Rams Injury Update: Danario Alexander Still Injured, Could Be Cut

Thanks once again to injuries, Danario Alexander has missed the majority of training camp -- and now finds himself squarely on the roster bubble.

Alexander, a 6'4, 217-pound receiver, is entering his third year in the league. Injury problems are nothing new to the talented wide out, as he's appeared in just 18 games over his first two seasons. Alexander has been hampered by a hamstring injury, which has kept him extremely limited in training camp.

Alexander now finds himself behind Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, Chris Givens, Brian Quick, Greg Salas, Steve Smith and Austin Pettis on the depth chart. If Alexander does get cut, he'll likely latch on elsewhere, and could show flashes of brilliance -- provided he is healthy, of course.

For the latest on the St. Louis Rams, be sure to head over to Turf Show Times and join the discussion.

Rams Vs. Cowboys: Rams Need Improvement Following Exhibition Loss to Dallas

In the aftermath of the St. Louis Rams' one-point loss to Dallas on Saturday night, SB Nation Rams site Turf Show Times advised fans to forget the final score and look at the on-field progress:

Preseason is a time for ironing out the kinks, evaluating the players on the roster and sewing the various pieces together into a whole. The scoreboard is secondary, which is fine considering the St. Louis Rams lost by a final score of 20-19.

The first half of the game, with the starting offense and defense, revealed a team with its work cut out for it in the weeks leading up to the start of the regular season, or even a Thursday showdown with the Baltimore Ravens to conclude the preseason.

The offense in general, and the passing game in particular, were singled out for criticism:

Dallas' secondary, a unit built to contend with the likes of Hakeem Nicks and Jeremy Maclin, shut down the Rams receivers, leaving Bradford little to work with since none of the defensive backs had to concern themselves with Jackson.

That shouldn't excuse the offensive performance. Bradford looked tentative, but that was partly due to his receivers being locked up in single coverage. His protection could have been better, but it could have been much worse considering the line was without Harvey Dahl and Scott Wells was seeing his first action of the preseason.

Bradford and the offense did not respond well to the challenge, but they have more time to work on things.

It wasn't all negative, though. TST found some positives, especially in the play of tackle Barry Richardson. Nevertheless, the Rams clearly need some work in preparation for their season opener at Detroit on Sept. 9.

For more coverage of the Rams, head over to Turf Show Times. For all the NFL news and analysis you need, go to the SB Nation NFL hub.

Dallas Cowboys' Dwayne Harris Gets Star Turn Courtesy St. Louis Rams

The Dallas Cowboys' preseason star, after their 20-19 win Saturday, is Dwayne Harris, a wide receiver who caught zero regular season passes in 2011 but picked up two touchdowns in rapid succession on highlight-reel plays with Tony Romo. He has the St. Louis Rams to thank for that.

Unfortunately enough for fans who've been waiting for Janoris Jenkins to fulfill the seemingly endless projections made for him in his rookie seasons, the Rams' cornerbacks did most of their star-making for Romo and Harris. (Blogging the Boys has some photographic evidence of Kevin Ogletree crossing Jenkins over and leaving him, uh, less than star-like and stumbling on the Cowboys Stadium turf.)

All this, of course, comes with the strongest disclaimer available to a football fan: This is Pretend Week 3 of the preseason. Dwayne Harris wasn't necessarily going to make the Cowboys last week; Jenkins has played all of three games in the NFL, and a month-and-a-half ago wasn't even signed.

So as exciting as this probably was to Cowboys fans, and as terrible as it most definitely was to this Rams fan, there's still plenty of time for Dwayne Harris to be back doing kick returns and Janoris Jenkins not falling over in coverage. Harris is a star this week, but he won't always be pretend-playing the Rams.

Greg Zuerlein Is The Only Part Of The St. Louis Rams' Offense Worth Watching Vs. Cowboys

Rams Vs. Cowboys Score: Dwayne Harris Is Tony Romo's New Best Friend

The Dallas Cowboys exploited the St. Louis Rams' young secondary relentlessly in the first quarter of their preseason matchup Saturday night, with Tony Romo finishing 9-for-13 with 198 yards and two touchdowns. You might not be too shocked that these Rams trail these Cowboys by a score of 17-3, but it hasn't all been seasoned veterans against scrappy underdogs: Romo's most devastating target so far, with two touchdowns and 99 yards receiving, has been Dwayne Harris, a sixth-rounder who didn't catch a single pass last year.

That's likely to change, based on Saturday night's performance. Harris's first touchdown came on a 61-yard reception, and his second came as he avoided two touchdowns to take the ball 28 yards into the end zone. Romo targeted multiple receivers all quarter, but Harris had the two hammer-blows to the Rams' defense.

The Rams' offense, meanwhile, has sputtered, with Sam Bradford getting sacked twice and the only points coming on a 55-yard field goal from impressive rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein. Aside from a nice pass down the sideline to Lance Kendrick, the offense hasn't shown much at all; the special teams have been better at moving the ball downfield, with Isaiah Pead breaking off kick returns over 30 and 40 yards.

