Titans vs. Rams: How important is this game?

The St. Louis Rams will be hosting the Tennessee Titans this Sunday. This is an important game for the Rams who need to continue building off of their moral victory in a heartbreaking loss on Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks. Not only because a win keeps playoff hopes alive (slim as they may be), but because head coach Jeff Fisher will be playing his old team.

Fisher coached the Titans for 17 seasons, and this will be the first game he has coached against them. Of course Fisher has chosen to downplay the game like coaches will usually do, but it's hard to imagine there's not a piece of Fisher that resents the fact that his old team fired him, or let him go.

Here's what Fisher had to say about facing his old team.

You know, not necessarily. I think it would be different if we were coming there, but we’ve got a short week and we’ve got to get everybody ready to play. Artis (Twyman) was good to let me know that I think there’s 16 guys left on the roster that were there when I was there. They’ve done a great job with the roster. They’re playing well, and this is just about our team and the matchups and trying to find a way to win.

Obviously that's what Fisher is telling us, but how do the players think Fisher think's about this game? Here's corner back Cortland Finnegan said about if this will be an emotional game.

I mean, both sides would like to win this game for a lot of different reasons. I think it happens to be the next game, but it also happens to be against a former team. I know it means something to him just because it happens to be the next game, but it’s also against the former team he coached for so many years. I’m not sure about the emotions side, but we’ll see. I look forward to the game.

Like Finnegan, it would be a surprise if Fisher isn't looking forward to this game also. Maybe not as a payback game, but would you rather lose to your former team or beat them? The Rams are wearing their throwback uniforms that game, must just be a consequence.