The Rams knew the departure of Orlando Pace created a big hole at tackle, and the Rams didn't let a golden opportunity slip by them.  St. Louis selected Jason Smith of Baylor University with their No. 2 overall pick in the first round.  Eventhough the 6'5" 309 pound lineman was converted from tight end, he has the skills necessary to take over for the Rams at left tackle.  Filling the spot of Orlando Pace isn't an easy task because that is Marc Bulger's blind side. 

In the second round the Rams selected James Laurinatis of Ohio State.  He is tagged as one of the most productive linebackers in the history of Ohio State football.  He started 39 of the 51 games he played in as a buckeye and recorded 375 tackles which includes 24.5 for loss of yards.  He racked up 13 sacks and also forced four fumbles.  In college he played middle linebacker which will allow the Rams to move Chris Draft and Will Witherspoon back to the outside linebacker positions.   

While I was a little upset that the Rams didn't select Aaron Curry in the 1st round, I am happy that we drafted a top priority in selected a lineman.  The second round pick of Laurinatis really excites me.  I think this is a great pick for the Rams, and he should fit nicely into our defense.  We needed to shore up our defense and we got a very talented playmaker that can play inside linebacker. 

Day 2 of the draft saw the Rams select Bradley Fletcher of Iowa with the second pick of the 3rd round.  Fletcher, 6'1 196 pounds, is slated to be either the nickel or dime back for the Rams defense.  He only started 4 games previous to his senior year, but showed lots of promise in his performance against South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. 

Darrell Scott of Clemson was selected by the Rams in the 4th round.  He has a 6'4" frame to go along with 312 pounds of run-stopping ability.  The Rams are hoping that Scott can rotate with Adam Carriker and Clifton Ryan to give help to the Rams woes of run defense.  Before suffering injuries in his senior year Scott tallied 161 tackles, 9 sacks, and 18.5 tackles for loss in three years of starting. 

The Rams turned their attention to wide receiver taking Brooks Foster from North Carolina.  Foster hauled in 97 receptions for 1237 yards during his college career including 6 touchdowns.  He had a knee injury during his senior year, but had successful surgery after the season ended.  The need is certainly there for Foster, as Torry Holt was released to create cap room, and Drew Bennett never panned out after signing a big contract before the 2007 season. 

In the sixth round the Rams went quarterback as they selected Keith Null of West Texas A&M.  Null 6'3" 220 pounds was mentored by coach Ryan Leaf as he served as a backup his first two seasons.(thats right former No. 2 pick overall bust Ryan Leaf).

Chris Ogbonnaya was the Rams' final choice of the 2009 NFL Draft.  A product of Texas, whose name I have no idea how to pronounce, had 73 carries for 373 yards with 4 touchdowns in 2008.  He coupled that with 46 receptions for 540 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Overall I feel pretty good about the picks the Rams made.  With the new coaching staff in place I feel this team is heading in a positive direction.

St. Louis Rams 27 @ Atlanta Falcons 31

St. Louis finished the 2008 season against the Falcons at the Georgia Dome.  The Rams fell behind in the first half, battled back in the second half to take the lead, only to give up the game winning touchdown with under four minutes to go for their 10th straight loss.

The Rams offense had one of its better games of the season.  Marc Bulger had a pretty good game going for 230 yards through the air with one touchdown.  He connected with rookie Donnie Avery for a 16 yard touchdown in the second quarter to give the Rams a 14-10 lead.  Steven Jackson added 161 yards on the ground with a pair of touchdowns.  Jackson also caught four passes for 54 yards.  The offense didn't turn the ball over during today's game, but again had problems inside the red zone.  The Rams had to settle for a 31 yard field goal after Steven Jackson couldn't  convert a 3rd and 2 on the Atlanta 15 yard line.  Then just past the midway point of the 4th quarter the Rams had to settle for a 27 yard field goal.  After Jonathan Wade intercepted Matt Ryan at the Atlanta 22 yard line, the Rams were set up with great field position.  St. Louis couldn't take advantage though.  They could only move the ball down to the Atlanta 8 before breaking a 24-24 tie with Brown's second field goal. 

The Rams 27-24 lead would be short-lived.  The Rams defense was on its heels all day defending the run.  Atlanta gained 263 yards on the ground, Michael Turner acquired 208, and Jerious Norwood racked up 56.  Norwood's 45 yard touchdown run with 3:41 to go in the game was the clinching score for the Falcons. 

