- Rams cornerback Ron Bartell made a play that every football coach at any level references at least once a season.  On what looked like a sure touchdown run for stud Falcons running back Michael Turner, Bartell did not give up on the play and managed to track down the back at the two yard line, strip the ball, and recover the fumble!  While the validity of the fumble call was questionable, the amount of effort and desire that Bartell exhibited can never be doubted.  Bartell has proven himself to be a valuable piece of this franchise and hopefully the Rams are able to hold on to him for a long time.

- Oft criticized running back Steven Jackson played a game that reminds us all what a thrilling player he has the ability to be.  His stat line for the day was pretty impressive: 30 rushes for 161 yards and two touchdowns, not to mention four receptions for 54 yards.  However, Jackson's most stellar moment came in the fourth quarter as he caught a flare pass out of the backfield with one hand and proceeded to jump-hurdle himself over a defender who was nearly standing upright!  Fans and writers alike often forget the mindblowing athleticism of a player like Steven Jackson, but for a man who stands 6'2" tall and weighs 235 pounds to in essence, toss himself over another grown man as said man attempts to tackle him is truly amazing.  Jackson just played Sunday's game with a sense of urgency largely unseen this season.

- Sunday's contest might have been the last time Rams fans see interim coach Jim Haslett on the sidelines, but apparently most of the Rams themselves do not wish this to be the case.  Several players stated openly that they were playing for Haslett's job.  An anonymous player on the team even divulged the fact that many of the players on the team signed a petition to give to the front office in order that Haslett might be retained as coach.  Such fantastic outpourings of affection for ones coach are few and far between in the NFL and while the team still did not win this final game, I could argue that it was their best this season (they beat the Cowboys soundly, but Dallas appeared lethargic and unprepared for their game against the Rams while the Falcons were playing for a higher playoff seeding and were focused throughout, yet the Rams only lost by four.)

The season is finished.  2-14 record; worst ever in franchise history (since a 16 game schedule was introduced).  Ten game losing streak to close the season; opponents scored slightly more than twice as many points as the Rams did this season, 465 against, 232 for.  Both of these tallies rank only in front of the winless Detroit Lions and have secured the Rams the 2^nd pick in the NFL draft this coming spring.  Those are the facts.  This year is over and the Rams would be best to put it behind them as soon as possible (other than to use it as motivation to prepare for the 2009 season) so as to avoid a hangover into next season.

The Rams have a new GM in Billy Devaney who clearly has some crucial decisions to make in the coming weeks, namely who the head coach of this team will be.  Haslett looks to be the favorite amongst players, even though he presided over the ten game losing streak.  But he was certainly a motivating factor in the wins over the Redskins and Cowboys and he also seemed to provide a spark in the close losses to the Patriots and this past week against the Falcons.  If Haslett does get the job, one can only hope that his motivational abilities will translate into victories, not just great hustle plays and a couple big performances.  If Haslett is not the answer, there are several very appealing choices lingering.  The freshly fired Mike Shanahan and Eric Mangini are appealing options as is the head coach-turned announcer who seems to be interested in coaching again, Bill Cowher.  The allure of hiring draft-free agent-team-turn-around-football-guru Bill Parcells must also be high seeing as the Rams player personnel selections have been poor at best in the past five to seven years, which is a huge part of the reason why this franchise has won five games in the past two seasons.

No matter what direction Devaney chooses to go in, this will certainly be an interesting off season; and I for one, cannot wait.

The struggles of this team have been excruciatingly well documented, but in case you missed anything, here's a quick rundown of the season thusfar.  The Rams lose their first four of the season, all in blowout fashion; getting outscored 147-43.  The team takes its bye week and promptly fires head coach Scott Linehan; hard-ass-Jim-Haslett takes the reins and leads the team to victories over the Redskins and Cowboys, even getting into a shoving match with a Redskins defensive back.  Since then, the Rams have slid into an oblivion that is unfathomable for pretty much any NFL franchise, excluding the Detroit Lions, nine losses in a row.  None of these losses hurt as much as the last game, a 16-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.  The Rams were winning this game at home, and managed to belch and stumble their way to giving the visitors 14 point in less than three minutes.  And did I mention that those three minutes were in the last four minutes of the game? Yeah.  Just when the Rams had St. Louis excited about the prospect of a 4-12 season, we now sit at 2-13 with the playoff-contending Atlanta Falcons welcoming the team to the Georgia Dome on Sunday.

Prick up your ears weary St. Louisans, there is hope.  For starters, this is the NFL; and proving the old adage true, evidenced by the two Rams wins this season (one of which was something of a blowout over the World-Beater Dallas Cowboys), on any given Sunday, any team can win.  Although a win would not mean too much in a practical sense, it would certainly be a nice way to end the season, not to mention avoiding the worst record in franchise history since the inception of a 16 game season.  Secondly, while this bit of news will not affect the action on the field this weekend, it certainly will for years to come; both the President and President of Football Operations for the St. Louis Rams resigned earlier this week.  The two men, John Shaw and Jay Zygmut, that have been most roundly critiqued for poor personnel decisions that led this team to the gutter that it is trying to crawl out of are gone.  I'm not sure if the significance of the potential that starting over with the front office positions will fully be appreciated for several years, but this was certainly a step that needed to be taken.

Back to the focus on the final game of this miserable 2008 season; the Rams DO have some things to play for.

They could knock the Falcons out the playoff hunt.  Rather mean spirited as a team goal, but if THAT gets our players motivated, then so be it.

Something I have been calling on these Rams to tap into all season long, some sense of pride.  Does anyone on this roster really care that this team is such an embarrassment?  Receiver Donnie Avery played with bucketloads of heart this past week's game and many members of the defense like OJ Atogwe and Ron Bartell have quietly been some of the greatest contributors to this team, but because the entire squad has played so poorly these standouts have not gotten the credit they deserve.  Can some of the veterans on this team step up and lay it all on the line?  Torry Holt, you were one of the greatest wideouts in this league just a couple seasons ago, that will and fire can't be gone, tap into it.  Orlando Pace, you were one of, if not the greatest left tackle of this generation, dig deep into your mammoth core and summon up a great game, protect your quarterback as if your life depended upon his safety.  Marc Bulger, you have shown the ability to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league!  I know you have been knocked around and your weapons aren't as great as they use to be, but that's only a third of the quarterback position, the other two thirds is all mental.  Will your team to a victory, lead them again.  Steven Jackson.  Trust me, I understand that a running back is often only as good as his offensive line and clearly yours has been in decline for years, but at the same time, you don't punish defenders the way that you could; maybe you are still suffering effects from your recent string of injuries, but a running back should be one of the toughest players on a team and a mountain of man like yourself should relish the opportunity to smash defenders.  Jim Haslett, your fire, and there really is no better term to describe your passion for the game, inspired this team and ostensibly rubbed off on your players... for two or three weeks.  Bring that back!  Don't worry about your job now, you can't control that situation, all you can focus on is getting your players prepared to play and win their final game of the 2008 season.

