Rams Fantasy News

Monday, October 15, 2012, 12:20pm

Even with Ryan Tannehill throwing 29 passes, Brian Hartline got shut out.

The NFL's leading receiver in terms of yardage wasn't officially targeted a single time, though he did draw an 11-yard pass-interference call (on Bradley Fletcher) on one pass that sailed into his area during the third-quarter touchdown drive.

Another time in the second half Hartline was overthrown, but the Rams were whistled for a 15-yard penalty for (barely) striking Tannehill in the facemask.

"Listen, they had us out of rhythm," Philbin said when I asked what the Rams were doing to stop Hartline. "They mixed in their pressures well, they mixed in some bump coverage and some off coverage. We just never got in a position where we were real effective moving the football."

He did not specifically explain what was happening with Hartline, who seemed to struggle all day to create separation.

Thursday, October 11, 2012, 1:28pm

It's not like this is something new for the Rams — life without WR Danny Amendola. It's just that the team's passing game was depending on him more than ever when he suffered a separated SC joint midway through the second quarter last week against Arizona.

The SC joint is where the collarbone meets the breastbone, and as coach Jeff Fisher said, it could've been worse for Amendola.

"This is rare, and as unique as this injury is or was, it's probably better than a fracture of the collarbone because then you probably lose him for 8-10 weeks — or the year," Fisher said.

Even so, the Rams must get by without their leading receiver for a month or more.