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Sun 09/13 | L 0 - 28 |
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Sun 09/20 | L 7 - 9 |
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Green Bay
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Sun 09/27 | L 17 - 36 |
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San Francisco
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Sun 10/04 | L 0 - 35 |
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Minnesota
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Sun 10/11 | L 10 - 38 |
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Jacksonville
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Sun 10/18 | L 20 - 23 |
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Indianapolis
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Sun 10/25 | L 6 - 42 |
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Detroit
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Sun 11/01 | W 17 - 10 |
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New Orleans
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Sun 11/15 | 12:00 PM CST |
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Arizona
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Sun 11/22 | 3:05 PM CST |
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Seattle
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Sun 11/29 | 12:00 PM CST |
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Chicago
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Sun 12/06 | 12:00 PM CST |
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Tennessee
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Sun 12/13 | 12:00 PM CST |
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Houston
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Sun 12/20 | 12:00 PM CST |
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Arizona
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Sun 12/27 | 3:05 PM CST |
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San Francisco
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Sun 01/03 | 12:00 PM CST |
NFC West Standings
| W | L | T | PF | PA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Arizona
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4 | 3 | 0 | 157 | 143 |
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San Francisco
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3 | 4 | 0 | 147 | 140 |
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Seattle
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2 | 5 | 0 | 135 | 147 |
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St. Louis
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1 | 7 | 0 | 77 | 221 |
(updated 11.3.2009 at 3:44 AM CST)
TST: You Pick 'Em, week 9
by VanRam on Nov 6, 2009 2:37 PM CST
in You Pick 'Em
0 comments
The ballots, er, spreadsheets have been counted and the results are in for last week's You Pick 'Em contest.
We run two categories: winner and against the spread. The winner winners each picked 12 of 13 games. Things were tougher in the against the spread pool, with a three-way tie for first with 7 correct picks apiece.
This week's winners are:
WINNER
PCarn, 12
peteyweestro, 12
AGAINST THE SPREAD
mooseknuckles41, 7
james535, 7
BruinHalo, 7
Make you week 9 picks below the fold.
0 comments | 0 recs
Early returns on the Rams o-line investment
by VanRam on Nov 6, 2009 11:40 AM CST
in 2009 regular season
7 comments
The St. Louis Rams have made a big investment in their offensive line over the last two years. It's part of a plan by GM Billy Devaney and new head coach Steve Spagnuolo to lay a solid foundation for the rebuilding process. Get strong up front and build outward.
So far this season, the results have been mixed, but do indeed seem to be trending in the right direction. Check out the OL grades from CaliRamsMan in this fanpost, there's much to mull over there.
This feature at Football Outsiders takes a look at the highest paid interior linemen in the NFL. There are two members of the St. Louis Rams on that list: C Jason Brown and LG Jacob Bell.
The investment in Brown has already paid dividends. Steven Jackson is having a rock solid season, picking up more than half of his carries through the middle of the offensive line. Marc Bulger can't blame the OL for his myriad problems. Last year, too much pressure and too many sacks came through the middle of the offensive line with an undersized, often overmatched center and Jacob Bell struggling with injuries and being underweight. Brown is second only to Jets G Alan Faneca in guaranteed money and average yearly salary, a close second. One key difference: Brown was 25 when he signed his deal with the Rams; Faneca was 31.
Tied for tenth on the list is 2008 free agent pickup G Jacob Bell. Bell had a disappointing season, to say the least, in his first year with the Rams. It's more of a mixed bag this season. The stats show a pretty solid performance from Bell against Detroit last week. According to Pro Football Focus, Bell had a 2.4 rating in run blocking, that number is close to the highest end of their grading system and tied with Jason Smith for best on the team. In the running lane breakdown at PFF, Jackson ran 5 times over the LG for a total of 43 yards and an average of 8.6 YPC. Bell made a nice block (as did others) to spring Jackson for 26 yards late in the second quarter to set up the fake FG touchdown. It didn't help perceptions of Bell that Setterstrom came in for the fourth quarter and performed well.
Last but not least, you've got Jason Smith, the second highest paid OT in the NFL right now. Smith has performed really well so far this season, for a rookie, but it's clear he's going to be a franchise cornerstone. (as and aside, do you agree with Bernie Miklasz's contention that the coaches did Smith a disservice by not starting him in camp?)
Together, those three represent $66 million in guaranteed money, a nice chuck of change. Those are the building blocks for the Rams, and any success next season is predicated on having the OL in place and working like a well-oiled machine.
7 comments | 0 recs |
WR Dez Bryant to enter 2010 NFL draft
No surprise here, but the former Oklahoma State WR has officially announced his intention to be among the top WR prospects available in this year's draft. The NCAA suspended him for the rest of this season, thanks to an ill-advised meeting with Deon Sanders. 3k's latest mock draft had the Rams drafting Bryant.
about 20 hours ago
VanRam
0 comments
0 recs
Grading Spagnuolo at the halfway point
by VanRam on Nov 6, 2009 7:08 AM CST
11 comments
We're officially at the halfway point of the season for the St. Louis Rams, and that means evaluation. Let's take the pulse of fan nation this morning...with an approval poll.