The Saint Louis Rams have just one more chance to show this city and the rest of the league who they are. Let's hope they can take it.

Thank you St. Louis Rams fans!

Because today's game was blacked out in Saint Louis my buddy Ben and I decided to head downtown in an attempt to buy scalped tickets outside of the Edward Jones Dome.  As we walked several blocks in the frigid afternoon air, probably about seven to eight degrees around noon, we feared that the bitter cold would keep the sellers at home to just cut their losses, but surely enough, we made eye contact with a man holding up two tickets from across the street.  We managed to get $88 tickets for just 30 bucks each, so the afternoon got off to a great start.  So I am writing this from our seats inside the climate controlled dome in section 110.  Ben is reminding me to mention the particularly leggy woman wearing a remarkably short skirt we saw as we walked to the dome from his car.  There it was.

We are about ten minutes before kickoff and the best two Rams trot out onto the field;   Kicker Josh Brown and punter Donnie Avery.  They look even less physically impressive in person, but they have certainly been the most consistent and competent Rams all season.  That's how bad the Rams are and have been, then again, special teams is a third of the game, right?

The Rams win the toss and elect to receive the kickoff the start the game.  My prediction, Rams 35- 49ers 21; and Ben's, "20-17 Rams, a thriller.  In Overtime."

-14:53 1^st Quarter: On the first play after the kickoff Rams quarterback Marc Bulger gets walloped as he releases the pass and is nearly picked off.  A collective, "here we go again" vibe slathers the crowd.

-13:40 1^st Quarter: Rams dodge a bullet after a Bulger interception is negated by an offsides penalty on the 49ers prior the snap.

- Rams running back Steven Jackson is receiving a steady dosage of carries early on, which is theoretically a good thing since he is meant to be one of, it not our best players.  But I just noticed something.  When Jackson is introduced before home games, he is the last one out of the tunnel and he waits for everyone else to fully matriculate through the high-five line because he bolts through his teammates like a bat out of hell!  Should I be concerned that our star running back demonstrates the greatest explosiveness after he is introduced, not, I don't know, when he's actually running plays for this team on the field?  Just saying...

-10:07 1^st Quarter: Rams fizzle. Donnie Jones punts.

-9:58 1^st Quarter: 49ers begin their first drive; as former Ram great Issac Bruce is acknowledged over the PA, he receives the loudest cheers of the day.

-8:36 1^st Quarter: Rams defense shuts down the 49ers offense and nearly pick off a pass, forcing a punt.

- 6:30 1^st Quarter: Much to the delight of Rams fans, Jim Haslett elects to attempt a conversion on 4^th and 1 from the San Fran 45.  They get it on a rush from Jackson.

-5:28 1^st Quarter: Rams backup running back Kenneth Darby gets embarrassed as he catches a pass out of the backfield and collides with the referee in the middle of the field.  Both men try to soften the blow, but somehow Darby ends up being the one laid flat on his back.  Pretty hilarious, and Darby will undoubtedly hear about that one for weeks to come.  On the following play Darby again catches a short pass, but this time uber-linebacker Patrick Willis knocks the running back off his feet as he wraps up a perfect tackle.  Bulger attempts a pass into double coverage on the following play, which was another 4^th down the team attempted to convert.  The ball fluttered harmlessly to the turf, 49ers ball on their own 37 with 4:21 to play in the quarter.

-2:43 1^st Quarter: As the 49ers drive, Issac Bruce catches a ten yard in route and breaks it to the outside to take his team to the Rams 30.  The existence of fan support for Bruce is not surprising as he was one of the most humble and well liked (not to mention successful) athletes in recent St. Louis history, but the sheer volume is astounding, there is no difference between when he played for the Rams.

-2:05 1^st Quarter: Rams defense bends, but does not break as the 49ers are forced to settle for a 48 yard field goal to put the visitors up 3-0.

- The 2^nd quarter begins on the Rams 49 with Bulger completing a 15 yard pass to Torry Holt.  This is immediately followed by a food break.  I get the nachos supreme, Ben orders a hot dog for $7.75.  But this was no ordinary frankfurter; he purchased a half pound Farmland "Big Dog."  Disgusting.  In our absence Josh Brown kicked a 43 yard field goal to even the score at three apiece.  Back to the action!

-6:19 2^nd Quarter: The 49ers have the ball and are driving, but the Rams defense makes its presence felt and sacks Shaun Hill who fumbles!  San Fran recovers and they are forced to punt to Dane Looker who lets the ball sail over his head into the end zone.

-4:02 2^nd Quarter: Rams ride Steven Jackson to two first downs to take them to their own 36 yardline.

- Approaching the two minute warning the Rams break out their own version of the "Wildcat" offensive package, I'm going to call it "Ramwild" from here on out.  This first appearance of Ramwild nets Saint Louis a 12 yard gain on a Jackson carry.

- Two minute warning prompts just one rhetorical question.  Just how thin is the line between NFL cheerleader and pole dancer?

-1:12 2^nd Quarter: 30 yard pass from Marc Bulger to Keenan Burton who broke open on a post route.  With the extra point, the Rams go up 10-3.

-:37 2^nd Quarter: Once the 49ers get the ball back, cornerback Roland Bartell makes a leaping, tumbling interception and in the process pumps a little more life into the ailing crowd at the dome.

-:19 2^nd Quarter: Rams advance down the field with the aid of completed passes to Darby who gets the team down to the 49ers 23 yardline.

-:10 2^nd Quarter: In a somewhat inexplicable move, the Rams elect to kick a field goal instead of taking one more shot at the endzone before halftime.  Of course the kick is good, and the Rams extend their lead to 13-3.

2^nd half begins with a kickoff returned by the 49ers to their own 24.

-13:30 3^rd Quarter: 3^rd and 3 pass by 49ers QB Shaun Hill nearly picks off by Rams linebacker Will Witherspoon; ensuing punt is downed by the 49ers deep in Rams territory at the seven.

-12:42 3^rd Quarter: The atmosphere in the Ed Jones Dome is downright depressing.  The Rams are actually winning the game, but it is quiet enough to hear the rustling of the cheerleader's pom-poms!  Everyone seems to be waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the Rams to somehow mess this up.

-11:46 3^rd Quarter: Tinoisamoa sacks Shaun Hill to back the 49ers up to 3^rd and 17 on their own 30.  Leonard Little follows this up with a sack of his own for an eight yard loss.

-10:28 3^rd Quarter: Following a 49ers punt, St. Louis is back in the Ramwild formation.  Jackson takes the shotgun snap and tosses it to a streaking Dane Looker who loops around behind the running back and desperately looks for someone to throw the pass to.  All the receivers are covered except for Marc Bulger, but Looker clearly wants to pass it to someone else, haha, hilarious!  Looker resigns himself to throwing to Bulger who catches the pass for a four yard gain and then stepped out of bounds.  The next play was a huge delayed screen pass to Jackson that would have gone for 20 or 30 yards, but it was called back because of a penalty on Richie "Babyface" Incognito.  The Rams have employed two of the craziest offensive linemen in recent NFL history in Kyle Turley and Incognito; awesome.

