Can't-miss Play: Gurley Cuts Back for Huge 35-yard Td Run

Rams' hopes picked off by Packers

Green Bay Packers' Micah Hyde breaks up a pass intended for St. Louis Rams' Jared Cook during the first half an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

GREEN BAY, Wis. • Three takeaways by the St. Louis defense, including two interceptions of the guy who never throws interceptions, Aaron Rodgers.

Now toss into the mix a 159-yard rushing performance by rookie phenom Todd Gurley. That's a victory equation on just about any given Sunday for the visiting team at Lambeau Field.

"You'd think with stats like that, you'd win a game," defensive end Robert Quinn said.

Not this time.

That's because the Rams couldn't pass block, not consistently enough anyway to keep quarterback Nick Foles in any kind of comfort zone in the pocket. And Foles couldn't throw straight. His favorite targets on a sun-splashed October afternoon were Green Bay defenders.

He threw a career-high four interceptions, one of which was returned for a Green Bay touchdown.

A busted coverage by cornerback Trumaine Johnson resulted in one Rodgers TD pass to a wide-open receiver; a play in which nickel back Lamarcus Joyner stumbled and fell in coverage, resulted in another long scoring play.

Put it all together and it spelled a 24-10 victory for unbeaten Green Bay (5-0), and another frustrating defeat for a Rams team that enters its bye week at 2-3.

"It's a tough day. We gave ourselves chances time and time again," said Robert Quinn, who caused one of those Rodgers turnovers with a sack and forced fumble. "They've got (No.) 12 over there (Rodgers), who made some great plays. And their defense made some incredible plays, also."

The game couldn't have started worse for the Rams, who couldn't run early and couldn't pass protect. And on the other side of the ball, they gave the great Rodgers a free seven points to start things off.

On Green Bay's sixth play of the game, Rodgers completed his first pass of the day to a wide open Ty Montgomery over the middle for a 31-yard touchdown. Johnson got caught up in coverage near the line of scrimmage, in a grouping of players that included safety T.J. McDonald and two Green Bay receivers. In any event, Montgomery broke free past that group for an easy TD and a 7-0 lead.

It became 14-0 Packers near the end of the first quarter when cornerback Quinten Rollins stepped in front of an errant pass thrown by a scrambling Foles and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown.

"I've got to make better decisions to give my teammates the opportunity to make the play," Foles said, speaking of all four interceptions in general. "I didn't do that during those throws."

Foles was under pressure on Rollins' "pick 6," and he was under pressure much of the day by a Green Bay pass rush that entered the game with 17 sacks, tied for second-most in the league with the Rams.

Be it Rob Havenstein, Rodger Saffold, Tim Barnes, or Greg Robinson, Rams offensive linemen took turns letting pass-rushers through on Foles. Making matters worse for the Rams on the Rollins "pick 6" was that Saffold suffered a shoulder injury on the play and was done for the day.

"You can't turn it over four times, especially turn it over to (Rodgers) like we did," Fisher said. "Yes, we have a run game going and our defense played OK, but no, our defense gave up two touchdown passes, so that's not OK by me.

"Just disappointed we couldn't stay in it. We missed three field goals for whatever reason. You're down 21-10 and you miss three field goals. . . .The odds of pulling a game out like that aren't very good."

After making his seventh consecutive field goal of the season in the second quarter, kicker Greg Zuerlein had a 50-yard field goal blocked with 4 minutes 15 seconds to play in the third quarter. He had a 53-yarder sail wide left later in the quarter, and a 63-yarder — yes, a 63-yard attempt — go wide left in the fourth.

The Rams failed to take advantage of opportunities throughout the game. Their three takeaways, for example, resulted in only three points.

Linebacker James Laurinaitis ended Rodgers' amazing streak of passes without an interception at 586 when he grabbed a ball tipped by safety Mark Barron. The Rams took over at their 43 with 4:07 left in the first quarter, but three plays later Green Bay had the ball back when Micah Hyde picked off a high Foles pass intended for Kenny Britt.

There was no harm done, however, because Green Bay went for it on fourth-and-1 from the St. Louis 41 with McDonald tripping up running back Eddie Lacy for no gain. But four plays after that defensive stop, Rollins had his INT return for a touchdown against Foles, with 53 seconds left in the opening quarter.

The Rams regrouped, mounting an 80-yard drive culminating in a five-yard TD pass from Foles to Tavon Austin, and then the Zuerlein field goal following a diving interception by Johnson.

The first seven plays on the 80-yard TD drive were runs, with six of those runs by Gurley, who had 17 carries by halftime and 30 in the game. But the big play was a 32-yard pass interference call against Packers free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who grabbed tight end Jared Cook's jersey in coverage.

