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The St. Louis Rams are now in the midst of a two-game win streak. Last week's win over the Houston Texans marked the second week in a row the team disassembled a struggling opponent in a convincing fashion. Sure, it may not look like much to beat up on the Jaguars and Texans, but thumping teams like that is exactly what you want to see as a visible sign of progress for a team on the rebound.
It's also translating well in the power rankings this week.
Over at SB Nation, the Rams jumped to No. 22, up from No. 24 last week. A win over the Panthers in Carolina this week would help their cause even more in the world of arbitrary list making. That's where they shook out from most of the other outlets putting out power rankings this week.
This week's opponent, the Carolina Panthers, polled at No. 24 this week. Across the spectrum, they're averaging about the 22nd spot. A win on the road this week would give the Rams more cachet in the eyes of rankers. More importantly, a second straight road win would restore the Rams' shot at challenging for a playoff spot this year and move them one step closer to a winning record.