NFL Referees to return, reportedly, ending months of pretend football

Take a good, long look, because it's the last time you're going to see these (awful calls.)

Green Bay Packers Replacement Referees Also Screwed Up St. Louis Rams Game Last Week

Was Monday's incompetence oddly familiar to you?

Rams' Janoris Jenkins, Robert Quinn, Quinn Ojinnaka Fined For Hits Vs. Redskins

Jenkins, Quinn, and Ojinnaka were fined a total of $31,500 by the NFL.

Robert Griffin III Says St. Louis Rams Play Dirty, Steven Jackson Says, Well, Maybe

Michael Brockers Injury: St. Louis Rams Still Without No. 1 Pick In Week 3

Rookie defensive tackle Michael Brockers has yet to play a regular season snap for the St. Louis Rams, and he will likely be out in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears as he continues to recover from an injury sustained in the preseason.

The high-ankle sprain of his right leg was the result of an illegal block inflicted by Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Ramon Harewood, who was fined $8,000 following the play and plans to appeal the decision, according to a report from the Baltimore Sun.

Drafted 14th overall in this year's draft out of LSU and thought to be the top defensive tackle on the board, Brockers has missed both of the Rams' regular season contests, which included a last-second loss on the road to the Detroit Lions in the season opener and a comeback victory over Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins at home in Week 2.

St. Louis kicks off in Chicago at 12 p.m. CT in a game that will be televised on Fox.

For all the latest Rams news, go to Turf Show Times. Follow the rest of the NFL action at SB Nation NFL.

Adam Carriker Injury: Washington Redskins Lose Former Rams Pick For Season

The Washington Redskins' 31-28 loss to the St. Louis Rams in Week 2 was extremely costly, as the 'Skins lost young defensive stalwarts Brian Orakpo and former top Rams pick Adam Carriker to season-ending injuries.

Carriker's injury at the hands of St. Louis is especially noteworthy, considering the Rams invested a high draft pick on the huge defensive end from Nebraska in 2007. St. Louis selected the 6'6, 300-plus-pound Carriker with the No. 13 overall pick that year, but his Rams' career was a disappointment. He recorded just 2.0 sacks in his rookie season and zero in 2008. The Rams traded him to the Redskins in 2010 for two late draft picks.

Carriker had his best statistical season in 2011, his fourth in the NFL, recording 5.5 sacks. His 2012 season ends prematurely with just one tackle to his credit.

For the latest on the Rams, check out Turf Show Times and SB Nation St. Louis. For all things Redskins, visit Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC. Keep up with the rest of the NFL at our dedicated SB Nation NFL hub.

Fantasy team got you down in the dumps? Try a new challenge -- SB Nation's Pick 6:

Brian Quick Still Invisible For St. Louis Rams In Week 2

Robert Griffin III Gets Rave Reviews From Rams Fans (Who May Be Biased)

NFL Gives Replacement Referees Vote Of Confidence

The NFL released a statement on Monday showing support for their replacement officials, after a weekend of criticism from media, players and coaches across the league.

From Pro Football Talk:

"Officiating is never perfect," the statement said. "The current officials have made great strides and are performing admirably under unprecedented scrutiny and great pressure. As we do every season, we will work to improve officiating and are confident that the game officials will show continued improvement."

The NFL's replacement officials appeared to be at least minimally competent during the first week of football, but Week 2 saw things start to quickly fall apart as officials began to lose control of multiple games across the league.

Sunday began with an official being pulled from his game because of his hidden fandom of one of the teams. Officials appeared close to losing control in the Eagles and Ravens game and the Rams-Redskins affair featured more of the same: blown calls and an officiating crew that seemed to have no ability to gain control of the game.

Andrew Sharp of SBNation.com notes that the NFL doesn't care about the perception of the officiating and doesn't need to, considering the ubiquitous nature of the league itself.

The players and teams are more vocal than ever about the level of officiating in NFL games this season; how long before the NFL and the real referees reach an agreement is still unknown.

For the latest on the Rams, check out Turf Show Times and SB Nation St. Louis. For all things Redskins, visit Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC. Keep up with the rest of the NFL at our dedicated SB Nation NFL hub.

Brian Orakpo Injury: Washington Redskins Lose LB For Season Vs. Rams

Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan announced today that linebacker Brian Orakpo will be out for the season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle on Sunday against the Rams, according to SB Nation's Hogs Haven.

Orakpo was injured in the first quarter of the 31-28 loss to the Rams and did not return. Orakpo also injured his left shoulder and pectoral muscle in the final game of the season in 2011 against the Philadelphia Eagles, and required surgery in the offseason. Shanahan stated today that the torn muscle is in the same arm as the previous injury, but is in a different spot than the previous tear.

Orakpo, a first-round pick by the Redskins in the 2009 draft, is a two-time Pro Bowler wiith 29.5 career sacks since his rookie season. Orakpo recorded 59 tackles and 9.0 sacks in 2011, in 16 games.

Mike Shanahan stated that Chris Wilson and Rob Jackson will compete for the vacated starting spot.

For the latest on the Rams, check out Turf Show Times and SB Nation St. Louis. For all things Redskins, visit Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC. Keep up with the rest of the NFL at our dedicated SB Nation NFL hub.

Steven Jackson Injury: Running Back Had Groin Strain, Not Benched

When the St. Louis Rams' Steven Jackson didn't reappear after spiking a ball following a near-score, it looked like coach Jeff Fisher was disciplining his star running back. Fisher said that wasn't true, and according to the Associated Press, he was sitting Jackson against the Washington Redskins on Sunday because of a groin strain.