Despite how poorly the Rams defense played against the run, they held Matt Ryan to a quiet day.  Ryan was held to 160 yards passing and was intercepted twice.  He did hit receiver Roddy White for a 16 yard touchdown, Ryan's only touchdown pass of the game. 

Rams Player of the Game

Steven Jackson provided his best effort of the season today.  With Jackson's 30 carry 161 yard effort, he broke 1000 yards for the 4th consecutive season.  He is the first Rams running back to accomplish that since Eric Dickerson (1983-86).  Jackson also scored two touchdowns on runs from 2 and 4 yards. 

San Francisco 49ers 17 @ St. Louis Rams 16

The Rams would blow another game late as the 49ers won the game by scoring two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game.  The Rams defense had silenced the 49ers offense for 55 minutes producing 4 turnovers and 4 sacks.  After trailing 3-0 after one quarter the Rams would score 16 consecutive points, 10 of those coming in the last two minutes of the first half.  However, the Rams had to settle for a 22 yard Josh Brown field goal after a 15 play 60 yard drive had stalled on the San Francisco 4 yard line.  St. Louis had 1st and Goal on the SF 5 and failed to score a touchdown that could have potentially been enough to seal the game for the Rams.  The Rams called terrible playcalls near the endzone.  On 1st and Goal Steven Jackson carried the ball for a loss of 3 yards.  On 2nd down Jackson got the call again, this time gaining a yard.  On 3rd and Goal from the 7, Marc Bulger had to scramble and only gained 3 yards to get to the 4 yard line.  It looked like a give-up drive.  Not one play looked like it was designed to put 6 points on the board.  Torry Holt has been an effective receiver most of his career; why not call a fade route towards the corner of the endzone for him to attempt to jump and grab?  The play calling is just too conservative.  A play like that hasn't been seen since the Mike Martz era.  Maybe the coaching staff thinks they lack playmakers that are unable to catch touchdowns within the 5 yard line? 

San Francisco waited until there was less than 5 minutes remaining in the game before finding the endzone.  Shaun Hill connected with Isaac Bruce for a 3 yard touchdown reception.  The touchdown for Bruce was his 1000th career reception.  After spending 14 years with the Rams, it was a given that he would accomplish that feat against his former team today. 

After a Rams 3 and out, the 49ers got the ball back with plenty of time.  Trailing 16-10 with 2:27 and possession at their own 33 yard line, Shaun Hill was sacked by Pisa Tinoisamoa for a loss of 7 yards.  Then on 2nd and 17, defensive end James Hall was flagged for encrouchment, and gave the 49ers 5 free yards to make it a more managible 2nd and 12.  Hill would complete his next three passes and give the 49ers a 17-16 lead after throwing a 48 yard touchdown to Josh Morgan with 90 seconds to go. 

The Rams had one last chance to move into field goal range to win the game and on 4th and 9 at the Rams 38 yard line, Bulger threw a pass that was tipped by the defense and Donnie Avery managed to concentrate and make a sideline circus catch at the 49ers 45 yard line.  Then came a running play which Steven Jackson lost 3 yards on.  With 25 seconds left, why are you calling dumb plays like that?  It was stupid, and on the next play the 49ers sealed their win when Marc Bulger was intercepted.  The 49ers would win 17-16, a game that should have easily been another Rams victory. 

Week 17 Matchup

The Rams close the 2008 season on the road as they travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons.  St. Louis (2-13) and Atlanta (10-5) don't have much to play for.  One team is watching the playoffs on television and the other already has wrapped up the 5th seed.

Seattle Seahawks 23 @ St. Louis Rams 20

In the battle to get out of last place in the NFC West, Seattle and St. Louis each with records of 2-12 fought in a game down to the wire.  Despite losing 7 straight to the rival Seahawks, the Rams came out strong in the first half.  The Rams scored on the opening drive of the game on a 31-yard pass from Marc Bulger to Torry Holt.  After forcing the Seahawks to punt on their first drive of the game, the Rams made a crucial mistake.  On the second play of the drive Derek Stanley took a handoff and fumbled at the St. Louis 23-yard line.  Jordan Babineaux picked up the loose ball and ran it in for a touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.  Despite the mistake, the Rams would regroup and score their second touchdown in the second quarter on a 6 yard run by Steven Jackson.  Up 14-7, the Rams would also add a Josh Brown 36 yard field goal before halftime.  At the half the Rams had piled up 243 yards and had a 17-7 lead. 

