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ST LOUIS
BUFFALO |
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42.5
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Final
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| 121 | ST LOUIS | 42.5 | 42.5 | | 122 | BUFFALO | -3 | -3 |
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| All Games | 5-6 | +0.7 | 8-4 | 7-5 | 18.4 | 9.1 | 327.7 | (5.5) | 1.3 | 22.2 | 11.9 | 340.7 | (5.4) | 1.2 | | Road Games | 1-4 | -3 | 4-2 | 4-2 | 17.5 | 9.5 | 337.3 | (5.7) | 1.2 | 25.5 | 13.7 | 347.3 | (5.5) | 1.3 | | Last 3 Games | 2-1 | +2 | 2-1 | 2-1 | 20.0 | 7.0 | 313.7 | (5.2) | 1.3 | 19.0 | 12.3 | 334.3 | (4.9) | 1.7 |
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| Offense (All Games) | 18.4 | 9.1 | 17.2 | 30:32 | 27-115 | (4.3) | 20-33 | 60.9% | 212 | (6.5) | 59-328 | (5.5) | (17.8) | | Opponents Defensive Avg. | 20.1 | 9.9 | 19.1 | 30:08 | 27-110 | (4.1) | 21-35 | 59.0% | 224 | (6.3) | 62-334 | (5.4) | (16.6) | | Offense Road Games | 17.5 | 9.5 | 17.8 | 31:35 | 27-123 | (4.5) | 20-32 | 63.2% | 214 | (6.8) | 59-337 | (5.7) | (19.3) | | Defense (All Games) | 22.2 | 11.9 | 21.0 | 31:56 | 28-113 | (4) | 23-35 | 65.9% | 228 | (6.6) | 63-341 | (5.4) | (15.3) | | Opponents Offensive Avg. | 22.8 | 11.3 | 20.2 | 31:58 | 29-124 | (4.3) | 20-33 | 61.7% | 219 | (6.6) | 62-343 | (5.6) | (15.1) | | Defense Road Games | 25.5 | 13.7 | 23.0 | 30:54 | 26-102 | (4) | 24-37 | 64.1% | 245 | (6.6) | 63-347 | (5.5) | (13.6) |
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| Stats For (All Games) | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.3 | -0.2 | 13-4 | 32.5% | 1-1 | 55.6% | 2-49 | (21.1) | 2-16 | (6.6) | 8-63 | | Opponents Avg. Stats Against | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 2 | 14-5 | 37.1% | 1-0 | 54.1% | 3-64 | (23.9) | 18-2 | (8.6) | 6-53 | | Stats For (Road Games) | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 12-4 | 30.7% | 1-1 | 62.5% | 2-48 | (19.3) | 3-13 | (4.6) | 10-78 | | Stats Against (All Games) | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.2 | | 13-5 | 38.5% | 1-0 | 45.5% | 2-47 | (24.6) | 3-27 | (10.3) | 6-51 | | Opponents Avg. Stats For | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.4 | | 13-5 | 37.2% | 1-0 | 48.5% | 2-58 | (24.2) | 24-2 | (9.6) | 7-57 | | Stats Against (Road Games) | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | | 12-4 | 35.2% | 1-1 | 71.4% | 3-63 | (23.6) | 3-32 | (11.2) | 6-46 |
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| All Games | 5-7 | -2 | 6-6 | 7-5 | 23.1 | 12.7 | 346.7 | (5.8) | 2.0 | 28.1 | 12.5 | 368.5 | (5.9) | 1.5 | | Home Games | 3-2 | +0.2 | 3-2 | 4-1 | 30.0 | 18.2 | 364.8 | (6.1) | 2.0 | 27.2 | 9.0 | 362.4 | (5.8) | 2.0 | | Last 3 Games | 2-1 | +1 | 2-1 | 1-2 | 22.0 | 14.0 | 309.7 | (5.2) | 1.0 | 17.3 | 10.0 | 244.0 | (4.1) | 2.3 | | Turf Games | 3-4 | -1.8 | 4-3 | 6-1 | 29.9 | 16.4 | 385.0 | (6.3) | 2.4 | 31.6 | 13.7 | 363.3 | (5.7) | 1.6 |
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| Offense (All Games) | 23.1 | 12.7 | 19.2 | 30:20 | 29-148 | (5.2) | 19-31 | 61.0% | 198 | (6.4) | 60-347 | (5.8) | (15) | | Opponents Defensive Avg. | 22.8 | 11.2 | 20.1 | 31:46 | 28-115 | (4.2) | 21-35 | 60.7% | 239 | (6.8) | 63-354 | (5.6) | (15.5) | | Offense Home Games | 30.0 | 18.2 | 18.8 | 31:49 | 33-163 | (5) | 17-27 | 62.0% | 201 | (7.4) | 60-365 | (6.1) | (12.2) | | Defense (All Games) | 28.1 | 12.5 | 22.7 | 29:59 | 28-139 | (4.9) | 20-34 | 58.6% | 229 | (6.7) | 63-368 | (5.9) | (13.1) | | Opponents Offensive Avg. | 22.8 | 11.5 | 20.5 | 30:24 | 29-119 | (4.2) | 21-35 | 59.7% | 229 | (6.5) | 64-348 | (5.5) | (15.3) | | Defense Home Games | 27.2 | 9.0 | 23.2 | 28:11 | 27-141 | (5.3) | 20-36 | 55.0% | 222 | (6.2) | 63-362 | (5.8) | (13.3) |
