Weekly Wup Ass Award - Week 3

We have granted our Week 3 Wup Ass Award. Click HERE to find out who won!

Week 4 NFL Pointspreads & Totals

Week 4 NFL Pointspreads & Totals

Favorite - Spread - Underdog

Green Bay Packers - 14.5 - Detroit Lions
Tennessee Titans - 6.5 - Denver Broncos
Cincinnati Bengals - 3 - Cleveland Browns
New Orleans Saints - 13.5 - Carolina Panthers
Pittsburgh Steelers - 1 - Baltimore Ravens
New York Jets - 5 - Buffalo Bills
Atlanta Falcons - 7 - San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks - 1 - St. Louis Rams
Indianapolis Colts - 7 - Jacksonville Jaguars
Houston Texans - 3 - Oakland Raiders
San Diego Chargers - 8 - Arizona Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles - 5.5 - Washington Redskins
New York Giants - 3.5 - Chicago Bears
New England Patriots - 1 - Miami Dolphins

Bye Week Teams: Dallas, Kansas City, Minnesota, Tampa Bay

Proceed to do some sports betting at BetUS.com

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

As Stlvinnie Sees it - Week 4 Vince Vitale

In Week 3 I scored 89 points after 76 in week 2 and I am now 11th out of 36 in the Blogger/Celebrity/Expert League. Last week I used up Adrian Peterson but that turned out to be the right move. This week I am going to use up Chris Johnson hopeful he will come through with a huge game against the Denver Broncos. For my second back I am going to go with Peyton Hillis and hope to get double digits with him while he is hot. I see some great plays for wide receivers this week but I am going to go with two stars. I am going to start Brandon Marshall against the Patriots who got tore up by Buffalo last week, and DeSean Jackson who should run wild and behind the Washington Redskins secondary. At quarterback it is hard to pass up Aaron Rodgers but I am going to go with Phillip Rivers and save Rodgers for a rainy day. Last week I was burned when Visanthe Shiancoe was hurt but I am going to bring out the big gun this week and go with Antonio Gates against the Arizona Cardinals. At kicker I am going with Matt Bryant who should get some opportunities against the struggling 49ers.Check in next week to see if my selections paid off.

Week 3 Suicide Fantasy Football Results

I am playing a great new fantasy football game called Suicide Fantasy Football. Every week you must select 1 Quarterback, 2 Running Backs, 2 Wide Receivers, 1 Tight End, 1 Kicker but you can only use each player once during the 17 week season! Scores accumulated from week 1 through 17 and the overall highest point scorer wins the league.

I scored 89 points which kept me in 11th place out of 36 in the celebrity blogger league. My Week 3 starters were Tom Brady, Adrian Peterson, Pierre Thomas, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Visanthe Shiancoe and Matt Prater. In game injuries to Thomas and Shiancoe really cost me a chance for a huge week.

Wish me luck, and check out Suicide Fantasy Football.

Rams Top Redskins 30-16

Well it had been almost two years since the last time I saw the St. Louis Rams win a home game at the Edward Jones Dome. As unlikely as it was the Rams beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-14 on Oct. 19th 2008. The Rams had also not won a game in September since 2006. You start to believe the team will never win, like they are snake bit. Well after the Rams coughed up a 14-0 lead again today to the Washington Redskins I am sure everyone was thinking the same thing, here we go again.

For some reason today was different. After blowing a 14-0 lead and trailing 16-14 and losing Steven Jackson somehow the Rams seemed to play even that much harder in the second half. Being faced with adversity the Rams actually rallied. After falling behind the Rams went on a 12 play 74 yard drive with Kenneth Darby scoring from 12 yards out to put the Rams back on top to stay 21-16. The Rams dominated the second half scoring on 4 of their 5 drives and outscoring the Redskins 16-3 to win 30-16. 30 points is the most scored since their win over the Cowboys in 2008.

One thing that sure is different is Sam Bradford. Statistically he did not have the greatest day ever going 23 of 37 for 235 yards with 1 TD and 1 pick but it is nice to have a leader out there. Sam Bradford is a competitor and wants to win, he is not use to losing at anything. Sam Bradford made a nice play on his touchdown pass to Daniel Fells to put the Rams up 14-0. Bradford spread the ball to 9 receivers and I have to give Pat Shurmur credit since I usually dump on him he put the Rams in some nice situations by getting the ball out of Sam's hands. The Rams threw quick passes which you can do with Bradford being so accurate. The Redskins had no time to get to Bradford as he continually was connecting right from the snap. I would also like to say nice job to the receivers. Besides Mark Clayton catching 5 balls the Rams also completed 10 other passes to wide receivers. On the ground Kenneth Darby and Keith Toston chipped in with 71 yards after Steven Jackson left the game. The offensive line only allowed 1 sack and the Rams were also able to ground out 133 yards on the ground. Also lets give a hand to the defense who have held all three opponents to under 20 points.

It was funny looking at the scoreboard thinking if the Cardinals and Seahawks lose the St. Louis Rams will be in first place! Well baby steps first my friends as both won their games but it was a nice feeling to actually think about the NFC West race for once in a long time. Now we get to think about it all week as we get a chance to take care of business next Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Who knows maybe we can win two in a row, we did in 2008.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

Rams vs. Redskins Game Preview

Well fans say the St. Louis Rams look better in 2010 after two close losses to the Arizona Cardinals and the Oakland Raiders. Until the Rams show me a victory I am not going to say they look better quite yet. This team has still only found a way to win 1 of their last 18 games with Steve Spagnuolo as the head coach. In addition this team has some of the same issues it has had since 2006. The Rams are having a terrible time scoring points and moving the ball. The Rams continue to be unable to rush the quarterback or catch interceptions thrown to them. The Rams have a bad receiving core and no backup running back. If you look at this realistically not many things have changed only some faces. The Rams need thier coaches to simply make players better and to put them in better situations to succeed. Throwing swing passes to Mike Karney when long yardage is needed for a first down is not going to get us far.

The past two weeks the Rams have been beaten by backup quarterbacks and running backs as they faced Derek Anderson, Tim Hightower, Bruce Gradkowski and Darren McFadden. This week the Rams will face two very veteran players in Donovan McNabb who has over 30,000 yards passing and 200+ touchdown passes, along with Clinton Portis who is approaching 10,000 yards rushing. The Washington Redskins are the best team the Rams have face so far in 2010 but even the skins are not playing well and are far from unbeatable. The Rams need to win a game like today's to gain some confidence for not only the players but their coaching staff.