-5:45 3^rd Quarter: 49ers have the ball on their own 40 facing a 4^th and 2.  Shaun Hill drops back to pass, he is immediately under duress from several Rams.  I will let the shrill yellings of the woman behind me tell the rest of the story on this play, "Get him! Get him! Hit him! Shit."  1^st down 49ers on a little scramble by Hill.  Just a couple plays later Bartell bails the Rams out with his second pick of the day giving the offense the ball at their own 36 with 4:41 to play in the 3^rd quarter.

-2:22 3^rd Quarter:  More Ramwild, a six yard rush for Jackson.  Maybe the Rams should have gotten crafty earlier in the season?  It's not like we had anything to lose...outside of eight straight games.

-3^rd Quarter ends with the Rams still driving and they have the ball on the 49ers 16 yard-line facing a 2^nd and 10 still winning 13-3.

-11:36 4^th Quarter: Josh Brown kicks a 22 yard field goal after the Rams O shuts down and fails to produce a touchdown.  Rams lead 16-3, with less than a quarter to play the EJ Dome is starting to feel a little confident.

-9:15 4^th Quarter: Rams have possession and are milking the clock by pounding the ball with Steven Jackson, first down at the 50; but the Rams ultimately punt on this drive.

-4:26 4^th Quarter: With time running out on the 49ers and the Rams defense playing well the atmosphere begins to intensify.  Saint Louis forces San Fran into a 3^rd and 10 situation, but the 49ers are able to convert and quell the surge of the home town crowd.

-4:14 4^th Quarter: 49ers move to the Rams 10 and stare down a 3^rd and 6.  San Fran converts and moves to the three yardline where Shaun Hill finds Issac Bruce in the endzone and with the extra point; the score, 16-10 St. Louis.  The Bruce touchdown is the 1000^th catch of his career!  This puts Bruce in a rarefied air that I think St. Louis fans would have respected regardless of the player, but because it is the beloved Issac Bruce, the cheering and applause is deafening.  Good for him! 

But, the Rams still need to win this game.

-4:03 4^th Quarter: 49ers line up as if to try an onside kick, but boot it deep instead.  This looks good for the Rams, all we have to do is run out the clock, or at least run off enough time that the 49ers cannot drive the field and score.

-2:27 4^th Quarter: Rams punt.  49ers start the drive on their own 33.  Tinoisamoa gets a HUGE sack on Shaun Hill for a seven yard loss that takes the clock down to the two minute warning.

-2:00 4^th Quarter: 13 yard pass completed to Bruce, still many cheers, but now the EJ Dome is sensing this game slipping away.  It was alright to cheer for a player on the 49ers when it wasn't jeopardizing the Rams victory, what will be just the third of the season, snapping an eight game losing streak; but now that Bruce is helping drive his team down the field, there is internal conflict amongst Rams fans.

-1:22 4^th Quarter:  48 yard Hail Mary of a bomb that is snatched out of the air by 49ers receiver Josh Morgan ties the game at 16.  The extra point gives the 49ers a 17-16 lead.  The EJ Dome is blanketed with silence, but there is still a degree of hope.  Even though the Rams offense has proven to be impotent at best this season, thoughts of the "Greatest Show on Turf" cannot be shaken from the collective memories of St. Louisans.  So we believe that our terrible offense can drive the ball down the field and engineer a game winning drive.  To the extent that I talk trash to the annoying 49ers fans in front of us telling them, "you guys left too much time on the clock! We are going to drive it right down and score!"  Their moronic response, "Your offense stinks!  You guys have only won two games this year!"  I suppose that point should have ended the argument because I have been saying those same two things all season long, but it's different when the criticism is borne out of love as opposed to the foul mouthbreathings of some starter jacket wearing fat San Franciscan.  But I'm not upset.  I'm just going to let the Rams do the talking for me on the field.

-1:16 4^th Quarter: Darby returns the kickoff to the Rams 26.  First play of the drive; incomplete pass off Torry Holt's hands.  I have defended Torry Holt this entire season and his career as I think he is one of the greatest and most underrated receivers of the past 10-15 years, but this play just seemed to be a lack of concentration and how can you not be focused on a potential game winning drive?  Where have you gone Torry "Big Game" Holt?  In an ironic twist, on the very next play, Donnie Avery makes an 11 yard catch to keep the drive moving.  Avery comes through in the clutch, but Holt doesn't?  Interesting.

1:06 4^th Quarter: 1^st and 10 from their own 37, Bulger is sacked for a five yard loss to bring up 2^nd and 15.  Six yard completion to Holt; 3^rd and 9.  Incomplete pass to Steven Jackson, yet another anti-clutch performer; 4^th and 9.

:31 4^th Quarter: Bulger throws a deep out to Donnie Avery that is undercut by a 49ers defensive back and tipped... but miraculously and acrobatically caught by Avery as he drags his feet while he falls out of bounds!  Amazing play!  The dome is rocking, we are starting to feel like we can actually make this comeback!  Rams ball on their own 45!  Josh Brown is more than capable of 50 yard field goals so all we have to do is get the ball to the San Fran 35 yardline or so.

:25 4^th Quarter:  Draw to Steven Jackson for a loss of three yards.  Rams call a timeout, hopefully to think of some legitimate plays to call in this situation.

:22 4^th Quarter:  Bulger takes the snap and throws an interception.  Game over.  San Francisco 49ers 17- Saint Louis Rams 16.

For my game summary this week, I am trying a new format (for me, not new to the world); the "running commentary."  I watched yesterday's Rams/ 49ers game with my friend Ben, wrote out all my observations and comments as we took in the action live.  This is my attempt to make it all into a coherent column.

Thank you St. Louis Rams fans!

Because today's game was blacked out in Saint Louis my buddy Ben and I decided to head downtown in an attempt to buy scalped tickets outside of the Edward Jones Dome.  As we walked several blocks in the frigid afternoon air, probably about seven to eight degrees around noon, we feared that the bitter cold would keep the sellers at home to just cut their losses, but surely enough, we made eye contact with a man holding up two tickets from across the street.  We managed to get $88 tickets for just 30 bucks each, so the afternoon got off to a great start.  So I am writing this from our seats inside the climate controlled dome in section 110.  Ben is reminding me to mention the particularly leggy woman wearing a remarkably short skirt we saw as we walked to the dome from his car.  There it was.

We are about ten minutes before kickoff and the best two Rams trot out onto the field;   Kicker Josh Brown and punter Donnie Avery.  They look even less physically impressive in person, but they have certainly been the most consistent and competent Rams all season.  That's how bad the Rams are and have been, then again, special teams is a third of the game, right?

The Rams win the toss and elect to receive the kickoff the start the game.  My prediction, Rams 35- 49ers 21; and Ben's, "20-17 Rams, a thriller.  In Overtime."

