2011 St. Louis Rams season

The 2011 season was the St. Louis Rams' 74th in the National Football League (NFL), their 17th in St. Louis, and their third and final season under head coach Steve Spagnuolo. They finished with a 2–14 record – a failure to improve on their 7–9 record from 2010 – and the day after the season finale, head coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney were fired from the team.

2011 St. Louis Rams season
OwnerStan Kroenke
General managerBilly Devaney
Head coachSteve Spagnuolo
Home fieldEdward Jones Dome
Results
Record2–14
Division place4th NFC West
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlersnone
Team MVPSteven Jackson
Team ROYRobert Quinn

The Rams' offense was among the worst in the league in 2011. They scored only 193 points (12.1 points per game), last in the league, and 11th-fewest all-time for a 16-game season.[1] Their −214-point differential was last in the league.[2]

Football Outsiders ranked St. Louis the worst team in the league, per play, in 2011.[3] The 2012 Football Outsiders Almanac, however, noted that the Rams went from the league's easiest schedule in 2010 to the league's hardest schedule in 2011.[4]

With their 2–14 record, the Rams capped a stretch from 2007 to 2011 in which they went 15–65, setting a new mark for the worst five-season span in NFL history. This mark has since been matched by the Cleveland Browns of 2013 to 2017. To date, this is the last season with the Rams getting, at most, two victories. As of 2022, the 2011 Rams are the most recent team to score less than 200 points the entire season.

Offseason

Coaching changes

On January 18, the Rams hired former Denver Broncos' head coach Josh McDaniels as the team's new offensive coordinator, replacing Pat Shurmur, who became the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns five days earlier (January 13).[5][6]

Draft
Main article: 2011 NFL Draft
2011 St. Louis Rams draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 14 Robert Quinn  DE North Carolina
2 47 Lance Kendricks  TE Wisconsin
3 78 Austin Pettis  WR Boise State
4 112 Greg Salas  WR Hawaii
5 158 Jermale Hines  S Ohio State Pick from ATL[a]
7 216 Mikail Baker  CB Baylor
7 228 Jabara Williams  LB Stephen F. Austin Pick from BAL [b]
7 229 Jonathan Nelson  S Oklahoma Pick from ATL [a]
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career
^[a] The Rams traded its sixth-round selection (#145 overall) to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for the Falcons' sixth-round selection (#158 overall) and their seventh-round selection (#229 overall).
^[b] The Rams traded its sixth-round selection (#180 overall) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for the Ravens' seventh-round selection (#228 overall) and WR Mark Clayton.

Staff
St. Louis Rams 2011 staff
Front office
  • Owner/chairman – Stan Kroenke
  • Owner/vice chairman – Chip Rosenbloom
  • Owner/chair of community outreach – Lucia Rodriguez
  • general manager – Billy Devaney
  • Executive vice president of football operations/coo – Kevin Demoff
  • Vice president of player personnel – Mike Williams
  • Director of player personnel – Lawrence McCutcheon
  • Director of college scouting – John Mancini

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

   Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength – Rock Gullickson
  • Assistant strength – Adam Bailey

Coaching assistants

  • Lou Paolillo

Final roster
2011 St. Louis Rams final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
 53 active, 17 inactive, 8 practice squad

Preseason

Schedule

The Rams' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
HOF August 7 vs. Chicago Bears Cancelled due to the 2011 NFL Lockout[7]
1 August 13 Indianapolis Colts W 33–10 1–0 Edward Jones Dome Recap
2 August 20 Tennessee Titans W 17–16 2–0 Edward Jones Dome Recap
3 August 26 at Kansas City Chiefs W 14–10 3–0 Arrowhead Stadium Recap
4 September 1 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 24–17 4–0 EverBank Field Recap

