Congratulations to Steven Jackson

Jackson was selected to the Pro Bowl for the third time yesterday. He's second in the NFC this season in yards from scrimmage and this season became the Rams' all-time rushing leader and first six-time 1,000-yard rusher.

Even though the Rams improved from 1-15 last season to the verge of a playoff spot this year, Jackson is the only Ram on the NFC's Pro Bowl roster. (Same as last year.) Punter Donnie Jones is an alternate.

-$-

Rams report, 12/28

* Michael Hoomanawanui may be the only Ram on this week's injury report. He's on the verge of coming back from a high ankle sprain and will try to return to practice Thursday.

* Game injuries from Sunday: Jerome Murphy, broken finger; Eugene Sims, bruised knee. Neither expected to miss any time.

* Seattle injuries from Sunday:
- WR Brandon Stokley sustained a concussion but head coach Pete Carroll believes he will be practicing by the end of the week.
- LT Russell Okung, who has had ankle problems all season, twisted his ankle during the game but finished it out.
- QB Matt Hasselbeck is "determined to play" against the Rams despite a strained hip. An MRI was negative. Seattle is preparing as though Charlie Whitehurst is going to start but haven't ruled Hasselbeck out.

-$-

Spotlight dance: Rams and Seahawks

Courtesy of their 25-17 win over the Whiners Sunday, the Rams will play at Seattle for the NFC West title on national TV January 2nd. In another achievement I would have never expected the Rams to earn before this season, their game has been flexed to NBC's Sunday Night Football in prime time. Kickoff will be 7:20 CST.

The Rams have opened in Vegas as 1-point favorites.

Initial word from Seattle is that Charlie Whitehurst will start against the Rams at QB as a result of Matt Hasselbeck's aggravated hip injury Sunday in Tampa. If you're counting, this is the third straight week the Rams have little to no idea what starting QB to prepare for. At least they're used to it.

-$-

Rams report, 12/23

* Smith in, Smiths out. Jason Smith missed most of yesterday's practice after turning his left ankle. X-rays were negative. Renardo Foster stepped in at RT.

Chris Long and Kenneth Darby returned to practice. Both were limited.

Michael Hoomanawanui was slated to practice but the condition of his ankle wasn't as good as hoped. He remains out.

Mike Singletary's big secret about Sunday's starting 49ers QB made it the whole way to Wednesday before NFL Network's Jason La Canfora flushed it out. It'll be Troy Smith, though Singletary continues to say he won't hesitate to make a change in-game. I'd make the same move in Singletary's position. Troy threw for 356 yards in the first meeting, and if their o-line is as bad off as it was last month, they'll need their most mobile guy back there.

* Sold-out season. Sunday's game qualified for sell-out status yesterday and will be on local TV, making the Rams 8-for-8 this season. Six games better than I thought they'd do.

* Transactions. LB Curtis Johnson was called up from the practice squad to fill Britt Miller's spot on the main roster. Joe West gets the opening on the practice squad. Not to be confused for the "Cowboy Umpire", West is a WR out of UTEP originally signed by the Cowboys in 2008. He has two seasons under his belt in the UFL: 16-193 with 5 starts in 2009 for the California Redwoods, and 17-262 with 3 starts this year for the Sacramento Mountain Lions.

* Updates on players I think are former Rams:
- Dominic Douglas: signed to Broncos practice squad.
- Louis Leonard: cut by New England.
- Brett Johnson: added to Bills practice squad.
- Terrail Lambert: added to Dolphins practice squad.
- Donovan Raiola: cut by Tampa Bay.

Merry Christmas.

-$-

Singletary not naming starting QB

Who's going to QB the 49ers Sunday, Alex Smith or Troy Smith? Only Mike Singletary knows, and he isn't telling. He claims he has already made up his mind who'll play against the Rams but also says it might be both. Both QBs will get their share of reps during the week in practice.

Personally, I think Singletary's just recognizing he has a pretty classic Giant Douche vs. Turd Sandwich dilemma here, and doesn't want to admit he actually has to start either guy.

-$-

Rams report, 12/21

* Besides local pride, the injury report coming out of Sunday's loss to the Chiefs:
- Chris Long, bruised left thigh, not considered serious.
- Britt Miller, torn right ACL, done for season. Mike Karney will return to the game-day active roster at fullback. No news yet on who'll join the main roster.
- Kenneth Darby and, surprise, surprise, Michael Hoomanawanui, should be on the field at practice tomorrow.

