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ST. LOUIS RAMS
September 17, 1998
The St. Louis Rams' player rebellion is over.
Rams coach Dick Vermeil averted a revolt by cutting back on the length of his team's practices.
Practices have been shortened by 45 minutes and players have been given an extra hour before they have to report to the team's practice facility each morning.
Vermeil changed the team's daily schedule in response to player complaints that practices and meetings were too long.
The Rams held two players-only meetings in the last week to discuss how to approach Vermeil with their complaints.
"It wasn't that the players were complaining that we were being worked too hard," linebacker Michael Jones said. "We just thought we were on the field too long."
Last week, the Rams practiced almost three hours in full pads on Thursday and then had a 2 1/2-hour walk-through on Friday.
Vermeil hasn't cut back on the team's workload. He squeezed the extra time out of the team's daily regimen by cutting back on the players' lunch break and holding drills concurrently in practice.
The players seemed happy with Vermeil's compromise plan.
"We're not going to have as much standing around," quarterback Tony Banks said. "When we stand around a lot, my back gets a little tighter and my arm gets a little tighter."
Defensive tackle D'Marco Farr, who also serves as the Rams' NFL Players Association representative, said Vermeil showed he was sensitive to the players' concerns. Vermeil was criticized for running a dictatorship when he was head coach with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976-82.
"I think the younger Vermeil wasn't flexible, but the older coach is a little more receptive to hearing what we say," Farr said. "I don't want to play for somebody under fear. I want to play for somebody because I respect them. I respect him for listening to what we had to say."
Vermeil is hoping the shorter practices will lead to a fresher, more productive team in the first quarter of games.
The Rams (0-2) fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter against both New Orleans and Minnesota. They have been outgained, 188-70, in the first quarter.
The Rams will be trying to get off to a better start this week against the Buffalo Bills (0-2), a team whose defense ranks second in the NFL.
The Bills aren't exactly offensive juggernauts, either. Their offense ranks 27th in the NFL and they have allowed an NFL-high 13 sacks.
SERIES HISTORY: 8th meeting. The Bills hold a 4-3 edge in the series, having won the last three contests. The two teams last met on Dec. 10, 1995, with the Bills winning 45-27 at the Trans World Dome. Bills QB Jim Kelly threw four touchdown passes and RBs Thurman Thomas and Darick Holmes combined to rush for 219 yards. Rams QB Mark Rypien threw for 372 yards on a Rams-record 55 pass attempts.
Vermeil wants to shoo the boo birds away from QB Tony Banks.
Banks was badly booed by the home crowd in the Rams' loss to the Vikings last Sunday.
"Home turf should be sacred ground," Vermeil said. "It should be where they motivate you to do the best. Poor Tony is in an atmosphere where -- since he started as a rookie and they saw him do so many rookie things -- as soon as he does something wrong, they get all over him."
To most fans, the jeering was justified. Banks threw four interceptions, leading to 17 points for the Vikings.
"It would be great if they could understand that he was still our quarterback and they could help," Vermeil said. "You take John Elway, you take Steve Young and those guys, they've all thrown four interceptions in a game."
The fans also turned on Vermeil, who was booed when he appeared in a public service announcement on the scoreboard.
"I didn't notice that,'' Vermeil said. "It wouldn't bother me. I don't even care.''
--The Rams have lost six straight games to AFC teams.
--The Rams' punt return unit has produced four 20-plus-yard returns in the last seven games, including Eddie Kennison 71-yard return for a touchdown last week.
--LB Lorenzo Styles, who has been starting in place of injured outside LB Roman Phifer, leads the Rams with 16 tackles. Styles is actually a MLB playing out of position.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Rams have lost seven in a row at home, but won three in a row on the road.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I talked to (Green Bay coach) Mike Holmgren yesterday and he said, 'My guys are complaining because they have turkey sandwiches on the plane ride coming home.' It's human nature to complain." -- Rams coach Dick Vermeil, on players griping about the team's long practices and meetings.
Coach Dick Vermeil will continue to call most of the team's offensive plays. He defers to offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome whenever the team goes to its two-minute offense.
Vermeil said rookie RB Robert Holcombe probably won't dress Sunday for the third straight game because he doesn't want to suit up more than four running backs. If Holcombe could play backup H-back/fullback like Jerald Moore, the coaching staff might not put him on the inactive list.
GAME PLAN: The Rams believe they can harass Bills QB Rob Johnson since both San Diego and Miami did. The Rams' defensive front four has four sacks, including two by DT D'Marco Farr, this season. The Rams want to spread the ball around a little more on offense since they expect the Bills to double-team WR Isaac Bruce. Rams QB Tony Banks can't force the ball to his receivers. If he has another four-interception game, the Rams certainly will lose.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Rams LT Orlando Pace vs. Bills DE Bruce Smith. Pace is developing into a force, but Smith has been a force for 14 seasons. Pace has been watching a lot of film on Smith, trying to get prepared for his wide assortment of pass-rushing moves. Pace lost 20 pounds over the winter so he'd be able to keep up with the Bruce Smiths of the NFL. This will be a good test to see how far along Pace is in his development. "I would like to believe that Orlando Pace can hold his own against anybody," Vermeil said.
Rams WR Isaac Bruce vs. Bills CBs Ken Irvin and Thomas Smith. Bruce and Irvin were teammates for three seasons at the University of Memphis. Thomas could be assigned to Bruce because Irvin has been picked on a little more successfully this season. Bruce, who has an NFL-leading 21 catches and a league-leading 323 yards, has been in a zone of his own so far this season. Look for the Bills to give Irvin or Smith plenty of help guarding Bruce.
INJURY IMPACT:
LB Roman Phifer is questionable due to a hamstring injury. A decision on whether he will play or not probably won't be made until Sunday.
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