''It had nothing to do with the spike,'' Fisher told the AP. ''His groin was real tight and we just didn't want to subject him to it. I didn't think he'd be 100 percent.''

On 3rd-and-goal on the 1-yard line, Jackson spiked the football after the officials ruled him short of a touchdown, and that drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Before that, he'd been called for a fumble before the ruling was overturned after a review. He had already eaten up 58 yards on nine carries.

After the spike, Jackson didn't return. Helping to fuel the speculation that Fisher was disciplining Jackson was the fact that the injury was not announced in the press box, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Bernie Miklasz.

The injury does not appear serious and should heal quickly, according to the team's Twitter.

Check out Turf Show Times for more on the St. Louis Rams or hit up SB Nation's NFL hub.

Brandon Gibson Has Two Touchdowns For St. Louis Rams In Two Games. So There's That

Redskins Vs. Rams 2012: The Best Game Of Sam Bradford's Career?

Sunday's 31-28 win over the Washington Redskins was a wild affair for the St. Louis Cardinals, but a late penalty forced a 62-yard field goal attempt that went awry. in the end, a win is a win, and Turf Show Times was hyped up enough to call this the best game of Sam Bradford's career:

This was, in my opinion, the best game of Bradford's career. His interception was the only pock mark on an otherwise super star performance. He was 26-for-35 for 310 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. He was sacked just twice, compared to seven last year when these two teams met. Decisive and quick, Bradford found his receivers, mostly Danny Amendola, within a breath or two of getting the snap.

The surprising start by the Arizona Cardinals and the strong start by San Francisco still has the Rams looking up in the division, however.

For the latest on the Rams, check out Turf Show Times and SB Nation St. Louis. For all things Redskins, visit Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC. Keep up with the rest of the NFL at our dedicated SB Nation NFL hub.

That's The Sam Bradford The St. Louis Rams Drafted

Rams Vs. Redskins: Danny Amendola Ties 1st-Half Reception Record With 12 Catches

The St. Louis Rams knew going into the season that Danny Amendola would be Sam Bradford's No. 1 target, but few expected it to look quite like this: In the first half of the Rams' Week 2 matchup with the Washington Redskins, Danny Amendola tied the all-time first-half NFL record with 12 receptions. More impressive: He had 133 yards and a touchdown in those 12 catches.

The rest of the Rams' receivers combined, at the half, for five receptions and 48 yards. It was a big start both for Bradford and for Amendola, and each looked remarkably efficient; they'd have come out of the half with considerably more than 16 points if the replacement referees hadn't botched two obvious touchdown calls in the course of alienating everyone who was ever on the NFL's side on this labor dispute.

Amendola missed almost all of last season with what began as a dislocated elbow in Week 1. In 2012 he's shown exactly how important he was to Sam Bradford and the Rams' perceived adequacy back in that 7-9 2010 season. He's also shown how much nicer it is for him to catch almost all the Rams' passes when he actually gets more than 10 yards downfield on occasion.

Steven Jackson Injury Cause For Removal From Game, Per Jeff Fisher

Steven Jackson benched-gate appears to have been a non-issue--or an injury issue, to be more specific. Like the rest of the internet we were convinced, by the end of the St. Louis Rams' 31-28 win over the Washington Redskins, that Jeff Fisher had benched Steven Jackson after the Rams' starting running back picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during one of the replacement refs' many touchdown-ruining mistakes. But it looks like we were wrong--St. Louis media is now reporting that Jeff Fisher denies Jackson was benched an insists, instead, that he's been dealing with a hamstring injury.

Jeff Fisher was even aware of the rumors floating around that SJ39 was being punished. Jackson spiked ball b/c he scored, not anger w/ ref

— Willie Springer (@WillieKMOX) September 16, 2012

That's... well, either good or bad news for Rams fans, who now know that Jeff Fisher isn't pissed off at the franchise running back but now don't know whether the franchise running back is healthy. We'll update here at SB Nation St. Louis as we know more.

For now, though, I guess we can all continue to wonder where the heck Isaiah Pead is.

Redskins Vs. Rams Final Score: St. Louis Comes Back To Top Washington, 31-28

In a back-and-forth game that featured multiple lead changes, the St. Louis Rams rallied for a 31-28 victory over the Washington Redskins at the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday. The Redskins took a 14-3 lead at the end of the first quarter and a 21-16 lead into halftime. But St. Louis rallied in the second half, outscoring Washington 15-7.

Sam Bradford had a big day at quarterback for the Rams. Bradford completed 26 of 35 passes for 310 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. His one-yard toss to Matthew Mulligan with 14:55 left in the fourth quarter gave St. Louis the lead for good. Danny Amendola had a monster day receiving. He caught 15 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. Daryl Richardson led St. Louis in rushing, gaining 83 yards on 15 carries.

Robert Griffin III had a somewhat pedestrian performance. He completed 20 of 29 passes, but he threw for a just 206 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Griffin was much more dangerous on the ground. He rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.

Rams starting running back Steven Jackson was benched after receiving an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in the first half. Jackson was stopped just short of the goal line and spiked the ball out of frustration, drawing the foul.

Both teams dealt with the injury bug on Sunday. Washington lost defensive end Adam Carriker and linebacker Brian Orakpo within the first six minutes in the game. Carriker suffered a knee injury, and Orakpo hurt his arm. In the third quarter, Josh Wilson went to the locker room injured.

The Rams lost offensive tackle Rodger Saffold to a knee injury. It marked the second week in a row that Saffold had to leave injured. Last week against Detroit, he was carted off with a neck injury.

The Rams travel to Chicago to take on the Bears next Sunday, while Washington hosts the Cincinnati Bengals.

