Dec 7, 2015 3 min read

The St. Louis Rams, next to last in offense in the NFL, have fired offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti.

Rob Boras, assistant head coach/offense and tight ends coach, will take over the coordinating duties.

St. Louis (4-8) has lost five in a row and had a season low for points in a 27-3 loss to the Arizona Cardinals Sunday. Before the skid, the franchise had a winning record in November for the first time since 2006.

Both the 45-year-old Boras and the 50-year-old Cignetti had been with Jeff Fisher since the head coach was hired in 2012.

Cignetti was quarterbacks coach for three seasons and was promoted to offensive coordinator in February after Brian Schottenheimer became offensive coordinator at Georgia.

“We thank Frank for his hard work and dedication over the past four years,” Fisher said in a release. “We wish him the best moving forward.”

The Rams are last in the NFL in passing and last in third-down conversions with a success rate of just 24.5 percent. They’ve been hard-hit by injuries on the offensive line after beginning the season with the youngest group in the league, with five rookies getting starts.

Cignetti’s brother Curt is the head football coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His father also coached there.

Manning to begin throwing regimine: Peyton Manning will suit up and throw outdoors this week as he begins his comeback from a torn plantar fascia in his left foot, although it’s unlikely he’ll participate in practice.

Brock Osweiler, who’s 3-0, will start when the Denver Broncos (10-2) host the Oakland Raiders (5-7) Sunday.

Manning didn’t make the trip to San Diego over the weekend but stayed behind to begin his rehab after removing his walking boot Friday.

Coach Gary Kubiak said Manning is “feeling better” and has done some light throwing indoors already but will begin throwing outside Wednesday and maybe start some light running if he can.

Manning said last week that doctors have told him there’s no telling when he’ll be able to play again.

Pettine won’t commit to Manziel yet: Browns coach Mike Pettine isn’t ready to make another switch at quarterback.

Pettine said Monday he hasn’t decided whether to stick with Austin Davis for this week’s game against San Francisco or go back to Johnny Manziel, who was recently benched two games for off-field issues.

Manziel spent his 23rd birthday on Sunday as the backup to Davis as the Browns were throttled 37-3 by the Bengals for their seventh straight loss.

After he threw for 372 yards against Pittsburgh last month, Manziel was elevated to starter for the final six games. But he spent part of the bye week partying after telling Pettine and others he wouldn’t be a distraction and was dropped to third string.

Manziel is 1-2 as a starter this season. Davis passed for 230 yards in his first start for Cleveland.

Ravens TE suspended 4 games: Baltimore Ravens rookie tight end Nick Boyle has been suspended for four games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances.

The suspension begins Monday, when the league announced it.

Boyle will miss the remainder of the regular season. He will be eligible to return to the Ravens’ active roster following the team’s Jan. 3 game against the Cincinnati Bengals..

Drafted in the fifth round out of Delaware, Boyle has 18 catches for 153 yards.