Rams report, 11/29

Photo - USA Today

* Wednesday injury report: Danny Amendola (foot) has returned to wearing a walking boot and did not practice Wednesday. Steven Jackson (foot) and Scott Wells (knee) were held out of practice. Mario Haggan (elbow) and Robert Quinn (concussion) also did not participate.

* Sunday recap. Janoris Jenkins was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for returning two interceptions for TDs in the Rams' 31-17 win over the Big Dead. I haven't had time to update ramview.com, but this link should take you to the recap.

- Positives: Terrific games for Jenkins, Steven Jackson and Chris Givens; offensive line looked strong playing with its five intended starters for the first time. Sam Bradford recovered from a very shaky start.
- Negatives: Defense amazingly soft in first half; terrible miss by Greg Zuerlein from 35; Givens the only receiver with more than one catch.

* Sunday preview. The Rams are 7-point underdogs to the 49ers at home Sunday. Colin Kaepernick will get the start at QB for the 49ers. Let's hope the Rams' coaching staff is much more aware of Kaepernick's running ability than they seemed to be a couple of weeks ago. Season-ending injuries to Kendall Hunter and Kyle Williams make it likely that the 49ers will dust off rookies LaMichael James and A.J. Jenkins for Sunday's game.

* Ex-Rams report:
- Dallas has signed Brady Poppinga. They have lost a couple of LBs with season-ending injuries.
- Cadillac Williams had a tryout with the Giants but could not beat out Ryan Torain or Kregg Lumpkin.
- Mardy Gilyard, cut by the Eagles last week, has been picked back up by the Jets.
- Pittsburgh added Joe Long to its practice squad.
- NFL.com never showed a transaction where the Chiefs cut him, but Bryan Kehl is back on Washington's roster now.

Not a very heated race for Ex-Ram of the Week this week, which goes to Donnie Jones. He averaged an impressive 47.7 per punt and pinned the Lions inside the 20 three times in Houston's Thanksgiving Day victory.

-$-

Rams report, 11/24

* Injury report for Sunday's game in Arizona:
Out: Mario Haggan (elbow)
Doubtful: Danny Amendola (foot)
Questionable: Lance Kendricks (knee), Rodney McLeod (calf)
Probable: Steven Jackson (foot)

Amendola is expected to miss the game. The Rams may catch a break in that Calais Campbell (calf) is not expected to play, although he is only listed as questionable.

Kickoff is at 3:25.

* Ex-Rams news:
- Lucky Greg Salas has gone from the Patriots to the Eagles. NFL.com says the Eagles waived him yesterday; I think they mean the Patriots did; then, the Eagles claimed him on waivers. To add Salas to their roster, Philadelphia cut another former Ram, Mardy Gilyard.
- Kevin Hughes has re-joined San Diego's practice squad.
- Jamie McCoy has been dropped from Pittsburgh's practice squad yet again.

-$-

Injury report, 11/23

Rams
Did not practice Thursday: Danny Amendola (foot), Mario Haggan (elbow), Rodney McLeod (calf)
Limited: Steven Jackson (foot), Lance Kendricks (knee)

Arizona
Limited: Calais Campbell (calf), William Gay (groin), Kerry Rhodes (back), LaRod Stephens-Howling (ribs).

-$-

Rams report, 11/21

* Injury list:
Not practicing Wednesday: Danny Amendola (foot), Mario Haggan (elbow), Steven Jackson (foot), Lance Kendricks (knee). Jackson and Kendricks are just being rested. Amendola's situation looks a little more serious; he is in a walking boot.


* Transactions: The Rams have re-acquired LB Jabara Williams, the seventh-round pick most fans would argue the team cut short-sightedly last season. He takes the open space left on the practice squad by Corey Harkey's promotion.

* With Scott Wells returning at center, Robert Turner is now starting at left guard.

* Big Dead report:
Ken Whisenhunt says he's sticking with rookie Ryan Lindley at QB Sunday. Arizona has also activated RB Beanie Wells from injured reserve. He practiced in full Wednesday, but the Cardinals had quite a few players who were limited, including Kevin Kolb, LaRod Stephens-Howling, Daryn Colledge, Calais Campbell, Kerry Rhodes and Justin Bethel. Kolb's still working his way back into shape from injured ribs and it doesn't sound like there's much chance of him playing against the Rams.

* Ex-Rams report:
- Jerome Murphy has signed with the Redskins.
- Detroit has dropped Jimmy Saddler-McQueen from its practice squad.

* Happy Thanksgiving to all.

-$-

Brit Miller released

Photo - STLToday

Scott Wells was added back to the Rams' 53-man roster today from injured reserve, as expected. A little less expected: fullback Brit Miller was released to make room for Wells. Miller was not active for Sunday's loss to the Jets. Lance Kendricks is expected to take Miller's lead-blocking role, which is a good call. Lance has seriously improved as a blocker this season, and RamView never has thought that highly of Miller's play at fullback. Brit is a pretty good special teams player, so the risk is that the Rams will miss his blocking there. And sadly, Rampage is going to have to find a new roommate.

