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Random Ramsdom: December 8: St. Louis Rams - Shooting For The Trey

After dismantling the Washington Redskins 24-0, the Rams juggernaut heads back home on a short week to take on the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football. The Rams will be going for the trey, a three-game winning streak that would put them at .500 for the season. No team in the league wants to face the Rams right now. They're on FIRE!

By Frank "Dubs" Dobozy
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Twitter Talk

It sure is...

Classy gesture by the Washington Redskins, honoring the passing of St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports writer Bryan Burwell:

Nothing wrong with a little bit of irony settling in during the game:

Gotta love the way the Rams' defense is playing:

The guys at "Smart Football" are closer to "smart-asses":

Nice to see Tavon having a great game:

The return of Chris Long sure has made the defense shine:

A truly amazing statistic:

NFP Prospect Focus: National Football Post

Florida St. offensive linemen Cameron Erving and Tre' Jackson will be on the Rams' radar in the upcoming 2015 NFL Draft. The Rams have 5 offensive linemen eligible for free agency in 2015. Jake Long and Scott Wells could become salary cap casualties.

The NFL Three-Quarters Award Winners: Grantland

Bill Barnwell hands out awards with 1/4 of the regular season remaining. He gives the defensive rookie of the year award to linebacker Chris Borland of the 49ers, but gives Aaron Donald a chance to win it by seasons's end:

"Aaron Donald is an absolute freak and deserves the J.J. Watt–lite comparisons he got before the draft, but his rookie-leading sack total is at just six. He is Borland’s biggest competition for the award, and it should come down to how these two play over the final month."

Stedman Bailey finding his stride: ESPN NFL Nation

Bailey continues to impress as the season wears on. As Nick Wagoner notes, the keys for Bailey's continued success are to produce on a consistent basis, and over the course of an entire season.

Rams are clear winner in big trade with Washington: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Given RG3's troubles in the last couple of seasons, it's easy to see why Jim Thomas believes the Rams are the big winners in the trade with Washington.

Draft Prospect Highlight Reel: OT - Brandon Scherff - Iowa

The Rams couldn't pass on rewarding Hekker: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The Rams signed P John Hekker last week to a six-year extension worth $18 million. The $9 million in guaranteed money was the highest ever for a kicker. Hekker is worth every penny of it.

2015 NFL Mock Draft: Walter Football

Charlie Campbell updates his three-round mock draft. The Rams select CB Trae Waynes in the first round, QB Brett Hundley in the second round, and G Tre' Jackson in the third round. CB in the first? I'm pretty happy with the play of the Rams' secondary. They're showing improvement every week.

Week 14: Can't Miss Play: St. Louis Rams Official Website

Tavon Austin returns a punt 78 yards for a touchdown. A great play for a young player who deserved a break!

Rapid Reaction: St. Louis Rams: ESPN NFL Nation

Nick Wagoner shares his thoughts immediately after the game between the Rams and Washington.

Stat Facts Of The Week: Rams-Redskins

– The last time the Rams held their opponents scoreless in back-to-back games was in 1945. They held the Chicago Cardinals, 21-0, on Sept. 30, and then held the Chicago Bears to 17-0, Oct. 7.

– The last time any team in the NFL had back-to-back shutouts was Dallas in 2009.

– QB Shaun Hill completed 16-of-22 passes for 213 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 133.3.

– Marked Hill’s first road victory as a Ram and his 32nd career start.

– TE Jared Cook tallied a 35 yard touchdown reception from Hill.

– Cook notched a second touchdown. Marked his second two-touchdown game of his career. The last time Cook had two touchdowns in a single game was his first as a Ram, vs. Arizona (9/8/13).

– S Rodney McLeod nabbed his second interception of the season off Redskins’ QB Colt McCoy and returned it one yard. Marked his fourth career interception.

– McLeod now has five turnovers this season (two interceptions, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries).

– S T.J. McDonald intercepted McCoy at the St. Louis 2-yard line and returned it 20 yards. Marked McDonald’s first interception of the season and second career.

– S Mark Barron sacked McCoy for a loss of seven yards. Marked his second sack of the season, second as a Ram. Barron has four career sacks.

– LB James Laurinaitis sacked McCoy for a loss of six yards. Marked Laurinaitis’ third sack of the season and 15th career. Laurinaitis also split a sack on McCoy with DE Robert Quinn.

– DE Robert Quinn split a sack on McCoy with Laurinaitis and recorded a solo sack. Quinn now has 10.5 sacks this season and 45.0 for his career.

– DE Eugene Sims sacked McCoy for a loss of four yards. Sims has tied his single season high in sacks with 3.0.

– DE William Hayes sacked McCoy for a 12 yard loss. Marked Hayes’ fourth sack of the season and 25th career.

– The Rams defense limited the Redskins’ rushing attack to 27 yards, the Rams’ lowest total of the season.

– The Rams defense limited the Redskins to 13 first downs and allowed only 3-of-of 12 third down conversions. The Redskins went 0-of-3 on fourth down conversions.

– The Redskins’ running backs were limited to nine attempts for 14 yards (Morris had eight rushes for six yards and Redd had one rush for eight yards). The other contributors were QB Colt McCoy, two for 11 yards and P Tress Way had one rush for two yards.

– WR/PR Tavon Austin notched a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown. Marked his second career punt returned for touchdown. Austin finished with four punts for 174 yards for a 35.8-yard average.

– Austin also had five rushes for 46 yards and two receptions for 14 yards.

