Rams News

Moore takes fumbles hard
09/06 10:27 PM

By Elizabethe Holland
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

Of Jerald Moore's three unprecedented fumbles Sunday, the worst was the first.
And it was so demoralizing that Moore, hard as he tried, just couldn't shake it off.
Fumble No. 1 -- the first of five for the Rams in their 24-17 loss to the Saints -- came in the Rams' second possession of the game.
Saints defensive tackle La'Roi Glover stripped Moore of the ball. Once freed at St. Louis' 10-yard line, the ball was scooped up by New Orleans defensive end Joe Johnson, who zipped in for a touchdown.
``It was psychological from the first one,'' Moore, the Rams' starting running back, said after the game. ``I never recovered mentally from the first one and I kept thinking about it over and over again -- `Hold on to the ball, hold on to the ball' -- and I wasn't really concentrating on what I was doing, and when it rains it pours. I had a terrible game, a terrible first game.''
Fumble No. 2 came with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter. Moore charged with the ball toward the end zone, but then let it loose, causing a mad scramble before he could recover it for a touchdown that certainly didn't feel like one.
``It still was a fumble,'' he said.
Fumble No. 3 occurred at the New Orleans 2 during the Rams' first drive of the third quarter. That mishap did not result in a touchdown -- for either side -- and was recovered by one of Moore's teammates.
``I just ran into my own guy and the ball popped out,'' said Moore, who was sidelined after that drive. ``Some people say bad things come in threes, and I had my three bad things today.''
Never before had Moore fumbled three times in a game. And with that dismal of an outing, he is wondering what his status will be next Sunday when the Rams will be host to the Minnesota Vikings.
By game's end Sunday, Moore had carried 15 times for 31 yards, with his longest an 8-yard run. He also caught one ball for 6 yards.
Moore's plan is to review his game on film today, practice holding the ball tighter all week and to try not to beat himself up more than he has already.
``It's a matter of me getting it out of my mind and coming back and regrouping and getting ready for next week,'' Moore said.
``If I get a chance to play next week, hopefully I'll play better. If I don't, then I learn from that experience, and then when I get a chance to play again, hopefully I can get my dignity back.''
Despite Moore's grim performance, Moore's teammates were encouraging. Among them was Eddie Kennison, who suffered a slump last season.
``I'm in his corner because I know what he's going through and I'm his teammate and I love him. . . . He's going to get better, believe me,'' Kennison said.

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