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Dear Beanie Wells,
On Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, you were 38 games into your NFL career. Sure, it hadn't been as productive as your time in Columbus, but everyone knew that would have been setting the bar too high. Everyone but the 2011 Rams, that is.
Yes, a day later, you had taken over the franchise rushing record for the Cardinals, a franchise that ironically preceded its time in Phoenix with a 28-year layover in the Lou. In a single game three seasons in, you accounted for 11.2% of your career rushing yards. For Steven Jackson to rush for 11.2% in the tenth game of his third season, he would have had to have rushed for 315 yards which no NFL player has of course ever done.
Sir, I do not mean to disparage your achievement. I dare not qualify it with asterisks or other marks of comparison. But the Rams' rushing defense is downright slop snot sloppy. So you owe us. We'll take compensation in 2012. And 2013. And for the rest of all time.
Thanks,
Sir 3k, Lord Chief Baron of the Rushing Yards Exchequer
| Average ranking (# of rankings) | 31 (9) |
| Average change from last week | -0.22 |
| Highest ranking (source) | 31st (every source) |
| Lowest ranking (source) | 31st (that's right. EVERYBODY) |
| Biggest positive change (source) | 0 (multiple sources) |
| Biggest negative change (source) | -1 (multiple sources) |
SB Nation: 31st (30th last week)
Letting Patrick Peterson beat you on punt returns twice...ugh. What's up with St. Louis?
The rest of the major power rankings after the jump.
ESPN: 31st (31st)
The Rams have allowed 1,749 yards rushing, close to the 1,810-yard total from the entire 2010 season.
NFL.com: 31st (31st)
The losses keep piling up, with Week 12's being the second straight at home to a less-than-stellar division opponent. There's no question the Rams are the worst team in the NFC, but the surprise is that Sam Bradford is playing like one of the worst quarterbacks in the conference. He's not getting much help from new OC Josh McDaniels, either. For the second straight week, the once controversial head coach called a pass (from an obvious passing formation) on third-and-one. This time, it was in the fourth quarter. If he's going to call a pass in that situation, in a one-score game no less, could it at least be on play-action? Maybe create some deception? By the way, isn't Steven Jackson back there playing tailback? Just a thought.
CBS Sports: 31st (31st)
It's amazing how injuries can turn a team into a disaster in a hurry. This is far worse of a step-back season than anyone expected.
Pro Football Talk: 31st (31st)
Is it possible for the offensive rookie of the year to become a bust?
Pro Football Weekly: 31st (31st)
Have a No. 1 receiver in Lloyd, but there are holes everywhere.
Fox Sports: 31st (30th)
This team had a brutal first-half schedule, but were supposed to bounce back a little with a very manageable second half. Giving up 228 yards to Arizona's Beanie Wells is not how you bounce back.
National Football Post: 31st (31st)
If the Rams didn’t upset the Saints this season there would be nothing to talk about in St. Louis.
Sports Illustrated: 31st (31st)
If you think things can't get worse in St. Louis, you haven't peeked at the Rams' remaining schedule. In the season's last five games, St. Louis plays first-place San Francisco twice, goes to Pittsburgh (8-3), gets a visit from Cincinnati (7-4), and plays at Seattle, against a Seahawks team that already thumped the Rams in the dome. Happy holidays.