The Rams head into the game today in the bottom 10 in passing and rushing offense and defense the same spots they have been in for quiet a while not. With the addition of Mark Clayton the Rams at least seem to have one receiver that Sam Bradford can throw the ball to. Injuries to Rams Tight Ends should mean more catches for Steven Jackson out of the backfield. Pat Shurmur needs to use Jackson better. Jackson needs to get down field, run wheel routes, line up wide, etc to be more effective in space. His seemingly lack of outside speed and wide receiver blocking have kept Jackson from big gains. Jackson seems to be a 20 carry, 80 yard back and he gets most of those yards between the 30's. The Rams have to find new ways to get Jackson into the end zone. The Rams have made NO attempt to get any other running backs onto the field as only Kenneth Darby has seen any action and his 3 carries for 2 yards is not going to scare anyone.

The Washington Redskins have had their own issues this year. If not for a holding call on Alex Barron and some serious bad play from the Dallas Cowboys the Redskins would be 0-2 as well. The Redskins are dead last in total yards and passing defense. Also even with Clinton Portis and with Mike Shanahan as head coach the Redskins are DEAD LAST in rushing yardage. Clinton Portis has averaged only 3.1 yards per carry. On offense the Redskins only have one wide receiver with more than 3 catches and that is Santana Moss. Statistically through two games I am not sure if the Redskins have even played better than the Rams, however they have played better teams facing the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans.

I think the difference in today's game will be Donovan McNabb. McNabb is one of the leaders in NFL history in Int ratio. The Rams are not likely to get any interceptions from him. The key will be to keep him in the pocket and try to come around him and strip the ball. Ron Bartell will need to have a great game to stay with Santana Moss. The Redskins biggest threat will be Chris Cooley and backup Tight End Fred Davis. The Rams weekly have troubles staying with Tight Ends and today will be no different. James Laurinaitis who leads the Rams with 14 tackles will need to not only stop Clinton Portis but also patrol the deep middle of the field on passing plays. Many say Chris Long is getting better, is creating pressure etc. I still don't see it. Chris Long moved to LDE and is facing the other teams RT each week. Having only 3 tackles is inexcusable in my mind. Let's remember folks Chris Long was the #2 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Shouldn't we expect more? I know no DE's taken in the first round in 2008 have done much but maybe that just means we should have selected a player at a different position. Today Long will face big boy Jammal Brown who the Redskins got from the New Orleans Saints in a trade. The Rams really could have used Jammal Brown but elected to draft Rodger Saffold instead.

While McNabb is buying time in the pocket and making plays down field the Rams will need to keep pressure, in the form most likely of Brian Orakpo off of him. Playmaker DeAngelo Hall who already has 21 combined tackles will be locked on Mark Clayton and London Fletcher will be tracking Steven Jackson all over the field. This looks like another game the St. Louis Rams could win if everything goes great but I think the big name players on Washington will just make more plays than the Rams and they also have a huge coaching advantage.

Prediction: Washington Redskins 20-10 over St. Louis Rams

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

2010 NFL Power Rankings: Week 2

2010 NFL Power Rankings: Week 2

See full details at http://www.stlouisramfan.com/nfl_power_rankings.php

1 New Orleans Saints
2 Green Bay Packers
3 Houston Texans
4 Indianapolis Colts
5 Baltimore Ravens
6 New York Jets
7 San Diego Chargers
8 New England Patriots
9 Pittsburgh Steelers
10 Cincinnati Bengals
11 Miami Dolphins
12 Chicago Bears
13 Atlanta Falcons
14 Philadelphia Eagles
15 Minnesota Vikings
16 Tennessee Titans
17 New York Giants
18 Dallas Cowboys
19 Washington Redskins
20 San Francisco 49ers
21 Kansas City Chiefs
22 Denver Broncos
23 Arizona Cardinals
24 Jacksonville Jaguars
25 Seattle Seahawks
26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
27 Oakland Raiders
28 Carolina Panthers
29 St. Louis Rams
30 Cleveland Browns
31 Detroit Lions
32 Buffalo Bills

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

NFL Week 3 Predictions

Cowboys and Vikings both 0-2 who knew. Every week I will make my NFL game day predictions. We would love it if you share your opinions, or your own predictions in the comment area of our St. Louis Rams Blog. All picks will be straight-up, not against the spread. Good Luck.

Week 3 Predictions below:

Cincinnati Bengals
Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings
Houston Texans
New Orleans Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers
Baltimore Ravens
New York Giants
New England Patriots
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins
San Diego Chargers
Arizona Cardinals
Indianapolis Colts
New York Jets
Chicago Bears

Last Week - 10 - 6

Year-To-Date Results – 23 - 9 (72%)

Last year I was 165-91 (64%) on predictions

St. Louis Rams Week 3 Injury Report

Washington Redskins @ St. Louis Rams Injury Report

Player - Pos - Injury - Game Status

Washington Redskins

Anthony Bryant - DT - Head - Out
Albert Haynesworth - DT - Ankle - Questionable
LaRon Landry - S - Wrist - Questionable
Kareem Moore - S - Knee - Questionable
Clinton Portis - RB - Wrist - Questionable
Anthony Armstrong - WR - Groin - Questionable
Chris Horton - S - Ankle - Questionable
Trent Williams - T - Knee - Questionable


St. Louis Rams

Billy Bajema - TE - Knee - Out
Chris Chamberlain - LB - Toe - Out
Michael Hoomanawanui - TE - Ankle - Out
Darell Scott - DT - Ankle - Out
Craig Dahl - S - Head - Doubtful
Laurent Robinson - WR - Foot - Doubtful
Clifton Ryan - DT - Migraines - Doubtful
Kevin Dockery - CB - Hamstring - Probable
Daniel Fells - TE - Knee - Probable
Rodger Saffold - T - Back - Probable
Oshiomogho Atogwe - S - Thigh - Probable
Steven Jackson - RB - Knee - Probable

As Vinnie Sees it- Week 3 Vince Vitale

Week 2 I scored 74 points after 76 in week 1 and I am now 11th out of 36 in the Blogger/Celebrity/Expert League. While using mid-tier players I have to make sure I also do not fall too far behind. This week I feel the urge to pick on the Little Sisters of the Poor. That being said I am also going to double down and use up some star talent. I am in the upper third of the league but I want to jump into the top 10 and work from there. I am going to start Tom Brady against the Buffalo Bills this week. As bad as the St. Louis Rams are I believe the Buffalo Bills are the worst team in football. The Patriots coming off a division loss to the New York Jets last week are going to just paste the Bills. As Barry Switzer would say it is time to lay a half a hundred on the Bills. At running back I am going to pull out the big gun and use up Adrian Peterson against the Detroit Lions. If LeSean McCoy can light up the Lions what type of numbers will AP put up? The Vikings are 0-2 and facing a must win, Peterson will run wild. I was unsure who to use as my #2 back but I decided to go with Pierre Thomas against the Atlanta Falcons. With Reggie Bush out I am hoping that Thomas also catches some passes, either way he should have a good game against the Atlanta Falcons. At receiver I am going to go against a cardinal rule of fantasy football and start two receivers from the same team. I am going with Randy Moss and Wes Welker against the Buffalo Bills. Moss is ready for a big game and Welker gives me a receiver that I know catches balls week in and week out, and this week I also expect him to get into the end zone. At Tight End the play is probably Chris Cooley against the St. Louis Rams but I went with Visanthe Shiancoe against the Lions. Brett Favre is having trouble hooking up with his receivers so I am going to play the hot hand and that is Shiancoe. Kicker is always hard and very hard in this league because you must pick a different one each week. I decided on Matt Prater because I expect the Colts and Broncos to put up plenty of points. The Broncos may be forced to go for TDs over Field Goals so it may be a mistake but I think the Broncos will stay in the game and take three points every time they can get them. Check in next week to see if my selections paid off.

