St. Louis Rams vs. Washington Redskins: Complete Week 14 Preview for St. Louis
The St. Louis Rams (5-7) will hit the road and attempt to take down the struggling Washington Redskins (3-9), and this article will preview the upcoming game.
The Rams are coming off a beastly 52-0 performance against the hapless Oakland Raiders. It was St. Louis' first shutout victory since 2006, and it was Oakland's second-biggest loss in franchise history.
Meanwhile, the Redskins had a far less admirable showing this past Sunday. Washington fell victim to the high-powered Indianapolis Colts offense and lost 49-27. It was the most points surrendered by the Redskins defense this season.
The Rams' November surge has attracted lots of attention. According to Odds Shark, they are favored by two points over Washington, and it's a rare occurrence for St. Louis to be favored on the road.
The game will kick off at 1 p.m. ET this Sunday. The game will be televised on Fox for local broadcasting, as well as channel 713 for DirecTV.
Read on for a complete preview of the game, including an injury report, the latest headlines, matchup analysis and more.
Week 13 Recap
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The Rams lost their Week 12 matchup against San Diego in a heartbreaking fashion, so the team was eager to bounce back against the Raiders and take out their frustrations.
The Rams showed determination and a stretch of flawless execution that we have yet to see from this team in some time. It wasn't even fair to Oakland. If this game was a schoolyard fight, the Rams would have been expelled and shipped to juvey. If it was a boxing match, the ref would have called off the fight in the first round.
It was total domination.
St. Louis scored five touchdowns on its first five drives. Oakland was held to three-and-out on its first three. The Rams' 52-0 victory was the largest margin of victory by an NFL team this season.
It wasn't even the eye-popping score that truly pleased Rams fans—it was the flash of potential from the young stars.
Third-round rookie running Tre Mason got things started with a 35-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown on the first drive, and he added a stunning 89-yard rushing score three drives later. He's now fully entrenched in the starting role, and people are beginning to see why Zac Stacy is an afterthought.
St. Louis' two second-year receivers out of West Virginia—Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey—also had admirable performances.
Bailey had a 34-yard grab during St. Louis' second drive, which set up a rushing touchdown for quarterback Shaun Hill, and Bailey finished with a career-high 100 yards. Meanwhile, Austin had less gaudy numbers with only 35 yards from scrimmage, but he added an 18-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter.
On defense, the Rams simply overwhelmed Oakland. The pass rush racked up six sacks, and the defense came away with five takeaways.
This performance was not only a chance for the Rams to flex their muscles and show off an impressive collection of budding stars, but it also gave the fanbase hope. This game reminded the league that the Rams are a team to be reckoned with.
News and Notes
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Rams Earn Respect from Sports Illustrated
St. Louis' 52-0 win over Oakland naturally caught the attention of national media figures, particularly Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated, who ranked the Rams 15th in his power rankings.
He even placed the Rams ahead of five teams with superior records, including the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Rams have secured some very high-quality wins in the past month—over the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos—so people are beginning to take notice. They're realizing that this St. Louis team is much better than its record indicates.
If not for the slow start early in the year, along with the lack of a long-term quarterback, the Rams would certainly be a top NFC competitor.
Rams Finally Adjusting to Gregg Williams' Defensive System
Anyone with eyes can recognize that the Rams have improved on defense over the past month, but Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch outlined how drastic the improvements actually are.
According to Miklasz, the Rams lead the NFL in several major defensive categories over the last five games, including 13 takeaways (first in NFL), 22 sacks (second) and a 30.4 third-down conversion rate for opponents (second).
The improvements are largely due to the defensive line playing better. The group had just one total sack in the first five games of the season, but now the unit is finally coming alive and playing up to its potential.
Gregg Williams' system appeared to be a dud early in the year, but now the players are finally adjusting, and the results are becoming tangible.
Rams Are a Threat in These Final Four Games
Based on what we've seen from St. Louis over the past month, it's safe to say that few teams look forward to playing the Rams. ESPN's John Clayton apparently agrees based on his interview with 101 ESPN.
