Michael Sam notches first NFL sack in Rams' loss to Packers

Michael Sam had a solid effort in his first NFL game last week. But he admitted that nerves might have gotten the best of him.

The St. Louis Rams defensive end looked pretty stress-free on Saturday, though, in the Rams' second preseason game as he logged his first NFL sack against the Green Bay Packers.

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In the fourth quarter, Sam dipped his shoulder and got outside right tackle Derek Sherrod — a former first-round pick who could be the Packers' swing tackle this season — for a sack on Matt Flynn and a loss of 10 yards with Green Bay just on the outskirts of the red zone. It was a strong move and a nice burst of speed for a player whose pure pass-rushing talent has been questioned by some scouts.

Of course, the biggest narrative for Sam since February has been his sexuality. But now he's a man bent on making an NFL roster, and one with the Rams that's extremely deep on the defensive line. If he continues to put together games like the one he had today — notching two tackles, two quarterback hits and one sack — Sam will give himself a shooter's chance to make the team.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm