1. The Rams were hammered again by the injury bug, as numerous players were forced to leave the game. We won’t get an official report from Spags until Monday, but initial reports are that Michael Hoomanawanui and Al Harris could miss the rest of the season with knee injuries. Rodger Saffold left with a possible concussion and didn’t return, Darian Stewart left a couple of different times and suffered a neck injury, and Cadillac WIlliams left with a quad injury. Again, stay tuned tomorrow for a full report from Spags.

2. Steven Jackson carried the offense again, as he finished with 128 yards on 27 rushes and 23 receiving yards as well. This was his third 100-yard game in a row, and he looked unstoppable for much of the day. He is really starting to peak right now after starting the season off with injury, so this offense needs to be better around him to take advantage.

3. Brandon Lloyd again led the team in receptions and receiving yards, and he also made it into the end zone for the only TD of the game for either team. His touchdown catch was very nice, but he made a one-handed catch on the sideline that was absolutely astounding. This guy is special, and if you haven’t seen the catch you should find a clip. More on next page…

As far as the rest of the injury report goes, it’s a little longer this week. First, let’s talk Sam Bradford. According to Spags, Bradford was a little sore after the game, but everything looks pretty good on that front. Danario Alexander is questionable for practice Wednesday, but it sounds like he is improving. Josh Hull is dealing with a hamstring, and Lance Kendricks is being called day-to-day with a foot sprain. The news on Kendricks is better than expected after he left the game on Sunday. Jerious Norwood has a hamstring issue, and Gary Gibson has a back thing. Darell Scott is hoping to get back this week, but Jason Smith is still doubtful. Darian Stewart has a minor ankle issue, and Brandon Gibson has a minor thigh contusion.

My mood is significantly improved today, so let’s look at the Rams loss to the Niners on Sunday. First, let’s see how my keys to the game shaped up.

Heisman Showdown – As I was watching the end of Sunday’s game, I finally realized what it is about Troy Smith that made me nervous. The guy is a winner. He did it in college, and he did it again on Sunday. He might not be the best passer or the greatest decision-maker, but when the game is on the line, he finds a way to get it done. On the Rams’ side, Sam Bradford was very good yet again. As has been the case for most of the season, Bradford looked the best in the no huddle two-minute drill, and I really wish the team would look into running more of that kind of offense. When they open it up a bit and put the ball in Sam’s hands, the offense moves.

Road Woes – Nothing really needs to be said here. For the second road game in a row, the Rams were in position to win a game and failed to do so. You can’t consider yourself a contender for anything if you give games away on the road. It’s as simple as that.

Bye-Bye – This category was actually heavily in favor of the Rams. The Niners had a week off to get everything on the same page, and they continuously shot themselves in the foot. There was little doubt that the Rams were the more prepared and disciplined team, but they didn’t take advantage of the Niners’ mistakes.

Big Targets – I said in my preview post that this was the key that scared me the most, and it was just as bad as I feared. Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis are both supremely talented, and they proved it on Sunday. Davis had several big plays negated by penalties, and Crabtree had a couple of huge catches, especially on the late fourth quarter drive. We don’t have playmakers in the receiving game like these two guys, and it was evident.

I feel like I need to discuss some positives from this game, and after I calmed down a bit, I realized it really wasn’t all bad. First, Steven Jackson just proved how good and how tough he is. The man has pins in his finger, and he still stepped up, made some big catches, and ran the ball extremely well. He is a gamer, and I hope Rams fans realize how lucky they are to have a guy like this. Also, the punting game was outstanding. Donnie Jones was on all day, and he and the coverage team didn’t allow a return all day. Finally, the Rams defense held the Niners to 0-for-11 on third down. That is awfully impressive, although the 3rd-and-22 and 4th-and-18 sequence that cost us the game should be factored into that as well.

My final thought is that the pass interference call on OJ Atogwe in overtime was complete B.S. There’s no way that ball was catchable, and it’s unfortunate when a call like that impacts the game.