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| Stats For (All Games) | 1.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 | -0.5 | 12-5 | 38.9% | 0-0 | 60.0% | 2-65 | (27.8) | 2-32 | (18.4) | 7-60 | | Opponents Avg. Stats Against | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 13-5 | 37.7% | 1-0 | 53.8% | 3-68 | (24) | 21-2 | (10) | 7-56 | | Stats For (Home Games) | 1.2 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 13-5 | 42.9% | 0-0 | 0.0% | 2-77 | (34.8) | 2-42 | (23.1) | 7-66 | | Stats Against (All Games) | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.5 | | 12-5 | 44.0% | 1-0 | 44.4% | 3-71 | (23.2) | 2-37 | (16) | 6-48 | | Opponents Avg. Stats For | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.5 | | 14-5 | 38.7% | 1-0 | 50.4% | 3-66 | (23.4) | 26-2 | (11.1) | 6-54 | | Stats Against (Home Games) | 0.8 | 1.2 | 2.0 | | 12-4 | 37.3% | 1-0 | 20.0% | 4-91 | (25.3) | 2-25 | (12.7) | 4-42 |
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| | Average power rating of opponents played: ST LOUIS 22.4, BUFFALO 19.9 |
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| 10/14/2012 | @ MIAMI | 14-17 | L | 5.5 | W | 37.5 | U | 27-162 | 26-39-300 | 1 | 18-19 | 21-29-173 | 0 | | 10/21/2012 | GREEN BAY | 20-30 | L | 4 | L | 45 | O | 22-108 | 21-34-246 | 1 | 26-70 | 30-37-332 | 0 | | 10/28/2012 | *NEW ENGLAND | 7-45 | L | 7 | L | 46 | O | 23-107 | 23-32-219 | 2 | 28-152 | 24-38-321 | 0 | | 11/11/2012 | @ SAN FRANCISCO | 24-24 | T | 13.5 | W | 37.5 | O | 37-159 | 28-41-299 | 1 | 34-183 | 18-25-158 | 0 | | 11/18/2012 | NY JETS | 13-27 | L | -3.5 | L | 39 | O | 20-114 | 23-44-167 | 3 | 41-124 | 16-21-165 | 0 | | 11/25/2012 | @ ARIZONA | 31-17 | W | 1.5 | W | 36 | O | 34-173 | 8-18-194 | 1 | 23-74 | 31-52-301 | 4 | | 12/2/2012 | SAN FRANCISCO | 16-13 | W | 7.5 | W | 41 | U | 27-85 | 26-39-208 | 0 | 36-148 | 21-32-191 | 1 | | 12/9/2012 | @ BUFFALO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12/16/2012 | MINNESOTA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12/23/2012 | @ TAMPA BAY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12/30/2012 | @ SEATTLE | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| 10/14/2012 | @ ARIZONA | 19-16 | W | 5.5 | W | 44.5 | U | 33-165 | 18-33-141 | 2 | 30-182 | 16-36-150 | 2 | | 10/21/2012 | TENNESSEE | 34-35 | L | -4.5 | L | 46.5 | O | 24-166 | 27-35-216 | 2 | 27-197 | 22-33-193 | 0 | | 11/4/2012 | @ HOUSTON | 9-21 | L | 11 | L | 48 | U | 16-78 | 25-38-230 | 1 | 32-118 | 19-27-256 | 0 | | 11/11/2012 | @ NEW ENGLAND | 31-37 | L | 13.5 | W | 54 | O | 28-162 | 27-40-319 | 3 | 29-117 | 23-38-230 | 0 | | 11/15/2012 | MIAMI | 19-14 | W | -3 | W | 46 | U | 31-120 | 17-27-161 | 0 | 24-60 | 14-28-124 | 3 | | 11/25/2012 | @ INDIANAPOLIS | 13-20 | L | 2 | L | 51 | U | 23-135 | 17-33-169 | 1 | 29-87 | 20-37-225 | 2 | | 12/2/2012 | JACKSONVILLE | 34-18 | W | -6 | W | 41.5 | O | 46-232 | 9-17-112 | 2 | 18-50 | 18-41-186 | 2 | | 12/9/2012 | ST LOUIS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12/16/2012 | *SEATTLE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12/23/2012 | @ MIAMI | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12/30/2012 | NY JETS | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| |  | ST LOUIS: New offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer comes from the Jets, where he often abandoned the run and prefers to get cute with a lot of play-action trickery. New offensive line coach Paul Boudreau figures to keep transitioning to more man blocking, a transition they started in 2011 with little success. Steven Jackson will still be relied on heavily as long as he remains healthy; rookie Isaiah Pead will be more of a return specialist and straight backup as Jackson's heir. Jackson will continue to take third down reps, and he figures to stay on the field to handle red zone carries. There's a lot of crossing and dragging in Schottenheimer's complicated offense, which is one that could be tough for the Rams' young WRs to pick up. Rookie Brian Quick and slot guys Danny Amendola and TE Lance Kendricks are likely the biggest beneficiaries from a targets standpoint, while outside guys like Chris Givens and Austin Pettis figure to see fewer balls. Quick is the guy St. Louis is counting on to be quarterback Sam Bradford's go-to receiver. While Quick's skills are certainly impressive, he's got a big adjustment to make coming from Appalachian State's spread offense. Schottenheimer always got pass-happy in the