Rams notch second straight shutout
LANDOVER, Md. - Greg Zuerlein missed an extra point, a 28-yard chip shot and a 38-yard attempt - all wide right - before sneaking one just inside the upright from 34.
So what do the St. Louis Rams do after their next touchdown? They run a fake and get two points, with the holder throwing to a tight end.
Add in a couple of touchdown catches by Jared Cook, a 78-yard punt return by Tavon Austin and a defense that had seven sacks and allowed 206 total yards, and the Rams beat Washington 24-0 on Sunday and have their first winning streak of the season - as well as back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1945.
The Rams took advantage of a plummeting franchise for the second straight week. They routed the Oakland Raiders 52-0 a week earlier and now stand at 6-7, a decent showing for a season that could have fallen apart after Sam Bradford's knee injury in August.
Shaun Hill completed 16 of 22 passes for 213 yards, with 35- and 1-yard touchdowns to Cook. Austin also had punt returns of 37 and 28 yards and 46 yards rushing - taking advantage multiple times of the ol' end-around - in addition to his third-quarter runback that put St. Louis ahead 24-0.
James Laurinaitis and Robert Quinn each had 1½ sacks for the Rams defense, which have 29 in their last six games.
The Rams haven't blanked two opponents in a row since the Cleveland Rams beat the Chicago Cardinals 21-0 and the Chicago Bears 17-0 in 1945.
Washington (3-10) dropped its fifth straight and clinched a fifth double-digit loss season in six years as it heads into another December of turmoil that will focus on the futures of coaches and quarterbacks. Colt McCoy made his second start since Robert Griffin III was benched, and he and the offense were booed in a half-empty stadium.
There were scattered chants of "R-G-3!" in the fourth quarter, and Griffin did end up getting into the game after McCoy suffered a neck injury while getting sacked for the sixth time just before the two-minute warning. Griffin finished the game and was sacked once in his brief appearance.
McCoy was 20 of 32 day for 199 yards and two interceptions. He's been sacked 12 times in two weeks.
Washington played without its principle downfield threat, DeSean Jackson, who sat out with a bruised left shin after not practicing all week. Alfred Morris rushed for a meager six yards on eight carries.
Among the Rams on the field were Michael Brockers, Janoris Jenkins, Alec Ogletree, Greg Robinson and Stedman Bailey - part of the three-year haul of players stemming from the blockbuster trade that allowed Washington to select Griffin No. 2 overall in the 2012 draft.
As for Zuerlein, he had never missed an extra point or a field-goal attempt of less than 30 yards in his three-year NFL career. He put hands to his helmet after one miss and simply shook his head after another. When he finally made one, holder Johnny Hekker made a double fist pump and gave a pat on the helmet to Zuerlein, who didn't show much reaction.
Hekker later found Cory Harkey on the 2-point fake, which made the score 17-0 late in the third quarter.