Rams Vs. Cowboys Score: Tony Romo Connects With Dwayne Harris To Give Dallas 10-0 Lead

The Dallas Cowboys were held to a field goal after a long first drive against the St. Louis Rams Saturday, but the Rams' secondary couldn't hold them a second time—Tony Romo connected on a 61-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Harris to put the Cowboys up 10-0, a drive after the Rams' offensive line was unable to give Sam Bradford time to work.

Romo's now 6-for-10 with 126 yards on the night. He's been able to find all his targets—even beleaguered running back Felix Jones, who has a 14-yard reception to his credit. Harris, who's seen a lot of preseason action, is still looking for his first career regular-season reception after latching onto the Cowboys last season as a return man, following his selection in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. This should help.

The Rams' defense continues to show promise in its first preseason under new head coach Jeff Fisher, but it'll make, all season, the kind of young-player mistakes that a veteran like Tony Romo will eventually figure out how to exploit.

Rams Vs. Cowboys: Sam Bradford Sacked In First Series Saturday Night

The Dallas Cowboys broke through the St. Louis Rams' new offensive line Saturday night during the Rams' first offensive series in Cowboys Stadium, with Sam Bradford going down for an eight-yard loss a week after the offensive line held vs. the Kansas City Chiefs and he put together his most impressive performance since injuries struck last season. It was a bad case of deja vu for Rams fans; their season depends on Bradford's ability to stay upright long enough to pass to the new wide receivers.

Bradford was 1-for-2 in the first series, missing on a pass to Lance Kendricks but connecting for 14 yards to Brandon Gibson. Tony Romo's excellent start—6-for-10, 126 yards and one touchdown—gives the impression that there'll be the usual whispers about Bradford's future if he and the offensive line aren't able to stay synchronized in the next drive.

Fisher's been cagey about just how much his starters will play over the rest of the preseason, but it'd be nice to see Bradford get a few more chances—if that doesn't mean the offensive line kills him.

Janoris Jenkins Expectations Sky High Before St. Louis Rams Even Finish Preseason

St. Louis Rams' Rebuilt Offensive Line Finally Available For Sam Bradford Vs. Cowboys

If Sam Bradford seems a little more ambulatory than usual Saturday night, while you're watching the Rams vs. Cowboys game, there's a reason: center Scott Wells will finally play. The St. Louis Rams signed him to a four-year, $24 million deal in the offseason, and he represents their only major attempt to upgrade an offensive line that was almost vindictively bad in front of Bradford all last year.

Wells, a seventh-round pick back in 2004, made his first Pro Bowl last year but had been starting on the Green Bay Packers' somewhat more successful offensive line since 2006. He probably won't play a lot in Pretend Week 3, but his performance in the regular season will play a big part in whether Sam Bradford finally breaks out, or at least avoids breaking down, in his third year as the Rams' beleaguered starting quarterback.

Spending draft picks on offensive linemen hasn't worked extremely well for the Rams so far; here's hoping spending money goes better. The Rams, 1-1 in the Pretend Season, and the Cowboys meet at Cowboys Stadium at 7:00 PM CDT.

Rams Vs. Cowboys 2012: Game Preview, Kickoff Time, TV Schedule And More

The St. Louis Rams (1-1) visit the Dallas Cowboys (1-1) on Saturday night for a preseason Week 3 matchup at Cowboys Stadium.

The Rams will try to build on the momentum started in their last preseason game, when beat the Kansas City Chiefs. Quarterback Sam Bradford had minimal reps against the Chiefs but made the most of his pass attempts, completin 6-of-9 passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter. Bradford and the rest of the St. Louis starters expect to play deeper into the game against Dallas.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will likely play at least a half, but he will be short his usual complement of offensive options with wide receivers Dez Bryant and Miles Austin as well as tight end Jason Witten out for the game. The Dallas defense should be in better shape with defensive end Jason Hatcher and linebacker Anthony Spencer playing for the first time this preseason.

Game Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 25; 7 p.m. CT

Location: Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

TV Schedule
St. Louis: KTVI 2 (FOX)
Dallas: KTVT 11 (CBS)

Radio Schedule
St. Louis: WXOS 101.1 ESPN, Sirrius 93
Dallas: KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan, Sirrius 128

For the latest on the St. Louis Rams, be sure to check out Turf Show Times and for Cowboys news, head over to Blogging The Boys. Check out SB Nation's NFL hub for even more NFL news. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for video commentary.

Dallas Cowboys Will Watch Felix Jones Closely Vs. Rams

Four seasons into his career Felix Jones has concerned the Dallas Cowboys in a lot of ways—primarily in his struggles to stay on the field—but they rarely had to worry about his ability to run really fast on really short notice; in 458 attempts he's averaged 5.1 career yards per carry since being their first-round pick back in 2008. In the 2012 preseason, however, he's looked out of shape and mediocre according to most observers; most recently he got a Jerry Jones vote of confidence, which is the kind of thing you don't really want to need.

His roster spot—if you believe Jerry—isn't in doubt, but Felix Jones's performance as the Cowboys' change-of-pace back is one of the things most worth watching when the St. Louis Rams take them on in Pretend Week 3. Felix Jones is never going to carry a heavy workload, but at 25 he should still be looking for another gear as a dynamic offensive weapon, not struggling to stick around as their backup running back.