red zone, frequently using play-action even before he had a goal line weapon in Plaxico Burress in 2011. Only three teams forced fewer turnovers than the Rams did in 2011, and their horrible offense helped contribute to the rise in points and yards allowed. St. Louis did improve in the offseason with the signings of CB Cortland Finnegan and LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar, but those two guys aren't enough to make this an above-average unit. Chris Long's switch to left end after Leonard Little retired paid immediate dividends in 2010, and he then had a career-high 13 sacks last season with then-rookie RDE Robert Quinn drawing attention to the opposite side. James Laurinaitis has more tackles than any NFL player over the past three seasons, and he has yet to miss a game in his career. The question is whether he'll be as productive in what's expected to be a more aggressive scheme under new head coach Jeff Fisher. Meanwhile, the team seems ready to go into the season without a defensive coordinator'the coordinator work has been handled at various times over the past few months by assistant head coach Dave McGinnis, secondary coach Chuck Cecil and linebackers coach Blake Williams, the son of suspended Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who was exiled indefinitely for his role in the Saints bounty scandal. | | BUFFALO: The Bills are largely committed to zone blocking, going away from two-RB backfields and running effectively out of their three-WR base. They'll spread defenses out then use a lot of inside-zone plays, especially when Fred Jackson is healthy. If he's 100 percent, Jackson figures to take the majority of the snaps at running back over Spiller, who's used outside the tackles as more of an all-or-nothing runner. Both backs will be on the field at the same time in certain packages, with one of them (usually Spiller) in the slot. Buffalo's passing game is limited by Ryan Fitzpatrick's lack of arm strength, forcing the team to instead rely on spreading the field. His receivers are given freedom to run and adjust routes as they see fit, which puts a heavy emphasis on experience and chemistry with Fitzpatrick. Stevie Johnson is Fitzpatrick's security blanket, and the Bills run a lot of one-read slants off of that, with Johnson clearing and Jackson or Spiller crossing under him out of the slot. Fitzpatrick also likes to check down to tight end Scott Chandler over the middle. The Bills are one of the NFL's more pass-heavy red zone teams. Outside the five, they'll often spread it out with Fitzpatrick looking over the middle. David Nelson was most frequently targeted deep in opponent territory, leading the team in targets (11), catches (seven) and touchdowns (five) inside 10 yards. Johnson also has a big role, and Chandler is used in play-action. The Bills doled out a lot of money for OLB Mario Williams and DE Mark Anderson this offseason, and this duo should improve the team's pass rush significantly. Williams, in particular, should thrive playing the LDE position in his new 4-3 scheme in Buffalo. He's added some muscle to tip the scales closer to 300, which should result in fewer missed tackles in 2012. The presence of Williams and Anderson should allow 22-year-old Marcell Dareus to find more room to rush his 320-pound frame up the middle. Nick Barnett transitioned nicely to a 4-3 weakside linebacker, recording 10-plus total tackles six times last year. George Wilson stepped up as a run-stopper after the departure of Donte Whitner, and as a converted wide receiver he has excellent ball skills. He was on pace for 90 solo tackles before injuring his neck. Kelvin Sheppard is another good young talent in the box, and Jairus Byrd is a ball-hawking free safety to round out an improving secondary. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER PRO FOOTBALL PREVIEW (ST LOUIS-BUFFALO) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Rams-Bills Preview* ====================
By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer
After rough stretches, the Buffalo Bills and St. Louis Rams are back in the playoff conversation.
