St. Louis Rams late week injury updates; Quinn questionable vs 49ers

The St. Louis Rams could be without a few notable players this Sunday when they host the San Francisco 49ers. Defensive ends Robert Quinn (knee) and William Hayes (thigh), safety T.J. McDonald (shoulder) and running back Tre Mason (ankle) are all listed as questionable heading into Sunday’s matchup.

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Mason looks to be a 50/50 game-time decision an will likely be evaluated in pre-game warmups. Quinn, Hayes and McDonald were all full participants in practice for the latter half of the week which would leave one to believe that they have a good chance of playing against San Francisco.

Sep 20, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long (91) stands on the field during warm ups prior to the Rams

Defensive end Chris Long has already been ruled out with a knee injury, the same one he suffered during the Green Bay game. Long is expected to miss another couple of weeks. His slot will be filled by Hayes, as long as he is ready to go. Otherwise, it could be a pass rush by committee.

Defensive tackle Nick Fairley (illness), tight end Lance Kendricks (thumb) and linebacker James Laurinaitis (elbow) were all listed as probable for Sunday.

The Rams continue to struggle with injuries after the bye week. However, the losses up front haven’t seemed to slow the pass rush as the team has accumulated 23 sacks on the year, with 10 of those coming in the last three games. Once the line brings back key players like Long, they will be even more dangerous.

Mason, still fighting off an ankle injury, has struggled all season long. Looked upon as a very suitable bridge player to help the introduction of rookie running back Todd Gurley. However, Mason’s slow start and Gurley’s explosive start have lead to quite the opposite. Mason has 20 carries on the season for 49-yards.

Even with all the injuries, the Rams are still favored at home against the niners. With a susceptible offensive line, even a mediocre defense can feast on San Francisco and quarterback Colin Kaepernick.