This is the last game of the 2011 regular season for the St. Louis Rams. My how things have changed since the highs of August, no? Expectations are a tricky thing. I'm not surprised that the Rams fell short in their quest to win the NFC West title, but I don't think anyone predicted that it would be such a spectacular fall.

Blame the injuries. Blame the coaches. Blame the front office. Blame the cosmos if you must. No it changes the reality of being 2-13 heading into the final week of the season. More than anything, I hope that whatever moves the Rams and owner Stan Kroenke do make in the weeks and months ahead are the right ones, the ones that finally bring winning football back to this franchise. I think we can all agree on that.

Big stakes today. The first overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft is on the line. A Colts win and a Rams loss, gives St. Louis the first pick and the boat load of trade bait that comes with it.

We'll see what happens. I'm already anxious for the 2012 season. I just know things will be better by then.

On another note, we plan on doing a lot more with our Facebook page in the months ahead, so even if you just joined Facebook to check out pictures of your old girlfriend or the boss' trophy wife, be sure to like TST as well.

And, of course, we're on Twitter all day, every day, including during the game. That's where news breaks first in these internet days, so be sure to follow us @TurfShowTimes.

Go Rams!

This is the second to last game of the season for the St. Louis Rams, who currently own a 2-12 record and are in a three-way horse race for the first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh is a tall order, but this is the same team that managed to upset the New Orleans Saints earlier in the season. Can they pull off a similar upset?

Steven Jackson needs just 34 yards to break the 1,000-yard barrier for the seventh consecutive season. That would put Jackson in elite company, only the seventh player to accomplish that in the NFL. He should be able to do that today, but the Steelers defense is a tough nut to crack. With the Rams starting Kellen Clemens, Pittsburgh will be focused on Jackson.

We'll try to get some highlights from the game on the site as they happen. Hopefully there are some.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter @TurfShowTimes for even more fun!

Three more games left in the St. Louis Rams 2011 season, a season that hasn't quite gone the way we expected. Sam Bradford is likely done for the year, and a cast of mostly replacement players will finish it all out, similar to what we saw in 2009. Something's going to change at Rams Park, but we're just not sure what.

I'll have more on this later, but Shahid Khan told the Rams that he did not make that statement about the Jaguars being a better organization than the Rams. That's what I was told this morning by Rams COO Kevin Demoff.

As for the game day roster today, James Hall is out, dealing with a pectoral injury. Rookie sensation Robert Quinn will start in his place. With Quinn and Long, the Rams still have a fearsome set of pass rushers on the edge. What they lack is the versatility that Hall gives them, lining up inside in certain packages for instance.

Throwback unis today as the Rams honor Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk.

Go Rams!

Here we are, the second prime time game for the St. Louis Rams. They're in Seattle taking on the Seahawks, a team that beat the Rams at home earlier this season. Last year, the Rams split the series, with each team winning their home game.

Of course, the last game of the season in 2010 was that infamous Monday Nighter to determine the division champs. it turned out to be a preview of the Rams season this year.

Sam Bradford will start tonight. It looked iffy earlier in the week as he dealt with an ankle injury that has caused him to miss three games this season. He'll need all the help he can get from a banged up offensive line, one that has three starters on injured reserve. The Rams are also without DT Fred Robbins, who missed practice this week because of a back injury. That leaves the Rams with just three defensive tackles active tonight.

It's long odds, but the Rams can string together the win.

Go Rams!

The St. Louis Rams head into the home stretch of a painful season with today's game in San Francisco. These last five games, with two against the 49ers and one each against the Steelers and Bengals, look particularly brutal for a roster already hurting.

Change is coming at Rams Park after a disappointing season, but the scope of that change remains to be seen. Most likely, the Rams will have a new head coach and general manager, barring some significant turnaround over these next five weeks. The odds don't seem to favor them.

However, we Rams fans are a faithful bunch, patiently waiting out our team's descent into laughingstock, thinking that each year will be a better one. And next year really will be a better one. It has to be. For now, even with the season lost, I can think of nothing better than getting a win against a hated division rival. Let's go Rams!