The Rams may catch an injury break from the 49ers, who had to place LB Travis LaBoy on the IR Saturday. He's a pretty decent pass rusher and ended 2010 with 5 sacks.

* Sam Bradford passed 3,000 yards for the season against the Chiefs, making him only the third rookie QB in NFL history to surpass that mark. He joins Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning.

* Playoff scenarios: The Rams pretty much have to win their last two games to win the NFC West and make the playoffs. Beating San Francisco this week eliminates the 49ers and makes the final game in Seattle a division title game, no matter what Seattle does this week in Tampa. If the Rams lose to the 49ers, they'd have to beat Seattle and have Arizona beat the 49ers the final week of the season. So the playoffs start this week then.

* Looking ahead to next year's free agent market, Vincent Jackson could get the franchise tag from the Chargers. They're considering it, labor agreement pending, naturally.

* Errata: RamView this week should have said the 49ers would be going for their sixth, not fifth, straight win in the series. All the more reason to bring the sucker to an end next Sunday. The Rams opened as 1-point favorites and are favored now by 1.5 to 2.5 by various lines. I am not making a pick this week as I feel extremely unlucky.

* Ex-Rams news: Hall Davis, remember him? was called up from the practice squad by the Titans. NFL.com says he played Sunday against Houston but did not credit him with any tackles.
-$-

Rams report, 12/17

* Injury updates: The Rams almost don't have any injury concerns this week. Jacob Bell (bruised knee) is probable for the Chiefs game. Ron Bartell (shoulder) has been limited in practice but is determined to play Sunday and is also listed as probable. Justin King is full-go and is off the injury report altogether. Kenneth Darby has a cracked rib and is listed as questionable; I'd guess game-day inactive for him. David Nixon (broken hand) is also questionable, while Michael Hoomanawanui (high ankle sprain) remains out and reportedly isn't anywhere close to being ready.

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley says the decision to start Matt Cassel or Brodie Croyle at QB won't be made until right before the game.

* Roll the dice. The Rams are apparently 1-point underdogs this week; I guess I'll have to take them. You can't not take them, in case Croyle starts. But I guess I'm going to have to leave Dwayne Bowe in my fantasy lineup. He's had ZERO fantasy points the last two weeks, and you can bet he'd be a good bet to do it again with Croyle in. It's stupid from a fantasy standpoint to start him. But if I bench him, you can bet Cassel starts, plays like Tom Brady and hits Bowe for about a buck-sixty and 2 or 3 TDs. Guess I'll have to bite the bullet so I don't screw the Rams.

Yes, I do actually make fantasy football decisions like that.

* Set your DVR. TV blackout is officially lifted for the game. Noon Sunday on KMOV.

* Frisco melt. The weekend got off to a good start with San Diego burying the Whiners last night, 34-7. The preseason favorite to win the NFC West is now 5-9.

* Ex-Ram update: Kevin Curtis has signed a 1-year contract with the Dolphins. He was cut by the Eagles this spring and has missed the 2010 season to date due to surgery for testicular cancer. Best of luck to White Lightning.

-$-

* Fine time: Oshiomogho Atogwe was fined $5,000 for his facemask penalty on Reggie Bush in last Sunday's game.

* And I can't believe I forgot this, but judging that Governor Jay Nixon's vital business on behalf of the people of Missouri today was hanging out at Rams Park... the hell with the playoffs, THE GOVERNOR'S CUP IS ON THE LINE SUNDAY!!!!!

Now that I know the Cup is on the line, I'm shocked, shocked, I say, that the Chiefs are even thinking of keeping Cassel sidelined. You don't get that many chances to win the Governor's Cup, you know!

-$$-

Rams report, 12/15

* Now the Chiefs are in trouble: Hyphen Jr. is back on the Rams' practice squad. That would be Jimmy Saddler-McQueen, replacing fellow DT Mitch King.

* SI.com has made the article disappear, but one of their fantasy columnists feels Matt Cassel is a certain starter for K.C. Sunday because appendectomies aren't the invasive surgery they used to be. Ben Roethlisberger missed Pittsburgh's season opener in 2006 because of an emergency appendectomy, but that happened only 4 days before a game on Thursday night. He started week 2, 15 days later. Cassel will have had 10 days after surgery coming into the game Sunday. Update: Cassel participated in today's Chiefs practice, at least at the beginning.