St. Louis is a much better football team when Steven Jackson can suit up and play.  Jackson carried the ball 24 times for 91 yards and scored on a 6 yard run in the 2nd quarter to give the rams a 14-7 lead.  He also added 36 receiving yards on 4 receptions.

Each team had fumbled twice.  The other Rams fumble came inside the Red Zone.  Joe Klopfenstein caught a 12 yard pass reception and got down to the Seattle 15 where he fumbled the ball.  It took a golden opportunity for points away from the Rams. 

The second half was a complete disaster.  St. Louis could only manage 99 yards in the second half with a total of 4 first downs.  Steven Jackson was held in check.  After compiling 81 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown, he received 7 carries for only 10 yards in the 2nd half.  The defense fell asleep.  After holding the Seahawks to 76 yards through 2 periods and 3 points, Seattle woke up and outscored the Rams 16-3 as they went on to win 23-20 on a last second field goal by Olindo Mare. 

On the final drive of the game, St. Louis couldn't stop Seattle on a 3rd and 4 at the Rams 38 yard line as they allowed T.J. Duckett to pick up the 1st down.  On the next play, Senaca Wallace through a deep strike to Deion Branch that would ensure an easy field goal attempt for the Seahawks.  That's your ball game, Seattle 23-20. 

Week 16 Matchup

St. Louis welcomes the San Francisco 49ers into town next week.  The 49ers (5-9) lost to the Miami Dolphins 14-9.  It will be another return trip to St. Louis for former Rams head coach Mike Martz who is now the offensive coordinator for the 49ers.  Martz took over in 2000 after Dick Vermeil retired.  Martz lead the Rams to three seasons in a row of 10 or more wins.  He coached the Rams to their Super Bowl 36 apperance, as well as their last NFC West division title in 2003. 

St. Louis Rams 10 Arizona Cardinals 34

St. Louis lost their fifth straight game to the NFC west rival Cardinals today.  To sum up today's game, Arizona's defense did more scoring than the Rams' offense.  The Cardinals capitalized off of a 11 yard fumble return and a 99 yard interception return.

Arizona scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the game to take a 14-0 lead after one quarter of play.  After Ron Bartell intercepted Kurt Warner, the Rams had 1st and goal at the Arizona 6 yard line.  The Rams scored their only touchdown on a 3 yard pass from Bulger to Jackson.  It would be the closest the Rams would get.  They would add a 51 yard field goal by Josh Brown in the 4th quarter, but Arizona had this one on cruise control. 

MVP Candidate Kurt Warner quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals was 24/33 passing for 279 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT.  Even after 5 years, it is still different seeing him in another teams uniform. 

The Rams turned the ball over 3 times.  Steven Jackson fumbled twice and Bulger had the interception that was returned 99 yards for a touchdown in the 4th quarter.  You aren't going to win any games where the opposing defense outscores the offense 14-10. 

Week 15 Matchup

St. Louis falls to (2-11) as they lost their 7th game in a row.  The Rams head back home to take on the Seattle Seahawks.  Seattle also fell to 2-11 today as they lost to the New England Patriots 24-21 in Seattle. 

Oh boy, two teams with a combined record of (4-22) will be battling for control of the cellar in the NFC West.  I wonder who is going to get the W. 

Miami Dolphins 16 St. Louis Rams 12

St. Louis welcomed back Steven Jackson infront of a  60/40 mixed crowd of Rams and Dolphins fans at the Edwards George Dome today.  Jackson got off to a good start as his first carry in weeks went for 11 yards.  The Rams would have success moving the ball on the ground, but struggled in the passing department.  The woes were really obvious when the Rams moved inside the redzone.  The Rams went 0-2 in the redzone and had their 4 scoring drives all end with Josh Brown field goals.    Brown was perfect on all his attempts hitting from 23,33,38, and 51 yards. 

Part of the Rams' woes on scoring were due to an ineffective passing game.  Marc Bulger had an awful game today.  He finished 16/35 for 149 yards and was intercepted 3 times.  Bulger threw 2 soft passes over the middle that were gathered in by the Dolphins. 

The defense for the Rams played better than they have in previous games.  While they did give up 327 total yards, the Rams didn't allow a single rusher to gain over 54 yards.  The defense was able to keep the Rams in the game.   They forced the Dolphins to punt with 2 minutes remaining, but the Rams turned it over on an interception with less than 40 seconds to go. 

