Chiefs vs. Rams: Postgame Grades, Notes and Quotes for St. Louis
The St. Louis Rams fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 24-17. Not only did St. Louis fail to secure the Governor's Cup, but the loss also results a winless preseason for the Rams.
In the end, that's not a total disaster. Preseason scores carry zero meaning. What's more important is that the first-team offense has greatly improved in the last two exhibitions.
The first-team offense had a solid touchdown drive in the opening quarter. On St. Louis' second defensive series, the Rams defense stood tall and forced a three-and-out.
It's a little frustrating that the low-level depth players imploded in a big way at the end, but that's hardly an indication of things to come.
This article will break down the game against Kansas City, including position grades, analysis and quotes.
Position Grades for Rams
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| Position | Grade |
| QB | C+ |
| RB | B |
| WR | C- |
| TE | D |
| OL | C+ |
| DL | B |
| LB | B |
| DB | B+ |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching | A |
At quarterback, Nick Foles looked solid after going 2-of-3 for 49 yards and leading a touchdown drive. Sean Mannion's poor 45.8 percent completion rate spoils the grade—his accuracy and overall play were absolutely horrendous.
The running backs ran with a lot of grit, only the holes weren't there. Isaiah Pead in particular had a spectacular game with 52 yards on 12 carries, including a rushing touchdown with the first-team offense. Malcolm Brown and Trey Watts ran tough, but both were stuffed for under three yards a carry—something they couldn't help.
The pass-catchers were pretty awful in this game. Kenny Britt ran a bad route and Jared Cook caused an interception. Tavon Austin saved the day with a 43-yard catch and 49 total receiving yards on two catches. Bradley Marquez also shined with 30 yards on three grabs, including a 15-yard catch.
Besides Cook's bobbled catch that resulted in the pick, Alex Bayer also had a terrible drop at the end of the fourth quarter with the game on the line. It was a rough night for the tight ends.
The offensive line's run blocking was awful yet again, but the first-team group was actually pretty solid. Pead had some nice lanes on the touchdown drive. Also, the line kept Foles clean, though he had just three attempts.
The front seven did a great job creating pressure and stuffing the run, which is remarkable considering Robert Quinn and Aaron Donald were absent. The depth players did a good job keeping up St. Louis' reputation as a team that's tough up front.
The secondary wasn't excellent in coverage and allowed Kansas City passers to complete 77.1 percent of their passes. Still, the defensive backs punished receivers with big hits. Safety Cody Davis had a pick-six, and Mo Alexander had four solo tackles and a fumble recovery.
The special teams did not do anything spectacular, but Greg Zuerlein's 57-yard field goal and Daniel Rodriguez' 32-yard kickoff return were nice highlights. The unit played a fairly mistake-free game overall—other than two overzealous returns by Rodriquez where he was tackled behind the 20.
As for coaching, the play-calling seemed solid on offense. The biggest issues were Mannion's poor accuracy, drops by the receivers and poor run blocking. The plays were there; they just didn't execute.
Tavon Austin Looking Like a Breakout Candidate
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Austin has been held back this preseason with just three receptions—likely an attempt by the coaches to save certain plays for the regular season—but he's made his touches count.
Austin took a short pass 35 yards in the preseason opener against the Oakland Raiders. Against the Chiefs, he showed more explosiveness after taking a one-yard pass for a 43-yard gain, which set up the first-team offense for a touchdown. He added a six-yard catch later in the game.
What's encouraging is the fact his big plays are coming on offense instead of special teams. In the past, he's been far more dangerous as a returner and relatively quiet on offense. The Rams need him to make an impact on offense, and he has done just that this preseason.
It seems Austin's vision has improved dramatically and that he's finally adjusted to the speed of NFL play. If Austin has found comfort on offense, he'll be a lethal weapon for the Rams.
Expect Austin to be a breakout candidate in 2015.
Isaiah Pead Finally Has a Performance to Be Proud of
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Watching Pead's career play out has been frustrating for not only the fans but likely the entire Rams organization.
If you recall, the Rams traded down in the 2012 draft from No. 45 to No. 50 overall to take Pead in the second round. St. Louis missed out on Pro Bowl receiver Alshon Jeffery and Pro Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner in the process.
Since then, Wagner and Jeffery have thrived while Pead has been limited to 75 career rushing yards. Needless to say, it was the biggest draft-day blunder of general manager Les Snead's career.
Pead's preseason play doesn't make up for that, but it's hard to deny that he finally looked like a second-round pick against the Chiefs.
