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    Jackson Thinks Turnover Talk Is Backfiring On Rams

    Jackson thinks turnover talk is backfiring on Rams
    By R.B. FALLSTROM, AP Sports Writer
    12 hours, 19 minutes ago


    The winless Rams had three turnovers inside the Vikings 10 and had a fourth returned for a touchdown in last week’s 38-10 loss to Minnesota. St. Louis (0-5) has committed 10 turnovers the last three games and is near the bottom of the NFL with a minus-7 turnover differential heading into Sunday’s game at Jacksonville.

    “I think it’s one of those things that we on the field have become so conscious of and so uptight about it, that it’s backfired on us,” Jackson said Thursday.

    Jackson took responsibility for one of the fumbles last week when he missed connections on a handoff from Kyle Boller(notes). He has two lost fumbles thus far, so this week his strategy has been one of under-emphasis.

    “I’m going to go back to my regular routine of just playing loose and being myself and being a playmaker,” Jackson said. “I’ve never had a fumbling problem, knock on wood, and I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”

    The Rams have scored 34 points all season, lowest in the NFL. They made a lot of progress last week with a season-high 400 yards in total offense, only to be undone by the mistakes.

    Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said ball security is discussed multiple times every day, on the practice field, in meetings, after practice when reviewing game and practice tape.

    Eventually, the Rams expect it will pay off.

    “We’ll point out any and all ball-handling issues,” Shurmur said. “You usually get what you emphasize.”

    Better late than never, players believe they’re grasping the finer points of the new West Coast offense. Jackson is the focal point but several players have been getting more involved. Donnie Avery(notes) had five catches, including a 27-yard touchdown, in his best game of the season and three others caught five passes apiece.

    If the production continues with Marc Bulger(notes) back as the starting quarterback this week, it might mean more space for Jackson. He’s been impressed with the team attitude, with players following coach Steve Spagnuolo’s credo to never look back.

    “Guys around here feel like we’ve been putting in a lot of hard work for a long time and on Sunday things are not coming together,” Jackson said. “I think a lot of guys are selling out in practice more than we had before.

    “I think Sunday proved to a lot of us that we can play with a very talented team, and we showed spurts of really effective football.”
    Tags: None
    • #2
      Re: Jackson Thinks Turnover Talk Is Backfiring On Rams

      I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm really excited about Sunday. After putting 400 yards up on Minnesota, I think were going to have a nice outing against the Jags! I expect to see a victory!

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        • MauiRam
          NFL: Jackson is the ultimate decoy ..
          by MauiRam
          THE TELEGRAPH, ALTON, ILL. | RON CLEMENTS


          Dec. 03--ST. LOUIS -- Steven Jackson is willing to sacrifice some rushing yards for wins.

          "Absolutely," the Pro Bowl running back for the St. Louis Rams said Thursday. "At this point I understand that a lot of my role now is to keep a defense honest.

          "I'd love to get 100 yards and have a big game, but at the same time, if a defense is that focused on the running game, I think we come out with a win already."

          What's helped the Rams go from a 1-15 record last year to a 5-6 mark this season has been the play of rookie quarterback Sam Bradford . The former Heisman Trophy winner became the first person since Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson in 2007 to be named the NFL's offensive rookie of the month in two straight months.

          "Rookie MVP," Jackson said of Bradford. "He's putting together a nice season. We have a chance at the postseason, to win the division, and a lot of it has to do with his play."

          The Rams played just three games in November because of a bye week, but in those games, Bradford completed 79 of 121 passes for 792 yards with six touchdown passes and only one interception for a passer rating of 96.8. He also set an NFL rookie record of 169 consecutive pass attempts without an interception.

          "When you have a quarterback that can execute, then (defenses) obviously have to be willing to defend the pass," offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. "Run and pass go hand-in-hand. Sam's success playing quarterback is a big key to having success, but we have to be able to run the football."

          Shurmur said last Sunday's 36-33 win over Denver was probably the most balanced the Rams offense has been this season. The Rams had 37 pass plays and 35 rush attempts.

          Jackson had just 72 yards on 29 carries, and average of only 2.5 yards per attempt. He has a 3.8 yards-per-carry average on the season. Shurmur said Jackson continues to run hard, but the offense needs to "do a better job of getting yardage" on the ground.

          Jackson doesn't mind being a decoy as long as it leads to points, citing a touchdown pass to a wide-open Billy Bajema against Denver as an example.

          "Last week the big play to Billy was a run-action and he was wide open," Jackson said. "You have those plays because of the respect of the running game."

          Jackson's 873 rushing yards rank 10th in the NFL. He said he is the "freshest" he's been in three years this late in the season. With only 117 yards to go, he'll have his sixth straight 1,000-yard season.