Week 2 Suicide Fantasy Football Results

I am playing a great new fantasy football game called Suicide Fantasy Football. Every week you must select 1 Quarterback, 2 Running Backs, 2 Wide Receivers, 1 Tight End, 1 Kicker but you can only use each player once during the 17 week season! Scores accumulated from week 1 through 17 and the overall highest point scorer wins the league.

I scored 74 points which puts me in 11th place out of 36 in the celebrity blogger league. My Week 1 starters were Michael Vick, DeAngelo Williams, Brandon Jackson, Roddy White, Miles Austin, Zach Miller and David Akers. My high scorer was Michael Vick and my low scorer was Zach Miller.

Wish me luck, and check out Suicide Fantasy Football.

Ultimate Displaced Fan - DIRECTV Contest

LA Rams fans like to talk a lot but can you prove you are still a huge Rams fan?

Would you like to win a trip and (2)tickets to Super Bowl XLV?

Hey displaced Rams fans place a call to action and submit your entries and vote! I know there are a lot of Rams fans still living in LA or else where. Any Rams fan that lives 100 miles outside of St. Louis is a displaced fan. This contest seeks displaced NFL fans across the country to prove that you are still a die-hard fan. Display your passion for your favorite team through videos, essays, or photos that show why you are America ’s most die-hard, displaced NFL fan. The contest is underway and you should submit your entry to the DIRECTV Ultimate Displaced Fan website at http://www.ultimatedisplacedfan.com/. One lucky grand prize winner will receive an NFL fan’s ultimate prize: Super Bowl tickets and a host of other unforgettable experiences during Super Bowl week in Dallas.

In addition to entries from fans vying to be the Ultimate Displaced Fan, DIRECTV has created a new fan-voting feature that allows NFL fans across the country to vote on a list of top entries and be automatically entered for random prize drawings twice a month to win prizes, including autographed memorabilia from Peyton and Eli Manning, Kingsford BBQ kits and much more. Fan voting will begin on Oct. 1st once the initial list of top entries has been received and posted to the contest website.

Below is a link to the Grand Prize Winners experience and last years winning submission:

LAST YEARS ULTIMATE DISPLACED FAN http://www.ultimatedisplacedfan.com/past-winners/
GRAND PRIZE http://www.ultimatedisplacedfan.com/prizes/

Weekly Wup Ass Award - Week 2

We have granted our Week 2 Wup Ass Award. Click HERE to find out who won!

Week 3 NFL Pointspreads & Totals

Week 3 NFL Pointspreads & Totals

Favorite - Spread - Underdog

Cincinnati Bengals - 3.5 - Carolina Panthers
San Francisco 49ers - 3 - Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings - 11 - Detroit Lions
Houston Texans - 3 - Dallas Cowboys
New Orleans Saints - 4 - Atlanta Falcons
Pittsburgh Steelers - 3 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baltimore Ravens - 11 - Cleveland Browns
New York Giants - 3 - Tennessee Titans
New England Patriots - 14.5 - Buffalo Bills
Philadelphia Eagles - 3 - Jacksonville Jaguars
Washington Redskins - 4 - St. Louis Rams
San Diego Chargers - 6 - Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals - 4.5 - Oakland Raiders
Indianapolis Colts - 6 - Denver Broncos
Miami Dolphins - 1.5 - New York Jets
Green Bay Packers - 3 - Chicago Bears

Proceed to do some sports betting at BetUS.com

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

Rams Lose Again, 16-14 To Raiders

For St. Louis Rams fans that may have missed the Rams game today it was all too familiar. The Rams lost again this time to the Oakland Raiders 16-14 behind backup quarterback Brad Gradkowski. The Rams have only won one game since October 19,2008, almost two full calendar years. Over that course of time the Rams have lost 27 of their last 28 games. Many will say the Rams played hard on Sunday, they should of won, they could of won, it was close, etc. but bottom line is they continue to lose. All the same familiar causes were once again present on Sunday. The Rams defense allowed long drives with the game on the line (4 drives over 40 yards in the 3rd quarter). The Rams defense was not opportunistic as they dropped a couple of interceptions and failed to fall on any of the Raiders three fumbles. The Rams defense allowed a backup running back, this time Darren McFadden to run all over them (145 yards). The Rams offense tried to feature Steven Jackson who had 21 touches for 125 yards but could only totaled 210 total yards for the game. 210 yards against the Oakland Raiders who allowed 38 points just last week to the Tennessee Titans. Rams wide receivers could not get open as they only had 7 receptions for the game. Eight penalties for 92 yards many of them costing the Rams more than the yards even show. The offense with poor execution converting only twice on ten 3rd down attempts. Costly miss tackles costing the Rams any chance for a comeback.

The Rams dominated most of the first have playing smash mouth football and featuring Steven Jackson. The Rams took a 7-0 on an 7 yard pass from Sam Bradford to Mark Clayton with 12:04 left in the half. Steven Jackson had 12 touches at this point and the Rams seemed to be already wearing down the Raiders. So why did Jackson only touch the ball nine time over the final 42 minutes of play? I know Jackson can't carry the ball 40 times but while it is working maybe we could get a lead and open up the passing game. Instead the Rams went into a shell and only gained 42 total yards on drives started in the 2nd and 3rd quarter.

The Rams held a 7-3 lead at half time and were playing a pretty solid game especially on defense. When the second half opened the Raiders came out with Brad Gradkowski at quarterback after benching Jason Campbell. It was as a light switch went off and the Raiders went to work. The Raiders marched right down the field and got a FG from Sebastian Janikowski to cut the lead to 7-6. After an awful drive from the Rams that started 1st and 5 after an Oakland penalty the Rams went 3-and-out and the Raiders went straight down the field again. This time the Raiders went 83 yards on 7 plays capping the drive with a Brab Gradkowski 4 yard pass to Louis Murphy to give the Raiders a 13-7 lead.

After gaining only 5 yards in the 4th quarter the Rams got the ball back with 4:05 remaining down 16-7 with an interception from Jerome Murphy. The Rams quickly drove down the field and scored on another Sam Bradford to mark Clayton touchdown pass. Mark Clayton had two catches for the game both for touchdowns, I am not sure why we could not get him the ball more. After the Rams scored with 3:18 remaining the Raiders took over on their own 18 yard line. The Rams could not get the ball back from the Raiders. They forced the Raiders into 1 3rd and 7 with 2:46 to play but Brad Gradkowski hit Louis Murphy for a 13 yard gain.