-14:53 1^st Quarter: On the first play after the kickoff Rams quarterback Marc Bulger gets walloped as he releases the pass and is nearly picked off.  A collective, "here we go again" vibe slathers the crowd.

-13:40 1^st Quarter: Rams dodge a bullet after a Bulger interception is negated by an offsides penalty on the 49ers prior the snap.

- Rams running back Steven Jackson is receiving a steady dosage of carries early on, which is theoretically a good thing since he is meant to be one of, it not our best players.  But I just noticed something.  When Jackson is introduced before home games, he is the last one out of the tunnel and he waits for everyone else to fully matriculate through the high-five line because he bolts through his teammates like a bat out of hell!  Should I be concerned that our star running back demonstrates the greatest explosiveness after he is introduced, not, I don't know, when he's actually running plays for this team on the field?  Just saying...

-10:07 1^st Quarter: Rams fizzle. Donnie Jones punts.

-9:58 1^st Quarter: 49ers begin their first drive; as former Ram great Issac Bruce is acknowledged over the PA, he receives the loudest cheers of the day.

-8:36 1^st Quarter: Rams defense shuts down the 49ers offense and nearly pick off a pass, forcing a punt.

- 6:30 1^st Quarter: Much to the delight of Rams fans, Jim Haslett elects to attempt a conversion on 4^th and 1 from the San Fran 45.  They get it on a rush from Jackson.

-5:28 1^st Quarter: Rams backup running back Kenneth Darby gets embarrassed as he catches a pass out of the backfield and collides with the referee in the middle of the field.  Both men try to soften the blow, but somehow Darby ends up being the one laid flat on his back.  Pretty hilarious, and Darby will undoubtedly hear about that one for weeks to come.  On the following play Darby again catches a short pass, but this time uber-linebacker Patrick Willis knocks the running back off his feet as he wraps up a perfect tackle.  Bulger attempts a pass into double coverage on the following play, which was another 4^th down the team attempted to convert.  The ball fluttered harmlessly to the turf, 49ers ball on their own 37 with 4:21 to play in the quarter.

-2:43 1^st Quarter: As the 49ers drive, Issac Bruce catches a ten yard in route and breaks it to the outside to take his team to the Rams 30.  The existence of fan support for Bruce is not surprising as he was one of the most humble and well liked (not to mention successful) athletes in recent St. Louis history, but the sheer volume is astounding, there is no difference between when he played for the Rams.

-2:05 1^st Quarter: Rams defense bends, but does not break as the 49ers are forced to settle for a 48 yard field goal to put the visitors up 3-0.

- The 2^nd quarter begins on the Rams 49 with Bulger completing a 15 yard pass to Torry Holt.  This is immediately followed by a food break.  I get the nachos supreme, Ben orders a hot dog for $7.75.  But this was no ordinary frankfurter; he purchased a half pound Farmland "Big Dog."  Disgusting.  In our absence Josh Brown kicked a 43 yard field goal to even the score at three apiece.  Back to the action!

-6:19 2^nd Quarter: The 49ers have the ball and are driving, but the Rams defense makes its presence felt and sacks Shaun Hill who fumbles!  San Fran recovers and they are forced to punt to Dane Looker who lets the ball sail over his head into the end zone.

-4:02 2^nd Quarter: Rams ride Steven Jackson to two first downs to take them to their own 36 yardline.

- Approaching the two minute warning the Rams break out their own version of the "Wildcat" offensive package, I'm going to call it "Ramwild" from here on out.  This first appearance of Ramwild nets Saint Louis a 12 yard gain on a Jackson carry.

- Two minute warning prompts just one rhetorical question.  Just how thin is the line between NFL cheerleader and pole dancer?

-1:12 2^nd Quarter: 30 yard pass from Marc Bulger to Keenan Burton who broke open on a post route.  With the extra point, the Rams go up 10-3.

-:37 2^nd Quarter: Once the 49ers get the ball back, cornerback Roland Bartell makes a leaping, tumbling interception and in the process pumps a little more life into the ailing crowd at the dome.

-:19 2^nd Quarter: Rams advance down the field with the aid of completed passes to Darby who gets the team down to the 49ers 23 yardline.

-:10 2^nd Quarter: In a somewhat inexplicable move, the Rams elect to kick a field goal instead of taking one more shot at the endzone before halftime.  Of course the kick is good, and the Rams extend their lead to 13-3.

2^nd half begins with a kickoff returned by the 49ers to their own 24.

-13:30 3^rd Quarter: 3^rd and 3 pass by 49ers QB Shaun Hill nearly picks off by Rams linebacker Will Witherspoon; ensuing punt is downed by the 49ers deep in Rams territory at the seven.

-12:42 3^rd Quarter: The atmosphere in the Ed Jones Dome is downright depressing.  The Rams are actually winning the game, but it is quiet enough to hear the rustling of the cheerleader's pom-poms!  Everyone seems to be waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the Rams to somehow mess this up.

-11:46 3^rd Quarter: Tinoisamoa sacks Shaun Hill to back the 49ers up to 3^rd and 17 on their own 30.  Leonard Little follows this up with a sack of his own for an eight yard loss.

-10:28 3^rd Quarter: Following a 49ers punt, St. Louis is back in the Ramwild formation.  Jackson takes the shotgun snap and tosses it to a streaking Dane Looker who loops around behind the running back and desperately looks for someone to throw the pass to.  All the receivers are covered except for Marc Bulger, but Looker clearly wants to pass it to someone else, haha, hilarious!  Looker resigns himself to throwing to Bulger who catches the pass for a four yard gain and then stepped out of bounds.  The next play was a huge delayed screen pass to Jackson that would have gone for 20 or 30 yards, but it was called back because of a penalty on Richie "Babyface" Incognito.  The Rams have employed two of the craziest offensive linemen in recent NFL history in Kyle Turley and Incognito; awesome.

-5:45 3^rd Quarter: 49ers have the ball on their own 40 facing a 4^th and 2.  Shaun Hill drops back to pass, he is immediately under duress from several Rams.  I will let the shrill yellings of the woman behind me tell the rest of the story on this play, "Get him! Get him! Hit him! Shit."  1^st down 49ers on a little scramble by Hill.  Just a couple plays later Bartell bails the Rams out with his second pick of the day giving the offense the ball at their own 36 with 4:41 to play in the 3^rd quarter.

-2:22 3^rd Quarter:  More Ramwild, a six yard rush for Jackson.  Maybe the Rams should have gotten crafty earlier in the season?  It's not like we had anything to lose...outside of eight straight games.

-3^rd Quarter ends with the Rams still driving and they have the ball on the 49ers 16 yard-line facing a 2^nd and 10 still winning 13-3.

-11:36 4^th Quarter: Josh Brown kicks a 22 yard field goal after the Rams O shuts down and fails to produce a touchdown.  Rams lead 16-3, with less than a quarter to play the EJ Dome is starting to feel a little confident.

-9:15 4^th Quarter: Rams have possession and are milking the clock by pounding the ball with Steven Jackson, first down at the 50; but the Rams ultimately punt on this drive.

-4:26 4^th Quarter: With time running out on the 49ers and the Rams defense playing well the atmosphere begins to intensify.  Saint Louis forces San Fran into a 3^rd and 10 situation, but the 49ers are able to convert and quell the surge of the home town crowd.

-4:14 4^th Quarter: 49ers move to the Rams 10 and stare down a 3^rd and 6.  San Fran converts and moves to the three yardline where Shaun Hill finds Issac Bruce in the endzone and with the extra point; the score, 16-10 St. Louis.  The Bruce touchdown is the 1000^th catch of his career!  This puts Bruce in a rarefied air that I think St. Louis fans would have respected regardless of the player, but because it is the beloved Issac Bruce, the cheering and applause is deafening.  Good for him! 

But, the Rams still need to win this game.

-4:03 4^th Quarter: 49ers line up as if to try an onside kick, but boot it deep instead.  This looks good for the Rams, all we have to do is run out the clock, or at least run off enough time that the 49ers cannot drive the field and score.

-2:27 4^th Quarter: Rams punt.  49ers start the drive on their own 33.  Tinoisamoa gets a HUGE sack on Shaun Hill for a seven yard loss that takes the clock down to the two minute warning.

-2:00 4^th Quarter: 13 yard pass completed to Bruce, still many cheers, but now the EJ Dome is sensing this game slipping away.  It was alright to cheer for a player on the 49ers when it wasn't jeopardizing the Rams victory, what will be just the third of the season, snapping an eight game losing streak; but now that Bruce is helping drive his team down the field, there is internal conflict amongst Rams fans.

-1:22 4^th Quarter:  48 yard Hail Mary of a bomb that is snatched out of the air by 49ers receiver Josh Morgan ties the game at 16.  The extra point gives the 49ers a 17-16 lead.  The EJ Dome is blanketed with silence, but there is still a degree of hope.  Even though the Rams offense has proven to be impotent at best this season, thoughts of the "Greatest Show on Turf" cannot be shaken from the collective memories of St. Louisans.  So we believe that our terrible offense can drive the ball down the field and engineer a game winning drive.  To the extent that I talk trash to the annoying 49ers fans in front of us telling them, "you guys left too much time on the clock! We are going to drive it right down and score!"  Their moronic response, "Your offense stinks!  You guys have only won two games this year!"  I suppose that point should have ended the argument because I have been saying those same two things all season long, but it's different when the criticism is borne out of love as opposed to the foul mouthbreathings of some starter jacket wearing fat San Franciscan.  But I'm not upset.  I'm just going to let the Rams do the talking for me on the field.

-1:16 4^th Quarter: Darby returns the kickoff to the Rams 26.  First play of the drive; incomplete pass off Torry Holt's hands.  I have defended Torry Holt this entire season and his career as I think he is one of the greatest and most underrated receivers of the past 10-15 years, but this play just seemed to be a lack of concentration and how can you not be focused on a potential game winning drive?  Where have you gone Torry "Big Game" Holt?  In an ironic twist, on the very next play, Donnie Avery makes an 11 yard catch to keep the drive moving.  Avery comes through in the clutch, but Holt doesn't?  Interesting.

1:06 4^th Quarter: 1^st and 10 from their own 37, Bulger is sacked for a five yard loss to bring up 2^nd and 15.  Six yard completion to Holt; 3^rd and 9.  Incomplete pass to Steven Jackson, yet another anti-clutch performer; 4^th and 9.

:31 4^th Quarter: Bulger throws a deep out to Donnie Avery that is undercut by a 49ers defensive back and tipped... but miraculously and acrobatically caught by Avery as he drags his feet while he falls out of bounds!  Amazing play!  The dome is rocking, we are starting to feel like we can actually make this comeback!  Rams ball on their own 45!  Josh Brown is more than capable of 50 yard field goals so all we have to do is get the ball to the San Fran 35 yardline or so.

:25 4^th Quarter:  Draw to Steven Jackson for a loss of three yards.  Rams call a timeout, hopefully to think of some legitimate plays to call in this situation.

:22 4^th Quarter:  Bulger takes the snap and throws an interception.  Game over.  San Francisco 49ers 17- Saint Louis Rams 16.

Trouble?

Yup, the Rams are in Barney.

Quick, tell me the last time the St. Louis Rams, heck even the Los Angeles Rams, finished a season with a 2-14 record?

Wait for it... wait for it...

That's right, never. 

The closest this franchise has come to 2-14 was 1-12-1 in 1962, when they didn't even play a 16 game schedule!  To be fair, the Rams have two games remaining, one of which looks to be potentially winnable.  With that said, this past week's game against the Seahawks looked to be our best chance to equal last season's three-win-plateau.  You know the franchise is in trouble when we are struggling to match the win total from the worst seasons (the Rams also had just three wins in 1991) in the last two decades.

But, as I have tried to do all season, I am going to look for the silver lining.  Perhaps a great and mighty pheonix will arise from these ashes.  Maybe the Rams will use their high first round pick to draft the potential savior of this franchise AND surround him with a quality supporting cast!  These are my dreams and fantasies, don't laugh! 

In all seriousness, this franchise was spoiled by the amazing start that the team had after moving to St. Louis, two NFC crowns within seven years of moving, multiple playoff appearances, league MVP awards, and of course the ultimate prize;  winning the 1999 NFL title in what is considered by many to be one of the greatest Super Bowl's, if not games, ever.  Fan support was obviously rabid because the city had been without football for eight years, an entire generation of St. Louisans who were children when the Rams pulled into town are now becoming adults and they have never known anything BUT to be a Rams fan.  All of this success and favor made the franchise soft; now that the Rams are dealing with a time of hardship hopefully they will respond and react, but most importantly rebuild, retool, and reload.

If the Rams cannot grow and change as a result of the past several seasons mired in agony, we'll be deeper in Barney than PBS was in the mid-90's. 

This jewel of the midwest is beating its collective breast in agony because the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team is missing out on some big name free agents.  Oh, what's that you say?  The St. Louis Rams still have three more games?  The vast majority of Rams "fans" checked out weeks ago.  Doing so certainly would have saved on much heartbreak in the midst of this seven game losing streak.  But some of us are here for the long haul, no matter how long it takes to regain legitimacy.

As has been the case all season long, the Rams absolutely killed themselves with turnovers which is also a direct cause of the other glaring issue with this team, no point production.  The Rams did score a touchdown in this game, but coughed up two fumbles and threw an interception.  Including this past Sunday's game the Rams have amassed 169 points this season through 13 games for an average of exactly 13 per game; a touchdown, extra point, and two field goals.  Although, those numbers are skewed by the victory in week seven against the Cowboys when the Rams scored four touchdowns.  Since the afforementioned marquee win the Rams have not won a game, and while the offense seemed poised to assert itself over the rest of league, it just fizzled.  Steven Jackson was injured and is probably still feeling the effects of an injury that he claims is much more serious than the team officials reported.  Once Randy McMichael and Drew Bennett went down the only real options in the passing game were Torry Holt, who is certainly on the downswing of his career, and Donnie Avery, a rookie, who is undersized and not a prototypical number one receiver in the NFL.  All of these factors combined with a fragile, pentalty prone, and fragmented offensive line and the Rams offense has really been handed a raw deal for this season. 

But with all that said, these players that are left standing in week 15 of a 2-11 season are still professionals in this league and should be able to do better than zero victories in their last seven games over which they averaged a little more than ten points per game.  As a former wide receiver I am especially critical of the offensive unit, but clearly a team loses on this scale when all three phases fail.

However, the Rams defense actually did a pretty decent job of containing the explosive Arizona Cardinals attack.  The D held Kurt Warner and company to just 20 points since 14 of the Cardinals points on Sunday came off Rams turnovers. 

The aspect of the Rams that performed best on Sunday, was again, the special teams.  Kicker Josh Brown, the offensive savior of this franchise, booted a 51 yarder and punter Donnie Jones was used sparingly because the Rams ended their own drives with turnovers and failed fourth down conversions; but he did average 55.5 yards per punt!

The St. Louis Rams are once again heading into a toilet bowl scenario this week against another injury riddled NFC West cellar dwellar in the Seattle Seahawks also sitting pretty at 2-11.  The winner will have pole position for "not-last-place-in the division."  The Rams are also playing to match their win total from last season's miserable 3-13 campaign!  Should be a rousing contest.

Key #2 - Pound It.  Even though running back Steven Jackson is nicked up, he needs to touch the ball between 25 and 30 times if the Rams want to have a chance to keep this game close.  The offensive struggles of this team have been well documented and such a large part of those difficulties have sprung forth as a result of offensive imbalance.  The Rams fall behind early and are forced to abandon the running game.  However, because the Rams offensive line is more porous than I care to expound upon and the team must pass, Marc Bulger is sacked and rattled constantly.  Hopefully Steven can stay healthy and be as productive as he was in the first half of last week's game which could keep Arizona's defense honest and give the Rams a fighting chance.

Key #3 - Just a Couple More...  The Rams appear to be overmatched in their contest against the Cardinals as well as their final fixture of the year as they travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons, but the two games sandwiched between look to be the team's best and only shot at matching and/ or improving upon last years 3-13 finish.  This team has essentially been playing for pride since Linehan was fired after week four, but honestly, there is nothing left in this season.  There are no moral victories to be gained, and even winning out on the field might not be enough to stop many heads from rolling this offseason.  All that remains is pride.

I think the Rams' offense will look much better than it has lately because Steven Jackson will be fully integrated into the scheme.  Although, it is not very difficult to improve when your team has scored just one touchdown in the past four games; if not for the high level of play this team has received out of kicker Josh Brown, who knows how much worse the point production might be.  That was my mandatory Josh Brown shout- out for the post; I have to show somebody on this team a little love.  As I said earlier, the Cardinals will be too powerful offensively and the Rams just have too many holes that cannot be filled during the season.

My Prediction: Cardinals 37 - Rams 17

Clearly it does not take a football genius to assess the awfulness of the Saint Louis Rams this season, however, it might take a professor of the pigskin to fix the problems with this franchise.

This franchise needs to open up its collective checkbook and sign one or two stellar offensive linemen in this offseason before the draft.  Shoring up the offensive line will allow Steven Jackson to return to the form he dazzled the NFL with just a couple seasons ago.  By enabling Jackson to produce, Marc Bulger will not be as mistake prone since defenses will no longer be able to tee off on him.  If the entire offensive unit runs smoothly, this will also give the Rams' defense a greater chance to succeed.  See, it's that simple.  Even with the pieces this team has in place right now, this franchise can win next season if the front office makes the right moves this offseason.

Since it appears that many of the fans and players themselves have checked out of this season, I believe it is appropriate to begin looking to the collegiate ranks for help.  If the Rams are able to acquire quality veteran offensive linemen, this team will automatically be in much better shape.  I believe that Marc Bulger, who will only be 32 at the start of next season, still has a great deal to offer this team, that is, if he is protected and not jittery in the pocket.  Even if Bulger is able to return to Pro- Bowl caliber form, this team has to look towards to future at the quarterback position, especially if the Rams are forced to play young o-line draft picks.  Let's face it, neither Trent Green nor Brock Berlin are the future of this franchise at quarterback.  Perhaps this team needs to restructure the offense yet again and move towards a more collegiate spread- style attack.  Pundits question this scheme's viability in the NFL, but with the right draft pick at QB, this team already has many of the players needed to succeed.  Imagine Graham Harrell of Texas Tech, Tim Tebow of the Florida Gators, Colt McCoy of the Texas Longhorns, or even... Chase Daniel of the University of Missouri in the shotgun formation running this offense with Steven Jackson, Torry Holt, and Donnie Avery!

Realistically, the Rams and most other NFL franchises will stick with a convential dropback quarterback, but all of the afforementioned young men will get drafted (either this spring or next depending on when Tebow/McCoy declare for the draft).  There is no denying the advantage of having a mobile quarterback, as is evidenced by the inability of Bulger to consistently make plays with his feet (or his arm for that matter).

It will certainly be interesting to see what moves the Rams make with their offensive line and how that will ultimately ripple to the rest of the team.  But at least we have Josh Brown locked up for the next four seasons; so if all else fails, the Rams can count on 6-12 points per game.

The answer is simple and yet complex.  Jim Haslett, Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, Steven Jackson, Will Witherspoon, Corey Chavous, Tye Hill, Leonard Little, Orlando Pace, Richie Incognito, Alex Barron and any other key figure on this team need to fight.  They must strive to prove themselves in the heat of battle.  This team has lost the fire that Haslett was able to temporarily infuse.  Apparently, he must win at least two of the final five games in order to keep his job for next season.  The stakes might not be as specific for veterans on this roster, but if the afforementioned players and many others do not begin to show some signs of life their jobs will be on the line as well.

Even if the old guard of this team is able to get their collective act together and win a few games to close out this brutal year, heck, even if they win their final five games, the powers that be within this organization must begin to make massive changes across the roster.  The veterans that have carried this franchise in the past are coming into their twilight years, if they haven't already reached them.  The Rams are going to need to suffer through a couple more years of mediocrity as this team gets very young through the process of casting off older players for draft picks and retooling this franchise in that way.  There just are not enough pieces in place to pull off a Jets type move where a few wise free agent pickups turns the team into a winner.  One potentail blueprint could be that of the Atlanta Falcons.  Draft a stud quarterback, pickup some quality free-agents for the offensive and defensive lines, hope that Steven Jackson returns to form, and suddenly the Rams are viable again, especially in the weak NFC West.  Such a plan obviously requires a great deal of drafting prowess, wisdom, and most importantly, having the good fortune to select a rookie QB who can come in straight out of college and not wet the bed, let alone command and lead a NFL franchise.  In that regard, Matt Ryan of the Falcons is certainly a rare find.  The NFL landscape is littered with the failed hopes of teams that wagered on a hotshot college QB to lead them and lost on that gamble.