Head coach Steve Spagnuolo got his first win last week against Detroit, in case you hadn't heard. It's been a tough season for the rookie head coach. He did inherit a roster with major talent needs and a small budget for free agency and just one draft to try and address some of those needs.
So let's grade the coach. Before you make your mark, consider things like the talent, using the players he has, his assistants, the character of the team and their response, and all of those other intangibles that go into the making of a head coach.
11 comments | 0 recs |
What we have here is a strong leader as a head coach. Him and our GM (Billy Devaney) have a vision and there's no grey areas. They tell you this is where we're headed. Even if you dislike it, it's no question that he knows what he's doing. That makes the road easier.
Steven Jackson on the Rams situation. This is a good read over at NFL.com.
Random Ramsdom: Nov 5th, 2009
by ram_rod on Nov 5, 2009 11:28 AM CST
in Random Ramsdom
7 comments
While enjoying the Rams one and only victory, take a look at these stories:
- Feeling down on Marc Bulger because of the bogus slide he had? Is that his Jim Everett moment? Jim Thomas weighs in. (This is the article VanRam has on his piece of sticking with Bulger)
- Speaking of Bulger, here is a tidbit from CBSSports:
Through eight games, Rams QB Marc Bulger is on pace for the lowest QB rating (68.2) and passing totals of his career. Last year, in an injury shortened seven-game season, Bulger threw for 1,826 yards and 14 TDs. He has 956 yards and 3 TDs this season.
- Jeff Gordon asks, "Are we really making progress?" It's tough to say when that 1-7 record is glaring at you, but I'd say yes.
- Nick Wagoner thinks the Rams are staying on course. The rock through it all? Spagnuolo.
- Kevinramsfan reported yesterday that the line against BYE was even. It's now at +2.5 Rams. No faith?
Enjoy your Thursday everyone.
7 comments | 0 recs
Spagnuolo sticking with Bugler
by VanRam on Nov 5, 2009 9:03 AM CST
20 comments
St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo offered some pretty strong words of praise for starting QB Marc Bulger yesterday. The coaches comments should put to rest speculation that the Rams will remove Bulger as starter, at least in the near term, to the chagrin of plenty of Rams fans. Here's what Spags had to say about his QB:
I think Marc has done exactly what we've needed. He's been a leader, manages the game, gets the ball to 39 [Steven Jackson]. There's pieces that he's working through, too. There's been a lot of guys we've thrown in there as wideouts because of injury and what-not. I think he's been a pro about everything.
Bulger's getting some cushion thanks to the Rams atrocious situation at wide receiver, understandlably so. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this is a young group of WRs, with the second year guys being among the most experienced. And in case you forgot, it's a new offensive system.
I'll bite. Sure, those are definitely factors in Marc Bulger's third disappointing season, but anyone who watched the Detroit game saw a QB who looks well past his prime. The slide's a distraction. The Jim Everett comparison that matters most isn't the slide to Everett's famous sack dodge in '89, it's the one pointed out by Football Outsiders this week, comparing numbers of two players at the end of their careers. The fact that Bulger failed to get much done against Detroit's inferior pass defense is a scathing indictment on his ability going forward.
So what's next for Bulger? Mike Sando sees Bulger reviving his career with a change of scenery next season, but that may be too generous. Yes, he doesn't have the receiving options he needs, but he does have solid pass protection and enough time in the pocket to find open receivers. On top of that, passes batted down at the line underscore Bulger's fading ability. I think a more realistic scenario is Bulger finding a backup role somewhere.
And what about the rest of the Rams 2009 season? I think it's a safe assumption that as of now, the Rams plan to stick with Bulger. I think a better way of making this decision would be to ask, as 3k suggested on TSR last night, which QB is the best option for developing the young guys on this team? I don't think that's Bulger, but to be honest, I'm not sure who else that would be.
20 comments | 0 recs |
Turf Show Radio, 11/4: A very special episode
by VanRam on Nov 4, 2009 9:41 PM CST
in Turf Show Radio
17 comments
I think I can safely say that tonight was the mother of all Turf Show Radio episodes. 3k and myself thoroughly parsed the St. Louis Rams 2009 season, and when we were through with that, it was time to talk...you know it, you love it, you can't live without it, the draft. We covered everything from questions about Marc Bulger's future, immediate and long term, Steven Jackson, Chris Long to the ideal 1st, 2nd, 3rd rounds for the Rams...covered it like a cornerback on Tim Carter.
An hour and half of action packed, non-stop Rams talk. That's a lot of hubris, but it's really that good...or informative at least. (There was one site flaw in that we didn't run live streaming thanks to the Podcast service, or AT&T DSL and for that we apologize).
17 comments | 0 recs |
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