So make sure to tune in next week as we will do it all over again against the Washington Redskins.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

Rams vs. Raiders Game Preview

The Oakland Raiders came out of the gates slow getting pummeled 38-13 last week by the Tennessee Titans. The St. Louis Rams played hard and hung in their with the Arizona Cardinals before falling 17-13. The Raiders are coming off a 5-11 season and with the addition of Jason Campbell many think the Raiders could win as many as 8 games this year. The Rams coming off a 1-15 season took Sam Bradford first overall in the 2010 NFL Draft to help turn their franchise around. The Raiders and Rams simply need to get better and put more points on the board. These two were the only teams to score under 200 points in 2009 and both started the year off by scoring 13.

On offense the St. Louis Rams will look to be more balanced this week against the Raiders. The Rams will hopefully not have Sam Bradford throw 55 times in this one. The Rams are going to need to feature Steven Jackson against the Raiders who allowed 205 yards and 5.3 per carry to Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans last week. Jackson had 26 touches against the Cardinals but he did not seem to have any impact on the game. Jackson who only had four touchdowns in 2009 needs to find a way to get the ball into the end zone for the Rams. The Rams move the ball between the 30's but they fail to utilize Jackson in the red zone. If the Rams are patient and stay with the run they should be able to make Sam Bradford more successful with play action and roll out passes. Sam Bradford will look for his new target Mark Clayton who had 10 catches for 119 yards against the Cardinals in Week 1 after being traded away from the Baltimore Ravens.

On defense the Rams were hurt by injuries to the secondary against the Cardinals. Ron Bartell and the rest of the Rams did a nice job against Derek Anderson and the Cardinals wide receiving core. The Rams defense just needs to keep getting off the field by forcing some punts. The Raiders were 3 of 14 on 3rd down conversions against Tennessee. The Raiders will test the Rams deep with Darrius Heyward-Bey, but most of the time look for Jason Campbell to dump the ball off or run with it. Campbell targeted Darren McFadden and Zach Miller 17 times last week in the passing game, and he also ran 7 times for 35 yards. The Rams should stay deep and make the Raiders put together long drives to score.

On offense I expect Jason Campbell to be Jason Campbell which is an inconsistent QB that can put up some decent looking stats but no end results. Jason Campbell likes to pull the ball down and likes to be safe however he still tends to make mistakes. Last week Campbell fumbled twice and threw an interception. This looks like the same Jason Campbell that played at Washington, he will not wow you but he can beat you if you let him. With Michael Bush injured look for Darren McFadden to get a lot of touches against the Rams. The Rams need to be aggressive stack the box and put the Raiders in passing situations. With Bey and Louis Murphy the Raiders are young and inexperienced at wide receiver just like the Rams. I look for Zach Miller to be the best option for the Raiders. The Rams struggle with Tight Ends that can get down the field, and they are also thin at linebacker due to some injuries.

On defense if Richard Seymore is out the Raiders will be in big trouble trying to stop Steven Jackson. The Raiders can lock Nnamdi Asomugha onto Mark Clayton and hope to bait Sam Bradford into some ill-advised throws. A lot of pressure will be on the Raiders linebackers Kamerion Wimbley, Ronald McClain, and Trevor Scott to stop Steven Jackson.

I will keep saying it until they do it, the St. Louis Rams still need to learn how to win again. The Rams have lost 9 straight games, and 26 of their last 27. So with that being said they have to show me that they can win a close game and beat some of these other bad teams. I really don't believe the Raiders should win this game but they are at home and coming off a pasting, and I think they will do enough to pull it out.

Prediction: Oakland Raiders 17-16 over St. Louis Rams

NFL Week 2 Predictions

Wow I got out of the box quick with Tampa Bay, Seattle, and Kansas City all posting upsets. Hopefully I will stay hot. Every week I will make my NFL game day predictions. We would love it if you share your opinions, or your own predictions in the comment area of our St. Louis Rams Blog, below this story. All picks will be straight-up, not against the spread. Good Luck.
Week 2 Predictions below:

Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
Kansas City Chiefs
Dallas Cowboys
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
Philadelphia Eagles
Baltimore Ravens
Tennessee Titans
Denver Broncos
Oakland Raiders
Houston Texans
New England Patriots
San Diego Chargers
Indianapolis Colts
New Orleans Saints

Last Week – 13 - 3 (81%)

Year-To-Date Results – 13 - 3 (81%)

Last year I was 165-91 on predictions ( 64%)

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

St. Louis Rams Week 2 Injury Report

St. Louis Rams @ Oakland Raiders Injury Report

Player - Pos - Injury - Game Status

St. Louis Rams

Chris Chamberlain -LB - Toe - Out
Michael Hoomanawanui - TE - Ankle - Out
Josh Hull - LB - Knee - Out
Kevin Dockery - CB - Hamstring -Doubtful
Clifton Ryan - DT - Migraines -Questionable
Justin King - CB - Hamstring - Questionable
Steven Jackson - RB - Knee - Probable
Fred Robbins - DT - Foot - Probable
Laurent Robinson - WR - Ankle - Probable
Darell Scott - DT - Knee - Probable

Oakland Raiders

Travis Goethel - LB - Back - Out
Walter McFadden - CB - Hamstring - Out
Chaz Schilens - WR - Knee - Out
Robert Gallery - G - Hamstring - Doubtful
Richard Seymour - DE - Hamstring - Questionable
Michael Bush - RB - Thumb - Questionable
Hiram Eugene - S - Hamstring - Questionable
Chris Johnson - CB - Neck - Questionable
Nnamdi Asomugha - CB - Groin - Probable
Desmond Bryant - DT - Elbow - Probable

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

2010 NFL Power Rankings: Week 1

2010 NFL Power Rankings: Week 1

See full details at http://www.stlouisramfan.com/nfl_power_rankings.php

1 New Orleans Saints
2 Baltimore Ravens
3 Green Bay Packers
4 New England Patriots
5 Houston Texans
6 Indianapolis Colts
7 Minnesota Vikings
8 San Diego Chargers
9 New York Jets
10 Pittsburgh Steelers
11 Tennessee Titans
12 New York Giants
13 Dallas Cowboys
14 Philadelphia Eagles
15 Cincinnati Bengals
16 Atlanta Falcons
17 San Francisco 49ers
18 Washington Redskins
19 Miami Dolphins
20 Arizona Cardinals
21 Chicago Bears
22 Jacksonville Jaguars
23 Kansas City Chiefs
24 Denver Broncos
25 Seattle Seahawks
26 Carolina Panthers
27 Oakland Raiders
28 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
29 St. Louis Rams
30 Cleveland Browns
31 Detroit Lions
32 Buffalo Bills

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

Weekly Wup Ass Award - Week 1

We have granted our Week 1 Wup Ass Award. Click HERE to find out who won!