There are obviously many options and decisions that lie ahead for this franchise, but first the Rams must worry about the rest of their games.  Their matchup this coming Sunday against the Miami Dolphins at home should be an interesting one.  The Dolphins are another resurgent franchise challenging for a division crown in the mighty AFC East.  They just lost their leading receiver for the season which should hurt to a degree, but, as of late, the "Wildcat" offensive packages featuring the versatility of running back Ronnie Brown has allowed Miami to be explosive. 

The combination of a particularly unusual set of plays for the NFL and a shellshocked Rams defense does not bode well for St. Louis, but I suppose we can always hope for the best.

Key #2 - Welcome Home Lovie!  For the second week in a row the St. Louis Rams will be facing an opposing coach that was once a member of their own football family.  Bears head coach Lovie Smith was a well respected and loved defensive coordinator during his time in St. Louis, thus his ascendancy to the head coaching spot of the Bears where he has produced wonderful results year in and year out, including of course a trip to the Super Bowl in 2007.  Smith's expertise on the defensive side of the ball just spells even more trouble for the Rams since they will be playing against a clever defensive scheme with motivated, to say the least, players.

Key #3 - DO NOT kick to Devin Hester! - Even though the kick and punt returner/ receiver is having a down year by his standards (no returns for touchdowns, but averaging about 22 and 6 on kickoff and punt returns respectively), the Rams special teams ought not challenge this exciting player.  Hester is to be feared more than the Rams very own Dante Hall was in his heyday.  The matchup between Hester and St. Louis' kicker, Josh Brown, and punter, Donnie Jones will certainly be one of the highlights to watch in this game, because as sad as it sounds, Jones and Brown have been two of the most consistent and flat out best players on this team.

Key #4 - Try to Score... In the First Half.  The Rams offense has been abysmal this season, so much so that I'm quickly running out of different words to describe how terribly they have played.  But, even with that said, this team has shown the ability to score points in bunches, namely in the victory over the Cowboys.  A healthy Steven Jackson was a major cog in that offensive romp, and he has been either banged up or out of the lineup all together in most of the games since then, all of which, the Rams have lost.  Jackson is out yet again this week as is mammoth, but declining offensive tackle Orlando Pace; center Richie Incognito also joins the pair on the injured list for Sunday.  Antonio Pittman posted very solid numbers (95 yards on 14 carries) against the 49ers and the Rams will need an even better performance if they want to have any chance of scoring points in the first half and giving themselves a chance to compete as the game comes down to the wire.

The Rams are on life support.  This team looks like they used to when they first got to St. Louis, putrid.  They were just blown out by a division, and historical rival, who had a record equally as bad coming into the contest.  I just hope that the Rams can muster some sort of pride or cohesion and bring home a couple more wins to close out this season; give themselves something to build from going into the offseason.  I just do not think one of those wins will come this Sunday.

My Prediction: Rams 12 - Bears 42

Key #2 - Playing to Get out of Last Place.  The Rams, 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks are all stuck in first gear, that is, if their proverbial cars have even started.  All three teams are tied for last place in the NFC West at 2-7.  With Seattle playing the first place Arizona Cardinals today, they are probably looking to drop to 2-8, as will the loser of the contest between these rivals.  The 49ers have lost six games in a row while the Rams are attempting to avoid their second four game losing streak of this season.  One would hope that both teams would show up to play with intensity today, but clearly there have been other "must win" situations this season when neither team was able to step up to the plate.

Key #3 - Rekindling a Rivalry?  The series between the Rams and the 49ers has been a bit of a see- saw in the time that the Rams have been in St. Louis.  Since the 2002 season, the series is even at six games apiece.  Both teams have gone through stretches of greatness in the last ten seasons or so with the 49ers coming down from their dynasty years, but still playing very well and of course the Rams having their Greatest Show on Turf period.  However, these days, both teams are pretty mediocre which could actually make for a very exciting couple of games between the two this season.  To add a little spice to the rivalry, the Rams will be facing Mike Martz, the architect of their Super Bowl championship season, who has landed as the offensive coordinator of the 49ers.  The Rams will also have to contend with a somewhat rejuvenated Issac Bruce who the Rams believed to have lost his effectiveness in this league.  Bruce is hardly the vindictive type, but it will be intriguing to see how he handles playing against the team that he called his own for so many years.

Steven Jackson is still injured; so is Tye Hill.  The Rams have to deal with trying to stop Frank Gore just a week after Thomas Jones of the Jets absolutely gouged the Rams defense.  The Jets are certainly more talented all around than the 49ers, but I suspect that the 49ers will still give the Rams all they can handle today.  If the Rams can use the short pass to set up the deeper passing game and really utilize Torry Holt and Donnie Avery they might stand a chance in San Francisco, but if not, today's contest will be just as long for the Rams as last weeks, not quite as painful on the scoreboard, but not a pleasant outing if they cannot establish any sort of rhythm on offense.

My Prediction: Rams 17 - 49ers 31

There are very few positives to be taken from this game, but one certainly has to be the pride with which the Rams defense played in the second half only allowing one touchdown.  Even though the Jets most likely had switched gears to focus on their next game against the New England Patriots on Thursday, the majority of the Gang Green offense was still in the game and St. Louis' defensive unit took pride in their work, playing till the end of the game.  Donnie Jones and Josh Brown also continued to perform at high levels.  Perhaps those names do not ring bells, but they belong to the only two consisent players on this roster thusfar this season. 

The punter and the kicker. 

Great. 

Oddly enough, Donnie Jones only punted four times (averaging 51.8 yards per boot!) in yesterday's game.  Considering how putrid the Rams were on offense you might ask, "how could that be possible?"  The answer, my friend, lies in the turnovers.  There are very few, if any teams that can cough up FIVE turnovers, four of which came in the first half, and still be competitive, let alone win games in the NFL.

I was preparing to expound on the troubles of the offense, but really, what more can I say?  Everyone and their mother knows that Marc Bulger is just too rattled while he's in the pocket, and frankly who could blame him.  Yesterday the Rams offensive line played like a collander.  In an Italian resturant, on a Friday night.  In Queens.  Clearly, since the two headed quarterback monster of Bulger and his elderly backup Trent Green combined for a whopping 120 yards on 11 of 23 passing with two interceptions the receivers did not produce much either.  It was just ugly no matter how one looks at it, so I'm going to move on.