Rams Player of the Game

In his first game back after battling a nagging injury, Steven Jackson racked up 94 yards rushing on 21 carries.  He also had 1 reception for 16 yards. 

Week 14 Matchup

The Rams travel to Arizona to take on the NFC West division leading Cardinals (7-5).  St. Louis (2-10) will have its arms full trying to stop a very potent offense featuring former Ram Kurt Warner, and two very good young receivers in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. 

Chicago Bears 27 @ St. Louis Rams 3

Another ugly game.  I could go on about how poor the defense has played against the run, or how terrible the offense played.   What more can I say that I haven't said in past weeks though?  At one time this team was 2-4, now they have lost five straight.  I saw a team that was overwhelmed by the Bears defense.  Chicago has been very tough against the run, but has been giving up big gains on pass defense.  Today, the Rams made the 2008 Bears look like the 1985 Bears defense.  

It was another game without Steven Jackson.  It didn't help matters when Marc Bulger sustained a concussion on the fifth play of the game.  Backup Trent Green took over for Bulger and did his worst going 16/30 for 219 yards and 4 interceptions.  Chicago dominated the game with their defense creating turnovers and recording 5 sacks.  They threw off the quaterback's timing making him throw passes well behind receivers. 

The Bears limited St. Louis to 14 yards rushing on 19 carries.  Antonio Pittman had 9 of those carries for 8 yards.  Only 3 of those carries went for positive yardage; including gains of 3, 8, and 11 yards.

For the fourth time this year, the Rams failed to score a touchdown.  The lone Rams score today, a Josh Brown 43-yard field goal in the in the 2nd quarter when the Rams were trailing 21-0.  Josh Brown had previously missed a 40-yard field goal earlier in the period.

Matt Forte had a solid game on the ground thumping the Rams defense for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries.  The woes will just continue for the Rams.  How are they going to stop the Dolphins next week when they run their infamous "Wildcat Formation"?  The Dolphins could have close to 200 rushing if not more, before the game is over.

Week 13 Matchup 

Rams 16 @ 49ers 35

After getting whooped on the east coast by the New York Jets 47-3, the Rams traveled to the west coast to face NFC West rival San Francisco.  The 49ers, losers of six straight games would start out red hot and never have to worry about the outcome of this game.  Despite the Rams shutting out the 49ers in the second half, St. Louis surrendered 28 second quarter points falling to last place in the division with a 2-8 record.   

Frank Gore got the scoring started for San Francisco on a 5 yard touchdown run that was set up by Allen Rossum's 29 yard punt return giving the offense a short field to work with.  The Rams would answer back by settling for a Josh Brown 24 yard field goal.  After having 1st and goal from the 49ers 5 yard line, St. Louis couldn't put the ball in the end zone resulting in 3 points.  San Francisco would score touchdowns on their next four possessions.  Vernon Davis scored on a 2 yard pass by Shaun Hill to extend the 49ers lead to14-3.  On the following drive for the Rams, Marc Bulger fumbled at his own 16 yard line that set up Frank Gore's 1 yard touchdown run, his second on the day.  Next, Bulger was intercepted by Walt Harris which resulted in Shaun Hill's 1 yard touchdown run.  Lastly, the 49ers scored on another 2 yard pass from Hill to Bryant Johnson to close the quarter.  Going into halftime it was 35-3 49ers; almost as bad as the previous week when it was 40-0 Jets at the half.   

St. Louis would outscore the 49ers 13-0 in the second half to make the final 35-16.  Josh Brown connected on field goals from 44 and 48 yards.  The Rams finally found the end zone in the final two minutes of the game as Marc Bulger hooked up with Dane Looker for a 2 yard touchdown pass. 

Turnovers hurt the Rams badly and gave the 49ers short fields to work with.  The defense played poorly again, but it doesn't help their cause when their backs are already against the wall.  The 1985 Bears would have trouble keeping opponnents off the scoreboard when the drive starts in the red zone.  Marc Bulger had all three of the Rams' turnovers having 2 passes intercepted and 1 fumble lost. 

Antonio Pittman did a decent job filling in for Steven Jackson again, as he continues to nurse an injured right thigh.  Pittman carried the ball 14 times for 95 yards.  That's a pretty good performance for a backup running back on the road. 