Regular season

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 September 11 Philadelphia Eagles L 13–31 0–1 Edward Jones Dome Recap
2 September 19 at New York Giants L 16–28 0–2 MetLife Stadium Recap
3 September 25 Baltimore Ravens L 7–37 0–3 Edward Jones Dome Recap
4 October 2 Washington Redskins L 10–17 0–4 Edward Jones Dome Recap
5 Bye
6 October 16 at Green Bay Packers L 3–24 0–5 Lambeau Field Recap
7 October 23 at Dallas Cowboys L 7–34 0–6 Cowboys Stadium Recap
8 October 30 New Orleans Saints W 31–21 1–6 Edward Jones Dome Recap
9 November 6 at Arizona Cardinals L 13–19 (OT) 1–7 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap
10 November 13 at Cleveland Browns W 13–12 2–7 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap
11 November 20 Seattle Seahawks L 7–24 2–8 Edward Jones Dome Recap
12 November 27 Arizona Cardinals L 20–23 2–9 Edward Jones Dome Recap
13 December 4 at San Francisco 49ers L 0–26 2–10 Candlestick Park Recap
14 December 12 at Seattle Seahawks L 13–30 2–11 CenturyLink Field Recap
15 December 18 Cincinnati Bengals L 13–20 2–12 Edward Jones Dome Recap
16 December 24 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 0–27 2–13 Heinz Field Recap
17 January 1 San Francisco 49ers L 27–34 2–14 Edward Jones Dome Recap

Week 1: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week One: Philadelphia Eagles at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 14 3 7731
Rams 7 3 3013

at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

Game information

With the loss, the Rams started the season 0–1.

Week 2: at New York Giants
Week Two: St. Louis Rams at New York Giants – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 6 0 10016
Giants 7 14 7028

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

With the loss, the Rams fell to 0–2.

Week 3: vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week Three: Baltimore Ravens at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Ravens 21 6 3737
Rams 0 0 707

at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

Game information

With the loss, the Rams fell to 0–3.

Week 4: vs. Washington Redskins
Week Four: Washington Redskins at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Redskins 7 7 3017
Rams 0 0 01010

at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

  • Date: October 2
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CDT
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 56,113
  • Referee: Walt Coleman
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers & Tim Ryan
Game information

With the loss, the Rams went into their bye week at 0–4.

Week 6: at Green Bay Packers
Week Six: St. Louis Rams at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 3 003
Packers 3 21 0024

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: October 16
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CDT
  • Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C) (Partly Cloudy)
  • Game attendance: 70,604
  • Referee: Ed Hochuli
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers and Tim Ryan
Game information

Coming off of their bye week in week 5, the Rams traveled to Lambeau Field to take on the undefeated Packers. The loss dropped the team to 0–5.

Week 7: at Dallas Cowboys
Week Seven: St. Louis Rams at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 7 007
Cowboys 7 10 31434

at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: October 23
  • Game time: 3:15 pm. CDT
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 80,086
  • Referee: Alberto Riveron
  • TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton and John Lynch
Game information

With the loss, the Rams dropped to 0–6.

Week 8: vs. New Orleans Saints
Week Eight: New Orleans Saints at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 0 0 71421
Rams 0 17 7731

at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

  • Date: October 30
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CDT
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 57,179
  • Referee: Walt Anderson
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers and Tim Ryan
Game information

This home game for the team also had a celebration of the St. Louis Cardinals showing off the World Series trophy. The Rams would then go on to win this game and improve to 1–6.

Week 9: at Arizona Cardinals
Week Nine: St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Rams 3 6 40013
Cardinals 3 0 37619

at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

  • Date: November 6
  • Game time: 3:15 pm. CST/2:15 p.m. MST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 60,628
  • Referee: Ron Winter
  • TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen and Chad Pennington
Game information

The game featured the Rams' scoring the four points in the third quarter as they got two safeties on consecutive drives. This was first time in NFL history that a team had recorded four points in a quarter.