St. Louis Rams Sign LB Bryan Kehl

The St. Louis Rams have signed LB Bryan Kehl off waivers shortly after Josh Hull was placed on IR due to his ACL injury. New York Giants fans claim Kehl whiffing on a block that allowed a punt to be blocked Sunday against the Carolina Panthers could be the reason he was waived this week. Kehl had 43 tackles over the past two years mainly as a special teams player on the Giants. The Rams will most likely use Kehl to replace Chris Chamberlain on special teams. The Rams are still in trouble at the linebacker position if any of the Ohio State trio fall. I trust that the Rams are actually looking at the other 31 rosters in the NFL for players but the fact that they continue to pick up ex-New York Giants makes you wonder.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

LB Josh Hull Out With Torn ACL

Well it seems like if the St. Louis Rams did not have bad luck they would not have any luck at all. After losing several players to injury on Sunday the Rams have now lost LB Josh Hull who tore his ACL in practice today. Hull has been placed on IR and will be lost for the season. With Chris Chamberlain fracturing a toe against the Arizona Cardinals the Rams are now down to four healthy linebackers James Laurinaitis, Na'il Diggs, Larry Grant, and David Vobora for the game against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. As I continually state the lack of depth on the St. Louis Rams will play a major role in their 2010 season and early injuries certainly will not help.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

Rams Sign TE Darcy Johnson

The St. Louis Rams signed tight end Darcy Johnson due to Michael Hoomanawanui's ankle injury which is expected to keep him out at least a month. Darcy Johnson was with the Rams through training camp but was released during the last cuts. Johnson was previously with the New York Giants for three years where he totaled 9 catches for 78 yards. The Rams dropped defensive tackle Jermelle Cudjo to open a roster spot for Johnson. This move seems a little strange since the Rams kept four tight ends on the roster to start the season and they still have three healthy ones remaining. If Fendi Onobun was good enough to make the roster than he needs to be good enough to play when needed. We will see how this move pans out for the St. Louis Rams.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

Week 1 Suicide Fantasy Football Results

I am playing a great new fantasy football game called Suicide Fantasy Football. Every week you must select 1 Quarterback, 2 Running Backs, 2 Wide Receivers, 1 Tight End, 1 Kicker but you can only use each player once during the 17 week season! Scores accumulated from week 1 through 17 and the overall highest point scorer wins the league.

Week 1 I decided to play some scrubs first and save the stars for later in the year, we will see how this strategy works out for me. I scored 76 points which puts me in 12th place out of 36 in the celebrity blogger league. I am 25 points out of first place. My Week 1 starters were Jay Cutler, Carnell Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw, Jabar Gaffney, Mohamed Massaquoi, Kellen Winslow and Robbie Gould.

Wish me luck, and check out Suicide Fantasy Football.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

Week 2 NFL Pointspreads & Totals

Favorite - Spread - Underdog

Philadelphia Eagles - 4 - Detroit Lions
Dallas Cowboys - 9 - Chicago Bears
Cleveland Browns - 2 -Kansas City Chiefs
Atlanta Falcons - 7 - Arizona Cardinals
Minnesota Vikings - 6 - Miami Dolphins
Tennessee Titans - 5.5 - Pittsburgh Steelers
Baltimore Ravens - 1.5 - Cincinnati Bengals
Green Bay Packers - 14 - Buffalo Bills
Denver Broncos - 3.5 - Seattle Seahawks
Oakland Raiders - 4 - St. Louis Rams
San Fiego Chargers - 8.5 - Jacksonville Jaguars
New England Patriots - 2 - New York Jets
Houston Texans - 3 - Washington Redskins
Indianapolis Colts - 5.5 - New York Giants
New Orleans Saints - 6 - San Francisco 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers N/A

Proceed to do some sports betting at BetUS.com

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

Lack Of Quality Depth Will Kill Rams

As I said in my St. Louis Rams 2010 Season Preview the biggest problem with the 2010 St. Louis Rams will be their lack of quality depth. I believe players 1 through 22 will keep the Rams in games, but the lack of quality depth from 23-53 will kill them. This fact already has reared it's ugly head after only one game. Late in the game against the Arizona Cardinals with cornerbacks Kevin Dockery and Justin King injured the Rams were forced to play Bradley Fletcher on the weak side with safety James Butler filing in as the nickel corner. The Arizona Cardinals had two long drives late in the game and ending up winning 17-13 on a pass from Derek Anderson to Larry Fitzgerald, where it appeared there were some coverage issues on the play.

To compound the loss to the Arizona Cardinals we are now finding out that the Rams had several key injuries during the contest. According to the Rams cornerback Kevin Dockery has a "significant" hamstring strain, and cornerback Justin King may also miss the Oakland game with a hamstring injury. So that leaves only Bartell and Fletcher so rookie Jerome Murphy will be forced into action. Luckily the Raiders passing game is not that good.

In addition to the weekend secondary the Rams will also be without LB Chris Chamberlain who fractured his toe and may be out for the season. Chamberlain is the first backup at the linebacker position and plays significant time on special teams as well. The Rams will now only have David Vobora and rookie Josh Hull to back up Diggs, Laurinaitis and Grant. Look for a heavy doss of Darren McFadden on Sunday.

On offense the Rams will be without TE Michael Hoomanawanui who suffered a high ankle sprain and could miss several games. Hoomanawanui who was the star in the preseason will be missed as Sam Bradford looks for a safety valve when pressured. Billy Bajema and Daniel Fells will have to step up. Not sure why the Rams kept 4 tight ends on their roster but now they will need them. The Rams who already have the worst receiving core in the league, and were damn lucky to get Mark Clayton will now be without starting receiver Laurent Robinson who aggravating an ankle injury, and never seems to be healthy. Marshall Faulk today said the Rams receivers are bums on NFL Network. The most disconcerting news of all today was that running back Steven Jackson had an MRI today for an inflamed knee and is listed as day to day. If the Rams have to play any games without Steven Jackson they will have a hard time scoring at all.

Rams Drop Balls and Game 17 - 13

Well unfortunately I was correct and the Rams lost a close one 17-13 to the Arizona Cardinals Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome before a spirited crowd. The Rams still need to learn to crawl before they walk and still need to learn how to win and play 60 minutes of NFL football. This has been a problem for quite some time with the Rams.

Midway through the 3rd quarter it appeared the St. Louis Rams may be on their way to victory when C.J. Ah You forced a Derek Anderson fumble with the Rams leading 13-10. Clifton Ryan picked up the ball with only green between himself and the goal line. Somehow Steve Breaston who also caught 7 passes for 132 yards caught Ryan from behind and knocked the ball out of his hands as he was heading into the end zone. The Cardinals center Lyle Sendlein somehow beat everyone to the loose ball and recovered it for a touchback. Replays showed that Ryan did not cross the goal line prior to the fumble.