For the latest on the Rams, check out Turf Show Times and SB Nation St. Louis. For all things Redskins, visit Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC. Keep up with the rest of the NFL at our dedicated SB Nation NFL hub.

Rams Vs. Redskins: Robert Griffin III Outdueled By Sam Bradford In 1st Matchup

Robert Griffin III put up huge numbers in Week 1, and midway through the first quarter it looked like he'd be on his way to doing the same thing Week 2 in the Washington Redskins' game vs. the St. Louis Rams. Then the Rams' defense found another gear. Cortland Finnegan picked off his second pass in as many games as a Ram, and RG3 was under pressure all afternoon. Meanwhile, Sam Bradford put together the best game of his career against the man that could have replaced him, going 26-for-35 with 301 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.

After a week in which Robert Griffin III seemed to be crowned, a little early, the best quarterback on planet earth, it was clear that the Rams' defense was keyed up--sometimes a little too keyed up--to go after him. Robert Quinn picked up an early sack, and the Rams' defensive line, even without rookie DT Michael Brockers, forced him into a string of hurried passes throughout the second half.

There's still a lot of football left to play, but if the 2012 NFL Draft has yoked Sam Bradford and Robert Griffin III together for the rest of their careers, the Rams' beleaguered franchise quarterback won round one pretty decisively.

Steven Jackson Benched; Now, A Big Game From Daryl Richardson

If the St. Louis Rams benching Steven Jackson--more here--weren't enough of a wake-up call to their Hall of Fame running back, his replacement's performance should be pretty jarring. Since coming into the Rams vs. Redskins game after Steven Jackson was benched for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, seventh-round pick Daryl Richardson has come right after the Washington Redskins defense, rushing the ball eight times for 70 yards and picking up the all-important two-point-conversion in the fourth quarter that has the Rams up by a field goal.

If that's not the rookie you were expecting from the Rams behind Steven Jackson--well, your guess about Isaiah Pead is as good as ours. Pead continues to play on special teams, but the second rounder (and Jackson's official heir apparent) has still yet to take an NFL carry in the regular season.

Steven Jackson has done too much for the Rams--and even did too much Sunday--to be Wally Pipped in an afternoon. But Daryl Richardson's strong performance, and Jeff Fisher's stern response to the penalty, mean he's not quite as secure in his position as the Rams' official offensive focal point as we thought.

Redskins Vs. Rams Score: St. Louis Leads 31-28 Early In The Fourth

In a back-and-forth game, the St. Louis Rams lead the Washington Redskins, 31-28, five seconds into the fourth quarter. Sam Bradford tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Mulligan, and Daryl Richardson ran up the middle on a two-point play to give the Rams the lead.

Bradford is 24-of-32 for 289 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. His favorite receiver, Danny Amendola, has caught 14 passes for 152 yards and a score. Richardson has 70 yards on seven carries to lead St. Louis in rushing.

Rams starting running back Steven Jackson has been sitting on the bench during the second half after receiving an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in the second quarter. The penalty cost the Rams a shot at going for a touchdown on 4th-and-goal from inside the 1. After being backed up 15 yards, St. Louis had to settle for a 33-yard field goal.

The Rams have 420 yards of offense, compared to 281 for the Redskins.

For all your Rams news, check out Turf Show Times and SB Nation St. Louis. For all things Redskins, visit Hogs Haven. For updates on other NFL action, visit SB Nation's NFL hub. Stay with this StoryStream for more updates on Rams-Redskins.

Steven Jackson Benched In Rams Vs. Redskins After Missed Touchdown, Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Jeff Fisher has officially put his mark on the St. Louis Rams, and in a big way. We now know that Steven Jackson has been benched, after some question as to whether he was injured. He was removed from the game after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following a goal-line run that appeared to be mistakenly no-called. He spiked the ball after the non-touchdown, and the referees pushed the Rams back 15 yards for another Greg Zuerlein field goal, and Daryl Richardson has been the Rams' running back ever since, and here in the fourth quarter there's still no word about a Jackson injury.

He's had a pretty good day, too, which leaves Steven Jackson and Isaiah Pead in the doghouse as the Rams try to maintain a 31-28 lead against the Washington Redskins in Week 2. Jackson--who may or may not return today--has nine carries for 58 yards. Daryl Richardson is at seven carries for 70. Pead still hasn't made his first NFL carry.

We'll keep you updated all day on Steven Jackson's increasingly odd bench situation with the Rams on this very storystream. Stay tuned at this link for up-to-the-minute updates on Jackson, Sam Bradford, and the Rams' attempt to win their first game of the season in the midst of a full-on replacement-referee meltdown.

Steven Jackson Injury Another Uncertainty In Rams Vs. Redskins Circus

A Steven Jackson injury would be just another strange storyline in the St. Louis Rams' weird ref-hindered dogfight with the Washington Redskins Sunday afternoon. A Steven Jackson phantom injury, though? That's more like it.

Jackson left immediately after earning an unsportsmanlike conduct call in the wake of a goal-line run that was incorrectly called as a non-touchdown, and some wore worried that Jeff Fisher had benched him for spiking the ball. (Bernie Miklasz has more about that on Sulia.) But there might be more pragmatic--and more worrying--reasons for the Rams to bring in Daryl Richardson for most of their rush attempts since, especially since Jackson began the afternoon with nine rushes for 58 yards.

That, of course, is another weird factor in the Rams' opaque running back situation: What's going on with Isaiah Pead, who's still yet to make his first regular-season carry? It looks like he's lost his backup running back job to the seventh-rounder Richardson, whether Jeff Fisher would characterize it that way or not.

