clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Danny Amendola injury means another game-time decision for St. Louis Rams

Danny Amendola is doubtful for the second week in a row, which makes the St. Louis Rams' wide receiver—well, a little less doubtful.

Christian Petersen

For the second week in a row the St. Louis Rams' final injury report listed Danny Amendola as doubtful Friday, which means—well, nobody quite knows, except that it'll be a game-time decision. Amendola didn't practice all week, and last week's miraculous recovery only meant that he played seven snaps, enough to catch one ball for 38 yards, so whatever happens, the "doubtful" call makes it pretty easy to assume Amendola won't play a large role in the Rams' offense against the San Francisco 49ers.

That's good news for Chris Givens, who put together a massive game last week as Sam Bradford's top target in Amendola's absence. Givens is a very different receiver from Amendola—until recently he was valuable almost entirely as a home run threat, a receiver-as-lottery-ticket—but he's taken a starter's share of the snaps lately and he's no less dependable than the not-so-dynamic Brandon Gibson.

It's bad news for the Rams. Amendola has emerged from his 2011 injuries and his 2010 mediocrity to add a genuine dynamism to his usual dependability, and the Rams' offense has—most of the time—struggled without it. If Amendola's foot injury keeps him limited for the rest of the season, Bradford and company's progress could be more than a little stunted.