          "I'm a little off pace from where I want to be, personally, but I'm very proud of that," he said. "Thousand-yard seasons, no matter how they come, are very impressive."
          ...
          -12-04-2010, 12:11 PM
        • eldfan
          Jackson says he'll pay fine
          by eldfan
          Jackson says he'll pay fine By Jim Thomas
          ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
          12/04/2009

          One of the biggest surprises in last week's loss to Seattle was that Rams running back Steven Jackson didn't perform his "rolling the dice" touchdown celebration after scoring late in the fourth quarter.

          "Well, if I roll the dice, you guys would say, 'Why is he rolling the dice when he's down?'" Jackson said. "Right? Right?"

          The Rams were trailing 27-10 with 44 seconds to play before Jackson's score.

          "If I did a Donnie Avery (dance), I would've been in trouble," he joked. "Actually, I just wanted to show the few fans that were still there — give someone a souvenir. I knew I was going to get fined for it. I just wanted to give somebody a ball."

          It turned out to be a $5,000 souvenir. That was Jackson's fine from the No Fun League for tossing the ball into the stands at the Edward Jones Dome. Seems like a steep fine for trying to make a fan happy.

          "If you want to argue for me, I'm glad," Jackson joked.

          Jackson said he won't try to appeal the fine, saying no appeal exists for such situations. So ...

          "Five grand it is," he said.

          Meanwhile, Jackson missed his second day of practice this week because of a continuing back injury. But as was the case last week, he expects to play Sunday.

          "I feel better than (Wednesday)," Jackson said. "Last week, it was a new injury, so it flared up really bad. But I was able to do some walk-through today. I'm studying film, still preparing as though I'm playing Sunday. So if I don't play, I'll be more surprised than anybody."

          Rams fans are offering advice to help Jackson's sore back. One fan passed along word that something called a Teeter Hang Ups Inversion Table — costing $300 — could cure back spasms in a week.

          "If it was as easy as back spasms I would listen," Jackson said. "But it's a little more deep-rooted than that."

          Jackson said he works on range of motion and does stretching exercises to take pressure off his lower back.

          "It just feels a little bit compressed," he said. "It feels like my muscle and my back are always tense. ... Sitting down for a long period of time or standing up for long periods of time, either one puts a huge load on my back."

          With temperatures expected to be in the 30s during Sunday's game at Soldier Field, Jackson may find it more difficult to get his back loosened up than was the case in the Dome.

          The Rams plan to practice outside today, and Jackson said he will try to practice, "to see where I'm at running."

          Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said Jackson has done everything possible to stay sharp mentally this...
          -12-04-2009, 08:11 AM
        • r8rh8rmike
          Jackson Hopes Rams Can Snap Losing Streak
          by r8rh8rmike
          Jackson hopes Rams can snap losing streak
          Oct 9, 5:28 am EDT

          ST. LOUIS (AP)—Steven Jackson is already a marked man in the St. Louis Rams’ offense. Now, he gets to face a Minnesota Vikings defense that hasn’t allowed a player to rush for 100 yards in 27 games.

          The Vikings (4-0) last gave up 100 yards Nov. 11, 2007, when Green Bay’s Ryan Grant had 102. They are allowing just 89.5 yards a game this season.

          Jackson takes that as a challenge as he leads the winless Rams (0-4) in trying to snap their 14-game losing streak that is the longest in the NFL. The Rams have won just five of their last 32 games.

          “It all boils down to execution,” Jackson said Thursday. “We have to make sure the plays we run are effective.”

          Jackson has been able to run against the Vikings in the past. In Minnesota’s last 52 games, only one back besides Grant has topped the 100-yard mark against the Vikings. That would be Jackson, who has two 100-yard games this season.

          “I’m pretty sure they are well aware that they have a challenge to stop me,” Jackson said.

          The last time Jackson faced the Vikings, he gained 142 yards. Jackson scored all four offensive touchdowns, including one receiving, when visiting St. Louis topped Minnesota 41-21 in the 2006 season finale on Dec. 31.

          “I know we had a great game then,” Jackson said. “I hope to have the same outcome and more importantly, a win.”

          That was then. Minnesota arrives in St. Louis with one of the best defensive lines in football. Minnesota boasts of three Pro Bowlers in end Jared Allen and tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams.

          With that strong play up front, the Vikings have led the NFL in rushing defense in each of the last three seasons. They are the only team to accomplish that feat since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

          This season, Minnesota ranks No. 11 in total defense, allowing 300 yards a game.

          Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has to figure out how to get his unit to be productive. The Rams offense ranks last in scoring this season with just 24 points. In total offense, St. Louis ranks No. 30.

          “I’ve seen what happens when we do things right and we’re consistent,” Shurmur said. “I think that’s what we’re preaching to the players. It’s very difficult to win in the NFL and once you’ve popped the first one, the players start to build on that.”

          That said, the Rams will be facing the best defense they’ve seen this season.

          “Their front seven is very, very dominant in some areas,” Shurmur said. “They have two inside defensive tackles and a great pass rush on the edges. Their linebacking corps is solid, not to mention their secondary. So, all around, they’re an excellent defense. We’ll have to play our ‘A’ game to get into the end zone.”