No word yet on Steven Jackson's injury status for Week 3, of course. For more information, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis's Rams vs. Redskins storystream; we'll update there as soon as we know more.

Rams Vs. Redskins Score: Sam Bradford Stupendous As St. Louis Takes 23-21 Lead

Sam Bradford and the St. Louis Rams took the lead in the third quarter of their Week 2 home opener against the Washington Redskins, replacement referees or no replacement referees. Bradford, in the midst of the best game of his career, went to Steve Smith to get downfield at the start of the third after relying almost exclusively on Danny Amendola in the first half, and Brandon Gibson made a nice catch on a great throw to get Bradford his second touchdown pass of the night--and the Rams their first lead, on a 23-21 score.

After losing two touchdowns to some of the worst replacement referee play we've seen all year, the Rams' offense has looked unstoppable; overall Bradford is 19-for-26 for 240 yards and two touchdowns, showing an efficiency we simply never saw from the Oklahoma alum in his first two years as the Rams' official Franchise Savior.

There's still a long way to go, but the St. Louis Rams are back in a game that seemed lost almost from the game's first play, and Sam Bradford has everything to do with it.

Redskins Vs. Rams Score: St. Louis Trails Washington, 21-16, At The Half

The St. Louis Rams go into halftime of their game against the Washington Redskins trailing by a score of 21-16. It was a wild first half at the Edward Jones Dome, as the teams combined for 17 points in the first quarter and 20 points in the second.

Despite the halftime deficit, the Rams hold a 264-175 yardage advantage. Washington opened the scoring early, as Josh Wilson recovered a Danny Amendola fumble and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. That put the Redskins ahead with a 7-0 lead just 11 seconds into the contest. Robert Griffin III was responsible for the rest of Washington's scoring. Griffin rushed for a five-yard touchdown run and connected with Leonard Hankerson for a 68-yard score. He finished the half 8-of-11 for 110 yards, with a TD and an interception. Griffin has 30 yards on the ground.

Sam Bradford has played well for St. Louis. Bradford enters the half 17-of-23 for 181 yards and a touchdown, but it is Amendola who had a spectacular first half. He caught 12 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Rams running back Steven Jackson leads all rushers with 58 yards on nine carries.

For the latest on the Rams, check out Turf Show Times and SB Nation St. Louis. Keep up with the rest of the NFL at our dedicated SB Nation NFL hub.

Robert Griffin III Intercepted By Cortland Finnegan As Rams Come Back Vs. Redskins

Then: The St. Louis Rams were down 21-6 early in the second quarter, and Robert Griffin III had just tossed a 68-yard touchdown pass to Leonard Hankerson to put the Washington Redskins further on top. The Rams were getting jobbed by the replacement referees and it was clearly getting to their head. Now: At the end of the first half the Rams are down just 21-16, thanks to some stellar play by Sam Bradford and this Robert Griffin III pass directly to... Cortland Finnegan, the Rams' free-agent cornerback pick-up.

Greg Zuerlein, the Rams' unflappable rookie kicker, racked up his third field goal of the night with seconds to go in the half, and the Rams were suddenly back in a game that looked unwinnable a few minutes earlier. That's exactly the sort of thing the Rams could never do under Steve Spagnuolo; as the third quarter begins, it's time to see if these new Jeff Fisher Rams can not only get back into the game but take it over.

Rams Vs. Redskins Score Robert Griffin III, Leonard Hankerson Connect For 68-Yard Touchdown, Washington Leads 21-6

The St. Louis Rams are, at this point, probably more bewildered by the shockingly bad officiating they've seen so far than anything going on on the field. That's one reasonable explanation for Leonard Hankerson and Robert Griffin III beating Janoris Jenkins for a 68-yard touchdown pass that put the Washington Redskins up 21-6 with just over six minutes left in the second quarter. That leaves Griffin at 6-for-8 for 110 yards and a touchdown, putting him on the way to a second outstanding game in two weeks.

Unfortunately for the NFL, that won't be the story that comes out of Week 2, no matter how brilliant Griffin ends up. The Rams have lost two clear touchdowns to the replacement referees in the first half of this game, and the result has been an environment on the Edward Jones Dome field--not to mention in the stands--that's close to boiling all the way over. If the replacement refs were unacceptable from the beginning, September 16 could be the day a lot of fans come to agree.

For more scores, highlights, injury updates, and fantasy news, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis's up-to-the-minute Week 2 Rams vs. Redskins storystream.

Rams Vs. Redskins Dominated, So Far, By Replacement Referees' Apparent Incompetence

The St. Louis Rams and the Washington Redskins are the only ones with points, so far, in their Week 2 matchup--the score is Redskins 14, Rams six--but the game is being dominated, if Twitter and Turf Show Times are any indication, by the struggles of the replacement refs. The Rams have scored twice on apparent touchdowns that the referees don't catch; each time the Rams have been pushed back by penalties after questioning, a little less than politely, the refs' authority, and forced to give Greg Zuerlein the ball for another thirty-something-yard field goal.

Bernie Miklasz sums it up nicely:

The fake refs have lost control of this game. NFL should be embarrassed. Fans are paying good money to watch this.

— Bernie Miklasz (@miklasz) September 16, 2012

It's clear, by now, that the replacement referees simply aren't able to get out of their own way in the NFL's regular season. The end result hasn't just been an inaccurate score that could cost the Rams their first win of the season--it's a game that's getting increasingly physical, violent, and out of control, in a way that the NFL can hardly afford after an offseason filled with bounties and concussions.

