National Football League

Davis, Cook say no hard feelings after dropped TD pass, sideline shove

Published Sep. 21, 2014 5:11 p.m. ET

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ST. LOUIS -- While the pain from Sunday's 34-31 loss to Dallas in a game they once led 21-0 may linger for a while, a pair of Rams wasted little time after the game trying to diffuse any signs of tension following a sideline dust-up caught on camera.

After tight end Jared Cook dropped a relatively easy touchdown pass on third down with St. Louis leading 21-20 in the fourth quarter, quarterback Austin Davis appeared to reach out his hand to offer some encouragement on the sideline. Instead, as the Rams settled for a 28-yard Greg Zuerlein field goal, Cook shoved his way past his quarterback, drawing a quick and somewhat hostile reaction from defensive ends William Hayes and Robert Quinn.

"I was just trying to calm down the situation," Hayes said. "It was nothing major. They were having a conversation and before it could get heated I just deadened the situation."

Dallas was already well on its way to erasing the three-touchdown deficit, and the flare-up undoubtedly resulted from the frustration building on the Rams' sideline. Cook said after the game he felt like the game slipped through his hands and later apologized to Davis for the drop. It didn't seem to bother Davis, who still found Cook for three more receptions on St. Louis' final touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter.

"I feel like I let this game slip through my hands and it's my fault," Cook said. "As a man, I'm stepping up to say that. ... We knew we had to keep (putting) points up to stay ahead of these guys. We knew what kind of team Dallas was."

But despite the emotions during the game, Davis spent the postgame making sure it was clear there was plenty of blame to go around.

"Obviously, (Cook) can't put this game on himself," Davis said. "You can go down the list.

"We all could have made plays that could have changed the outcome of the game," said Davis, who himself threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter, one returned 25 yards by Bruce Carter for a score and 34-24 Cowboys lead with less than six minutes to play. "Yeah, we're all frustrated and we're trying to keep it all together. That stuff happens all the time. We talked. We're fine."

The incident doesn't seem likely to cause any problems going forward for the Rams, and it likely would have faded away without much discussion if they'd managed to hold on for a win. Instead, Cook's momentary lapse in judgment may live on as another example of how things fell apart in St. Louis for a team so close to a win it desperately needed.

You can follow Luke Thompson on Twitter @FS_LukeT or email him at lukegthompson87@gmail.com.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report

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