RAMS NOTEBOOK: Avery gets in game, looks set for opener
BY JIM THOMAS
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
09/04/2009
Looks like there's no doubt about wide receiver Donnie Avery's availability for the Rams' Sept. 13 regular-season opener in Seattle. Avery, widely projected as the Rams' No. 1 wide receiver this season, returned to action against Kansas City in Thursday's Governor's Cup game at the Edward Jones Dome.
Avery started Thursday and was in for several plays during the first two series of the game. He had no catches and no passes thrown his way. Avery suffered a fractured foot in the Rams' Aug. 7 scrimmage at Lindenwood University. At the time, coach Steve Spagnuolo described it as a 4-to-6 week injury. Today marks four weeks since the injury.
Also making his preseason debut for St. Louis was defensive tackle Adam Carriker. A first-round pick in 2007, Carriker suffered a sprained ankle in the Lindenwood scrimmage. Carriker still doesn't have his starting job back, however. Gary Gibson started in Carriker's place, with Carriker entering the game on the Rams' first defensive series of the second quarter.
But Carriker didn't make it through the night unscathed. He left in the second half with a shoulder injury.
PRESEASON SUCCESS
With Thursday's victory, the Rams posted only their fourth winning preseason in 15 years in St. Louis. That may or may not be a good thing, because in two of the three previous winning preseasons, the Rams coach was fired at the end of the year.
The Rams finished 3-1 in 1996, with Rich Brooks fired after a 6-10 regular season. The Rams also went 3-1 during the 2005 preseason, with Mike Martz fired after another 6-10 regular season. (Martz coached only the first five games of that regular season, missing the final 11 contests for health reasons.)
The exception came in 2001, when the Rams went 3-2 in the preseason, getting an extra game because of an appearance in the Hall of Fame game. They went on to win the NFC championship under Martz before losing to New England in Super Bowl XXXVI.
INJURY UPDATE
Samkon Gado, easily the most impressive of the Rams' running backs vying for the No. 2 job, left the game at the end of the first quarter with a rib injury. Gado had six carries for 17 yards while he was in the game, including a 5-yard carry lining up at quarterback in the Wildcat formation.
SITTING IT OUT
Four Rams starters were pregame scratches: QB Marc Bulger (finger), RG Richie Incognito (knee), FB Mike Karney (ankle) and DE Leonard Little (knee). Among the pregame scratches for Kansas City were QB Matt Cassel and LB Zach Thomas.
Unlike last week's game in Cincinnati, Bulger took part in pregame warm-ups Thursday and looked good throwing the ball. Running back Steven Jackson suited up but didn't play.
LONG VS. DORSEY
Thursday's matchup featured the No. 2 and No. 3 overall picks of the 2008 draft, in Rams defensive end Chris Long and Kansas City defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey, respectively. The Rams' strongly considered taking Dorsey before opting for Long. Dorsey has been moved to end from tackle, with the Chiefs switching to a 3-4 front this season.
VOBORA VS. SUCCOP
At the other end of the draft spectrum, the 2009 Governor's Cup also featured the last player selected in each of the past two drafts — aka Mr. Irrelevant. That dubious distinction went to Rams linebacker David Vobora in 2008 and Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop in '09. Succop kicked three first-half field goals for the Chiefs.
RAM-BLINGS
Entering Thursday's game, the home team had won the last five Governor's Cup contests. ... Cornerback Cord Parks saw extensive action returning punts and kickoffs for the Rams.
BY JIM THOMAS
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
09/04/2009
Looks like there's no doubt about wide receiver Donnie Avery's availability for the Rams' Sept. 13 regular-season opener in Seattle. Avery, widely projected as the Rams' No. 1 wide receiver this season, returned to action against Kansas City in Thursday's Governor's Cup game at the Edward Jones Dome.
Avery started Thursday and was in for several plays during the first two series of the game. He had no catches and no passes thrown his way. Avery suffered a fractured foot in the Rams' Aug. 7 scrimmage at Lindenwood University. At the time, coach Steve Spagnuolo described it as a 4-to-6 week injury. Today marks four weeks since the injury.
Also making his preseason debut for St. Louis was defensive tackle Adam Carriker. A first-round pick in 2007, Carriker suffered a sprained ankle in the Lindenwood scrimmage. Carriker still doesn't have his starting job back, however. Gary Gibson started in Carriker's place, with Carriker entering the game on the Rams' first defensive series of the second quarter.
But Carriker didn't make it through the night unscathed. He left in the second half with a shoulder injury.
PRESEASON SUCCESS
With Thursday's victory, the Rams posted only their fourth winning preseason in 15 years in St. Louis. That may or may not be a good thing, because in two of the three previous winning preseasons, the Rams coach was fired at the end of the year.
The Rams finished 3-1 in 1996, with Rich Brooks fired after a 6-10 regular season. The Rams also went 3-1 during the 2005 preseason, with Mike Martz fired after another 6-10 regular season. (Martz coached only the first five games of that regular season, missing the final 11 contests for health reasons.)
The exception came in 2001, when the Rams went 3-2 in the preseason, getting an extra game because of an appearance in the Hall of Fame game. They went on to win the NFC championship under Martz before losing to New England in Super Bowl XXXVI.
INJURY UPDATE
Samkon Gado, easily the most impressive of the Rams' running backs vying for the No. 2 job, left the game at the end of the first quarter with a rib injury. Gado had six carries for 17 yards while he was in the game, including a 5-yard carry lining up at quarterback in the Wildcat formation.
SITTING IT OUT
Four Rams starters were pregame scratches: QB Marc Bulger (finger), RG Richie Incognito (knee), FB Mike Karney (ankle) and DE Leonard Little (knee). Among the pregame scratches for Kansas City were QB Matt Cassel and LB Zach Thomas.
Unlike last week's game in Cincinnati, Bulger took part in pregame warm-ups Thursday and looked good throwing the ball. Running back Steven Jackson suited up but didn't play.
LONG VS. DORSEY
Thursday's matchup featured the No. 2 and No. 3 overall picks of the 2008 draft, in Rams defensive end Chris Long and Kansas City defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey, respectively. The Rams' strongly considered taking Dorsey before opting for Long. Dorsey has been moved to end from tackle, with the Chiefs switching to a 3-4 front this season.
VOBORA VS. SUCCOP
At the other end of the draft spectrum, the 2009 Governor's Cup also featured the last player selected in each of the past two drafts — aka Mr. Irrelevant. That dubious distinction went to Rams linebacker David Vobora in 2008 and Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop in '09. Succop kicked three first-half field goals for the Chiefs.
RAM-BLINGS
Entering Thursday's game, the home team had won the last five Governor's Cup contests. ... Cornerback Cord Parks saw extensive action returning punts and kickoffs for the Rams.
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