          On the other side of the line of scrimmage Rams...
          -10-10-2009, 03:20 PM
        • Rambos
          Jackson, Run Game on a Roll
          by Rambos
          On the heels of two straight dominant performances in the running game and with the Browns’ 30th-ranked run defense awaiting in Cleveland, it stands to reason that Rams running back Steven Jackson could go for the hat trick of 100-yard games this weekend.

          Of course, Jackson knows that will be easier said than done because time and again in his career, he’s been asked about facing a team that’s struggled against the run and then seen that team throw everything it has at stopping him en route to its best run defense of the season.

          “Story of my career,” Jackson said. “When certain teams come to town, certain players come to town, statistically those things don’t matter. I’m pretty sure that all week they’ve been game planning and knowing what they like to do, especially having (Head) Coach (Pat) Shurmur over there. He was personally with me for two years, so I’m pretty sure they’ll be up for the challenge and the test. I don’t look at 30th, being ranked 30th saying it’s going to be an easy Sunday. It’ll be a very challenging Sunday.”

          The basic premise of Jackson’s thesis is that teams that have struggled against the run, when faced with a team that features the running game so prominently, will often do everything in its power to force the other part of the offense to beat it.

          In this case, the Browns have struggled some against the run and have been outstanding against the pass (ranking first in the league). For their part, the Rams have been riding a healthy Jackson the past two weeks and he’s rewarded them with 289 yards and two touchdowns combined.

          There’s little doubt that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and the offense will again look to Jackson to carry the load this week and to setup quarterback Sam Bradford and the passing game for big plays.

          “You want to keep it going because as the running game goes, I believe this team and this offense goes,” Jackson said. “We need to continue to be productive in that area. I think it will open up things, especially for Sam and the receivers which allows for us to have some big plays.”

          So why, after the running game couldn’t quite get on track in the first part of the season, has it begun to take off?

          The reasons are varied though it starts with Jackson getting back to full strength and being able to again take on a full workload.

          After battling a quadriceps injury suffered on his season-opening 47-yard touchdown run, Jackson has been rounding back into form since the bye week.

          Of course, it hasn’t hurt that the Rams have been able to stay in games and stuck to the run more since they haven’t had to play catch up as much.

          “So far these last two weeks the games have been close, more opportunities to be honest with you,” Jackson said. “The more we can wear on a defense and the game is close or we’re in the lead, it allows for us to pound away...
          -11-14-2011, 06:05 AM
        • RamWraith
          Jackson feels good, but Rams are wary
          by RamWraith
          By Jim Thomas
          ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
          Thursday, Nov. 08 2007

          Jack is back ... again. But for how long?

          Running back Steven Jackson, known as "Jack" to his Rams teammates, was back on
          the practice field Wednesday. Afterward, he declared himself fit and ready to
          go Sunday in New Orleans.

          Although the Rams listed Jackson as "limited participation" in practice on
          their official injury report, Jackson said, "I went full-go. That's a huge
          step."

          Barring a setback during the practice week, Jackson will start against New
          Orleans, but he isn't expected to get a full workload.

          Jackson and the Rams went down a similar road two weeks ago, in preparation for
          the Oct. 28 contest against Cleveland. After missing four contests with a
          partially torn groin muscle, Jackson returned with a flair in the early going
          against the Browns.

          He carried eight times for 41 yards in the first quarter, scoring the Rams'
          first rushing touchdown of the season and logging his longest run of the season
          (22 yards). Sparked by Jackson's return, the Rams jumped to a 14-0 lead, the
          first time all season they had led by more than seven points.

          "He was a great spark for us," coach Scott Linehan said. "We hadn't been in
          that position all year, where we were up two scores early. That was our best
          quarter of football to this point of the season."

          But Jackson's back tightened up, causing him to leave the game for good late in
          the first quarter. The Rams' offensive energy gradually faded, as did their
          running game, and the Browns rallied for a 27-20 victory.

          The diagnosis originally was back spasms. When an MRI exam revealed Jackson
          actually had a bulging disc in his back, his reaction went beyond surprise.

          "I was very shocked," Jackson said. "I didn't think the injury was going to be
          that severe. We went in at halftime (against Cleveland) and started trying to
          loosen it up. I should've known it was something serious when it just wouldn't
          quite act right."

          Over the bye week, the plan was to have Jackson try some oral medication. If
          that didn't work, injecting medication into the affected area would be next.

          "A lot of the experts were leaning towards injecting the disc, and I kind of
          shied away from that," Jackson said. "I wanted to allow it to take the natural
          course. I did a lot of praying on it, and I just wanted to kind of stay away
          from the needle."

          Apparently, his back responded well enough to the pills that Jackson won't need
          the injection. The bye week helped, too.

          "That week off really allowed it to heal itself,"...
          -11-08-2007, 05:40 AM
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