Los Angeles hands out a suspension and a pink slip as the fallout from the Rams' defeat to the Buffalo Bills gets messy.
The Los Angeles Rams are cleaning house after their loss to the Buffalo Bills, and two players have paid the price. Offensive lineman Alaric Jackson has been suspended for punching an opponent, and kicker Harrison Mevis has been released.
Jackson's suspension is the headline move. Throwing a punch in the heat of an NFL game is a serious breach, and the Rams have made clear they won't let it slide. Losing a starting-caliber blocker is a real cost for an offense that depends on protection up front, so the discipline carries on-field consequences as well as a message.
Mevis's departure is a different kind of blow. Kickers live and die by their consistency, and the club has decided to move on rather than stand by him. Special teams can swing tight games, so the Rams now have a roster spot and a job to fill at one of the most scrutinized positions in football.
Together, the two moves show a team reacting hard to a bad result. Expect the Rams to look for reinforcements on the offensive line and at kicker as they try to steady the ship and turn the page on a loss that is still costing them.