Corey Harkey could also get some opportunities in the fullback/blocking tight end role. It sounds like he will stick on the main roster. The Rams still have a practice squad opening.

The Rams roster currently has nine offensive linemen, four tight ends and only three defensive tackles. If Wells is immediately stepping in at center against the Big Dead this week, I'm expecting Robert Turner to slide over to LG, being much less of a pass-protection liability than Shelley Smith.

-$-

RamView, 11/20

Photo - ESPN

* RamView for easily the most bitterly disappointing game of the Jeff Fisher era, Sunday's 27-13 loss to the 3-6 Jets, is up now. Link

- Positives: Steven Jackson. Brandon Gibson caught 2 TDs. Janoris Jenkins played pretty well.
- Negatives: everyone else. Bradford was poor and had 2 turnovers. Daryl Richardson had a costly turnover. Receivers could not get open. D-line didn't do anything after first quarter. Trumaine Johnson burned badly for a TD and another big play. Kick returns were poor, especially thanks to referees calling a TD return back. Coaching staff at present cannot motivate players, cannot put together a coherent game plan, or apparently even do third-grade math.

* Injury report: Mario Haggan was knocked out of the game early due to an elbow injury that sounds long-term. I'm expecting he'll be moved to injured reserve.

Danny Amendola injured a heel in the first half but got it taped up and returned to the game. So it's not a ruptured Achilles, but it doesn't sound like the best injury for a wide receiver to have, either. Let's call Danny questionable pending an exam of that injury.

Eugene Sims and Austin Pettis played against the Jets. Darian Stewart's knee injury kept him on the inactive list.

Scott Wells is expected to return to the 53-man roster this week, so look for a move to clear a roster spot for him. Tim Barnes or Cory Harkey could return to the practice squad, which has been a man short since Harkey's promotion last week.

* The Rams next travel to Arizona for a 3:25 game Sunday. The Rams won the first meeting 17-3 in October behind a 9-sack attack of Kevin Kolb. The Cardinals appear to have switched to rookie Ryan Lindley at QB now, and haven't won since taking their first loss of the season here.

How disappointing were the Rams Sunday? Against an Arizona team that's 4-6 and had 70 yards passing last week, they're 3-point underdogs.

* Ex-Rams news:
- Greg Salas has been promoted to the Patriots' main roster, replacing Deion Branch.
- Joe Gibbs has been added to Green Bay's practice squad.

* Ex-Ram of the week is once again Danario Alexander, who had 7 catches, 96 yards and 2 TDs in San Diego's 30-23 loss at Denver. Brandon Gibson's the only Rams player who scored more TDs this year than DX has in two games.

-$-

Rams report, 11/17

* Injury report for tomorrow's contest against the New York Jets:
Questionable: Mario Haggan (thigh), Austin Pettis (toe), Eugene Sims (knee), Darian Stewart (knee).

Key names for the Jets:
Probable: Stephen Hill (out sick), LaRon Landry (foot), Nick Mangold (ankle), Calvin Pace (shoulder), Matt Slauson (knee), Mark Sanchez (back), Tim Tebow (ribs)
Questionable: Jeremy Kerley (foot), Joe McKnight (ankle), Sione Pouha (back), Bart Scott (toe)

That's probably about half their list, which reminds me of some of the Spagnuolo-era injury lists in its length. Most of the Jets on the report, though, are listed as probable. The eyebrow-raiser is Kerley - if he's slowed down, it takes a nice-sized chunk out of what little offense the Jets do have.

Then again, if the Rams do not STOP THE RUN tomorrow, they'll make Sanchez look good.

* Roster moves: Tight end Cory Harkey was promoted from the practice squad to take Kellen Heard's place on the main roster. No move to replace him on the practice squad has been announced.

* Pro Football Weekly has been a lot busier covering the Rams the past couple of weeks than they've had to be the past few seasons. Some highlights:

- According to team insiders, Danny Amendola's injury history makes any decision on franchising him very difficult;
- Look for a total makeover at safety next offseason like the one the Rams did at corner this season (see previous link);
- Janoris Jenkins is still a work in progress, but even with his recent slump and curfew violation, "his pluses have outnumbered his minuses";
- Chris Long becomes the latest player PFW describes as a "rolling ball of butcher knives". Dibs on that for the name of my future metal band.

* Tomorrow's game will air on KMOV at noon. That's CBS, not Fox, because it's an AFC road game. The Rams are 3.5-point favorites; Bernie Miklasz notes that it's the first time the Rams have been favored to win a game since Boxing Day 2010 vs. the Niners. The Rams won that game, but I am in total dread of being favored in this one.

This game has also sold more tickets than any game so far this year, an encouraging sign that interest in the team has picked back up. (Unless Jets fans travel very, very well.) Please don't blow this one, fellas.

* Get well soon, Mike Ditka.

-$-