Rodger Saffold Injury: St. Louis Rams OT Won't Return After Another Injury Vs. Redskins

Just minutes after Rodger Saffold made his miraculous return to the St. Louis Rams' offensive line after a Week 1 neck injury, another Rodger Saffold injury will leave the Rams shorthanded at OT for the rest of Week 2. Saffold suffered a leg injury recovering a Sam Bradford fumble just before the Rams put their first points of the day on the board. And now he won't return, which leaves his herculean effort getting back after that neck problem looking a little less crucial than it did a week ago.

Saffold injured his left knee, will not return. Wayne Hunter in at LT, @jason_yingling

— Bernie Miklasz (@miklasz) September 16, 2012

In his place the Rams bring in Wayne Hunter, the offensive linemen they received after trading former No. 2 overall pick Jason Smith to the New York Jets. It's not what they were hoping for after Saffold practiced full-time on Thursday, but Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson will have to give up any hope of time and room to work for the last three quarters of this game.

Rams Vs. Redskins Score: Robert Griffin III, St. Louis Fouls Put Washington On Top 14-3

The St. Louis Rams' intensity helped them stop Robert Griffin III in the Washington Redskins' first offensive drive, but it helped them score in the second--two personal fouls gave the Redskins 21 crucial yards on the way to RG3's five-yard run into the end zone, which put the Redsins up by a score of 14-3 at the end of the first quarter. The replacement referees have already come in for their share of criticism in the game's first 15 minutes, but the Rams simply can't afford to give this Redskins team yards like that.

Eugene Sims and Robert Quinn, who had a big sack on Griffin in that first drive, were called for the penalties. Griffin's 3-for-5 for 30 yards so far, with four carries for 15 yards and the touchdown, but the Rams have also struggled to stop RB Alfred Morris, who has six carries for 44 yards so far. It's been a rough, unrefined performance for the Rams' defense so far; for every big play they've made, they've given another back. Jeff Fisher can't be happy.

For more scores, highlights, injury updates, and fantasy news, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis's up-to-the-minute Week 2 Rams vs. Redskins storystream.

Redskins Vs. Rams Score: Redskins Lead Rams, 14-3, After First Quarter

Washington leads St. Louis, 14-3, after the first quarter on Sunday. Robert Griffin III ran for a touchdown late in the quarter, extending the Skins' lead and making it a two-possession game. Griffin III has completed 3-of-5 passes, throwing for 30 yards and rushing for 15.

On the first offensive play of the game, Rams WR Danny Amendola fumbled a pass from Sam Bradford, allowing Washington's Josh Wilson to return it 30 yards for a touchdown. Greg Zuerlein put St. Louis on the board after nailing a 39-yard field goal.

Sam Bradford has been efficient thus far, throwing for 61 yards off of 8-of-11 passing. Amendola has caught seven of the eight balls Bradford has completed, and has 60 yards receiving.

Redskins running back Alfred Morris has six carries for 44 yards.

For more scores, highlights, injury updates, and fantasy news, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis's up-to-the-minute Week 2 Rams vs. Redskins storystream.

Rams Vs. Redskins: Robert Griffin III Sacked By Robert Quinn To End 1st Drive

Robert Griffin III was unable to get the Washington Redskins' offense going against a young St. Louis Rams offense in his first drive of the afternoon Sunday. He was 2-for-2 for 18 yards, but he also lost four yards on a run and took a big sack against second-year Rams DE Robert Quinn, forcing a punt at 4th-and-17 and putting the Rams back into the game after the Redskins rode a fumble recovery on the first play of the game to a 7-3 lead.

So far Sam Bradford--yes, that's a storyline today--has him beat; he's 7-for-10 for 60 yards, though he's still yet to find a wide receiver other than Danny Amendola. That might be a problem in the long term, unless you're a PPR fantasy football player who owns Danny Amendola, but for now Bradford appears to be moving the offense forward about as much as a quarterback is allowed to in a Jeff Fisher offense.

For more scores, highlights, injury updates, and fantasy news, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis's up-to-the-minute Week 2 Rams vs. Redskins storystream.

Rams Vs. Redskins: Sam Bradford, Danny Amendola Confirm Bromance

Redskins Vs. Rams: Danny Amendola Fumbles, Washington Scores To Get On Board In 1st Minute

Without Robert Griffin III's help, the Washington Redskins are on the board--they lead the St. Louis Rams 7-0 20 seconds into the game's first quarter, in a turn of events that's just about taken the wind out of St. Louis's opening-day sails. Things worked out well for Sam Bradford and the Rams offense for approximately half of one play; Bradford completed a 10-yard pass to Danny Amendola, but Amendola fumbled, the Redskins recovered, and they took it all the way back for the game's first score.

Now the Rams' offense is back in business, with one brutal turnover putting them down by a touchdown with more than 14 minutes still to go in the first. The Rams' offense seems unable to afford to play with this kind of handicap; it'll be up to Bradford and company to prove otherwise, in their second attempt to get off to a good start in the Edward Jones Dome opener. It'll be approximately seven points harder than the first shot.

For more scores, highlights, injury updates, and fantasy news, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis's up-to-the-minute Week 2 Rams vs. Redskins storystream.

Rodger Saffold Injury Update: St. Louis Rams Tackle Active, Pierre Garcon Out For Redskins

Rams left tackle Rodger Saffold is active and expected to start in Week 2 as St. Louis hosts the Washington Redskins in their home opener. Saffold collapsed in the fourth quarter of the Rams Week 1 loss to the Lions, and he was carted off the field with what looked like a serious neck injury. But the injury was diagnosed as a strained neck and Saffold returned to practice this week in a limited fashion, with his status was up in the air heading into Sunday's game. But just over an hour before kick, the Rams announced on their Twitter account that he was active and ready to go.