The Rams held a 13-10 lead for most of the second half but could not put the game away. In a sloppy game the Rams had a ton of chances as the Cardinals fumbled 7 times with the Rams recovering 4 of those but could not turn them into points. In addition Ran Bartell and Kevin Dockery each dropped interceptions and many of Sam Bradford's passes were dropped.

We have seen this game many times before, the Rams hang in there but just can't get the job done. The defense that played well for most of the day allowed the Cardinals to drive 75 yards late in the 3rd before a fumble ended that drive. On the ensuing Cardinals drive they marched right down the field 86 yards in 7 plays taking a 17-13 lead on 2nd and 20 with a 21 yard pass from Derek Anderson to Larry Fitzgerald.

In the end the St. Louis Rams lost their 14th straight home game, their 8th straight to the Arizona Cardinals, 15th straight in the NFC West, and 43rd of their last 49.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

Cardinals vs Rams Game Preview

Well a lot has changed since the Arizona Cardinals beat the St. Louis Rams 31-10 on December 27th 2009. The Cardinals lost Kurt Warner to retirement, Anquan Boldin, Carlos Dansby and Antrel Rolle during the offseason and just last week released Matt Leinart. The St. Louis Rams drafted a franchise quarterback Sam Bradford to replace Marc Bulger, and picked up rookie tackle Rodger Saffold to protect him.

The Cardinals went out and got Derek Anderson to take over at quarterback and got Kerry Rhodes to replace Rolle. Under Ken Whisenhunt it appears the Cardinals will be more ground attack oriented in 2010 with Chris 'Beanie' Wells and Tim Hightower in the backfield. The loss of Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin is going to be impossible for the Cardinals to replace, so they will need to rely on improving their defensive play. The Cardinals defense was hammered for 45 points two weeks in a row during the playoffs, first by Green Bay and then by the New Orleans Saints. The Cardinals pride has been hurt and many are predicting a very bad year for the birds. The Cardinals will take the field on Sunday with a bit of a chip on their shoulder. The Cardinals have beaten the Rams the last seven times they have played.

2010 for the St. Louis Rams will be all about getting Sam Bradford comfortable in the system and a lot of playing time. Sam Bradford who looked very good in the preseason has only thrown 69 passes in regular game action since January of 2009. The Rams one constant is the beast Steven Jackson in the backfield. The Rams are hoping that tackles Jason Smith and Rodger Saffold will be able to protect Bradford. The recent pick up of WR Mark Clayton should help Sam Bradford and the Rams offense as the season goes on.
The Rams played well in the preseason going 3-1 but they also went 3-1 in 2009 before going 1-15 during the regular season.

This weeks game should be pretty close. The Cardinals no longer have the quick strike, high powered ability they had with Kurt Warner and the St. Louis Rams will try to control the clock with Steven Jackson and the accurate passing of Sam Bradford. I believe this game will be won on the defensive side of the ball and the Cardinals will have Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett pressuring the young Rams tackles. The Cardinals play a 3-4 and should be able to bring pressure from all sides. A great matchup to watch will be Cardinals Strong Safety Adrian Wilson vs. RB Steven Jackson, look for some big collisions in this one.

The bottom line is the Rams have too many question marks going into this game, even more than the Cardinals. The Rams still need to learn how to win again. The Rams have lost 14 straight NFC West games, including 7 straight to the Arizona Cardinals. In addition the Rams will be starting a rookie quarterback, with two unproven tackles protecting him. The Rams have 14 rookies on their roster and no threat at the wide receiver position. The Arizona Cardinals are still the two-time NFC West champions, only 19 months removed from a Super Bowl appearance. The Cardinals are mentally tough and know how to win on the road in the NFL. If Steven Jackson or Sam Bradford can dominate this game the Rams will have a shot but I just don't think they will have enough to beat the Cardinals.

Prediction: Arizona Cardinals 20-17 over St. Louis Rams

St. Louis Rams Week 1 Injury Report

St. Louis Rams Week 1 Injury Report

Player - Pos - Injury - Game Status

Arizona

Chris Wells - RB - Knee - Questionable
Larry Fitzgerald - WR - Knee - Probable
Ben Patrick -TE - Knee - Probable
Michael Adams - CB - Shoulder - Probable
Will Davis - LB - Knee - Probable
Joey Porter - LB - Back - Probable
Andre Roberts - WR - Shoulder - Probable
Jason Wright - RB - Toe - Questionable

St. Louis

James Butler - S - Knee - Probable

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

St. Louis Rams 2010 Season Preview

The St. Louis Rams were knocked out and finally fell to the mat in 2009 finishing 1-15 and were 6-42 over the last three years. I believe the St. Louis Rams have reached rock bottom. In 2010 the St. Louis Rams will have to crawl before they can walk. With the selection of Sam Bradford the Rams now have a face of the franchise and hope. It is time for the St. Louis Rams to start gathering the pieces to once again be successful.

Offense - The St. Louis Rams have to rebound from having one of the worst offenses in the history of football. The Rams were dead last in scoring in 2009 averaging only 10.9 points per game. In addition the Rams were 29th in total yards, 28th in passing and even with Steven Jackson they finished 20th in rushing. The Rams look to turn things around with the addition of Sam Bradford. The Rams made the correct choice in selecting Bradford over Ndamukong Suh. The Rams will continue to rely on Steven Jackson to run the ball and hopefully open up things for Bradford in the passing game. The Rams also drafted Mardy Gilyard to add to their attack. The Rams will need to acquire a top wide receiver within the next year to take this offense to the next level.

Defense - As anemic as the Rams offense has been you can argue that the defense has been even worse finishing in the bottom 5 in points allowed the previous five years! The numbers don't get much better from there as the Rams were 30th in sacks, tied for last in interceptions, and opposing QBs had a QB Rating of 97 against them. The Rams offense will have to find a way to keep this defense off the field more in 2010. The Rams have
found a great leader on the defensive side of the ball in James Laurinaitis. Chris Long will move over to LDE replacing Leonard Little and will need to have a year worthy of being the 2nd overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft. The Rams have high hopes for draft pick CB Jerome Murphy but did little else to bolster a defense in need of a real hammer. I look for the Rams to pick up a stud defensive end or safety in the next draft or free agent period.

Special Teams - The St. Louis Rams special teams should be very solid with one of the best punters in football Donnie Jones, and Josh Brown looking stronger than ever as the place kicker. Danny Amendola will be the threat returning punts, and explosive Mardy Gilyard will take over the kickoff return duties. I would also like to welcome back Chris Massey the best long snapper in the business from his 2009 season-ending knee injury.

