Sunday, Sep. 27, 2009

Rams hope they can strike early in homer opener against Packers

Packers fans could be a factor in dome

ST. LOUIS -- Get ready for the invasion of the cheeseheads.

The Edward Jones Dome could look like Lambeau Field South during the St. Louis Rams' home opener against the Green Bay Packers at noon today.

The game is a sellout, but there likely will be a huge contingent of Packers fans in attendance.

"Packers fans, they go everywhere,'' Rams quarterback Marc Bulger said. "Packers fans and Pittsburgh fans and a couple teams that travel well (like) Dallas, we know they're going to come down. There's no stopping them, so one way to get our fans going is to come out fast and get a lead and win this game.''

The Edward Jones Dome has been overrun several times by visiting fans in recent years. It happened against the Packers and the Steelers late in the 2007 season and it happened last year against the Chicago Bears.

Asked whether he's ever used the silent snap count on his home turf, Bulger said, "No. Let's not start this week.''

Any fans who show up early will see the Rams retire Hall of Fame defensive end Deacon Jones' No. 75 jersey.

The ceremony will take place at 11:35 a.m.

The first 20,000 fans to enter the Edward Jones Dome will receive a commemorative print honoring Jones, who is known for coining the term "sack."

Jones had three 20-sack seasons, including 21 sacks in the 1967 season, though he played before sacks became an official NFL statistic.

"I can't imagine 21 sacks,'' Rams defensive end Leonard Little said. "The most I've ever had was 14 and I thought that was a lot. He was one of the greatest."

Maybe Jones can give the Rams some tips on improving their pass rush. They have only one sack this season.

"We'll try to be creative,'' Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said of his team's lack of sacks. "It is my fault, my fault. We'll keep working at it.''

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been sacked an NFL-leading 10 times. Cincinnati defensive end Antwan Odom sacked him five times in the Packers' 31-24 loss to the Bengals last Sunday.

Rodgers isn't looking at the Rams' woeful sack attack as a welcome relief.

"Well, no disrespect to any other team we have played, but we really feel like the problems have been on our end,'' Rodgers said. "We feel like our protection scheme has got to get better, and you've got to give Antwan Odom a lot of credit last week for five sacks. That is an incredible game.

"A lot of those were just extra-effort plays, and we need to match that effort and intensity.''

Rodgers has not thrown an interception in 67 pass attempts this season.

"He's athletic and mobile, so that's another headache,'' Spagnuolo said. "I think he's really, really accurate. It's funny when you watch the film, you can see that he took a lot of notes and he was very observant of the guy that played in front of him for all those years.

"He's got a lot of the mannerisms and he does a lot of the good stuff that Brett Farve does.''

Rodgers' receiving corps -- though it has dropped an NFL-leading eight passes this season -- is talented.

Donald Driver and Greg Jennings have combined for 13 catches for 244 yards and two touchdowns.

"Donald Driver is extremely gifted, talented,'' Spagnuolo said. "He has done it for a long time and knows how to get open. Greg Jennings is a speed guy and they've got some other big receivers.

"(Packers coach) Mike (McCarthy) does a good job with utilizing those guys, plus he generally never abandons the run game.''

Packers running back Ryan Grant has carried 30 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

The Rams also have to be concerned with Packers tight end Donald Lee. Opposing tight ends have caught 13 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams this season.

"I think anytime you have good tight ends that are coupled with good wide receivers outside, it always makes it doubly tough because you can't do special things in the coverage to address them without addressing the corners on the outside,'' Rams defensive coordinator Ken Flajole said.

The Packers have gone to a 3-4 defense this year under new defensive coordinator Dom Capers.

Two former Rams -- defensive tackle Ryan Pickett and linebacker Brandon Chillar -- are starting for the Packers.

"Chills is playing great right now,'' Bulger said. "You don't recognize him with that long hair, but he is flying around. That 3-4 fits him well up there.

"And Pickett is playing nose (tackle) up there. He is quick for as big as he is, and we knew he was a great player when he was here.''