On the other side, the Redskins will be without wide receiver Pierre Garcon. Dynamic rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III had developed rapport with the Redskins big offseason acquisition, connecting with him on an 88-yard touchdown to start the game last week in New Orleans. But Garcon sustained a foot injury in Week 1 and was unlikely to play against the Rams. That was confirmed Sunday afternoon when he was ruled out and listed as inactive.

For more injury updates on Saffold and scores, highlights, and fantasy news on everybody else, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis's up-to-the-minute Week 2 Rams vs. Redskins storystream.

St. Louis Rams Need 4th-Quarter Sam Bradford To Return Vs. Washington Redskins

The St. Louis Rams haven't seen the Sam Bradford they drafted very often, and every time he shows up it's cause for a renewed optimism about their beleaguered offense. After three listless quarters in their 2012 opener The Sam Bradford showed up in the fourth quarter, going 6-for-8 for 84 yards and a touchdown and nearly winning the game for the Rams. He probably won't keep his completion percentage up around 75 percent, but they'll need that kind of efficiency and those occasional looks downfield if they want to compete against the sainted Robert Griffin and the Redskins.

Unfortunately, there are reasons Bradford hasn't shown that form very often--his offensive line is ragged even when it's healthy, and his wide receivers are led by Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson. But if Steven Jackson can, say, average more than three yards per carry vs. the Redskins, Bradford will have more help than the Rams' offense managed for him last Sunday.

And if he can just be Sam Bradford again--well, that's part of being a Rams fan, at this point: Hoping that the Sam Bradford you see on Sunday is the Sam Bradford you hoped for back in 2010.

All Eyes On St. Louis Rams Defense As Robert Griffin III Comes To Town

Stopping Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions for three quarters apparently wasn't enough for the St. Louis Rams' young new defense--in Week 2, against the Washington Redskins, all NFL eyes will be on the Rams D as it attempts to stop Robert Griffin III a week after he put together one of the most impressive rookie debuts in recent memory. The Edward Jones Dome crowd will be focused on what the Rams' offense and their own would-be franchise quarterback, Sam Bradford, can do; everybody else in America, though, will have another preoccupation.

That the Rams are without their own 2012 first-rounder--run-stuffing DT Michae Brockers--will likely go unnoticed, so it'll be up to Chris Long and Robert Quinn up front and Cortland Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins in the secondary to keep RG3 reined in (and also get their own names in the proverbial papers.)

It's not often the Rams find themselvs in one of these overgeneralized Big Narrative Games, and the whole thing feels a little weird after all this time; Robert Griffin III seems almost certain to regress a little, inasmuch as he's probably not the best quarterback in football yet, so I'm not sure how much credit the Rams would or ought to get in such a situation. But I guess it's better than just being irrelevant.

Steven Jackson Has The St. Louis Rams' Carries; Can He Do Something With Them?

Will Sam Bradford Aim For Chris Givens Again Vs. Redskins?

Rodger Saffold Injury Status Still A Mystery For Rams Vs. Redskins

You're probably not as nervous about this as Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson, but I'm happy to rank the St. Louis Rams' fandom's concern over Rodger Saffold's injury status just behind the actual Rams' heading into Sunday's Week 2 contest vs. the Washington Redskins. With Jason Smith gone, the last member of the Rams' impressive young 2010 offensive linemen looked set to miss a significant chunk of season after this deeply unpleasant neck injury left him motionless on the Ford Field turf.

Then a weird thing happened: He got back to practice. After being limited on Wednesday he's participated fully since Thursday, and was listed as questionable in the Rams' official injury report. But Saffold and the Rams are being cagey about whether he'll play on gameday--neither has yet said anything either for or against it.

We'll keep an eye on this right up to gametime, because a healthy Saffold could be the Rams' primary difference-maker as they look to keep Sam Bradford on the right track and get Steven Jackson there after a 21-carry 53-yard performance in Week 1.

For more injury updates on Saffold and scores, highlights, and fantasy news on everybody else, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis's up-to-the-minute Week 2 Rams vs. Redskins storystream.

Robert Griffin III Trade Already A Win In Washington Redskins Press

Here's some locker room material for--well, Les Snead, I guess? The Washington Redskins' trade with the St. Louis Rams for Robert Griffin III has already been vindicated, according to the Washington Post, by RG3's stellar Week 1 performance. That's before Griffin even plays the Rams--let alone before the Rams even take the other picks they received in return for the Other Next Big Thing. If all this stings a little, in the wake of the inevitable Sam Bradford comparisons--well, that's probably just as inevitable as the comparisons themselves.

To shout "small sample size!" about this article is probably beyond the point--but probably also worth doing. Griffin had one of the NFL's best games last Sunday, but if the Redskins run into problems this year they'll have limited their own ability to right them via the draft over the next two years.

I'm also a little wary of the comparison to the New York Giants' trade with the San Diego Chargers--if RG3 is only ever as good as Eli Manning, the Redskins are probably no more likely to win the Super Bowl than they would have been with the third best quarterback in the draft and the rest of those picks.

That said--he looked, on Sunday, much better than Eli Manning. And I don't think anybody will complain, except for Rams fans, if he's able to show similar flashes for the rest of the season.

Redskins vs. Rams: Game Time, TV Schedule, Injury Updates And More

Maybe the Rams can get those extra seconds back in Week 2.

