Spygate II: Pat Bowlen, Josh McDaniels and Steve Spagnuolo

By now you've heard about Denver head coach Josh McDaniels and another, miniature version of "Spygate." This one happened earlier in the month when Denver video staffer Steve Scarnecchia, a former Patriots employee during the first Spygate, taped a 49ers walkthrough as they prepared for the league's international snoozer in London. Scarnecchia, whose father also works for the Patriots, and McDaniels joined that organization at the same time. 

Once a Patriot, always a Patriot, huh? 

SBNation has much more on the scandal and the fallout, including allegations of more filming when the Scarnecchia's worked for Bellichick. Scarnecchia was fired and may be banned from the NFL for life. McDaniels and the Broncos were each fined $50,000, but somehow it doesn't feel like enough. Not that it matters for the St. Louis Rams game in Denver today. Or does it? As an organization, the Rams now have an even bigger grievance in their Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. 

Reopening an old wound, that's what this does for the Rams and their fans. 

Taping an opponent is easier in a venue like the Super Bowl or a London game, where both teams have to share the same facility. So, as far as taping the Rams in advance of today's game it's unlikely. Besides, it didn't do much to help the Broncos against the 49ers. 

If anything, the circus around the event will have more impact for this afternoon's action. And it's more humiliation for Denver head coach Josh McDaniels, having survived the Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall fallout. This is the former Patriots coach's second year in Denver, not enough time to build a championship team, but enough that he should at least have a more competitive club taking the field week-in and week-out, like say another second year head coach. 

I can't imagine McDaniels won't be an offensive coordinator or an NCAA coach in 2011 after this. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has his coaching choice narrowed down to two finalists, McDaniels and Steve Spagnuolo. He's got to be rethinking that decision now. A Rams win today would certainly drive that point home. It would also provide fans and the organization a little payback for the first Spygate.