Another game day is upon us, and the St. Louis Rams will be looking for a win in what looks like their last evenly-matched game on the 2011 schedule. They lost in overtime three weeks ago when these two teams met, thanks in part to some very questionable decision making, not the least of which was punting to Patrick Peterson in overtime. 

The Cardinals' Twitter feed pointed out a disturbing statistic. Sam Rosen has been in the broadcast booth three times for Cardinals games, and each time Patrick Peterson has returned a punt for a touchdown. Rosen is in the booth today, along with Chad Pennington. 

Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo and GM Billy Devaney have a lot riding on this game. They have six more games to convince owner Stan Kroenke not to find their replacements for the 2012 season. 

This game was almost a blackout, but Busch/In-Bev bought enough tickets to salvage the local broadcast. 

The Rams need a win, and are favored by three points. Please, Rams, get the win. 

Go Rams!

The St. Louis Rams pick up division play after avoiding their NFC West counterparts in the first half of the season. St. Louis lost their first division game this season, getting beat by John Skelton and the Arizona Cardinals between their only two wins of the season. Seattle comes to town today, dealing with their own spate of injuries that has left the roster thin at key points. 

This is the easiest part of the schedule for the Rams, back to back home games against NFC West foes not from San Francisco. If they're going to get another win or two this season, now is the chance to do it. 

Keep it tuned to TST, we'll have highlights from the game, provided there are some, and updates as things unfold. 

Be sure to follow us on Twitter as well @TurfShowTimes. 

If you're at the game today, give us a shout and be sure to add your tailgate or other game day photos to our Facebook page. 

Go Rams!

Another week, another game. For folks elsewhere around the NFL, this game doesn't have much meaning. The St. Louis Rams and the Cleveland Browns have both been pretty crummy teams this season, for various reasons. For the Rams, it's another opportunity to get a much needed win against a team that they matchup well against, on paper at any rate. 

Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo desperately needs a win, a convincing one, to help make the case for his continued employment as an NFL head coach. A loss today would be #32 for Spagnuolo. That would tie him for the most losses by a head coach since the Rams moved to St. Louis. There are eight games left to play, four of those games are against far superior teams. The Rams need as many wins as they get; it's hard to overstate that. 

We'll have updates throughout the game, including highlight videos, if there are any. 

Be sure to hit us up on Facebook as well as Twitter @TurfShowTimes. 

The St. Louis Rams have had plenty of streaks this season; unfortunately, those streaks were mostly forgettable, including a six game losing streak. That changed last week when the Rams pulled off a stunning upset of the New Orleans Saints. A win today could give the Rams a winning streak, and it might even signal a turning point for their season. 

Sam Bradford is back in the starting lineup this week after dealing with a high ankle sprain. All eyes will be on him to see if the Rams can continue on their progress from last week's win. 

Cardinals starting quarterback Kevin Kolb is out for the game with turf toe. John Skelton will start in his place. For the Cardinals, running back Beanie Wells will be the focal point of the offense, but with Larry Fitzgerald in the lineup, the Rams can hardly afford to let up on the passing game. 

Can the Rams make it two in a row? 

  It's tough to go into this one with any optimism.

  The Rams are pretty much at the lowest of low points right now, sitting at 0-6 and having gotten to this point in historically ugly fashion. The Saints, on the other hand, are sitting atop the NFC South at 5-2 and are riding an unbelievable 62-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in which Drew Brees threw five touchdowns and the Saints' multi-headed rushing game added two more. So is there any chance for the Rams today?

  It would be something of a minor miracle for the Rams to pull this one out, but it's not impossible.  The injury list makes things a bit tougher.

  Sam Bradford is still out with his ankle injury. Jason Smith and Darell Scott are both out after two scary concussions they suffered last week against the Cowboys. Danario Alexander's hamstring isn't healed up, so he's also out. Jerious Norwood is still MIA.  Also on the defensive side, Brady Poppinga and Justin King have leg injuries that will sideline them again this week.

  On the opposite side of the injury report, Marquis Johnson has been activated off the PUP list and will likely factor as the nickel back today. Brandon Gibson will reportedly start along with Brandon Lloyd at WR as well.

  So it is with the Rams. Key injuries, roster holes, falling chemistry...it's all there. Let's see if the Rams can avoid embarrassment at home today or if they find a way to slide deeper in the hole.