That could change for one of them Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
After splitting their first six games and being tied for the AFC East lead, the Bills dropped three in a row. Buffalo, though, has won two of three to improve to 5-7 and is tied with Miami and the Jets, with all three in pursuit of Indianapolis (8-4), Pittsburgh (7-5) and Cincinnati (7-5) for the two wild-card spots.
Buffalo still has a chance to snap its 12-year playoff drought - the league's longest such skid - following last Sunday's 34-18 victory over lowly Jacksonville, but the team knows there is little room for error.
"What happened before is in the past, and we just have to keep pushing," defensive end Mario Williams said. "We are still there. Even though nobody else thinks of it that way, we do."
The Rams (5-6-1) are in a similar position in the NFC, needing to move past a handful of teams in the final four weeks to make the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
"This team is focused on Buffalo. It's our next opponent," said coach Jeff Fisher, whose club has won two straight following an 0-4-1 stretch. "There's too much that could happen right now. I don't even know what the record is of some teams in the division. So, we just go play."
St. Louis is eyeing its first 3-0 run since the final three games of 2006 and first set of back-to-back road victories since Nov. 28-Dec. 5, 2010.
The Bills, meanwhile, could be extremely short-handed as they try to win three in a row at home.
Center Eric Wood is out for at least two weeks with a torn MCL, right tackle Chris Hairston (right foot) is not expected to play, and wide receiver Stevie Johnson (left hamstring) and cornerbacks Aaron Williams (right knee) and Leodis McKelvin (back) are all nursing injuries.
It's also uncertain if quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, a former seventh-round draft pick of the Rams, will have wide receiver Donald Jones to throw to after he missed last Sunday's game with a calf injury.
The Bills' makeshift offensive line, which could include Kraig Urbik, David Snow and Sam Young, could have its hands full with a Rams defense that has 13 sacks in the last four games - including three in last Sunday's 16-13 overtime win versus NFC West-leading San Francisco.
"They do a great job of rushing the passer and (Chris) Long will be a challenge over there for Sam," Bills coach Chan Gailey said. "That will be a real challenge for him. To be honest with you, they rotate through a lot of guys that can play. This might be overall as athletic of defensive front, and powerful combined with quickness a defensive front, as we have played all season."
St. Louis' Sam Bradford has faced plenty of pressure this season - he's been sacked 30 times - and he could be on the run again with Buffalo's defense recording 10 sacks while holding its last three opponents to averages of 17.0 points and 244.0 yards. The Bills had 11 sacks and gave up averages of 34.3 points and 440.7 yards in their previous six games.
"I'm not worried about a month ago," defensive tackle Kyle Williams said. "Obviously, yes, we wish we could've played this well earlier. But the only thing I can control is what's in front of me."
Rams leading receiver Danny Amendola (heel) is questionable after missing the last game, but the Bills' defensive backs need to keep rookie Chris Givens in front of them. Givens has 16 receptions for 207 yards and a touchdown in the last two contests.
St. Louis running back Steven Jackson had 187 yards in those games to move within 135 of becoming the 27th player in league history with 10,000.
The Bills had a season-best 232 rushing yards last Sunday, with Fred Jackson running for 109 and C.J. Spiller finishing with 77 - including a 44-yard TD.
Buffalo is 5-1 in the last six matchups with St. Louis, winning 31-14 on the road in the last meeting Sept. 28, 2008.
Game Notes: |
| | Last Updated: 4/16/2024 2:48:29 PM EST. |
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