Orlando Pace, Ronald Bartell, and Richie Incognito left in the 1st half with injuries that could mean they miss some playing time. 

Rams Player of the Game

Donnie Avery had a career best 9 receptions for 93 yards today.  He progresses more and more each game as he learns the ropes.  I think he will just keep getting better.  He has game breaking speed and is capable of beating defenders. 

Week 12 Matchup

St. Louis heads back home to take on the Chicago Bears.  Chicago (5-5) lost to Green Bay 37-3 at Lambeau Field.  The Bears defense is in trouble as they are getting beat badly on defense against the run as well as the pass.  The Bears feature a great rookie running back in Matt Forte, whom is a fun player to watch. 

St. Louis Rams 3 @ New York Jets 47

This game was dominated by the Jets.  There was a total lack of defense by the Rams today.  The Jets had scored 40 points before the Rams even got on the scoreboard.  That lone score, a 37 yard field goal by Josh Brown, came on the Rams first possession in the second half. 

The Rams were beat like a red-headed stepchild on both sides of the ball.  Thomas Jones was running up and down the defense piling up 149 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.  On offense, the Rams were silenced.  Marc Bulger wasn't able to do anything in the 1st half and was benched at halftime after going 6/13 for 65 yards with an interception and a fumble.  The fumble came in the second quarter when he was sacked and Calvin Pace scored on a 50-yard fumble return touchdown.   

Trent Green started the second half and led the Rams down the field for their only scoring drive of the day, a 10 play 57 yard drive that ended with a field goal.  Green didn't do much better than Bulger as he finished 5/10 for 70 yards with an interception.  Turnovers hurt the Rams as they had 5 total, 2 interceptions and 3 fumbles. 

Without Steven Jackson, the Rams weren't able to get the ground game established.  Kenneth Darby got the start for Jackson and had 32 yards on 4 carries along with a fumble before halftime.  Without a ground threat, the Rams were one-dimensional and the Jets were able to quiet the Rams passing attack with ease. 

As I mentioned before, the defense was just terrible.  The New York Jets were able to score on their first 7 possesions of the game.  The 47 points the Rams gave up is the new season high, the previous being the 41 the Rams gave up to the New York Giants.  If you add up the scores of the two games against New York football teams this season, they have outscored the Rams 98-16.  Jim Haslett called it the way it is; this game was embarrasing to watch. 

Week 11 Matchup

St. Louis (2-7) now heads out to the west coast to take on the San Francisco 49ers.  The 49ers (2-6) are playing on Monday Night at Arizona.  St. Louis can only hope that Steven Jackson can return 100% healthy to give them some sort of boost.   

Arizona Cardinals 34 at St. Louis Rams 13

In my opinion this was a must win game.  Going into today, Arizona had a 2 game lead in the NFC West over the Rams.  A Rams win would put them just a game behind, but the Rams didn't show up after the 1st quarter. 

The Rams defense came up big early with a goal-line stand including stuffing Kurt Warner on a quarterback sneak on 4th and Goal from the 1 yard line.  This gave the Rams a little momentum as St. Louis took a 7-0 lead over the Cardinals in the 1st quarter on Marc Bulger's 80 yard touchdown pass to speedy receiver Derek Stanley.  It would be Stanley's first career catch, and the Ram's lone highlight.

The picture above sums up the rest of the game, as St. Louis would give up 31 consecutive points including a 24-point 2nd quarter.  If that doesn't sound bad enough, the Rams were outgained by the Cardinals 229-18 in the period alone.  Three big plays contributed to Arizona's scoring.  Antrel Rolle intercepted Marc Bulger and ran it in for a 40 yard pick-6.  Arizona rookie runningback Tim Hightower scampered across the goal-line on a 30 yard touchdown run after Fakhir Brown mistackled him near the line of scrimmage.  Jerheme Urban made a sensational catch after Jonathan Wade bobbled an interception that went right into Urban's arms as he later ran 56 yards for the score.  Rams mistackles and the inability to finish the play helped cap off the Cardinals 24-point quarter.  It was a very sloppy quarter in my opinion, one of the worst I've seen in a while.  Before Jerheme Urban's touchdown the Rams had the ball with 1:45 left before halftime trailing 17-7 at their own 15 yard line.  Bulger would throw 3 incompletions, including a 3rd down dropped pass by Steven Jackson, that took off a total of 15 seconds from the play clock.  Arizona didn't have to waste any of their timeouts to stop the clock.  If St. Louis goes into halftime only down 10, they might have came out stronger in the 2nd Half, but Urban's touchdown was the nail in the coffin. 