"Clearly, it's not making the playoffs at 5-7," said Clayton. "But it's a team that I don't think you want to play, because it has pass rush (and) Tre Mason is running the ball. There's talent that's there, but I think the better thing is the young talent is starting to get some confidence."
For playoff hopefuls that face the Rams in the upcoming weeks, such as the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, it's a matchup they're not looking forward to.
Injury Report
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The following injury report is from the official website of the St. Louis Rams. Check back closer to kickoff for a more up-to-date list.
Injury Report
DE William Hayes (N/A): Did Not Participate
LB Will Herring (Foot): Limited Participation
LB James Laurinaitis (Ankle): Did Not Participate
DE Chris Long (Ankle): Did Not Participate
CB Marcus Roberson (Ankle): Full Participation
OL Rodger Saffold (Shoulder): Did Not Participate
C Scott Wells (N/A): Did Not Participate
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Key Matchups and X-Factors
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Can Colt McCoy Continue to Impress?
Colt McCoy started 21 games for the Cleveland Browns in his first two NFL seasons, but he faded from the spotlight after the team drafted Brandon Weeden in 2012.
McCoy has been holding a clipboard ever since, but the demise of Robert Griffin III created a second opportunity. So far, McCoy has capitalized and is proving that he has starter potential.
He is 2-1 as Washington's starter. Last week against Indianapolis, he led the offense to a respectable 27-point performance. Despite being sacked six times, McCoy had three touchdowns and more than 300 yards and finished with a 66 percent completion rate.
The Redskins have been moving the ball well with McCoy under center. If this trend continues, he could be trouble for St. Louis.
The Rams need to kick up the pressure and rattle McCoy for four quarters. If the defensive line can have another monstrous performance, it will disrupt the Washington offense and give St. Louis an advantage.
Rams Secondary vs. Redskins Receivers
Washington receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon have been a dangerous tandem all season long, and the St. Louis secondary will have its hands full.
Jackson has five touchdowns this season and is averaging 20 yards per catch. He has the speed and explosiveness to get behind a defense, and the Rams will have to keep tabs on him all game long.
The Rams have allowed just five receptions of 40 or more yards this season (tied for third fewest in the NFL), so the defense has been good at containing big plays. Having said that, the Redskins can change that this Sunday if St. Louis is ill-prepared.
The best bet for the Rams is to play a physical and aggressive game against the receivers. The secondary pounded the Denver Broncos receivers into submission several weeks ago, and that's the same strategy the Rams must utilize against Washington.
Spark the Aerial Attack
The last three opponents to beat Washington were able to achieve victory with very little help from the run game. In each game, the running backs combined for less than 20 carries.
Last week, the Colts produced 487 yards of offense and 42 points against the Washington defense, yet the Indianapolis backs carried the ball just 17 times.
That doesn't mean the Rams should abandon the run completely. Tre Mason has been running the ball well, and the Rams need to keep getting him touches. However, teams have been beating Washington through the air, so that's where the focus needs to be.
Hill doesn't have an elite arm, but he's a veteran and more than capable of moving the chains. If Bailey and Kenny Britt can tear up the secondary, Hill will find them.
A successful passing game will help the Rams secure a win.
Prediction
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The Rams are coming off a 52-point victory, so it's possible that the players will enter this game with inflated heads and cough up a winnable game, but don't count on it.
St. Louis has yet to win two consecutive games this season, so you can rest assured that the Rams will remain grounded and focus on the task at hand. The team is hungry for a win streak, and it won't let last week's win prevent that from happening.
McCoy has provided the Redskins with a bit of a boost, but the St. Louis defense has been rolling lately and should be up to the task. The Colts recorded six sacks last week, so it's frightening to think what the St. Louis front four can do against Washington's incompetent offensive line.
In the month of November, the Rams have been as dominant as anyone. With the turmoil and drama in Washington, it appears that these two teams are headed in opposite directions, and St. Louis has the advantage.
It won't be another 52-point blowout, but the Rams should come away with a solid win.
Prediction: Rams 31, Redskins 22
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