Tre Mason galloped for 113 yards on 29 carriers, becoming the first player to breach the 100-yard plateau against the Denver Broncos' No. 1-rated run defense this season.
"That's how you have to beat this team," coach Jeff Fisher said after the St. Louis Rams upset Denver, 22-7, per ESPN.com.
Mason's performance effectively shut down the "hot-hand" talk that Fisher ran with for the majority of the season. The rookie is the most talented back in the Rams' stable and has improved in both the passing game and blocking.
It wasn't a sparking performance, however. While he broke out a 27-yard run, most of Mason's damage came in grinding chunks. He averaged just 3.9 yards per carry.
"That's just the way football is," Mason said. "Sometimes you have got to grind them out. It might not be a big play every play, but you've got to grind them out sometimes. That extra 1 or 2 (yards) means a lot when you're on the goal line, so if you're on the goal line, it can be the difference between a score and a first down."
The Rams used Mason to control the clock and a ferocious defense to control Peyton Manning. If St. Louis can get consistent offense from Mason and Co., the Rams will be a team no playoff contender wants to face down the stretch.
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