* Leonard Little has officially retired. He had been keeping the door open for a comeback if Steve Spagnuolo needed to call on him, and turned down offers to play for other teams. I'd have thought the Rams' meager pass rush the last couple of weeks would have made him think differently, but he's decided they're more than good enough without him and is calling it a career. A very successful career on the field that will always be marred by a terrible mistake and poor judgment off the field.

* Sunday's game will almost certainly be on TV; there are less than 500 tickets left to meet the NFL's requirements to lift the blackout. Note that the game will be on CBS/KMOV, not Fox/KTVI, since the road Chiefs are an AFC team.

* The Cassel situation currently has the Rams-Chiefs game off-line in Vegas.

-$-

Rams report, 12/14

* Injury update from the Rams' 31-13 loss to New Orleans Sunday:

- Jacob Bell has a bruised knee after what might have been his best game of the season. There are initial concerns about his availability to play against Kansas City on the 19th.
- The only other in-game injury was LB David Nixon's broken hand, on the opening kickoff. He expects to miss one game at the very most, probably none.
- Ron Bartell (shoulder), Kenneth Darby (ribs), Michael Hoomanawanui (ankle) and Justin King (shoulder) were all inactive for the Saints game. Hooman would seem very unlikely to play against the Chiefs. The others will bear watching.

* Stuff I would have posted by now if I weren't lazy:
- Big Dead DT Alan Branch was fined $10,000 for hitting Sam Bradford in the head/neck area during the Rams' win over Arizona Dec. 12.

- Orlando Pace has an award named after him. Well, half an award. The Big Ten Twelve (not to be confused with the Big Twelve Ten) announced this week it will award the Rimington-Pace Trophy annually to the best offensive lineman in the Big Ten Twelve. Wait a minute, why the hell does the Nebraska guy get his name listed first? Why doesn't the Ohio State player get preference over a guy who never played in the conference?

Good for me, Nebraska hasn't even started in the Big Ten Twelve yet and I already dislike them.

- The Rams officially got the "go" last week from the NFL to sell playoff tickets. Rams playoff tickets: now there's something I could get used to.

-$-

Rams report, 12/10

Not much movement on the Rams injury front. Oshiomogho Atogwe upgraded to limited participation at yesterday's practice. Craig Dahl and Jerome Murphy continued to be limited, but the Rams believe all three DB's should be able to play Sunday against the Saints. Dahl and Murphy are listed as probable for Sunday; Atogwe questionable.

Ron Bartell, Justin King and Kenneth Darby remain out. All three are listed as doubtful for Sunday's game. (Michael Hoomanawanui is out.) Quincy Butler appears to be the first candidate if they have to replace Bartell, while Keith Toston has been getting Darby's reps, not that I'm especially thrilled about the idea of Toston trying to pick up Gregg Williams blitzes all day in New Orleans. I'd expect Jackson on the field a lot of the time on third down, too.

The Saints have a very short injury report. The most notable item is that Pierre Thomas is probable.

Kickoff is 3:05 Sunday.

-$-

Jackson needs 15 rushing yards Sunday to get to 1,000 for the season, for the sixth straight year. He's the only Rams RB who's even done it five straight times.

-$$-

Rams report, 12/9

* Lazy blogger catchup: SLB Na'il Diggs is out for the season. He was IR'ed yesterday due to a torn pectoreal (Missouri spelling) muscle incurred during the WIN over Arizona Sunday. Looks like David Vobora is stepping into the starting SLB role and Chris Chamberlain into Will. David Nixon, also a LB, was called up off the practice squad to replace Diggs on the roster.



* Injury update: NFL.com doesn't have the courtesy to PUT A DATE on its injury reports. I think this is today's, at least:

Sitting out practice: Oshiomogho Atogwe (shoulder); Ron Bartell (neck); Kenneth Darby (ribs); Michael Hoomanawanui (ankle).
Limited participation: Craig Dahl (knee); Justin King (shoulder); Jerome Murphy (hamstring).

Yes, that's FIVE defensive backs banged up the week before the Rams have to take on Drew Brees.