Rams Player of the Game

There aren't many heroes here to choose from today.  Marc Bulger had 3 turnovers, Steven Jackson was ineffective racking up only 17 rushing yards on 7 carries, and the defense was a sieve.  If anything it should go to the Cardinal's Kurt Warner for his stellar performance of 342 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

However, I am going to pick Derek Stanley.  He caught his first career pass and it was a memorable 80 yard touchdown that gave the Rams a short-lived lead.  I have the ability to say that I attended the same school as Stanley, UW-Whitewater. 

Week 10 Matchup

St. Louis heads back to the east coast with a (2-6) record to take on the New York Jets whom are (5-3) after defeating the Buffalo Bills 26-17.  The Rams are three games behind division leading Arizona, so if there is any chance they can stay in the hunt for the playoffs its going to be a tough task going against the Jets. 

I've been going back and forth all week on wether or not to post something on this election.  I figure since I have freedom of speech in this country that I will share my opinion with the rest of you.  With the election just days away we are about to elect the worst qualified candidate in the history of the United States.  I am not a fan of John McCain, but Barack Obama isn't what America needs.  Do you ever wonder why America's youth, the most unexperienced voters, embrace a politician who has done nothing for his constituents yet promises "change" and "hope". 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzFOOcEQtP0

I am not going to go over how each candidate stands on the issues.  That is frankly a waste of time since we already know how they stand on each issue.  My point is to show you things you probably have been shielded by from national media networks.  It's been said that Obama wants to reinact the "Fairness Doctrine".  Simply because AM Radio has very little liberal voices out there, yet 3 of the 4 major networks are endoursing Obama as do most major newspapers.  They rarely dig into anything that would make Obama look bad, but exposes McCain and Palin as evil-dooers.  They question Palin's experience level for being vice president.  Yet fail to realize that Obama is a 3 year senator running for president.  If you don't believe the media is biased you are drinking your own urine. 

It seems that Obama has no problem showing disrespect for America.  He doesn't salute the flag during the National Anthem nor does he wear an American Flag pin during his campaign.  What sort of patriotic message does that send?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmHtGQq-z_Y&feature=related

When Obama gets elected, like any other president, he will have to select cabinent members.  How can you trust a president to pick crucial members of government when people he has known for 20 years turn out to be criminals and American-hating pastors.  Rev. Jeremiah Wright promotes hate against white people calling America the U.S.K.K.K of A.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc2FCJ7zWEQ

And then there is Tony Rezko and his reputation as a peddler in Illinois government.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHY5LzLW1hU

Now I am not stating that Obama is involved in corruption, but he has made terrible choices on his friends claiming that these aren't the people he knew all this time.  I find it hard to believe that as a parishoner for 17 years he hasn't heard Jeramiah Wright "God Daming America".   What's going to happen if he's faced with a possible supreme court justice nominee?  Are we going to be able to trust his decision due to his previous failures? 

I am not in favor of voting for either candidate.  However, I have to pick one.  I know that McCain has served his country during Vietnam and will do his best to defend our borders during times of need.  I don't have to worry about McCain being influenced by hate messages from sermons at Sunday church.  I know the Bush administration has screwed up our nation, but are we going to elect a 3 year senator from one of the most politically corrupt states in order to get change?  Sounds like more kick backs and peddling deals are in store.  Yet I will "hope" that he won't turn out like the rest of Illinois' government when he is elected.

Oh yes, and I just love this tidbit by his wife, Michelle Obama. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyUsDOeFo24&feature=related

I'm not even going to comment, but if a white woman had said it, the Racist word would have been screamed.

St. Louis Rams 16 @ New England Patriots 23

St. Louis made their first trip to Gillette Stadium, which opened in 2002.  Each team would be without key players at running back for the game.  The Rams wouldn't have the services of Steven Jackson, while the Patriots would be without Sammy Morris, LaMont Jordan, and Laurence Maroney.  This meant the Rams would have to rely on the likes of Antonio Pittman and Travis Minor while Kevin Faulk and BenJarvus Green-Ellis got the carries for New England. 

