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The St. Louis Rams picked up win No. 7 on the season this week. Next week, the Rams have a shot at win No. 8 and the team's first winning record since 2003. The Washington Redskins are in the midst of a playoff push, and together the success of the two teams means lower draft picks for the Rams.
Right now the Rams have the 17th pick in the draft by virtue of their own record. The other pick, the one from Washington, will hinge on the outcome of next Sunday night's game between the Redskins and the Cowboys. If Dallas wins, that could mean the Rams get what should be either the 19th or 20th pick. If Washington wins and moves on, that pick will be 21st or lower down the order with the playoff teams.
Yes, it's okay to root for Washington to lose (though it would take an industrial strength cleaner to scrub away the shame of rooting for the Cowboys).
It is not okay to root for the Rams to lose, not for the sake of having a spot or two higher in the draft order. This Rams team is competitive. We are finally free from having to root for better draft position and the possibility of picking players to rebuild the roster. I still remember the freaked out tweets and angry comments when the Rams traded down to 14th in the last draft to select Michael Brockers.
Chill. The Rams are finally in good hands. We don't have to worry about Tony Softli picking Tye Hill or Billy Devaney grabbing the next crop of street free agents with his late-round picks.
Personally, I'm looking forward to the day when the Rams have the 32nd pick in the draft.