Rams fans will probably be busy watching Sam Bradford try to connect with his wide receivers and Jeff Fisher connect with his defense, but if the Cowboys offense catches your eye you could do worse than to see whether Felix Jones looks anything like then Felix Jones you remember.

St. Louis Rams' Brandon Gibson Will Return Vs. Dallas Cowboys

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Brandon Gibson looks to return to the field Saturday night against the Dallas Cowboys after being slowed by a hamstring injury.

Gibson is entering his fourth season with the Rams, and while that tenure has allowed him to cook up a chemistry with young quarterback Sam Bradford, recent additions to the receiving corps like Steve Smith (formerly with the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles), and early draft selections Chris Givens and Brian Quick are only a sampling of the 12 receivers the Rams currently have on their roster, which could be a problem, writes Dan O'Neill of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

He was acquired during the 2009 campaign, then caught 53 passes in 2010, developing some chemistry with rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. Along with Bradford's numbers and the entire offense, Gibson's contributions eroded somewhat last season. In 15 games, and nine starts, he caught 36 passes.

The new regime has tried to improve the receiving department, signing veteran Steve Smith, spending early draft picks on receivers Brian Quick and Chris Givens, bringing a posse of potential pass chasers to Earth City. Currently, there are 12 wideouts on hand.

Gibson generally was considered a favorite to keep a job, before he started missing practices with a hamstring injury. He did not play in the first exhibition, a hideous loss at Indianapolis. And he did not play on Saturday against the Chiefs, a 31-17 windfall.

St. Louis kicks off against the Cowboys in Dallas at 7 p.m. CT Saturday.

For more on the Rams, check out Turf Show Times. And for Cowboys news, head over to Blogging The Boys. For all things NFL, visit SB Nation NFL.

St. Louis Rams' Vernon Gholston Signing Surprising, Probably Not Long-Term

St. Louis Rams Sign Vernon Gholston

The St. Louis Rams announced on Wednesday that they have signed defensive end Vernon Gholston to a contract.

Gholston was drafted by the New York Jets out of Ohio with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft. He ranks fifth in Buckeyes history with 21.5 sacks and was widely regarded as one of the top talents in the 2008 draft class after being named Big Ten defensive lineman of the year in 2007.

After three unproductive years, though, Gholston was released by New York. He never recorded a sack as a member of the Jets. The Chicago Bears signed him in July 2011, only to release him a month later.

Gholston takes cornerback Josh Gordy's spot on the roster. Gordy was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a draft pick.

For the latest on the Rams, check out Turf Show Times and join the discussion.

Jeff Fisher, Rams Taking More Risks During 2012 Preseason

In the last 17 seasons, the Rams have averaged just over one fourth-down attempt per game. During Jeff Fisher's time with the Titans and Oilers, he was a similarly conservative play-caller. Yet during the 2012 preseason, Fisher's Rams have gone for it on fourth down six times.

One of those fourth-down attempts resulted in an 8-yard touchdown pass and two other attempts were successfully converted into first downs. But why the change of heart for Fisher? According to the coach, it's just because it's preseason.

"In the preseason, why not try to make plays on offense?" Fisher told Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. "So that's basically it. Obviously the philosophy changes during the regular season -- (with) momentum, flow and field position."

So while the philosophy may change come time for the regular season, the offensive players can expect to continue to enjoy aggressive play-calls during the preseason. Something wide receiver Danny Amendola will surely enjoy.

"I enjoy it immensely," Amendola told Thomas. "I don't like punting. I'm not a punter, I'm not on the punt team, so I don't like it."

For more on the Rams be sure to check out SB Nation St. Louis and Turf Show Times.

Danario Alexander Injury: St. Louis Rams Likely To Be Without Alexander Again Sunday

The St. Louis Rams are looking to change their culture in 2012, but one thing, so far, has remained the same: The constant threat of a Danario Alexander injury. Turf Show Times reports Alexander's likely to miss Sunday's preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys; he's yet to play this year, suffering from, for a change of pace, hamstring problems.

This could be the end of the road for the Rams and Alexander; the former Mizzou star is already looking like an afterthought, despite the Rams' not-especially-strong wide receiver corps. It's been a shame: In two partial seasons with the Rams he's proven, when healthy, to be their most dynamic option, a player who, with two healthy knees, would be a future No. 1. In 2011 he was their best receiver not named Brandon Lloyd, catching 26 balls for 431 yards and two touchdowns in four starts.

Even if he improves over the remainder of the preseason, it's hard to see the Rams devoting a roster spot to a player who's proven unable to stay healthy over a 16-game NFL season. For better or worse, the rangy-high-potential-wide-receiver tag appears to have been passed permanently to rookie Brian Quick.

Scott Wells Will Solidify St. Louis Rams' Offensive Line Vs. Dallas Cowboys

The St. Louis Rams' offensive line will take shape vs. the Dallas Cowboys, now that Scott Wells has returned from injury.