With just 4 wins each, Lions, Rams had much higher hopes

ST. LOUIS -- New offensive coordinator or not, it's up to St. Louis Rams players to get the job done 12 games into the season.

They vow to answer the late, late wakeup call and finish strong.

"I don't think we have any quitters in this locker room," tight end Jared Cook said. "I think everybody's going to fight through to the end. I know I am."

The Detroit Lions changed coordinators after an 0-4 start. The game after installing Jim Bob Cooter, they got routed by the Chiefs in London.

"You go out there and play like you want to see yourself when you come watch the film," wide receiver Calvin Johnson said. "You never want to see yourself not giving full effort or backside jogging or loafing on plays, so just go about your business."

Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson stretches but is unable to catch the pass during last week's game against the Packers in Detroit. (Rick Osentoski ~ Associated Press)

Both teams entered the season full of promise. The Lions followed an 11-win season with an 0-5 start and the Rams have lost five in a row, falling flat after entering November with a winning record for the first time since 2006.

Rob Boras will be calling plays for the first time in a dozen years for St. Louis after replacing Frank Cignetti on Monday. There's no time for an overhaul, so he'll try to coax more from an attack that's 31st overall in the NFL and has shuffled quarterbacks a second time after Case Keenum cleared the concussion protocol.

The Rams trail the NFL in third-down efficiency at just 24.5 percent, fourth-worst since 1972 according to STATS. The Lions have held three of their last four opponents to 18 or fewer points.

Underachieving D

The Rams had a top-10 defensive unit at midseason, but they're falling fast -- dropping five spots to 18th this week. Season-ending injuries to standout end Robert Quinn and safety T.J. McDonald aren't the whole story.

"Not having Rob and T.J. is not going to lower our standards," middle linebacker James Laurinaitis said. "I don't think that changes the fact how poorly we've played against the run."

Air it out

The Lions are ranked ninth in passing and conditions are optimal for Matthew Stafford & Co. The St. Louis secondary is thin with safety Maurice Alexander getting his first career start and top cornerback Janoris Jenkins (concussion) a question.

"For us, the big thing is just to protect the ball," Johnson said. "If we keep the ball in our hands, we'll do some damage."

Fairley well

The Lions elected not to re-sign 2011 first-round pick Nick Fairley and the defensive tackle said there are no hard feelings, "none whatsoever." He hasn't started in St. Louis, but has been a solid member of the rotation.

Fairley said the biggest thing he would have changed about his four years in Detroit was playing with more consistency. He didn't come to St. Louis with a clean slate, either, saying: "It's always there with my career, it'll be there."

Gurley's slump

Todd Gurley has been stifled in recent weeks, totaling nine carries each of the last two weeks and averaging just 3.1 yards per carry and 42.7 yards per game the last month.

A priority for Boras, who had been an assistant head coach and tight ends coach, will be getting the rookie back in gear. St. Louis gambled on going young on the offensive line and the plan has backfired partly due to injuries, with too many rookies in the mix. The Lions have held four consecutive opponents to 70 or fewer yards, but coach Jim Caldwell cautions, "He's still as capable as anyone that you'll see."

Loss response

Besides the 45-10 defeat to Kansas City after Joe Lombardi was canned, the Lions had nothing in Week 5 after losing at Seattle when officials didn't correctly call the Seahawks for batting the ball out of the end zone. They got routed 42-17 at home against Arizona to fall to 0-5. The latest test of resiliency comes today.