– WR Kenny Britt hauled in a 41-yard reception, the sixth longest reception of the season. Previously, Britt has had catches of 63 and 43 yards.

– RB Tre Mason rushed 20 times for 66 yards. Mason has racked up 16 explosive runs this season with explosive defined as at least a 10-plus yard rush

– LB Daren Bates brought down Redskins’ P Tress Way short of a fourth-down conversion on a fake punt attempt to give the Rams the ball on the Washington 33-yard line. The play helped set up the Rams’ third scoring drive of the game.

The game statistics are courtesy of Rams News Now.

The QB Market Crash: Sports Illustrated - MMQB

A cautionary note about big investments in young quarterbacks. Are mobile quarterbacks really the wave of the future?

The process of evaluating quarterbacks: National Football Post

The Rams could be in the market for a QB in the 2015 NFL Draft. What do the scouts look for when evaluating draft-eligible QB's?

Rams vs. Redskins Report Card: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Jeff Gordon hands out his weekly unit grades. Not surprisingly, the Rams graded highly in all aspects of the game, save for Greg Zuerlein.

Rams pitch second straight shutout: NFL.com

"The Around The NFL Podcast has dubbed the Rams the best 5-7 team in NFL history. Now they are the best 6-7 team, thanks to a swarming defense that is first in the NFL in takeaways and second in sacks over the past six weeks. They dominated this game, recording two interceptions, seven sacks and 11 quarterback hits en route to the franchise's first back-to-back shutouts since the 1945 Cleveland Rams. This roster is a franchise quarterback away from contending for the NFC West in 2015."

On This Day In Sports History

1940 - The Chicago Bears defeat the Washington Redskins, in the first NFL championship broadcast on national radio.

Rams romp to another shutout win: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Jim Thomas shares his thoughts on the Rams' convincing victory over the struggling Washington Redskins.

Greg Zuerlein misses extra point, two short field goals: ESPN NFL Nation

Despite the misses in the game against Washington, Coach Fisher expressed his confidence in Greg Zuerlein in a unique way:

"I want you all to know that in our closed door locker room there, I had Johnny Hekker hold the ball and put the ball down and Greg hit the locker, and that’s what he was aiming for. So he’s OK. Greg is going to be fine, OK."

Rams trot out Redskins trade haul: ESPN NFL Nation

In an unusual twist, Jeff Fisher took a little poke at Washington before the game, using 6 players acquired as a result of the RG3 trade as team representatives for the pre-game coin toss.

Rams Shutout Redskins, 24-0: St. Louis Rams Official Website

Myles Simmons re-caps the game between the Rams and the Redskins.

Rams love that winning feeling: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

I'm sure the Rams players are enjoying the wins and the feelings they elicit. Us fans can be counted in the group that loves that winning feeling. Nothing better!

Rams defense earning all "A's" right now: ESPN

The Rams defense is firing on all cylinders. There's little doubt that they're the reason the Rams have won four of their last six games.

Tavon Austin breaks through against Redskins: ESPN NFL Nation

Nice to see Tavon Austin having a great all-around game for the Rams, gaining 203 all-purpose yards.

The Pressers

Jeff Fisher Post-Game Press Conference: St. Louis Rams Official Website

One-On-One With Tavon Austin: St. Louis Rams Official Website

Shaun Hill Post-Game Press Conference: St. Louis Rams Official Website

Chris Long Post-Game Interview: St. Louis Rams Official Website

St. Louis Rams Weekly Salary "Re-Cap"

The Rams currently have $919,704 in available salary cap space, 3rd lowest in the league. Hopefully the slew of injuries the Rams incurred earlier in the season has run its course. Any further injuries may necessitate the creation of additional salary cap space. The recent extension granted to P John Hekker has little impact on the Rams' 2014 salary cap.

St. Louis Rams Current Roster And Depth Chart

C Scott Wells Barrett Jones Tim Barnes
RG Davin Joseph Brandon Washington
LG Rodger Saffold
RT Joe Barksdale
LT Greg Robinson Mike Person
TE Lance Kendricks Cory Harkey Justice Cunningham
TE Jared Cook Alex Bayer
WR Kenny Britt Chris Givens
WR Tavon Austin Stedman Bailey
RB Tre Mason Chase Reynolds Trey Watts
RB Benny Cunningham Zac Stacy
QB Shaun Hill Austin Davis
PK Greg Zuerlein
P John Hekker
LS Jake McQuaide
DT Aaron Donald Kendall Langford
DT Michael Brockers Alex Carrington
DE Chris Long William Hayes
DE Robert Quinn Eugene Sims Ethan Westbrooks
MLB James Laurinaitis Korey Toomer
OLB Alec Ogletree Daren Bates
OLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar Will Herring
CB Janoris Jenkins Marcus Roberson
CB Trumaine Johnson E.J. Gaines Lamarcus Joyner
SS T.J. McDonald Mark Barron Maurice Alexander
FS Rodney McLeod Cody Davis
Practice Squad Injured Reserve
QB Case Keenum QB Sam Bradford
OT Steven Baker RB Isaiah Pead
OG Travis Bond TE Mason Brodine
TE Brad Smelley OC Demetrius Rhaney
WR Emory Blake LT Jake Long
WR Devon Wylie WR Brian Quick
DT Matt Conrath CB Brandon McGee
LB Marshall McFadden
FS Christian Bryant

The roster is updated to reflect all transactions as of 11:00 pm, Sunday, November 7.

Blast From The Past: Classic Rock Monday: Jimi Hendrix - Ezy Ryder

Please have a great Monday and a Ramtastic week!!

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