Vikings Take a Beating From Ram Defenders : Westminster’s Richard Brown Leads Assault With 4 Tackles, Fumble Return

Saturday night was not a good night to be a member of the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive unit.

The Ram defense beat the Vikings into submission, 24-14, in front of 45,087 in Anaheim Stadium.

They swarmed the Vikings with legions of defenders. “Gang-tackling, Rambo-type defense,” cornerback LeRoy Irvin called it.

And when the defense caught up with the Vikings, it invariably slammed them to the turf with great force.

“There were a lot of ohh and ahh-type hits,” Ram Coach John Robinson said. “I like the way we hit. We continue to play very aggressively, more so than I’ve seen from this team.”

The only Minnesota touchdowns came after a 30-yard drive that was set up by a Ram fumble and on a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown.

The Rams suffocated three Minnesota quarterbacks--starter Wade Wilson and relievers Tommy Kramer and Rich Gannon at every turn. Wilson fared best, completing eight of 12 passes for 73 yards. Kramer was four of 14 for 25 yards and one interception. Gannon was five of 12 for 68 yards and two interceptions.

More impressively, the Rams clamped down on the Minnesota rushing attack, limiting the Vikings to 58 yards in 23 carries, a 2.5-yard average.

“Their intensity was a lot better than ours this evening,” Wilson said. “The Rams just wanted tonight’s game more than we did.”

Nowhere was that more evident than on defense.

“We have to feel good about the things we did defensively,” Robinson said.

Richard Brown, a second-year linebacker from San Diego State and Westminster, was beaming with pride in the Rams’ locker room. He had been particularly troublesome to the Vikings.

In the second quarter, Brown picked up a fumble and returned it 19 yards to the Vikings’ 12-yard line, setting up an eight-yard touchdown run by Gaston Green that gave the Rams a 20-7 lead.

“I was happy to be there,” Brown said. “I held onto the ball and all I saw was the goal line. I tried to put a move on their fat guard, but . . . “

When Brown says he was happy to be there, he means more than just scooping up loose footballs. He’s happy just to be playing. Saturday night, he was subbing for injured starter Larry Kelm at inside linebacker.

“I try my best to execute and play my role and do what we’re supposed to do--stop the offense,” Brown said. “I’m thankful to have a chance to play.”

In addition to his fumble return, Brown had four unassisted tackles, and was in on a sack.

Brown and tackle Mike Piel and linebacker Kevin Greene are a few of the players Irvin marvels at.

Piel, a year removed from the University of Illinois, was in the Vikings’ backfield all game long. Robinson called him a “sneaky-type player.”

Greene, too, made a mess of the Vikings’ offensive plans.

And Irvin liked what he saw from his younger teammates.

“The young guys don’t really know it’s preseason,” Irvin said. “They’re out there trying to impress the coaches and earn a job. You can’t expect them to lighten up.”

Their youthful aggression has rubbed off on Irvin, who in his 10th season, finds himself as one of the Rams’ elder statesmen.

“They’re so aggressive,” Irvin said. “It’s given me new life to play with these guys.”