Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009

Spagnuolo seems pleased with Rams' progress

Team is showing toughness on field

ST. LOUIS -- Coach Steve Spagnuolo thinks the St. Louis Rams are making steps toward becoming the "focused, disciplined and tough football team" that he envisions.

Spagnuolo pointed to the locker room at halftime -- yes, halftime -- of the Rams' 24-21 preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night as an example of how the culture of the team is changing.

"I was really impressed with halftime," Spagnuolo said. "The NFL gives you a 12-minute window, and you go in there and make your adjustments. Usually you are kind of scrambling there a little bit.

"Our guys were up, standing up, ready to go back out there with five minutes to go. They just wanted to go back out there and play. I thought that was pretty revealing about this group and this team."

That go-getter attitude is part of the distinct personality that Spagnuolo wants the Rams to develop.

"Probably in a nutshell, I'd say a focused, disciplined, tough football team," Spagnuolo said of his goal for the personality of the Rams. "We have certain measurements that we've talked about after every game on how we measure focus and discipline and how we measure physical toughness.

"I blurt them out to them after every game. Do we meet that? Do we not meet that? I think the team is embracing that, I think they want to be that. I know coaches talk about that all the time."

Spagnuolo said the Rams passed the toughness test Thursday night.

"If you are physical tough football team, you're able to run the football, you're able to stop the run," Spagnuolo said. "You're able to play good on third-and-1, you're able to play good on the goal line. Those are all tough physical situations."

After giving up a 49-yard punt return for a touchdown to Cincinnati's Quan Crosby less than 90 seconds into the game, the Rams came back with a 11-play, 71-yard touchdown drive.

Samkon Gado ran the ball three times for 30 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown run, at the end of the drive.

"That's the identity we are trying to create -- physical upfront and get the running game going," left guard Richie Incognito said of the Rams' heavy emphasis on running the ball. "They're dialing it up and letting us really get behind our pads and get into a rhythm.

"With the running game, you can't call it and then get away from it later in the game. You have to dial it up early, and keep it coming."

Also falling under the toughness category was Rams safety Todd Johnson for stopping Cincinnati running back James Johnson for a 2-yard loss on a fourth-and-1 play in the fourth quarter.

"They were creeping into field-goal range at that point, I believe, to tie the football game," Spagnuolo said. "That was a big play."

Quarterback Kyle Boller made a statement about his personal toughness by popping right up and heading back to the huddle after getting his helmet knocked off on a hit by Cincinnati linebacker Keith Rivers at the end of an 8-yard scramble.

"He got right back in the huddle and he kept going," Incognito said. "It didn't even faze him. I would have taken a second to shake that bad boy off. He took it right on the chin."

Gado said he witnessed the hard hit on Boller up close.

"I gained a whole lot of respect for him after he took that big hit," Gado said. "I told him to stay down and recover and get his thoughts, but he got up and he got in the huddle and he said, 'We're going to score.' And, we did.

"That's something you need in all of your players, especially the ones who play leadership positions like quarterback."

Spagnuolo said he feels confident that Boller, who completed 14 of 20 passes for 86 yards and one touchdown, can effectively run the Rams' offense if necessary.

"I think he has kind of proven that," Spagnuolo said. "I think the guys do rally around him. I think he said it best. He said it's not his first rodeo. He has been though it."

The Rams didn't fare as well with focus and discipline against the Bengals as they were penalized 10 times for 89 yards.

"The focus and the discipline ones are limited penalties, which if you looked at last night's game, you'd say we were an undisciplined team," Spagnuolo said.

Rams notes

Spagnuolo said Rams starting quarterback Marc Bulger will do some throwing next week in practice. Bulger has missed the Rams' last two preseason games because of a broken pinkie finger on his right hand. "We may stay away from him taking snaps from the center, but he'll get a few throws in there," Spagnuolo said.

* Left guard Jacob Bell has passed his neuropsych test, and he's expected to practice next week.

* Cornerback Justin King has a thumb injury. Spagnuolo said he'll be getting an X-ray to determine the extent of the injury.