This is the week where we remind ourselves that this is a preseason for the opposite reasons we did the same last week. The St. Louis Rams made an 83-yard statement to start the game. Unfortunately, what should have been a tone setting play, looked more like an off-note as the first half unfolded and the Tennessee Titans outplayed the Rams starters.  

Sam Bradford and the handful of starters left on the field at the end of the half, packed it in down by a score of 16-7. Like I said above, this was a preseason game. When the Rams get back to practice, they will have a list of things to work on before next week's game against the Chiefs and the start of the regular season. 

Let's review the starters after the jump.

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I'm really excited to have a legit game thread for the St. Louis Rams tomorrow night. Really excited. It's been way too long since we last saw this team in action. 

I didn't watch much of the action last night. Why? A four-line dialog between my wife and I:

[Van turns on the TV]

Wife: "Is this preseason?"

Van: "Yes."

Wife: "Do the Rams play tonight?"

Van: "No."

click. 

So between hands of canasta or whatever it is people do when they aren't watching football, I snuck a few glances. Mostly, I heard lots of "told you so" about Tavaris Jackson's Seattle debut. It filled me with great pleasure. But this is just the preseason...

I didn't see any of the Cardinals game, but Kolb's performance sounds like it was mostly "meh." He'll be hard pressed with that offensive line in front of him, and the defense might be among the easiest to run against this year. The 49ers play tonight. 

Have at it. 

How are you Rams nation? I thought this week I would take a look at the play that I feel, sealed the deal for Sam Bradford, as far as winning the starting job for week one. Granted, even if we got a FG etc, I believe Sam still would have been starting just from his sheer performance on that drive and weeks past.

This play looked surprisingly similar to the one the 49ers ran in the 1982 NFC championship game between the Cowboys and niners deemed "The Catch". Montana to Clark -  that pass was deemed the end of the Cowboys dynasty, and the beginning of the 49er dynasty.

Did this catch mark a turning point for Rams football? OK so it was preseason.. I can still have some fun with the thought though right?

Enjoy the Breakdown.

All I can say is wow! A LOT has been happening around Rams nation, from the decision on who will be the Rams starting QB for game 1, to final roster cuts, to Vincent Jackson ramblings, to.. you get my point. I'll do my best to cover all I can.

Obviously the big news yesterday, was the decision that Sam Bradford gets the nod to start the regular season.

His strong performance in his lone series of the Rams final preseason game against the Ravens, all but sealed the deal on the decision, and also capped off what has to be one of the most impressive preseason performances by a number 1 pick at the QB position in a very long time. You can't argue that!

You can say Sam made the decision fairly easy for Spags and company. But that's OK! We'll take it right?

OK enough Bradford drooling.. now onto the links:

• Sam Bradford will be the Rams starting QB in game 1 against the Cardinals. As stated above, definitely not a surprise, and well deserved. Two things have stood out to me about Bradford. The first thing is when he is on the field, other players seem to elevate their play (ie; guys like Bajema). That is hard to ignore. The second thing is how he looks very much like a 5+ year veteran - calling audibles, completing gorgeous play-action passes and taking command of the huddle and game. Spags said it best when talking about the decision to start him, when he said that Bradford, "earned it". He sure did.
• The Rams have announced their final roster cuts. Danario Alexander, Keith Null, Bobby Carpenter, Brandon McRae, Quincy Butler, Chris Ogbannaya and Victor Adeyanju were some of the top names who were cut. Van also has some thoughts and more info here.
• Mike Sando has a nice breakdown of the final cuts, including surprises, no-brainers and potential future plans. Technically we are short 1 offensive lineman so expect a move there. YES we hold the #1 waiver priority. GOOD. We need it. Also, he mentioned the Rams tried Bobby Carpenter at defensive end. Huh? I don't recall this. Is this a typo? Enlighten me.
• Vincent Jackson won't be a Ram. Here we go again. Why is it we seem to "be in talks with", or said to be, "very interested in" a top player, only to have it be denied or fizzle out? I do have to give the FO credit; they never rush a decision. Hopefully they are the right decisions. However, are we ever going to sign a #1 receiver or backup RB? We're patiently waiting Billy... not sure for how much longer!
  
• Steven Jackson and other Rams players praise Spags, and mentioned his commitment to making the team more physical. I LIKE this A LOT. It's always great to hear when players speak so highly of their coach. The last time I heard things like this was 1999. Hmmmmm
• Turf Show Radio was in action yesterday as Van and 3k enlightened us in everything "Rams". Hopefully the replay audio is up now (it wasn't as of this writing), but if not keep checking back. I honestly couldn't listen live as I had a fantasy football draft to attend, so I can't promise you 3k wasn't crooning any xmas songs like he did at the end of last year. Be warned.
  
  UPDATE: Audio is up - Just listened in, BEST episode ever, by far. Lots of callers, including RamChop who is feeling good.. whoever was the first caller from Jersey, you had me fired up! AWESOME call, I urge everyone to listen.

It was mostly a group of Baltimore second stringers on the field to start the game last night, and Sam Bradford made them look like it too. Bradford easily moved the ball down field to score a TD taking just over five minutes to unquestionably announce that the starting job in week 1 belongs to him. 

As for the Rams win to finish the preseason 3-1, take it with a grain of salt. All but 7 of their 27 points came from the backup units where the story was as much about trying to iron our the depth chart as it was running the playbook. That said, I think the Rams coaches deserve some credit for the way the second and third teams executed. Let's go back to Bradford and the starters first.

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The St. Louis Rams scored on their first possession of the game as rookie QB Sam Bradford converted 100 percent of the team's third downs (3 for 3) and laced a short TD pass to Bill Bajema for an easy six points. 

There can be no question that Bradford, who made all kinds of beautiful plays this evening, will start for the Rams in week 1. 

My favorite play was the rollout screen pass to Fells on the first play of the game. But, hell, they all looked good. Granted it wasn't Ray Lewis' defense out there, but it was impossible to ignore Bradford's opening statement. 

Let the game thread continue here.

Besides the 15 or so snaps that Sam Bradford will have to cement his grip on the week 1 starting job, the real story for the St. Louis Rams in tonight's preseason finale will be sorting out the depth chart. 

We've prattled on quite enough about the various merits of players at contested spots like backup running back, third QB and cornerback depth. It's time to gauge the pulse of the nation with an unscientific poll...or even a series of them leading up to tonight's game.

Just like the last poll, but this time it's all about which RB gets the primary backup job behind Steven Jackson. 

Kenneth Darby, Chris Ogbonnaya and Keith Toston have all looked about the same, which isn't to say that any of them have made fans feel better should the Rams have a game without Steven Jackson.  

It's still very likely that that player could be found when teams make their final cuts this weekend, as some franchises have taken a fantasy football like approach in hording RBs this summer. 

Besides the 15 or so snaps that Sam Bradford will have to cement his grip on the week 1 starting job, the real story for the St. Louis Rams in tonight's preseason finale will be sorting out the depth chart. 

We've prattled on quite enough about the various merits of players at contested spots like backup running back, third QB and cornerback depth. It's time to gauge the pulse of the nation with an unscientific poll...or even a series of them leading up to tonight's game.

Programming note: Game thread coming at 6 p.m. Central time, a hour before the game starts.

Our first battle is the third QB spot where Keith Null is trying to hold off Thaddeus Lewis, an undrafted upstart from Duke. Lewis has been sharper in preseason play, but Null did start four games last season. So who makes the cut?