It was a tough game to watch for Rams fans.  St. Louis was in the game for the majority of the day hanging tough with the Patriots.  It was a battle of field goals as Josh Brown and Stephen Gostkowski were each 3 for 3 on field goal attempts.  However with 3:13 left in the 4th quarter the Patriots took the lead on Kevin Faulk's 15 yard touchdown reception. 

Donnie Avery looked great posting 163 yards on 6 receptions including a 69 yard pass from Marc Bulger that gave the Rams a 10-7 lead.  Marc Bulger had his first 300 yard passing game of the season going 18/34 for 301 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT.  The interception was the only Rams turnover of the day, but secured the win for New England.  St. Louis was down 23-16 with 3:07 left in the 4th quarter as they started on their own 10 yard line.  Three completions to Dante Hall and a 17 yard run by Antonio Pittman set up a 1st and 10 at the New England 33 yard line with 1:33 left in the game.  But two incompletions and a false-start penalty would set up a 3rd and 15 in which Bulger was intercepted by Deltha O'Neal. 

Rams Player of the Game

Donnie Avery had an outstanding game today.  He is such an exciting player to watch each week as he progresses during his rookie year.  Avery caught 6 passes today for 163 yards and a touchdown. 

Week 9 Matchup

St. Louis (2-5) heads home to take on the Arizona Cardinals (4-3).  The Cardinals lost a tough game at Carolina 27-23 after having a 14 point lead.  Arizona is in 1st place in the NFC West while St. Louis, Seattle, and San Francisco are each 2-5.  A win for St. Louis in week 9 would put the Rams one game back of 1st place. 

Dallas Cowboys 14 @ St. Louis Rams 34

Dallas is in a world of hurt without Tony Romo, and they figured that out quickly when Brad Johnson got the start.  Despite Marion Barber giving Dallas a 7-0 lead on his 1 yard touchdown run, the Rams would be in control the rest of the afternoon. 

On the opening drive for the Rams, rookie receiver Donnie Avery had a nice touchdown reception for 42 yards from Marc Bulger to tie the game at 7 all.  Steven Jackson would run all over the Cowboys for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Two of Jackson's runs came in the 1st quarter to give the Rams a 21-7 lead.  St. Louis in fact would score 34 consecutive points until Dallas added a garbage score in the final 2 minutes of the game to make it 34-14, which was the final. 

The defense cane up big today and was able to make Brad Johnson's day a living nightmare.  He threw for 3 interceptions and was sacked 3 times.  O.J. Atogwe came up with 2 of those pics, with Will Witherspoon getting the other.  Johnson was never able to get into a rythum and was lucky he was only intercepted 3 times.  Several passes were in and out of the hands of Rams defenders but couldn't hang on. 

The Rams improved their record to 2-4 while Dallas fell to 4-3.  St. Louis is in 2nd place in the NFC West two games behind the Arizona Cardinals.  With this win Jim Haslett improves to 2-0 as head coach of the Rams after the game after taking over for Scott Linehan. 

Rams Player of the Game

No doubt its Steven Jackson.  He had an amazing game rushing for 160 yards on 25 attempts and scoring 3 touchdowns, including a 56 yarder in the 3rd quarter.  He also added 2 receptions for 16 yards. 

Week 8 Matchup

St. Louis travels out east to Foxboro, Massachusettes to take on the New England Patriots.  New England is a lot more managable without Tom Brady, but still feature explosive Randy Moss and a pretty good running attack with Sammy Morris. 

St. Louis Rams(0-4) @ Washington Redskins(4-1)

In their first game under interim coach Jim Haslett, the Rams pull off the upset by beating the Washington Redskins 19-17 on the last play of the game with a  49-yard field goal by Josh Brown. 

The game started off with the Rams turning the ball over on their own 4-yard line.  Washington quickly took advantage on a Clinton Portis touchdown to give them the 7-0 lead.  Josh Brown would hit a 51 yard field goal to put the Rams on the board later in the quarter.  Trailing 7-3 with about :30 seconds remaining in the half, Washington was driving down the field in their no-huddle offense.  Jason Campbell went back to throw and had the pass tipped at the line.  Pete Kendall, a Redskins lineman, caught it and tried to advance the ball but had it knocked loose by Pisa Tinoisamoa.  O.J. Atogwe picked up the fumble and ran it in for a 75-yard touchdown and gave the Rams a 10-7 at halftime.  It was atleast a 10 point swing due to Washington being within range of a field goal when the turnover occured. 

