scored the least amount of points so far and gave up the most points so far, came against the Ravens. The Ravens set franchise records, Joe Flacco went to the record books and Torrey Smith had the best possible start by a rookie in the history of the NFL. For the third straight week, the Rams let the defense score a fumble return touchdown. Once again, Brandon Gibson scored the lone touchdown for the Rams.

Week 4 – Washington Redskins = Loss: 17-10. The best game of the year for the Rams, considering the point differential, still resulted in a loss because every game the Rams are playing from behind at halftime. Ryan Torain had big numbers, though the Rams did not give up a fumble return touchdown this time. For the fourth time, the Rams have scored one offensive touchdown a game, this one scored on a Steven Jackson pass play.

Week 5 – Bye = The Rams had already lost their starting cornerback, Ron Bartell, to injured reserve. Now two more promising starters are done for the season: WR Danny Amendola and CB Bradley Fletcher.

Week 6 – @ Green Bay Packers = Loss: 24-3. The Rams played in only their second away game all season and gave up three touchdowns in the second quarter alone, but managed to play good defense in the second half to keep the Packers from scoring at all. Unfortunately, the Rams couldn’t get anything going in the red zone going zero for three, ultimately resulting in only three total points.

Week 7 – @ Dallas Cowboys = Loss: 34-7. Three ago the Rams annihilated the Cowboys at home for one of their few wins on the season. This year they were annihilated by only mustering one touchdown and giving up thirty-four points. DeMarco Murray, rookie RB for the Cowboys, set multiple records with over 253 rushing yards.

Week 8 – New Orleans Saints = Win: 31-21. The last time these two teams played the Rams got destroyed. In one of the biggest upsets of the season, the Rams outperformed the Saints in their best game of the season. Rams RB Steven Jackson finally got over 100 rushing yards and the whole team seemed to make plays, including keeping New Orleans scoreless in the first half.

Week 9 – @ Arizona Cardinals = Loss 19-13. Finally, the Rams played their first division game and overtime game of the season. The last play of the game was exciting for Arizona fans since they were playing at home; Patrick Peterson, CB for the Cardinals, returned the Rams’ punt 99 yards for the touchdown to win the game. This may have been the only game this season that the Rams lost when they should have won.

Week 10 – @ Cleveland Browns = Win: 13-12. The only other game the Rams won this season came away this time with a thrilling finish. The Browns botched the field goal near the end of the game that would have almost assured them a victory. This is the only game this season that the Rams won when they should have lost.

Week 11 – Seattle Seahawks = Loss: 24-7. After last year’s debacle in primetime of the last week, the Seahawks mirrored that game with another impressive win. For the third time this season, the Rams only managed one touchdown, which does not get it done in the NFL. After an impressive first quarter, the momentum shifted to the Seahawks for the rest of the game.

Week 12 – Arizona Cardinals = Loss: 23-20. The Rams just played the Cardinals three weeks ago and once again the Rams lost a close one. Nick Miller, WR for the Rams, took his first ever punt return touchdown to the house; after that, the momentum shifted to the Cardinals. The ultimate difference in the game was Josh Brown’s (Rams) missed field goal.

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Week 13 – @ San Francisco 49ers = Loss: 26-0. This game would have been one of the most important games for the Rams this year, if they were any good. Instead, the result made sense with the 49ers shutting the Rams out, the first shutout for the Rams this season. The Rams were only down two scores at halftime, but the game continued to get out of hand before the end of the third quarter.

Week 14 – @ Seattle Seahawks = Loss: 30-13. This was a rematch of last year’s debacle with the Rams playing in Seattle again in primetime, only this time it was Monday Night Football instead of Sunday Night Football. Once again, the Seahawks dominated the game and came away with the victory. The Seahawks have now won thirteen of the last fourteen games against St. Louis.