* A fool and his hypothetical money: I'm taking the Rams plus the ten points in New Orleans Sunday anyway. The WIN over the Big Dead lifted me to a big 6-5-1 this season.

* Transactions: replacing Nixon on the PS, LB Maurice Simpkins. He was last on the Packers' PS; they had signed him from the Green Bay Blizzard of the Indoor Football League. Two geek points for Simpkins: he was a programmer before catching on with the Packers, and he's a Chanticleer. (Coastal Carolina)

* Very minor ex-Ram updates: Keith Null was promoted to the Carolina main roster after they IR'ed rookie Tony Pike. Donovan Raiola was signed by the Bucs. Danny Gorrer has returned to the Ravens PS.

-$-

Rams report, 12/6

Injury report from the Rams' 19-6 WIN over the Big Dead yesterday:

* Na'il Diggs injured his right shoulder in the 4th quarter. Steve Spagnuolo's postgame comments make it sound like he'll miss some games due to the injury.
* Ron Bartell missed I believe at least the second half after re-injuring his left shoulder, which has been a problem for him all season.
* Chris Chamberlain played with a possibly-broken right hand.

* Jason Smith missed a handful of plays due to an ankle injury.
* Billy Bajema played with an unspecified right knee injury.
* Kenneth Darby had bruised ribs late in the game.


The 6-6 and FIRST PLACE Rams play in New Orleans next Sunday.

-$-

Rams report, 12/3 p.m.

Here's how the Rams injury report shakes out for Sunday:

Out - Michael Hoomanawanui.
Doubtful - Jerome Murphy. Murphy did not practice this afternoon, so I'm definitely thinking Quincy Butler plays.
Questionable - Mike Karney upgraded.
Probable - Donnie Jones, Justin King, Darell Scott.


Positional news: It looks like this week's Starting Weakside Linebacker of the Week will be David Vobora.

Ex-Rams news: I have a hard time thinking of Bruce Gradkowski as an ex-Ram because I'm still pissed off he got away with taking that dive back in week 2, but this is where I'm obliged to report that the Raiders have placed him on IR due to a separated shoulder. He got the injury last Sunday against Miami but the shoulder was originally injured back in week 4.

Chris Myers will do play-by-play for this week's game on Fox, not that anyone around here will be paying any attention to him, because the color commentator will be Kurt Warner, doing the first Rams game of his nascent broadcasting career. Here's a recent STLToday interview with Kurt, in which he describes the NFC West as "hard to watch". It also sounds like there is a 0% chance he'll return to the field.

-$-

Rams report, 12/3

The Rams' injury list lengthened at practice yesterday:

* Mike Karney did not participate due to a groin injury.
* Jerome Murphy tweaked a hamstring during practice.

Darell Scott remains limited due to a foot injury but Donnie Jones and Justin King appear to be full-go. If Murphy's unable to go in Arizona Sunday, I can't believe the Rams would be any worse off with Quincy Butler. Murphy's been the worst DB in a very bad secondary the last three weeks.

-$-

Rams report, 12/2

The Rams list only four players on the official league injury report:

* Michael Hoomanawanui (high ankle sprain) is out, and will be for 4 to 6 weeks.

* Justin King (shoulder) and Donnie Jones (calf) were listed as full participants in practice.

* Darell Scott (foot) was listed as a limited participant.


Over on the Arizona side, the defense is a veritable MASH unit. Darnell Dockett was limited in practice today; Calais Campbell was a DNP. LBs Paris Lenon and Clark Haggans were limited, as were both starting corners (iirc), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Greg Toler.

Let us please stomp these guys while they are down.

-$-

The waiver wire has been thick with ex-Rams the last couple of days:
* Victor Adeyanju has been re-signed by the Bengals after they had to IR Antwan Odom.
* Phil Trautwein has turned up on Cleveland's practice squad. He had torn a knee ligament here in training camp. Good to hear he's up and at it and employed again; confused because I thought he was on the Rams' injured reserve and I never saw news that he'd been waived. Oh well.
* Rob Petitti, also a tackle, has signed with the Panthers.
* Mortty Ivy is now on the Dolphins' practice squad.
* Not a waiver wire move, but Brandon Chillar has been IR'ed by the Packers. He's been playing with a shoulder injury all year and it got worse after a tackle on a kickoff Sunday in Atlanta.

