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Good morning Ram fans, and happy divisional round weekend.
It wasn't perfect, but it could have been worse. Although there is still a one in two chance that a division rival will earn a spot in Super Bowl XLVII, that is far better than a certainty in the eyes of Ram fans.
With less than a minute remaining, the Atlanta Falcons forced the Seattle Seahawks out of an NFC West NFC Championship and one of the best comebacks in playoff history. After blowing a 20-0 halftime lead, Atlanta's high flying offense needed a Matt Bryant field goal to move on.
The night prior, the San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Colin Kaepernick quickly rebounded from an interception return for a touchdown to beat the Green Bay Packers in a shoot out. The 49ers will advance to the championship round for the second year in a row and the second time overall under head coach Jim Harbaugh.
But enough about what doesn't matter right now - on to some Ram links
A new stadium in the works? - While the situation regarding the Edward Jones Dome lease remains stagnant, the possibility of the Rams building a brand new stadium all together appears to be increasing. Arbitrators will meet today to discuss the alternatives, whether they be rebuild, renovate or something else entirely. St. Louis currently has several new potential locations in mind.
Snead, staff ready for offseason - With nearly a full year under its belt, the Rams front office is set to begin what is sure to be another eventful offseason. Once a new defensive coordinator is set in place, the team will completely turn its attention toward their free agents and, soon after, the draft. If 2013 is anything like 2012, St. Louis will keep everything close to the chest until it is final.
Stop stunting Bradford - Sam Bradford is entering his fourth year in the NFL following his best season in 2012. For the fourth consecutive year, he may be forced into a new playbook. Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has been a person of interest to the Jacksonville Jaguars regarding their head coach vacancy. While the chances of "Shotty" leaving don't appear great, it would present a problem for the Rams and another hole in the coaching staff.
Would Rob Ryan fit in St. Louis? - Fat jokes aside, there has been much speculation surrounding the temporarily out of work defensive coordinator. It's been confirmed that the Rams will stick with the 4-3 scheme and formation, but questions about Ryan's character and tactics continue to loom. Can the Rams afford to hire a media hound to the coaching staff, and how would the young roster respond? Regardless, sideline antics don't diminish the fact that Rob Ryan is a quality coach.
Remembering the 2011 Rams - Three breakout defensive linemen in 2010 - Fred Robbins, James Hall and C.J. Ah You - didn't play a single down in 2012. Veteran offensive linemen and successful millionaires Jacob Bell and Jason Brown retired prior to the season. Nearly 70 percent of the Rams' roster changed in one offseason.
Those are just a few of the outcomes from the drastic roster haul and purge Les Snead and Jeff Fisher brought with them. Surprisingly enough, many ex-Rams did catch on with other teams, including 9 to playoff contenders, most notably receiver Brandon Lloyd. An odd name to see still unwanted on the streets is "Jack of all trades, master of none" offensive lineman, Adam Goldberg, who was a quality backup and fill-in for years in St. Louis.
Raiders to interview Martz - Former Rams offensive coordinator and head coach Mike Martz appears ready to return to the sideline after a year spent in the broadcast booth. After several years of bouncing around the league following the Greatest Show on Turf, Martz will be surely hoping for some stability with his new employer. Naturally, the Oakland Raiders may seem like a good choice.