Week 15 – Cincinnati Bengals = Loss: 20-13. The Bengals surprisingly made the playoffs this year, thanks in large part to this win. Both teams converted zero third downs (ten attempts) in the first half. Both teams were ugly on penalties; the Bengals had 11 for 101 and the Rams had 10 for 109. The Bengals were successful in the red zone, whereas the Rams were not at all.

Week 16 – @ Pittsburgh Steelers = Loss: 27-0. In almost a mirrored image of the game three weeks ago, the Rams were shut out again playing away. Likewise, this was Pittsburgh’s second shutout this year. The Steelers scored points in every quarter and put the game away for good in the fourth. Steven Jackson became the seventh player in NFL history to rush for at least 1000 yards in seven consecutive seasons.

Week 17 – San Francisco 49ers = Loss: 34-27. In what was to be the most anticipated game for the Rams in the pre-season, given the majority opinion that the Rams would win the division this season, this game actually mattered for the 49ers for the #2 seed, and for the Rams, the #2 overall pick. The Rams were behind by a lot before the fourth quarter until they put up seventeen points in the last quarter to almost make an amazing comeback.

The following lists all of the Rams players not currently on the active roster and their experience in parentheses.

Practice Squad: DT Cornell Banks (R), C Tim Barnes (R), DT Kendric Burney (R), WR John Chiles (1), DT John Henderson (R), RT Ryan McKee (1), RB Chase Reynolds (R)

Active/Physically Unable to Perform: Nobody

Reserve/Suspended: WR Austin Pettis (R)

Injured Reserve: WR Danny Amendola (3), LCB Ron Bartell (7), G Jacob Bell (8), WR Mark Clayton (6), DT Jermelle Cudjo (2), RCB Bradley Fletcher (2), CB Al Harris (14), TE Michael Hoomanawanui (1), SLB Josh Hull (R), CB Brian Jackson (2), DB Marquis Johnson (R), RB Brit Miller (1), RT Rodger Saffold (1), LCB Jerome Murphy (R), WR Greg Salas (R) and RT Jason Smith (2)

The following lists all of the Rams coaches.

Defensive Coordinator – Ken Flajole, Special Teams Coordinator – Tom McMahon, Assistant Strength – Adam Bailey, Wide Receivers – Nolan Cromwell, Running Backs – Sylvester Croom, Defensive Backs/Safeties – Andre Curtis, Defensive Line – Brendan Daly, Linebackers – Paul Ferraro, Strength – Rock Gullickson, Quality Control/Defense – Matt House, Tight Ends – Frank Leonard, Offensive Line – Steve Loney, Defensive Backs/Cornerbacks – Clayton Lopez, Coaching Assistant – Lou Paolillo, Quality Control/Offense – Andy Sugarman, Quality Control/Special Teams – Derius Swinton, Assistant to the Head Coach/Football Operations – Bruce Warwick – Donna Ellis, Executive Assistant to Coach Spagnuolo

The following lists the major members of the Rams front office.

Ownership/Management: Owner/Chairman – E. Stanley Kroenke, Owner/Vice-Chairman – Chip Rosenbloom, Owner/Chair of Community Outreach – Lucia Rodriguez, General Manager – Billy Devaney, Executive Vice President of Football Operations/Chief Operating Officer – Kevin Demoff

The following three tables list the offensive, defensive and special teams depth charts.

This table shows the NFC West standings.

This table displays statistics on the year involving the Rams.

This table displays how the Rams rank in categories when compared to the rest of the NFL.

The Rams finished 2-14 in the regular season; they tied with the Indianapolis Colts for the worst record in the NFL, but because the Colts’ opponents’ strength of schedule is worse, they will receive the #1 overall pick and the Rams will pick second. This will be the fourth time in five years that the Rams will receive a top-two pick. The Rams fired general manager Billy Devaney and head coach Steve Spagnuolo after a 10-38 record the past three seasons. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels only lasted one season and is currently an offensive assistant for the New England Patriots. Former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher is most likely going to be the Rams’ next head coach.

By Trevor Roe
ProFootball-fans.com St. Louis Rams Correspondent