* Last, a bit of advice: if you have a Bears WR on your fantasy team, start him this week. They're playing Detroit, who just signed... Tye Hill.

-$$-

Congratulations to Sam Bradford again

Sam Bradford is the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Month for November. In 3 games, he threw for nearly 800 yards, completed 65.3% of his passes and had a passer rating of 96.8. He threw six TDs in November vs. only one interception and set an NFL rookie record for most passes without an interception (169). Sam also won this award in October.

Think we might just have a good one here.

-$-

Thoughts on Hall-of-Fame qualifying

The Pro Football Hall of Fame selection process for 2011 is down now to the semifinals, 26 modern-era players and two Seniors Committee nominees, both of whom have a bye to the finals.

Players with Rams ties still in the running: Marshall Faulk, Aeneas Williams, Kevin Greene, Seniors Committee nominee Les Richter and Jerome Bettis.

The only individual with old football Cardinal ties still in the running is Don Coryell. He's also the only coach to make the semifinals, as Dick Vermeil did not make this round. As Coryell's one of the great innovators in football history, I don't have a big problem with him surviving over first-time nominee Vermeil, or Chuck Knox, who was passed over again this year.

Henry Ellard didn't last to this round, either, but the WRs in front of him are Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Andre Reed, all in the top ten of the career receptions list. Ellard's unfortunately going to have a hard time cracking the logjam of WR's heading to the Hall.

But of course, I wouldn't be writing this if I didn't have something to complain about. It's a mild disgrace that Paul Tagliabue continues to make the cut every year. He certainly better not get a vote from any St. Louis writer, who'd have no team to cover if Tagliabue had gotten his wish. I also fail to see what his great accomplishments or contributions to the league even were. What, the labor contract the owners hate so much there's a good chance of a lockout next season? Maybe the TV contract, though that's a ball Pete Rozelle started rolling. Just having been commissioner's not enough, or Elmer Layden would be in. Just say no to Tagliabue like he did to St. Louis.

It's a less-mild disgrace that Art Modell's one of the two owners who made it this far. Moving the Cleveland Browns should automatically disqualify him. (Hey, sue me. I doubt Georgia ever makes the Hall, either.)

It's a brutal disgrace, though, that former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. was even put up for nomination, let alone gets this close to induction. Here's a guy who routinely violated the league's salary cap rules and was barred from running his team for a year for trying to get away with bribing Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards to help him secure a casino license.

Former Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom doesn't get serious consideration for the Hall; you can bet because of reports he was a heavy gambler, bet on his own team, and that his suspicious death in 1979 was tied to illegal gambling. Fine. DeBartolo's any better? No. Not only should he not be inducted into the Hall; he should be purged from the eligibility list.

For the record, I think seven candidates can get in in any given year, so my votes go to:

- Faulk
- Coryell
- Bettis
- Deion Sanders
- Curtis Martin
- Cris Carter
- and Richard Dent, who I think has waited long enough. Super Bowl MVP, top 10 in sacks all-time, third at the time he retired. Let Aeneas in next year when he won't be in Deion's loud-mouthed shadow. Shannon Sharpe's first-ballot-worthy, too, but if all the wide receivers have to wait to get in, shouldn't the tight ends?

-$-

Practice squad tweak

Defensive tackle Mitch King added; CB Terrail Lambert deleted.

Current practice squad:
Curtis Johnson, LB
Mitch King, DT
Thaddeus Lewis, QB
Greg Mathews, WR
Ryan McKee, T
Drew Miller, OL
David Nixon, LB
Chauncey Washington, RB

Today's completely unnecessary trivia fact: Throw in Larry Grant and Steven Jackson from the main roster, and that's five Rams with the same last name as a former U.S. President.

-$-

Rams report, 11/30

The world's laziest blogger climbs out of his hole:

* Injury report. The big injury from the Denver game is Michael Hoomanawanui's high ankle sprain. He sprained his right ankle Sunday after having sprained his left ankle at the beginning of the season. His timeline is 4 to 6 weeks.

That's about the only significant injury to report. Rodger Saffold played through a strained shoulder. Danario Alexander's knee showed no ill effects after Sunday's game. Justin King has a sprained shoulder. There's a shock, Justin King's injured. What next, the sun's going to rise in the east tomorrow?