Green Bay led 14-10 at the half, but restored its lead to double digits four plays into the third quarter when Rodgers connected over the middle to James Jones. Joyner, going for the interception, lost his feet on the play. Otherwise he might have made the tackle after a relatively modest gain.

But with Joyner on the ground, Jones rambled 64 yards before safety Rodney McLeod ran him down inside the 1. Green Bay challenged the play via instant replay, and the call was reversed, giving Jones a 65-yard TD and the Packers a 21-10 lead.

From that point out, five of the Rams' final six possessions reached Green Bay territory. In fact, two reached the Green Bay 7. But the Rams had zero points to show for all that — as a result of the three missed field goals and two red zone interceptions thrown by Foles.

Wasted on those red zone "picks" were a 55-yard run by Gurley early in the fourth quarter, and a 68-yard reception by Stedman Bailey later in the quarter.

"You look at it, what you could've done, the decision-making with the ball — stuff like that and you move forward," Foles said. "This is the tough part of the business, but I'm thankful to be in this position where I play, and you have to handle the good with the bad. I didn't play well today, didn't give us the opportunity to win, and that's on me."

Here are the updates posted during the game by Post-Dispatch football writer Joe Lyons:

Missed opportunities and mistakes in the passing game were the story as the Rams fell 24-10 to the unbeaten Green Bay Packers on Sunday at iconic Lambeau Field.

In the second half, Greg Zuerlein missed three long field goals, and the Rams also had a second-half pass tipped and picked off in the end zone.

The Green Bay defense stood out, applying steady pressure throughout the game on Rams quarterback Nick Foles, who completed just 11 of 30 passes for 141 yards with a touchdown and four interceptions.

Rookie Todd Gurley ran 30 times for 159 yards in the loss.

Green Bay improved to 5-0, winning its 12th consecutive home game. The Rams are 2-3 heading into their bye week. They return to action Oct. 25 when they host the Cleveland Browns.

The Packers failed to add to their lead early in the fourth quarter when a penalty on tight end Richard Rodgers wiped out a 47-yard field goal by Green Bay's Mason Crosby. In the same drive, a wide-open Rodgers dropped a pass on a crossing route.

On first down from the 20, Gurley broke free for a 55-yard run, going over the 100-yard mark for the second consecutive week. On the next play, Austin took an end-around 15 yards, getting a key downfield block from Wisconsin native Lance Kendricks.

Three plays later, on third down, a Foles pass into coverage intended for Kendricks was tipped in the end zone and ended up in the hands of Green Bay safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

With about 3 ½ minutes to play, Zuerlein's field goal attempt from 63 yards away sailed just wide to the left..

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Green Bay stretched its lead to 24-10 on a 35-yard field goal from Mason Crosby with 1:03 to play.

Three plays after a 69-yard bomb from Foles to Stedman Bailey, Foles was picked off again near the goal line with 23 seconds left.

GREEN BAY TAKES 21-10 LEAD INTO FOURTH QUARTER

The Packers re-established control with an early third-quarter score.

On the fourth play from scrimmage at the start of the second half, Aaron Rodgers found James Jones on a crossing route for a 65-yard touchdown. It was the first reception of the day and the fifth touchdown of the year for Jones, who ran away from Lamarcus Joyner after the nickel back stumbled on the receiver's cut. Jones then powered his way past Rodney McLeoud at the goal line.

A longtime Packer who played last year in Oakland, Jones rejoined the team as a free agent after being cut at the end of training camp by the New York Giants.

With 4:15 to play in the third quarter, a 50-yard field goal attempt from the Rams' Greg Zuerlein is tipped by the Packers' Datone Jones and falls way, way short.

Three plays later, the Rams' defense creates another opportunity. On a third-down play, Robert Quinn came around the backside to knock the ball from the hands of Aaron Rodgers. The loose ball is eventually recovered by nickel back Lamarcus Joyner at the Green Bay 41.

The visitors caught a break during the ensuring drive when Nick Foles fumbled under pressure, but running back Tre Mason comes up with the loose ball.

The Rams came away empty again as Zuerlein's attempt from 53 yards away in the final minute of the quarter sails wide to the left.

RAMS RALLY TO CUT HALFTIME LEAD TO 14-10

The Rams got on the board midway through the second quarter as Tavon Austin took a touch pass from Nick Foles and raced around the right end for a 5-yard touchdown. Greg Zuerlein's kick made it 14-7 with 7:12 to play before halftime.

Austin went in motion from right to left and made a quick cut at the goal line for the score.

On the nine-play, 80-yard drive, Todd Gurley ran six times for 34 yards. A key play of the drive was a 32-yard pass interference call on the Packers' Ha Ha Clinton-Dix as he tried to guard tight end Jared Cook down the middle of the field.

