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Rams Notebook: Catch gives Amendola his first TD in the NFL
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/21/2009
For much of the season, Danny Amendola has provided a spark for the Rams with his kick returns and pass receiving. On Sunday, he provided a touchdown — his first as an NFL player.
His 2-yard TD reception Sunday from quarterback Keith Null gave the Rams a 10-6 lead in a game they ultimately lost 16-13 to Houston.
On the play, the Rams bunched three receivers to the right, with Amendola the last guy in the bunch. In all that traffic, the diminutive Amendola was able to sneak open.
"I faked like I was going out and went back inside," he said. "It was man coverage and my (defender) got jumbled up in the bunch."
Amendola had put the Rams in great scoring position just a few minutes earlier with a 55-yard kickoff return following a Texans field goal. It became a 70-yard play when 15 yards were tacked onto the return because Houston's Jacques Reeves grabbed Amendola's facemask to help get him down.
Amendola has a club-record 1,435 kickoff return yards this season.
MILESTONE FOR JACKSON
With a 1-yard carry early in the fourth quarter, Steven Jackson set a Rams record for most career rushing attempts. Eric Dickerson held the previous record with 1,525 carries; Jackson ended the game with 1,528 carries.
"I didn't even know (about the record)," Jackson said. "I guess it's showing that I'm durable enough to take those kind of carries. But you know, like always, when you accomplish things you want to do it in a win. So it kind of takes away from those accomplishments."
Jackson's 35-yard run in the second quarter moved him past Dick Bass for fifth place on the Rams' career list for all-purpose yards. Jackson finished the game with 9,010 all-purpose yards.
ADVICE FROM BULGER
Null said injured quarterback Marc Bulger held an impromptu meeting during the week with himself and fellow rookie QB Mike Reilly.
"He just had a little sit-down with us, and said, 'Hey listen, this is how you prepare for a game; this is how I learned how to prepare,'" Null said. "'This is how you do it; this is how you can be successful.' I appreciated it so much. It was great to have him come in and share some wisdom with me."
Q. BUTLER, FELLS INJURED
Cornerback Quincy Butler suffered a hyper-extended left knee with 11½ minutes to play in the opening quarter and did not return. Tight end Daniel Fells suffered a hyper-extended right knee with 3 minutes to play in the first quarter and did not return.
LITTLE SITS
Rams sack leader Leonard Little was among the team's designated pregame inactives because of a knee infection. Other Rams inactives were: Bulger (shin bone), OT Jason Smith (concussion), OT Ryan McKee, RB Chris Ogbonnaya, OT Eric Young and CB Jonathan Wade.
The run of flu-like symptoms and swine flu last week didn't result in any tough pregame decisions about who would play and who wouldn't.
"The one thing we anticipated was possibly, if somebody had come in (Sunday) morning with the sickness, we would've had to do some shuffling," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "But that didn't happen. Guys bounced back that were ill."
RAM-BLINGS
The Rams were flagged for a season-low three penalties. ... DT Leger Douzable made his first NFL start. ... CB Danny Gorrer and S Clinton Hart made their Rams debuts, with Gorrer seeing significant action in the nickel package.
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/21/2009
For much of the season, Danny Amendola has provided a spark for the Rams with his kick returns and pass receiving. On Sunday, he provided a touchdown — his first as an NFL player.
His 2-yard TD reception Sunday from quarterback Keith Null gave the Rams a 10-6 lead in a game they ultimately lost 16-13 to Houston.
On the play, the Rams bunched three receivers to the right, with Amendola the last guy in the bunch. In all that traffic, the diminutive Amendola was able to sneak open.
"I faked like I was going out and went back inside," he said. "It was man coverage and my (defender) got jumbled up in the bunch."
Amendola had put the Rams in great scoring position just a few minutes earlier with a 55-yard kickoff return following a Texans field goal. It became a 70-yard play when 15 yards were tacked onto the return because Houston's Jacques Reeves grabbed Amendola's facemask to help get him down.
Amendola has a club-record 1,435 kickoff return yards this season.
MILESTONE FOR JACKSON
With a 1-yard carry early in the fourth quarter, Steven Jackson set a Rams record for most career rushing attempts. Eric Dickerson held the previous record with 1,525 carries; Jackson ended the game with 1,528 carries.
"I didn't even know (about the record)," Jackson said. "I guess it's showing that I'm durable enough to take those kind of carries. But you know, like always, when you accomplish things you want to do it in a win. So it kind of takes away from those accomplishments."
Jackson's 35-yard run in the second quarter moved him past Dick Bass for fifth place on the Rams' career list for all-purpose yards. Jackson finished the game with 9,010 all-purpose yards.
ADVICE FROM BULGER
Null said injured quarterback Marc Bulger held an impromptu meeting during the week with himself and fellow rookie QB Mike Reilly.
"He just had a little sit-down with us, and said, 'Hey listen, this is how you prepare for a game; this is how I learned how to prepare,'" Null said. "'This is how you do it; this is how you can be successful.' I appreciated it so much. It was great to have him come in and share some wisdom with me."
Q. BUTLER, FELLS INJURED
Cornerback Quincy Butler suffered a hyper-extended left knee with 11½ minutes to play in the opening quarter and did not return. Tight end Daniel Fells suffered a hyper-extended right knee with 3 minutes to play in the first quarter and did not return.
LITTLE SITS
Rams sack leader Leonard Little was among the team's designated pregame inactives because of a knee infection. Other Rams inactives were: Bulger (shin bone), OT Jason Smith (concussion), OT Ryan McKee, RB Chris Ogbonnaya, OT Eric Young and CB Jonathan Wade.
The run of flu-like symptoms and swine flu last week didn't result in any tough pregame decisions about who would play and who wouldn't.
"The one thing we anticipated was possibly, if somebody had come in (Sunday) morning with the sickness, we would've had to do some shuffling," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "But that didn't happen. Guys bounced back that were ill."
RAM-BLINGS
The Rams were flagged for a season-low three penalties. ... DT Leger Douzable made his first NFL start. ... CB Danny Gorrer and S Clinton Hart made their Rams debuts, with Gorrer seeing significant action in the nickel package.
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