Coaching - I must admit I am still not sold on the coaching staff. Sure they are all very nice guys but do they have what it takes to return the St. Louis Rams to their glory? Steve Spagnuolo was never a head coach at any level prior to getting the head coaching job with the Rams. His claim to fame was being the Defensive Coordinator on the New York Giants when they shut down the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Coach Spagnuolo has only two years experience as a DC in the NFL and has never been on the offensive side of coaching in his 25+ years in the business. I have yet to see any schemes or coaching philosophy changes to improve the Rams, it could simply be because he does not have the horses yet. In Pat Shurmur the Rams have an unproven and totally inexperience offensive coordinator. Shurmur was the tight ends coach for three years and then quarterbacks coach for five years with the Philadelphia Eagles. Shurmur has no offensive coordinator experience and it showed in 2009 as the Rams offense was about as vanilla as you can get. On the defensive side of the ball the Rams have inexperienced Ken Flajole who has never been a defensive coordinator at the NFL level. Will Ken be able to turn around a defense that has been bad for so long? If the Rams have a poor season look for Owner Stan Kronke to clean house.

Intangibles - One word "Inexperienced." The 2010 St. Louis Rams will experience growing pains. The Rams have 14 rookies on their 53 man roster which comes out to 26% of the roster. Not only are the Rams inexperienced they are inexperienced at key positions. The Rams are not only starting rookie QB Sam Bradford but they are also protecting him with rookie left tackle Rodger Saffold and second year right tackle Jason Smith. In addition the Rams starting wide receivers Laurent Robinson and Danny Amendola have a total of 98 NFL receptions between then and really pose no threat to opposing defenses.

Schedule - Based on 2009 results the St. Louis Rams 2010 strength of schedule (SOS) is .449, 31st overall, or the second easiest schedule in the NFL. On paper the Rams finally catch a break and a big break at that. The Rams have early season match-ups against Oakland, Detroit & Tampa Bay. After starting the past 3 seasons 0-4 the Rams need some success early to build some confidence and their fan base.

My thoughts - While I am very excited to watch Sam Bradford take over as the Rams quarterback the Rams are still a couple years away. From 1 through 22 the Rams should be able to stay in games for quite a while but this team is just super thin and super young. A key injury at almost any position will cripple this team. There are still not enough weapons but they are heading in the right direction. With the early season schedule if they catch a couple breaks you never know, but I just don't see it happening yet. The inexperience factor has to cost them quiet a lot. A rookie QB in the NFL has a very tough time out of the blocks and to be starting on the worst team in the NFL will make it that much harder for Sam Bradford.

Prediction - (3 - 13) With some early season breaks and some Sam Bradford magic 6 wins is possible.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

NFL Week 1 Predictions

Every week I will make my NFL game day predictions. We would love it if you share your opinions, or your own predictions in the comment area of our St. Louis Rams Blog, below this story. All picks will be straight-up, not against the spread. Good Luck.
Week 1 Predictions below:

New Orleans Saints
Buffalo Bills
Tennessee Titans
Jacksonville Jaguars
New York Giants
Indianapolis Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cincinnati Bengals
Chicago Bears
Green Bay Packers
Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys
Baltimore Ravens
Kansas City Chiefs

Year-To-Date Results – 0 - 0

Last year I was 165-91 on predictions

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

Week 1 NFL Pointspreads & Totals

Favorite - Spread - Underdog

New Orleans Saints - 6 - Minnesota Vikings
Miami Dolphins - 3 - Buffalo Bills
Tennessee Titans - 6.5 - Oakland Raiders
Jacksonville Jaguars - 3 - Denver Broncos
New York Giants - 7 - Carolina Panthers
Indianapolis Colts - 2.5 - Houston Texans
Atlanta Falcons - 2.5 - Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 3 - Cleveland Browns
New Ingland Patriots - 4.5 - Cincinnati Bengals
Chicago Bears - 6.5 - Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers - 3 - Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers - 3 - Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cradinals - 4 - St. Louis Rams
Dallas Cowboys - 3.5 - Washington Redskins
New York Jets - 2.5 - Baltimore Ravens
San Diego Chargers - 5.5 - Kansas City Chiefs

Proceed to do some sports betting at BetUS.com

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

2010 St. Louis Rams Odds

Below are some interesting St. Louis Rams odds for the 2010 season from Bodog.com

Odds to win the 2011 Super Bowl XLV
St. Louis Rams 150 to 1

Odds to win the 2010 NFC Championship
St. Louis Rams 50 to 1

Odds to win the NFC West Division
St. Louis Rams 14 to 1

Regular Season Win Total Over/Under
Over 5 (+140)
Under 5 (-170)

2010 NFL - Will the St. Louis Rams Make the Playoffs?
Yes (+650)
No (-1200)

Odds to Win the 2010 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
Sam Bradford 10 to 1

2010 NFL Regular Season - Most Passing Yards
Sam Bradford 75 to 1

2010 NFL Regular Season - Most Rushing Yards
Steven Jackson 15 to 1

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

Props To T.J. Moe

It was great to watch local product T.J. Moe go from playing at Fort Zumwalt West, to playing for the University of Missouri. Moe a great athlete and quarterback for Fort Zumwalt West was not going to supplant Blaine Gabbert so Missouri moved Moe to wide receiver. Moe who needed surgery in 2009 only had two catches for the Tigers in 09'. During the offseason Moe continually asked former Tiger WR Tommy Saunders for advice on the position. Check out the great article at FOXSportsMidwest.com By Nate Latsch. T.J. Moe was outstanding for the Missouri Tigers on Saturday with 13 receptions for 101 yards and the Tigers first TD in a 23-13 victory over Illinois in the Arch Rivalry game at the Edward Jones Dome. Moe did a great job of catching every ball that came his way, many inside heavy traffic areas. Congratulations to Moe for working so hard to earn the starting slot receiver position for the Missouri Tigers. If T.J. Moe is allowed to play there all year he should put up some huge numbers.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

St. Louis Rams Trade For Mark Clayton

With the 2010 NFL season only 6 days away the St. Louis Rams have traded for Mark Clayton from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for "late round" considerations. Mark Clayton was selected 22nd overall in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, and has caught 234 passes for 3,116 yards and 12 touchdowns in his NFL career. This is a great pickup for the St. Louis Rams who have the least experienced group of receivers in the NFL. Mark Clayton has 64 more receptions than the entire group of St. Louis Rams receivers currently on the roster. Earlier the Baltimore Ravens picked up T.J. Housmanzadah which made Clayton expendable. The Rams will look to get the Oklahoma connection of Bradford to Clayton out on the field together as soon as possible. Mark Clayton should replace Donnie Avery on the outside. Mark Clayton is a pure speed burner with 4.45 speed, he has averaged 13.3 yards per catch in the NFL. While at Oklahoma Clayton set the record for career receiving yards with 3,241, many of those coming after the catch. This is a huge pickup for the Rams and at just the right time. The St. Louis Rams need to continue to surround Sam Bradford with more and more weapons.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