The Packers appeared to be moving into position for another score when Trumaine Johnson stepped in front of James Jones for a diving interception, the second of the game for the Rams. Johnson quickly returned to his feet and took the ball the Green Bay 33.

On the interception, Rams defensive end Chris Long suffered a leg injury and headed to the locker room just before the two-minute warning.

On the ensuing drive, the Rams moved to the Green Bay 19 before a false-start call on rookie Jamon Brown stalled the drive. Greg Zuerlein's 42-yard field goal with 1:40 to play before halftime made it 14-10.

Late in that drive, Rams receiver Kenny Britt was injured and helped from the field with an apparent shoulder injury.

Some quick halftime numbers:

— Rodgers has completed 10 of 17 passes for 109 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. They were Rodgers' first picks at Lambeau since late in 2012. Rodgers also leads the Pack with 36 rushing yards.

Green Bay rookie Ty Montgomery has three catches, including one for a TD.

— Foles has completed six of 16 passes for 38 yards with a touchdown and two picks. Todd Gurley has rushed 17 times for 64 yards.

PACKERS RACE TO 14-0 LEAD

The Packers wasted no time, going up 7-0 after forcing the Rams into a punt after a three and out. Moving 56 yards on just six plays, Green Bay took the lead, taking advantage of a missed assignment in the defensive backfield on a 31-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers to a wide-open Ty Montgomery down the middle for the touchdown. Mason Crosby hit the PAT for a 7-0 lead with 12:09 left in the first quarter.

The touchdown, on a third-and-six-play, came one play after Nick Fairley was drawn offside by Rodgers and his legendary hard count.

Rams answered with a decent drive highlighted by a 16-yard gain on a Benny Cunningham hustling catch on a pass deflected away from Brian Quick, who picked up his first catch of the season for a first down earlier in the drive.

The drive, which reached the Green Bay 33, stalled with a sack and a dropped pass by Kenny Britt.

The next Green Bay drive ended in historic fashion as James Laurinaitis ran down a pass tipped by teammate Mark Barron near midfield. The diving pick by Laurinaitis ended a streak of 586 passes without an interception at Lambeau Field for Rodgers.

But the Rams were unable to capitalize. Just three play later, an under-pressure Nick Foles was picked off by the Packers' Micah Hyde.

It's also the first time this season the Rams have failed to score points following a turnover.

But the defense stepped up again as safety T.J. McDonald went low to upend Eddie Lacy on a fourth-and-one play.

Following a delay-of-game call on first down after the stop, the Rams faced a third-and-eight when the Packers' pressure again forced an off-balance throw from Foles that was picked off by rookie Quentin Rollins in the flat and returned 45 yards for a touchdown. Crosby's kick stretches to Green Bay lead to 14-0 with 53 seconds left in the first quarter.

Adding the Rams' troubles, guard Rodger Saffold was injured during the return and is headed to the Rams locker room. Veteran Garrett Reynolds has taken over.

REYNOLDS, SIMS ACTIVE

GREEN BAY, WIS. • Running back Chase Reynolds and defensive lineman Eugene Sims are back for the Rams, but even though he re-signed with the team Tuesday, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar will not dress for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.

Reynolds and Sims both were sidelined with knee injuries in the season opener against Seattle. Reynolds, one of the team's top special teams players, was injured during Tyler Lockett's punt return for a touchdown for the Seahawks. Sims suffered his injury on the last play of regulation in the Rams' 34-31 overtime victory.

The Rams' complete list of inactives: quarterback Sean Mannion, safety Maurice Alexander, linebacker Alec Ogletree (knee), offensive tackle Darrell Williams, offensive guard Cody Wichmann, defensive end Ethan Westbrooks and Dunbar.

So the Rams are dressing only five linebackers: James Laurinaitis, Akeem Ayers, Daren Bates, Cameron Lynch and Bryce Hager. It'll be interesting to see what the Rams do in packages where they use three linebackers. It could mean even more of safety Mark Barron lining up in the linebacker position than usual.

With Sims active, Westbrooks sits for the first time this season. He had 11 tackles in the team's first four games as a rotation player.

Green Bay's inactives were: quarterback Brett Hundley, wide receiver Davante Adams (ankle), safety Sean Richardson (neck), cornerback LaDarius Gunter (heel), safety Morgan Burnett (calf), linebacker Jake Ryan (hamstring) and offensive guard Lane Taylor.

(Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.)

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Can't-miss Play: Gurley Cuts Back for Huge 35-yard Td Run

Source: https://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-hopes-picked-off-by-packers/article_50e278f7-d8f2-553e-9ef9-ba0f5260fc42.html

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