The trade deadline came and went today, and the Rams didn’t make any kind of move. I never expected the team to do anything, so I can’t say I’m disappointed. At this point, I’m not sure if trading for any kind of impact player and giving up draft picks is the right answer. The team stood pat, and I’m fine with that.

Moving on to business, the team released RB Chauncey Washington on Monday. I have to admit that I’m a little disappointed about this move. I loved the upside of the guy, and I really liked his attitude. I’m not exactly sure how or why this all went down, but I guess he wasn’t as impressive in practice as he was with the Jets on Hard Knocks. If he was the same guy I saw on that show and in the preseason, I think this is a mistake.

In more positive news, and because I’m contractually obligated to mention him at least once in every post now that he is officially on the active roster, Danario Alexander has been name a finalist for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week award after his four-catch, 72-yard and a touchdown performance against the Chargers. I would very much like to see him win this award, and I know most of you would as well, so Rams Nation needs to “Rock The Vote” and get him the award. Voting closes on Friday at 11 a.m., so make sure to take a few seconds out of your day(s) to cast your vote.  Here is the link … NFL Rookie of the Week Vote

For those of you who are regular readers, you know that I have been highly critical of certain players on this roster over the last few months. As it happens, two of the players I have been the most critical of just so happened to be the only two players who got in the end zone for the Rams on Sunday. While I’m not ready to take back everything I said about Kenneth Darby and Brandon Gibson, I will say that both players did a nice job against the Seahawks.

First, let’s take a look at Darby. My problem with him isn’t that he doesn’t bring anything to the team… It’s that he doesn’t give us what we need. The Rams are desperate for a backup running back who can handle the load if something happens to SJ39. Darby is not that guy. What Darby is, is a pretty solid third-down back who is good catching the ball out of the backfield and in pass protection. Bringing in another back won’t affect Darby, and more importantly it will allow him to focus on the role he is most productive in. He has proven over the last two weeks that he is a weapon when used in the correct manner, but I still think it’s important for the Rams to find another back. Chauncey Washington might be the answer, and I’m willing to go with the Darby/Toston combo along with Washington until we know for sure.

Now, on to Gibson. His drops against the Redskins were pretty terrible, and he had another awful drop on Sunday on a pass that hit him right between the numbers. With that being said, he also made several very impressive and athletic grabs, including the touchdown catch. I know the Rams are still high on him, and you could see why this weekend. He has the ability, and I really think he will develop into a nice offensive weapon. As he gets more experience, I think he will become a reliable receiver for Sam Bradford and the Rams.

Injury Update: The news is good on the injury front for once after this week’s game. OJ Atogwe and SJ39 are both fine after playing Sunday, and neither suffered any kind of setback. Kevin Dockery could miss a few weeks after another hamstring injury, and Gary Gibson is expected to get an MRI on his shoulder in the coming days. Punter Donnie Jones has a calf strain, and he will be taking it easy this week. He should be fine. Billy Bajema, Michael Hoomanawanui, and Chris Chamberlain are all expected to see some limited practice time this week, so that’s good as well.

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Quick Injury Update: SJ39 didn’t practice again today, and he is still being listed as day-to-day. I’m really starting to think that he won’t be able to go this Sunday, but we probably won’t know until just before game-time on Sunday morning. OJ Atogwe didn’t go today either, but I think we will probably know more about his status on Friday. Craig Dahl did go fully today, so the special teams and defense should get a boost. Clifton Ryan was out with migraines again, and it sounds like this issue isn’t improving. Laurent Robinson was out again, but like Atogwe, we should know more about him before Sunday.

Chauncey Watch: New running back Chauncey Washington is making progress, but it sounds like he will be limited offensively as he continues to learn the offense. He did some work with the 1′s today, but he said after practice he is still getting a grasp on the play-calling. I think he could be a big contributor down the road, but he might not be ready just yet. He might get tossed into action if SJ39 doesn’t go, so it with certainly be worth watching.