This team lost its first four games of the season in rather unceremonius fashion by a combined score of 147-43.  Former head coach Scott Linehan was fired.  Former defensive coordinator Jim Haslett was named interim head coach.  The Rams won their next two game playing with passion and fire that got this city believing in the Rams and Haslett.  Heck, the Rams were a few plays away from beating the Patriots and moving into a tie for first place in the NFC West.  Alas, the Rams dropped the game to the Pats, then to the Arizona Cardinals and now to the Jets (combined score in the past three games: 104-32). 

Where can this team go from here?  Was the injection of Haslett's head coaching fire the only reason they were invigorated and actually played complete games for that three week stretch?  Has that inital excitement worn off and now this franchise is somehow back to executing like an expansion team with mismatched free agent pickups and rookies?  There are seven games left this season and I think that all Haslett or any of us can ask for is that this team play hard and execute to put them in some positions to win a few more games.

  After this season ends, the Rams front office is going to need to look long and hard at getting some real football minds to help them navigate this crucial free agent period and draft because the core of this current team is not going to take the franchise back to the promised land of another NFL championship.  I hope that the powers that be can see that already and are willing to admit their relative ineptitude in the drafts and pickups of recent years.  I know that the NFL draft is a bit of a crap shoot, but it cannot be denied that some teams are much better at projecting future talent.  Just look at the Rams number one selections in the past nine drafts.  Trung Candidate, Damione Lewis, Robert Thomas, Jimmy Kennedy, Steven Jackson, Alex Barron, Tye Hill, Adam Carriker, and Chris Long.  None of those first four players are with the Rams any longer, Candidate isn't even in the NFL, Thomas is a reserve player with the Raiders, and the other two are still playing at middling levels on other teams.  The jury is still out on Jackson, Barron, Hill, Carriker, and Long.  Jackson obviously has displayed ability and potential that has put him near the top of the league, but the past couple of seasons have called his durability and even ability into question.  Alex Barron was slated to be the heir apparent to Orlando Pace, but at this point Barron cannot even hold a candle to Pace, however he certainly can hold his opponents and jump offsides.  Tye Hill has been somewhat of a defensive liability during his time in the league even though he was billed to be a shutdown corner, but this is only his third season in the league so maybe he will realize his potential.  Carriker and Long  were great picks and are both performing very well and look to be the building blocks in the Rams defensive line for years to come.

Whatever the solution to the Rams woes ends up being, I don't think it can be a quick fix, there are just too many problems to be handled in one offseason.  If it happens, it will take another two or three years to bring this franchise back to prominence.  But until then, let's just hope for a competitive hard working team.

I mean, it could be worse; our players could be snorting cocaine or driving around with hundreds of pounds of marijuana or our coaches could be drunkenly embarassing themselves in the community.  This team is made up of quality people and at the end of the day, isn't that all that matters?

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/100-words-rams-2-6-at-jets-5-3/

With that said, I finished the first nine weeks of the 2008 NFL season with a record of 69-47 for a correct pick percentage of about 59% not too great, but hey, if I had a 59% winning percentage in the NFC West I'd be in second place nipping at the Arizona Cardinals.

Thanks to all my loyal readers, and if you were relying on my column for your gambling advice, you should not have been; clearly my prognosticating skills are less than fantastic.

While the final score of 34-13 is certainly disheartening, the Rams actually looked as if they were in control during the early stages of the game.  On their first drive, the Cardinals drove the length of the field to the Rams one yard line, but St. Louis' defense made an impressive stand to force a turnover on downs.  The Rams offense failed to capitalize on the momentum generated by their defense and would sputter on the drive and punt away to the Cardinals.  In turn, Arizona punted right back to St. Louis after more strong defensive play.  The Rams began the ensuing possession on their own 20 and much maligned quarterback Marc Bulger would not disappoint the crowd at the Edward Jones Dome.  On the first play of the drive Bulger connected on a sensational pass, catch, and run to little used receiver Derek Stanley for an 80 yard touchdown!

Unfortunately for Rams Nation, this was effectively the end of the day for St. Louis.  The Cardinals chalked up 31 unanswered points to secure a huge division win. 

The Rams looked increasingly whipped and dejected as the game progressed.  Potential big plays for the Rams turned into touchdowns for the Cardinals.

At halftime the score was 24-7 in favor of the visiting Cardinals and most of the intrigue in the contest had already evaporated from the dome.  Even though the action of the game itself might not have been that exciting, there were a couple interesting subplots developing just below the surface.

- Former Rams quarterback (and current Arizona Cardinals quarterback) Kurt Warner, who led the team to a championship in the 1999 season, was very well received by the St. Louis crowd.  Hoards of fans sporting both Rams and Cardinals Warner  jerseys stayed behind to shower him with cheers and applause as he ran off the field.  He remained for a few minutes to sign autographs and throw his gloves to the adoring group.  Even during the game, some fans cheered when he completed passes against the Rams.

- Veteran Rams wideout Torry Holt expressed displeaure with his role in the offense leading up the Cardinals game.  He did not catch a single pass in the first half, but when he caught his first ball in the second half the dome exploded with support for one of the game's best.  He acknowledged his appreciation of the support by waving to the crowd on all sides.  Later in the game Holt displayed some chippiness following an unnecessary roughness penalty committed against him.  He later talked trash to the defender whom he beat for his touchdown catch.  This defender was the same who committed the penalty earlier.  Holt finished the day with six receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown to outperform rookie wideout Donnie Avery who had been playing at a high level.  The progress of the latter and the supposed regression of the former will be an interesting story to follow for the second half of this season.

Key #2 - Welcome Home!  The defensive linemen and linebackers of the St. Louis Rams will be certain to provide a most warm of welcomes to former Rams quarterback Kurt Warner.  And by warm, I mean that the defense has been licking their chops all week to have an opportunity to create turnovers at the gloved hands of the fumble prone Warner.  Warner is certainly capable or torching defenses (I'll get there in a second), but he is also capable of losing games by himself because of his own jitters in the pocket.

Key #3 - Weapons of Mass Destruction.  If the Rams defense is unable to pressure Warner a great deal, this team will be in trouble.  Arizona arguably possesses the most lethal set of receivers in the league.  The production of Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald speak for themselves, but even young Steve Breaston is getting in on the action.    While Boldin was out with injuries the weeks preceeding  his triumphant return last week (two receiving touchdowns and a thirty yard run) Breaston was able to fill in amply, especially with his special teams play.

If Jackson is healthy for the Rams and the defense plays with the same tenacity, and results, it has exhibited under Jim Haslett then the Rams can win this game.  But a situation to certainly keep an eye on is the frustration of receiver Torry Holt in light of the ascendancy of Donnie Avery.  Holt is not one to throw a teammate or the team itself under the bus in pursuit of his own glory, but he is a competitor and wants to help his team win.

My Prediction: Rams 35- Cardinals 27

Week 9 NFL Picks (Season Record: 61-41) My Predicted Winners are Listed

Sunday

Bills

Bears

Jaguars

Ravens

Titans

Texans

Buccaneers

Broncos

Falcons

Cowboys

Eagles

Colts

Monday

Steelers