Rams Return to NFC West Title Chase : Pro Football: After easy win over Phoenix, Robinson is talking about catching San Francisco.
The Rams threw a welcome-back party for themselves Monday after returning from a four-game losing streak to the thick of the race in the NFC West.
Two weeks ago, Coach John Robinson was outlining his team’s chances in complicated terms of wild-card playoff spots, all but conceding the division to San Francisco. He wasn’t exactly limb-stepping then, considering the 49ers were cruising along at a Super Bowl clip while Robinson’s Rams were praying they’d never see another Hail Mary pass thrown their way again.
Trailing the 49ers by two games with five left and the Rams are in the thick of the race? OK, maybe it’s a thinner race than that, but it certainly beats their view from the Minnesota locker room a few weeks back.
The Rams have already beaten the 49ers once. Of their remaining five games, classify two as tossups: this week’s battle in New Orleans and the Dec. 11 rematch with the 49ers at Anaheim Stadium. If you don’t think you can win the other three--Dallas, New York Jets and New England, kindly remove your team from the playoffs and this discussion.
The 49ers have four tough games remaining: the New York Giants, Rams, Chicago and Buffalo. Throw in one freebie, Atlanta.
The Rams are in reasonable shape if they can stay at least two games behind the leaders until their December rematch. If the Rams beat San Francisco again and sweep the season series, they’d win any first-place ties with the 49ers, who close out the season against Chicago and Buffalo.
The Rams finish with the Jets and Patriots. Naturally, coaches never look beyond next week’s game, but Robinson’s outlook has changed from the days of defeat and dirges.
“We’ve got to be realistic,” Robinson said. “To win the division, we’ve got to win the rest of the games. Maybe you could get away with losing one. But I think we have to beat San Francisco to win the division. I could see us conceivably tying them. Then, if we beat them twice, we would be the champions.”
Isn’t he getting a little ahead of himself here?
“I don’t want to be led into these things about prophecying the future,” Robinson said. “I just want to try and beat New Orleans.”
And that is an imposing task in itself. Not only are the Saints just a game behind the Rams at 6-5, they’ve already beaten the Rams once, meaning a slipup in New Orleans could wipe the Rams off the playoff map altogether.
The roads are diverse and unsettled: division champs or home for the holidays. What’s it going to be?
“The only thing realistic for us is just not worry about it,” Robinson said. “And I’m like everyone else. I go home at night and I make out all these charts, and then I lose them and can’t find them the next morning, so I have to make out a new chart.”
Jerry Gray’s great day against Phoenix--two interceptions, eight tackles, four passes defended--has convinced Robinson to switch the cornerback to his natural position, free safety, next season.
Robinson has talked about it before, but this time he’s serious. Gray has made three consecutive Pro Bowls at left cornerback, but the Rams think they’re only scratching the surface with his open-field talent.
“I should take Jerry Gray and say ‘you’re a safety, even if I’ve got to hire you on the right corner and me on the left corner,’ ” Robinson said. “Last year we kind of wanted to do it and chickened out.”
With LeRoy Irvin’s skills slipping with age, Robinson was afraid to make the move this year and be left with two inexperienced corners, Cliff Hicks and rookie Darryl Henley.
But Hicks has recovered from a rocky start to challenge Irvin for the starting position, and it might already be Hicks’. Irvin hasn’t started the last two games because of a foot injury, and getting his job now will take some work. Gray was an All-American safety at the University of Texas, and has always preferred safety over cornerback.
Gray plays free safety in the Rams’ pass-defense package, but next year the switch will be complete.
“I think Jerry (age 26) could play well into his 30s at that position and be very successful,” Robinson said. “And I think he will be an All-Pro at that position. I think Jerry’s a ‘9’ as a safety. At corner, he’s not a ‘9’.”
Ram Notes
John Robinson said Doug Reed’s left ankle sprain would probably put him out for two weeks, although Reed was more optimistic on Monday. “I think I could probably come back pretty quick,” he said. . . . Cleveland Gary got six carries in the Rams’ win over Phoenix on Sunday, but Robinson said it’s not his fault. “We didn’t get the ball early, and I was getting (upset),” Robinson said. “We got it and we scored. I know Cleveland Gary is a player. I thought he was before, now I know. . . . Henry Ellard now has 5,537 career receiving yards, good for third place on the team’s all-time list. He’s five catches shy of moving ahead of Jack Snow into third place on the all-time reception list behind Tom Fears and Elroy Hirsch. “Until I’m No. 1, I can’t think too much of it,” Ellard said of his accomplishments.