With the loss, the Rams fell to 1–7 and last place in the NFC West.[8]

Week 10: at Cleveland Browns
Week Ten: St. Louis Rams at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 10 0313
Browns 3 6 3012

at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: November 13
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST/12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C) (Dry / Windy Gusting to Gale Force)
  • Game attendance: 64,900
  • Referee: Clete Blakeman
  • TV announcers (Fox): Ron Pitts, Jim Mora, Jr. and Drea Avent
Game information

With the close win, the Rams improved to 2–7.

Week 11: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week Eleven: Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 0 10 7724
Rams 7 0 007

at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

  • Date: November 20
  • Game time: 3:05 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 56,400
  • Referee: Carl Cheffers
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Tim Ryan and Jaime Maggio
Game information

With the loss, the Rams dropped to 2–8.

Week 12: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week Twelve: Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cardinals 3 0 17323
Rams 7 3 01020

at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

Game information

With the loss, the Rams dropped to 2–9 securing them their 5th straight losing season.

Week 13: at San Francisco 49ers
Week Thirteen: St. Louis Rams at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 0 000
49ers 3 6 10726

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

  • Date: December 4
  • Game time: 3:15 pm. CST/1:15 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C) (Sunny)
  • Game attendance: 69,732
  • Referee: Pete Morelli
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers and Tim Ryan
Game information

With the loss, the Rams fell to 2–10.

Week 14: at Seattle Seahawks
Week Fourteen: St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 3 3713
Seahawks 10 0 101030

at CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington

  • Date: December 12
  • Game time: 7:30 pm. CST/5:30 pm. PST
  • Game weather: 40 °F (4 °C) (Clear)
  • Game attendance: 66,577
  • Referee: Bill Leavy
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden and Rachel Nichols
Game information

With the loss, the Rams fell to 2–11 and were swept by the Seahawks for the first time since 2009.

Week 15: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week Fifteen: Cincinnati Bengals at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Bengals 3 0 10720
Rams 0 6 0713

at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

  • Date: December 18
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 56,431
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
Game information

With the loss, the Rams fell to 2–12.

Week 16: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Sixteen: St. Louis Rams at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 0 000
Steelers 3 7 31427

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: December 24
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST/12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: 36 °F (2 °C) (Cloudy)
  • Game attendance: 60,081
  • Referee: Clete Blakeman
  • TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton & John Lynch
Game information

This game became the Steelers' 2nd shutout win of the season as the Rams dropped to 2–13.

Week 17: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week Seventeen: San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
49ers 7 13 7734
Rams 7 0 31727

at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

  • Date: January 1
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 55,990
  • Referee: Jeff Triplette
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Tim Ryan, & Jaime Maggio
Game information

With the loss, the Rams finished the season at 2–14 tied with the Colts for the league's worst record.

Standings
NFC West
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(2) San Francisco 49ers 13 3 0 .813 5–1 10–2 380 229 W3
Arizona Cardinals 8 8 0 .500 4–2 7–5 312 348 W1
Seattle Seahawks 7 9 0 .438 3–3 6–6 321 315 L2
St. Louis Rams 2 14 0 .125 0–6 1–11 193 407 L7

Notes and references
  1. Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1978 to 2012, in the regular season, sorted by ascending Points For.
  2. Pro-Football-Reference: In a single season, in 2011, in the regular season, sorted by ascending Points Differential
  3. Football Outsiders: Final 2011 DVOA Ratings
  4. Football Outsiders Almanac 2012 (ISBN 978-1-4782-0152-6), p.216-217: "In 2011, St. Louis became the first person in [Football Outsiders' history] (1991–2011) to go from the easiest schedule one season to the hardest schedule the next."
  5. "Shurmur Named Head Coach of Cleveland Browns". therams.com. January 13, 2011. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2011.
  6. "Rams Name McDaniels Offensive Coordinator". therams.com. January 18, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  7. "NFL cancels Bears-Rams Hall of Fame Game". Chicago Bears. July 21, 2011. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  8. King, Peter (November 7, 2011). "Super deja vu for Manning, Giants in clutch win over Patriots". Sports Illustrated. Monday Morning QB. p. 3. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
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