PLAYER NOTES

--QB Matthew Stafford had no problems after returning from a right knee injury Sunday, coach Jim Schwartz said. But the Lions will continue to monitor him for setbacks, and he will continue to need treatment.

--WR Calvin Johnson remains day to day with a right knee injury. He has missed the past two games.

--RB Kevin Smith left Sunday's game with a shoulder injury. Coach Jim Schwartz said Smith probably could have returned, but the Lions decided to stick with Maurice Morris because he was running well and Smith was limited.

--DE Jason Hunter might have a chance to return from an ankle injury Sunday at Seattle. He has missed two games.

--DT Sammie Hill returned Sunday against St. Louis after missing three games with an ankle injury.

REPORT CARD VS. RAMS

PASSING OFFENSE
F -- Coach Jim Schwartz said the Lions were "toothless" without wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who missed his second straight game with an injured right knee. The Lions dropped at least six passes in the first half, and no wide receiver caught a pass until the fourth quarter. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, returning from an injured right knee, was off-target several other times and finished 14-for-33 for 168 yards. His only scoring throw was a safety on an interception. A pass went off the hands of Aaron Brown and into the hands of safety James Butler, who came out of the end zone, went back in and was tackled.

RUSHING OFFENSE
C -- The Lions tried to establish the run. As a team, they had 33 carries for 127 yards. But there was a big difference between running backs. Kevin Smith and 45 yards on 16 carries. He left the game with a shoulder injury, and even though he could have returned, the coaches decided to stick with Maurice Morris, who gained 63 yards on 14 carries in his best game of the season. The Lions' only touchdown was a four-yard scramble by Stafford.

PASS DEFENSE
C -- Marc Bulger posted a 51.6 passer rating, by far the worst by an opposing quarterback this season. He went 17-for-35 for 176 yards with a bad interception, throwing the ball straight to defensive end Dewayne White, who tipped the ball into the air and corralled it. But this isn't the old Marc Bulger, the Rams don't have big-time receivers anymore and the Lions didn't muster a single sack.

RUSH DEFENSE
D -- The Lions couldn't stop Steven Jackson, especially with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter. After the Lions pinned the Rams on their 2, Jackson brought them out by bulling his way through the defense for an 11-yard gain. Later, Jackson scored the winning touchdown, a 25-yarder with 1:38 to go. It was the Rams' first rushing touchdown of the season. Jackson had 22 carries for 149 yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS
F -- The Lions didn't give up a touchdown pass to Bulger. But they gave up one to kicker Josh Brown. The Rams lined up for a 54-yard field-goal attempt late in the first quarter, when holder Donnie Jones flipped the ball to kicker Josh Brown, who tossed it to Daniel Fells, who outraced Cliff Avril for a 36-yard TD that gave the Rams a 10-2 halftime lead. The Lions looked caught off-guard completely. One bright spot was punter Nick Harris, who dropped three punts inside the 20.

COACHING
F -- The Lions were coming off a bye week. They were at home. They were playing a team that had lost 17 straight. And they lost. There were no brilliant adjustments. There was only the same sorry football the Lions have been producing for years now.

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