http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sp...8EE773FF3362921B8625736E001E4629?OpenDocument
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/08/2007
Richie Incognito made a name for himself Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome. But when you’re an offensive lineman, that’s usually not a good thing. Making his regular-season debut after being sidelined since mid-August with a high ankle sprain, Incognito was flagged four times for 50 yards against Arizona.
All four penalties came in the second half. Two were unnecessary roughness infractions, drawing 15-yard penalties apiece. The first came on the extra point after a touchdown catch by Torry Holt early in the third quarter. The second came on the Rams’ next possession, after an interception thrown by quarterback Gus Frerotte.
Incognito’s day also included two holding calls, drawing 10-yard penalties apiece — one in the third quarter and one in the fourth.
“It was all on my shoulders,” Incognito said. “I shouldn’t have been in those situations. Really, I let my emotions get the best of me. It was my first game back. I was real hyped up. Playing the hometown team, and that was all my fault. I killed us today.” Advertisement
Incognito, who is from Glendale, Ariz., started at right guard. Last season, he had a costly personal-foul penalty against Seattle that helped the Seahawks rally late for a 24-22 victory.
No fan of Richie
Although he never mentioned him by name, Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett took some thinly veiled shots at Incognito, basically accusing him of taking cheap shots at Arizona players.
"In my eyes, that's low-class," Dockett said. "That one individual that everybody knows, he's been able to play that way since college. The league is going to have to do something about it, because one day he's going to really injure somebody's career. The guy was trying to hurt some of our guys."
Safety shortage
The injury bug hit the Rams' safety position for the second week in a row Sunday, with Jerome Carter and Todd Johnson unable to finish the contest. Last week against Dallas, starting strong safety Corey Chavous suffered a pectoral muscle injury that is expected to sideline him for two to three weeks.
Against Arizona, Carter and Johnson split Chavous' duties, with Carter on the field in the base defense and Johnson taking over in the nickel package. But Carter's day ended early with a fractured right foot midway through the second quarter.
Johnson suffered a sprained neck on punt coverage with 1 minute 5 seconds remaining in the third quarter. At that point, the Rams were short one safety. They had free safety Oshimogho Atogwe still standing, but no one else.
Starting cornerback Ron Bartell finished out the game at safety, a position he had played sparingly earlier in his NFL career
"Guys go down, you've got to be able to step up and go in," Bartell said. "So if I've got to play safety for us to get a win, I'll play safety. They can move me to offensive tackle if they have to."
Dante Hall injured
Less than a minute after Johnson's injury, wide receiver-return man Dante Hall suffered a sprained ankle on his 36-yard punt return at the end of the third quarter. He did not return.
Sunday's inactives
Designated as pregame inactives for the Rams were Chavous, CB Tye Hill (back, ribs), RB Steven Jackson (groin), LB Raonall Smith (knee), WR Isaac Bruce (hamstring), WR Dane Looker (thigh), OT Jeremy Parquet and C Nick Leckey. Leckey, a former Arizona Cardinal, was signed Saturday to the active roster, with DT Louis Leonard released to free up a roster spot for Leckey.
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/08/2007
Richie Incognito made a name for himself Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome. But when you’re an offensive lineman, that’s usually not a good thing. Making his regular-season debut after being sidelined since mid-August with a high ankle sprain, Incognito was flagged four times for 50 yards against Arizona.
All four penalties came in the second half. Two were unnecessary roughness infractions, drawing 15-yard penalties apiece. The first came on the extra point after a touchdown catch by Torry Holt early in the third quarter. The second came on the Rams’ next possession, after an interception thrown by quarterback Gus Frerotte.
Incognito’s day also included two holding calls, drawing 10-yard penalties apiece — one in the third quarter and one in the fourth.
“It was all on my shoulders,” Incognito said. “I shouldn’t have been in those situations. Really, I let my emotions get the best of me. It was my first game back. I was real hyped up. Playing the hometown team, and that was all my fault. I killed us today.” Advertisement
Incognito, who is from Glendale, Ariz., started at right guard. Last season, he had a costly personal-foul penalty against Seattle that helped the Seahawks rally late for a 24-22 victory.
No fan of Richie
Although he never mentioned him by name, Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett took some thinly veiled shots at Incognito, basically accusing him of taking cheap shots at Arizona players.
"In my eyes, that's low-class," Dockett said. "That one individual that everybody knows, he's been able to play that way since college. The league is going to have to do something about it, because one day he's going to really injure somebody's career. The guy was trying to hurt some of our guys."
Safety shortage
The injury bug hit the Rams' safety position for the second week in a row Sunday, with Jerome Carter and Todd Johnson unable to finish the contest. Last week against Dallas, starting strong safety Corey Chavous suffered a pectoral muscle injury that is expected to sideline him for two to three weeks.
Against Arizona, Carter and Johnson split Chavous' duties, with Carter on the field in the base defense and Johnson taking over in the nickel package. But Carter's day ended early with a fractured right foot midway through the second quarter.
Johnson suffered a sprained neck on punt coverage with 1 minute 5 seconds remaining in the third quarter. At that point, the Rams were short one safety. They had free safety Oshimogho Atogwe still standing, but no one else.
Starting cornerback Ron Bartell finished out the game at safety, a position he had played sparingly earlier in his NFL career
"Guys go down, you've got to be able to step up and go in," Bartell said. "So if I've got to play safety for us to get a win, I'll play safety. They can move me to offensive tackle if they have to."
Dante Hall injured
Less than a minute after Johnson's injury, wide receiver-return man Dante Hall suffered a sprained ankle on his 36-yard punt return at the end of the third quarter. He did not return.
Sunday's inactives
Designated as pregame inactives for the Rams were Chavous, CB Tye Hill (back, ribs), RB Steven Jackson (groin), LB Raonall Smith (knee), WR Isaac Bruce (hamstring), WR Dane Looker (thigh), OT Jeremy Parquet and C Nick Leckey. Leckey, a former Arizona Cardinal, was signed Saturday to the active roster, with DT Louis Leonard released to free up a roster spot for Leckey.