Pead had nine carries for 52 yards and punched in the first-team offense's only touchdown of the game. On that drive, Pead had several nice runs and even drew a facemask penalty. His energy level was through the roof, and we finally saw a flash of the potential that made him a high pick.
His emergence couldn't come at a better time.
It's doubtful Todd Gurley will be ready for Week 1. Trey Watts will certainly be out, as he's facing a four-game suspension. Even Tre Mason is not a guarantee for Week 1, as he's dealing with a hamstring injury, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Benny Cunningham could be the Week 1 starter, but he can't do it alone. The Rams will need Pead to step up and complement him.
That would have been a frightening thought in the recent past. Now, it'll actually be quite interesting to see what Pead can do.
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Nick Foles Appears Ready for Week 1
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Foles looked awful in the second preseason game against the Tennessee Titans—he went 3-of-7 for just 18 yards and threw a pick—but his last two performances have reassured fans.
Last week against the Colts, Foles went a remarkable 10-of-11 for 128 yards and a touchdown. Against the Chiefs, he looked sharp again after going 2-for-3 for 49 yards.
His one incompletion came on an interception, but Foles was not at fault. He hit tight end Jared Cook right in the hands, but the veteran receiver bobbled it and allowed the pick.
Foles has really fine-tuned his play since the debacle in Tennessee. He looks comfortable in the pocket and his passes are accurate and zipping into his receivers' hands.
It's still impossible to tell what type of quarterback Foles will be in 2015. However, based on the two most recent preseason games, he looks like a total upgrade at the position compared to the past two seasons.
Jim Thomas on Edward Jones Dome Attendance
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"Crowd looks about the same as Indy game, but about 10,000 of 'em are Chiefs fans." -Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The preseason is never a surefire indicator of anything—including fan attendance.
Still, it's a bit concerning that attendance has been lacking this preseason. Last week against the Indianapolis Colts, Thomas mentioned that he's been to every single St. Louis preseason game and the Colts game was easily the smallest crowd he's witnessed.
The fact that the Kansas City game had an equally poor showing of Rams fans—maybe worse considering many were Chiefs fans—is not a positive sign for Week 1. Preseason ticket sales might not mean much, but it's hard to buy that the relocation rumors will have no negative effect on attendance.
This isn't just a political issue for the team—it's a clear disadvantage on the field.
For a team that will rely so heavily on the defense, a healthy dose of crowd noise to help overpower opposing offenses is a necessity. If attendance is down, the perk of home-field noise will vanish.
It's yet another hurdle this young team will have to overcome.
Third-Down Conversions Still an Issue
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"(The Rams) were 0-for-5 on third downs." -Torry Holt on Rams' first-half conversion rate (via the Fox broadcast)
The Rams failed to convert a single third down in the first half in yet another questionable offensive performance.
It's hard to get overly concerned regarding the stat, considering the starting offense was in for just two drives, but it's something the Rams consistently struggled with last season.
During the 2014 campaign, the Rams were the sixth-worst team in the league when it came to third-down conversions. St. Louis converted just 68 of 192 attempts for an abysmal 35.4 percent conversion rate.
As a defensive team, the Rams need the offense to convert third downs and sustain drives. If the Rams face constant three-and-outs, the defense will get winded early in games and all the elite talent on that side of the ball will go to waste.
The Rams need to convert third downs, and it all comes down to a healthy run game. If that first-down run creates a 2nd-and-short, it makes those conversions that much easier.
Nick Wagoner on Greg Zuerlein's Field Goal
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"Greg Zuerlein hits a 57-yard field-goal that had plenty of room to spare." -ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner on Greg Zuerlein's first-half field goal
When analysts discuss St. Louis' key players in 2015, few mention Rams kicker Zuerlein. In reality, he'll be a major factor in the upcoming season.
It's been several years since Zuerlein's 2012 rookie season, when the "Greg the Leg" hype was at an all-time high. Thursday night's 57-yard bomb was a welcomed reminder of what Zuerlein's leg is capable of.
The Rams need to see more of that this season.
With three new starters on the offensive line, there's no doubt the offense will appear rudderless at times this season. Having a kicker capable of sinking field goals of 60 or more yards will help to bail out the offense and keep the team alive in close games.
The key is Zuerlein and his consistency, which has been somewhat lacking recently.
Zuerlein was just 24-of-30 on his field-goal attempts last season, and his season-long was a 56-yard kick, which is only mildly impressive considering his leg strength. He even missed one extra-point kick.
If Zuerlein can improve his accuracy and focus, he could be the offense's biggest asset of 2015.
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