Detroit was able to pull out a comeback win over St. Louis in Week 1 of the NFL season, aided somewhat by an official's error that erroneously stopped the clock with 2:38 left in the game. It prevented the Rams from running the clock down to the two minute warning, which would have caused the Lions to burn their final timeout, a timeout they used on the game-winning drive.

The past is the past, and the present is Washington. The Redskins come to the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis fresh off of a big offensive performance in a 40-32 win over New Orleans in Week 1. Rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 320-yard passing effort with two touchdowns in the win.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. CT and will be aired locally on FOX, with Chris Meyers and Tim Ryan on the call.

For more news and information on the Rams, read Turf Show Times. For the latest on the Redskins, check outHogs Haven. For everything NFL-related, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub.

Robert Griffin III Goes Into Week 2 Nearly Perfect

Robert Griffin III didn't just live up to the hype in his first game with the Washington Redskins—he exceeded it. That is, if you were just expecting him to be pretty good and loaded with potential in 2012, you probably weren't expecting him to lead off, in a win over the New Orleans Saints, going 19-for-26 with 320 yards passing and two touchdowns. You might have expected him to play well, but you might not have expected him to finish in the Football Outsiders' DYAR Top 5, even with Peyton Manning and everybody else except for a supercharged Matt Ryan.

Given his workload, Griffin really couldn't have played any better than he did. Which means that the St. Louis Rams are going to get him at the height of his bandwagon's over-stuffedness. So what will they do to RG3?

It's hard to say. But regression to the mean suggests that, no matter how well they play him, he won't quite be as dangerous against the Rams as he was against the Saints. Which would be great, if the Rams were any more likely to score 30 points than they were 40...

Rodger Saffold Injury Leaves St. Louis Rams' Offensive Line (Theoretically) Questionable

In 2012, Sam Bradford Is Still Seeking A Great Game For St. Louis Rams

At Mike Sando's NFC West blog, a new way of looking at Sam Bradford's relatively disappointing St. Louis Rams tenure to date. Hint—it involves another comparison of Bradford to Robert Griffin III. After one game, RG3 has a Great Game under his belt. After 27 games, Sam Bradford does not.

Bradford, in fact, per QBR, has just two games over 70 in his NFL career. (Alex Smith, since 2008, has 10.) Other numbers tell you a similar story—he's got three 300-yard games, one game in which he's averaged more than eight yards per pass attempt, six games where he's thrown more than one touchdown and nine more in which he hasn't thrown any.

Sam Bradford's intermittent adequacy hasn't been in question as a Ram—what's been disappointing and strange is how rarely he's shown flashes of anything more than that. Robert Griffin III has already shown the NFL what Robert Griffin III can do; Sam Bradford has begun to narrow the NFL's idea of what Sam Bradford can do.

And now, no pressure, he's going to get the RG3-trade-talk all day in the Rams' home opener a week after putting together a perfectly good start against the Detroit Lions.

NFL Picks 2012: Robert Griffin III Reality Check Predicted, Courtesy St. Louis Rams

Redskins Injury Report: Pierre Garcon A Game-Time Decision

The Washington Redskins will visit the St. Louis Rams on Sunday and may do so without wide receiver Pierre Garcon, who is being called a game-time decision.

Garcon injured his foot on an 88-yard touchdown reception from rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. Garcon tallied 109 receiving yards and one touchdown on 4 receptions before leaving the game. An MRI revealed no fracture, so Garcon's participation will primarily be based on how Garcon feels on Sunday.

Should Garcon be unable to play, he'll likely be replaced by a combination of Leonard Hankerson and Santana Moss.

For more news and information on the Rams, read Turf Show Times. For the latest on the Redskins, check out Hogs Haven. For everything NFL-related, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub.

Rams Injury Report: LT Rodger Saffold Listed As Questionable

The St. Louis Rams host the Washington Redskins Sunday, and hope to do so with starting left tackle Rodger Saffold on the field. Saffold, who remains listed as Questionable, was a full participant in practice both Thursday and Friday. This is good news for the Rams, as Saffold's injury initially appeared as though it could be far more serious.

Defensive tackle Michael Brockers will miss Sunday's game as he recovers from a knee injury.

The Rams are looking to bounce back after a heartbreaking Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions. They'll face a Redskins team coming off an impressive Week 1 win against the Saints.

For more news and information on the Rams, read Turf Show Times. For the latest on the Redskins, check out Hogs Haven. For everything NFL-related, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub.

Rodger Saffold Injury: Rams LT Questionable Vs. Redskins

The St. Louis Rams have listed left tackle Rodger Saffold as "questionable" heading into Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins, according to STLToday.com.

Saffold suffered a strained neck in last week's game against the Detroit Lions when he became entangled with safety John Wending and fell awkwardly. The tackle was carted off the field for precautionary reasons but reported movement in his arms and legs shortly afterward. A CT scan revealed he had a strained neck.

Sam Bradford was sacked four times in the loss to the Lions and that concern will be prevalent once again against the Redskins. The Rams quarterback was sacked seven times in last season's game against Washington, a 17-10 loss in the fourth week of the season.

The Rams face the Redskins this Sunday in the first home game of the season for St. Louis, with optimism building after a good performance by Jeff Fisher's team on the road against Detroit in the season opener.

For more news and information on the Rams, read Turf Show Times. For the latest on the Redskins, check out Hogs Haven. For everything NFL-related, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub.

Week 2 NFL Picks, Redskins Vs. Rams: Polls Picking Washington To Win

St. Louis hosts Washington in Week 2 of the NFL season on Sept. 16, and many experts across the league are favoring the visiting Redskins. With Rookie Robert Griffin III lighting up the scoreboard in Week 1 en route to an NFC Player of the Week award, it isn't a surprise the Redskins bandwagon is filling up.