St. Louis Rams Practice Squad

Each NFL team is allowed a 53-man roster and 8 players on a practice squad during the NFL season. The St. Louis Rams cut their roster down to 53 on Saturday and have now filled 7-of-8 practice squad positions. The St. Louis Rams like what they saw in Mizzou wide receiver Denario Alexander and added him to the practice squad on Sunday. The six other players currently on the practice squad are; WR Brandon McRae, CB Marquis Johnson, OT Ryan McKee C Drew Miller, LB Mortty Ivy, and DE Curtis Johnson. The Rams have one more position to fill.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

St. Louis Rams Name Sam Bradford Starting QB

Saturday the St. Louis Rams named Sam Bradford their starting quarterback for the 2010 NFL season that will kick off next Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. With great power comes great responsibility, and that responsibility was earned and has been given to Sam Bradford. Bradford finished the preseason 33 of 55 for 338 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a QB rating of 95.9. An injury to A.J. Feeley early in the preseason gave Bradford just the opening he needed. I believe Sam Bradford is the real deal and I look forward to watching him for many years to come, in a St. Louis Rams jersey.

St. Louis Rams Coach Steve Spagnuolo said "We're confident, the staff is confident. The team is confident. It's
well deserved. He deserves this opportunity.... It was evident these last three games that he had pretty good control of what we're
doing, that the team rallies around him."

Sam Bradford said "Obviously I was extremely excited, I feel like coach has given me a great opportunity here to start next
week versus Arizona. But I realize there's a lot of responsibility that comes with that opportunity."

Bradford said he is ready for the challenge “Definitely. I’m a competitor,” Bradford said. “I sat on the bench last year with an injury and it’s something that I did not enjoy at all. Just to have the opportunity to play football again, it’s really something that I look forward to.”

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

St. Louis Rams Cut Roster To 53

The St. Louis Rams have trimmed their roster to 53 by cutting 20 players and placing two others on IR. There are really no surprising cuts here. For now 53 players are safe but probably not for long. Look for the St. Louis Rams to pick up a WR and/or RB off the waiver wire.


Offense

_ QB Keith Null

_ RB Chris Ogbonnaya

_ FB Dennis Morris

_ WRs Danario Alexander, Jordan Kent, Brandon McRae

_ TE Darcy Johnson

_ G Roger Allen, C Tim Mattran, T Ryan McKee, C Drew Miller, T Eric Young (IR).

Defense

_ DE Victor Adeyanju, DT Ernest Reid

_ LBs Devin Bishop, Bobby Carpenter, Cardia Jackson

_ CBs Quincy Butler, Marquis Johnson, Antoine Thompson

_ Ss Brett Johnson, Kevin Payne (IR)

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

Bradford Leads Rams 27-21 Over Baltimore

The St. Louis Rams ran their preseason record to 3-1 with a 27-21 victory over the Baltimore Ravens Thursday night before a crowd of 42,327 hopeful Rams fans. In reality there were not more than 20-25K fans at this game but the ones that attended got to see Sam Bradford continue his strides with a perfect evening. Bradford was only in for one series but he made the most of his opportunity going 6 of 6 for 68 yards and a touchdown pass to Billy Bajema to put the Rams up 7-0. Bradford finished the preseason 33 of 55 for 338 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a QB rating of 95.9.

In a game which the Baltimore Ravens only dressed 41 players it was more entertaining than you would have thought. The Rams once again dominated the first half at one time holding a 236 to 25 total yards advantage. If not for a holding call on Eric Young, Kevin Dockery's inability to fall on a muffed punt, Chris Chamberlain's ability to be caught from behind by Jalen Parmele, and a bobbled reception by Brandon Gibson that turned into a Dannell Ellerbee 57 yard interception return for a TD the Rams could have easily been up 35-0 at half-time. Good teams learn how to take advantage of every mistake and the Rams are still learning but they appear to be much improved.

For the most part both teams used this game to take a look at the players that will make up the bottom half of their rosters. The Rams must cut 22 players by 5PM Saturday night to get down to 53. During this game many of the Rams bubble players stepped up and made some plays so many hard decisions will still need to be made by Coach Steve Spagnuolo and his staff. The backup running back position is still the most up in the air as far as I am concerned. I believe Keith Toston to be the best of what we have but the Rams still may acquire a running back waived this upcoming weekend so we will have to wait and see.

As for Sam Bradford he has made his case to be the starting quarterback of the St. Louis Rams. I believe Sam should play from day one, and there should be no looking back. A.J. Feeley still has an injured thumb and is much better suited for the backup role anyway. For new owner Stan Kronke what better way to get the Rams fan base excited again than to have Sam Bradford lead the St. Louis Rams onto the field Sunday September 12th against the Arizona Cardinals to open the 2010 NFL season.

St. Louis Rams vs. Ravens Preview

The St. Louis Rams will play their final preseason game tonight at 7PM at the Edward Jones Dome against the Baltimore Ravens. This will be the Rams fourth and final dress rehearsal before the start of the NFL regular season next Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. The Baltimore Ravens are 3-0 in the preseason coming off of their 24-10 victory last week against the New York Giants. The St. Louis Rams enter the contest 2-1 after a very impressive showing, winning 36-35 over the New England patriots last week.

The fourth preseason game of the year is often as exciting as watching your grass grow and is one of the reason NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wants to expand the NFL season from 16 to 18 games. However, with both teams needing to trim their rosters from 75 to 53 players by Saturday night this game holds huge consequences for over 40 players that hope to make their teams or at least their practice squads. Don't look for many starters in this one, the Ravens have already stated they will not be playing any of their starters. Even our chance to serenade Marc Bulger will most likely not happen as the Ravens plan to play QB Troy Smith the entire game. On the Rams side it is unlikely that Steven Jackson will play however Sam Bradford may start and play a series or two before giving way to the Keith Null / Thaaddeus Lewis battle for the third QB spot on the roster.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch has the following St. Louis Rams on the bubble: Kevin Dockery, Justin King, Thaaddeus Lewis, Keith Null, Marquis Johnson, Victor Adeyanju, C.J. Ah You, Kenneth Darby, Chris Ogbonnaya, Keith Tosten, Daniel Fells, John Greco, Bobby Carpenter, Chris Chamberlain, Josh Hull and David Vobora. Many of these players will make the St. Louis Rams but none are a lock at this point. Tonight’s game will hold the future for many.

I plan to watch many of the same things I have been focused on throughout the preseason and those are: How well will Sam Bradford play. With very little experience at receiver will anyone like Brandon Gibson or Jordan Kent step up to claim a roster spot. Can the Rams backups on the O-Line like John Greco, Hank Frayley, and Renardo Foster get the job done. Can anyone produce enough to be Steven Jackson’s backup, or will the Rams have to wait until roster cuts to pick up someone better from the waiver wire? This game may not be pretty or watched by many (game is blacked out in St. Louis area) but some important decisions will be made based off of it.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com