St. Louis would tack on 6 more points in the 3rd quarter on a pair of Josh Brown field goals to make it 16-7.  However, it wouldn't be an easy finish for the Rams.  Washington answered back by scoring 10 consecutive points in the 4th quarter.  Portis ran into the endzone for his second touchdown on a 2-yard run giving Washington a 17-16 advantage.  With just under 4 minutes to play the Rams would get the ball back at their own 24 yard line.  After gaining a couple first downs and just over 1 minute to go the Rams faced a key 3rd down and 13 at their 41 yard line.  Quarterback Marc Bulger then completed a 43-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Donnie Avery that set up 1st and 10 at the Washington 16 yard line.  The Rams were well within Josh Brown's range to give him a chance to kick the game winning field goal.  Then came one of the dumbest things a player can do.  Richie Incognito got flagged for unsportsmanline conduct after jawing at an official.  It would set the Rams back 15 yards and make their chances of winning a lot harder.  However, with two seconds remaining Brown would hit his 4th field goal of the game giving the Rams their first win of the season.  The Rams became the first team since the 2000 Lions to win their first game after replacing their head coach during the regular season. 

Rams Player Of the Game

I think two game balls are deserved here.  One for Josh Brown, and the other for O.J. Atogwe.

Josh Brown was 4 for 4 on field goals.  He hit from 51,25,44, and 49 yards.  His 49-yarder was the game winner. 

O.J. Atogwe returned a fumble 75 yards for a touchdown right before the end of the first half.  It not only gave the Rams a 10-7 lead, but kept Washington off the scoreboard as the fumble kept them from adding more points while they were deep into Rams territory. 

Week 7 Matchup

The Rams head back to St. Louis with a 1-4 record to take on the Dallas Cowboys whom are 4-2 after losing to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime.  Hopefully the Rams can take the momentum from this game and build on it.  Dallas has been struggling as of late, but have many weapons on offense that can break out at any time. 

Buffalo Bills 31  St. Louis Rams 14

It was a game that featured an undefeated Bills team and a Rams team looking for not only their first win, but their true identity.  This would be the first game after Rams head coach Scott Linehan had demoted starting quarterback Marc Bulger in favor of the veteran Trent Green.  Buffalo came in looking for their first 4-0 start since 1992. 

Things started out well for the Rams despite giving up a 45 Yard Rian Lindell field goal on the Bills first drive of the game giving Buffalo a 3-0 lead.  The Rams would answer right back with a 5 play 67 yard drive that was capped off by a Donnie Avery 37-yard touchdown run giving St. Louis a 7-3 lead.  Later in the 1st quarter, Buffalo would take advantage of great field position set up by a Fred Jackson 35 yard punt return to the St. Louis 29 yard line.  Despite running 9 plays within the Rams 30, the Bills could only muster 12 yards, setting up another field goal for Lindell, this one being from 35 yards out.  The first quarter came to an end with the Rams leading 7-6 and with possesion.  The Rams extended their lead when Steven Jackson found paydirt on a 29 yard touchdown run and later did a "Lambeau Leap" into the first row of the stands.  The Rams defense was extremely tough on the Bills offense.  Buffalo was held to only 98 first half yards.  Trent Edwards had thrown an interception and was sacked twice.  This helped the Rams take a 14-6 lead into the locker rooms at halftime. 

The Rams however, would totally Collapse in the second half.  The Buffalo Bills would score on the first drive of the 3rd quarter on a Fred Jackson 22 yard run which was the only score of the period.  Eventhough the Rams took a 14-13 lead into the 4th quarter, the Bills would score 25 unanswered points.  The Bills took the lead on a Jabari Greer 33 yard interception return touchdown and never looked back.  The Bills scored another touchdown on a Lee Evans 39 yard touchdown reception and a Rian Lindell 45 yard field goal. 

Noteworthy about Trent Green.  His play at the quarterback position was ok.  He completed 17 passes o 32 attempts for 236 yards.  He didn't throw any touchdowns and had an interception that was returned by the Bills for the game winning touchdown in the 4th quarter.  I really don't think that benching your best quarterback for a 38 year old quaterback is a smart thing to do.  He is always one hit away from the morgue when he drops back to pass.

Rams Player of the Game

Steven Jackson had a great game despite losing.  Jackson finished with 110 yards rushing on 24 attempts with a touchdown and had 5 receptions for 78 yards. 

Next Opponent

Week 5 Bye

Week 6 @ Washington