Rams at Jets Postgame Notes
Saturday, August 14, 2009
The Meadowlands

 
On the first drive of the game, Rams DE Leonard Little sacked Jets QB Kellen Clemmens and forced a fumble.  James Hall recovered the fumble to give the Rams possession at the Jets 27-yard line.  The fumble recovery led to a Rams’ field goal.

After leading the Rams with 112 points in 2008, K Josh Brown led the Rams with 11 points vs. the Jets.  Brown converted three-of-three field goal attempts (48 yards, 34 yards, 39 yards) and two-of-two extra point attempts.

Rams T Jason Smith, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft, saw his first NFL action with 10:51 left in the first quarter as he lined up to block for the Rams 48-yard field goal attempt on the team’s first drive.  Smith saw his first action at right tackle with 4:29 left in the second quarter.

Rams 2009 second-round draft choice (35th overall) LB James Laurinaitis saw his first NFL action as the starter at middle linebacker.  Laurinaitis saw action throughout the first half, finishing with three tackles (two solo).

Rams RB Steven Jackson rushed two times for 15 yards on two attempts (7.5-yard average).

WR Laurent Robinson, who joined the Rams in April in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, led the Rams with two receptions for 52 yards.  Robinson caught a 50-yard pass in the second quarter to set up a Josh Brown 34-yard field goal.

QB Marc Bulger played three series, totaling 77 yards on four-of-four passing for a 118.8 passer rating.  Bulger’s longest completion came on a 50-yard pass to WR Laurent Robinson in the second quarter.

RB Samkon Gado paced the Rams rushing attack with 93 yards on six carries (15.5-yard average).  Gado’s longest rush came on a 77-yard touchdown run on the second offensive play of the second half.  The rush is the longest of Gado’s career (preseason or regular season).  Gado added one reception for five yards and two kickoff returns for 50 yards.

Rookie QB Keith Null, a sixth-round draft choice (196th overall) from West Texas A&M, led the Rams on a touchdown drive in his first NFL action.  After a muffed punt by the Jets, the Rams took possession at the Jets 24-yard line with 8:51 left in the fourth quarter.  Three plays later, Null connected with rookie WR Sean Walker on a 13-yard touchdown pass.  Null finished the night two-of-two for 16 yards and one touchdown.

WR Brooks Foster, the Rams’ fifth-round selection (160th overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft recovered a muffed punt by the Jets in the fourth quarter to set up the Rams second touchdown of the night.  Foster recovered a muffed punt by Jets WR Paul Raymond that gave the Rams possession at the Jets’ 24-yard line.

With 4:17 left in the game and the Jets at the Rams’ 23-yard line trailing 23-20, Rams DE Eric Moore sacked Jets QB Erik Ainge and caused Ainge to fumble.  The fumble was recovered by the Jets at the Rams’ 42-yard line pushing the Jets out of game-tying field goal range and preserving the Rams’ victory. 

Rams quarterbacks combined for 145 passing yards and one touchdown on 15-of-23 passing.  The quartet of Marc Bulger, Kyle Boller, Brock Berlin and Keith Null combined for a 97.2 passer rating vs. the Jets.

The Rams outgained the Jets on the ground, totaling 193 rushing yards to New York’s 102 yards.  The Rams averaged 6.7 yards per rush.