Not everywhere, though.

Turf Show Times editor Ryan Van Bibber seems to stop just short of picking a Rams win.

Back to reality for RGIII? It's very likely with the Rams defense playing sharp on the edges. If the pass rushers get going this week, the Rams can win.

He's not lying. St. Louis's defense contained Seattle on the edge for much of their 27-23 loss to Detroit in Week 1.

The opposing SB Nation view, written by the staff at Hogs Haven, disagrees to the tune of a unanimous decision in favor of the Redskins.

NFL.com's staff of writers largely favors the Hogs Haven experts, picking the Redskins 4-1 over St. Louis. The four in favor are Kareem Copeland, Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal and Rhino, while Marc Sessler is the lone dissenter.

The ESPN panel is in line with the NFL guys, picking the Redskins 11-1. The lone dissenter is Seth Wickersham.

For more news and information on the Rams, read Turf Show Times. For the latest on the Redskins, check out Hogs Haven. For everything NFL-related, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub.

NFL Power Rankings: Washington Redskins Shoot Higher On RG3's Strong Debut

The Washington Redskins started the 2012 season in the basement, but if Week 2's NFL Power Rankings are any indication, the experts don't think they'll finish there. Robert Griffin III's huge debut and the Redskins' win over the New Orleans Saints on the road shot them up nine slots in this week's ESPN power rankings. They find themselves all the way up at No. 15, from which they'll be looking down as they take on the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

The Rams, for their part, rose too—though their Moral Victory at Detroit, tinged as it was by their Actual Loss and the hobbling of most of their offensive line, was only worth one spot. Jumping over the Miami Dolphins to get to No. 27 from No. 28 might not impress most fanbases, but the Rams fans who are left, here in 2012, are ready to be excited by just about anything.

If Sam Bradford, having gotten a vote of confidence in this year's big draft trade, can outplay RG3 on Sunday despite that awful offensive line—well, that might be another possible recipe for a nine-spot leap.

Robert Griffin III Trade A Turning Point For St. Louis Rams

When the St. Louis Rams traded the No. 2 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft—Robert Griffin III, that is—to the Washington Redskins for a basket of future picks, it was rightly seen as a turning point in Redskins history, the moment when they mortgaged their next five years or so to pick up a quarterback on whom the franchise would thrive or fail.

But it might have been an even more important moment for the Rams. With their very future in St. Louis on the line, the Rams bet on Sam Bradford, their own beleaguered franchise quarterback, to pull them back to respectability—instead of replacing him, they applied for reinforcements. In Week 2, Sunday afternoon, the Rams and the Redskins will meet for the first time since they cast their dice.

After one week the Redskins have the advantage on RGIII's remarkable debut, although Bradford's strong fourth quarter in the Rams' loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 1 means that neither team is close to regretting the blockbuster trade yet. But if you hear Griffin's name murmured in the EJD corridors before gametime, you'll know that people are already wondering what the alternate-universe-Rams would be doing at this very moment.

NFL Odds Week 2: Redskins Vs. Rams

The St. Louis Rams are three-point underdogs to Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins in their Week 2 matchup, according to OddsShark.com. The line opened up at -3, and has held steady throughout the week, as of Wednesday evening.

If Griffin is able to have an encore performance that is anywhere near what he accomplished in Week 1 against the New Orleans, it's easy to see the Redskins covering, and then some. However, oddsmakers seem to be encouraged by the Rams' close road loss to the Detroit Lions last Sunday, judging by the relatively insignificant spread.

The over/under opened at 45 and, like the spread, has also stayed in place as the week has progressed.

For more on the Rams, be sure to visit Turf Show Times. Additional coverage on the Redskins can be found at Hogs Heaven, while SB Nation's NFL hub is the place to go for all things pro football.

NFL 2012 Schedule: Rams Take On Redskins Sunday Afternoon

Following a disappointing Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions that may have had more to do with the clock operator screwing up than anything the team did wrong, the St. Louis Rams will get a chance to even their record at 1-1 when the Washington Redskins come to town. Robert Griffin III will face off against Sam Bradford in a battle between two of the more exciting young quarterbacks in the league.

That game will be in one of the two 3:05 p.m. slots on FOX, alongside the Cowboys taking on the Seahawks in Seattle.

Here's the full NFL schedule for Week 2, all times are Central.

Thursday, Sept. 13

• Bears vs. Packers, 7:30 p.m., NFL Network
  

Sunday, Sept. 16

• Buccaneers vs. Giants, 12 p.m., FOX
• Raiders vs. Dolphins, 12 p.m., CBS
• Texans vs. Jaguars, 12 p.m., CBS
• Browns vs. Bengals, 12 p.m., CBS
• Chiefs vs. Bills, 12 p.m., CBS
• Ravens vs. Eagles, 12 p.m., CBS
• Saints vs. Panthers, 12 p.m., FOX
• Cardinals vs. Patriots, 12 p.m., FOX
• Vikings vs. Colts, 12 p.m., FOX
• Redskins vs. Rams, 3:05 p.m., FOX
• Cowboys vs. Seahawks, 3:05 p.m., FOX
• Jets vs. Steelers, 3:25 p.m., CBS
• Titans vs. Chargers, 3:25 p.m., CBS
• Lions vs. 49ers, 7:20 p.m., NBC
  

Monday, Sept. 17

• Broncos vs. Falcons, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
  

Check out SI.com for more on the NFL Schedule.

For more on the St. Louis Rams, visit Turf Show Times. Get all your NFL needs from the SB Nation NFL hub.