* Rules clarification. Chris Chamberlain's penalty on the first onside kick was for batting it forward, not just for batting it out of bounds. RamView didn't do a very good job on that play.

* Spread formation. I'll risk my sterling 5-5-1 record on the season by taking the Rams MINUS the 3 in Arizona. That Cardinal team that played last night has pretty clearly packed it in. That doesn't hurt the FIRST-PLACE Rams' PLAYOFF CHANCES any, nor does Frank Gore's season-ending hip injury during that game, though it slaughters my fantasy team, which had ridden Gore into first place. Maybe I can still hang on for a playoff spot.

-$-

* Transactions. Got a little catching up to do here. Back on the 10th, the Rams added LB Curtis Johnson back to their practice squad, deleting DT Jimmy Saddler-McQueen. Hyphen Jr. landed on Dallas' practice squad for about 3 weeks but was deleted there yesterday.

* Ex-Rams watch:
Got some catching up to do here, too:
- You may have seen Jonathan Wade playing for the Bengals Thanksgiving night. He was picked up there after the Lions cut him Nov. 9.
- Victor Adeyanju was also picked up by Cincinnati but their rash of injuries in the secondary forced him off the roster within a week.
- You no doubt saw Lance Ball gouge the Ram defense in the first quarter in Denver. He had been activated from their PS on the 10th.
- Cord Parks update! He's on the Vikings PS.
- Ruvell Martin has been on and off (currently on) the Seahawks roster.
- Shaun Suisham is now the full-time kicker in Pittsburgh.
- Keith Null hit Carolina's practice squad on the 23rd.
- Madison Hedgecock's Hall of Fame induction could be less than unanimous after he had to be IR'ed earlier this month. He's been bothered by hamstring problems since early in October.
- Punter Reggie Hodges signed a 2-year contract extension with the Browns. Reggie Hodges? You're kidding. Even sucky punters can have long careers, I guess.

-$$-

Injury report, 11/18 p.m.

As of today, the only Rams limited in practice are Danario Alexander, Donnie Jones and Fred Robbins. Robbins was limited today due to a minor upper back or shoulder problem. It looks like the whole roster will be healthy enough to go for the Atlanta game Sunday, with the possible exception of Alexander.

James Butler, Brit Miller and Rodger Saffold participated fully in practice today, so they're off the unofficial injury list.

This may be the healthiest Rams team ever.

Injury report, 11/18

The Rams have been getting pretty good injury luck this season, which they seem to be squandering with all of these agonizing, tight road losses. Maybe it's a "lucky at cards, unlucky at love" thing. This week's very short injury report:

Injured reserve:
* Fendi Onobun, bulging disc in back. Will not require surgery.

Limited at practice Wednesday:
* Danario Alexander (knee). He started running Monday but didn't do any cutting.
* James Butler (knee). Steve Spagnuolo hoping to have him back for the Atlanta game. Given Michael Lewis' inability to cover Frank Gore on 4th-and-18 last week, Coach isn't alone there.
* Donnie Jones, again? Calf.
* Brit Miller, concussion.
* Rodger Saffold, low ankle sprain. X-rays and MRI didn't reveal any major damage, so Saffold is the expected starter Sunday.

Dings:
* Jason Brown had swelling in his knee, and Craig Dahl got a thigh bruise, during the 49er game. Neither is expected to miss time.
* James Hall and Steven Jackson are healing well from their hand injuries.

Rams report, 11/17

* Transactions. Fendi Onobun has become the latest Ram to finish his 2010 season with a trip to the IR, due to a bulging disk in his back. The Rams have signed former Bills TE Derek Schoumann to replace him.

* Sunday's game against Atlanta should be televised locally in St. Louis. There are only 1,000 tickets to be sold to get the NFL TV blackout lifted.

* The Falcons are 3-point favorites Sunday; I'll have to be a Scrooge and pick them to cover this week. They're 7-2. They're the best team in the NFC. Witnessing Sunday's 3-hour-long fiasco of pass coverage, I have no idea how the Rams keep Roddy White, the NFL's best WR, under 20 fantasy points. And Atlanta having the best red zone scoring defense in the league doesn't match up well for the small-ball Rams offense's red zone issues. The Rams are good enough not to get blown out, but beating the Falcons is going to be a lot to ask for. I'm thinking Atlanta 24-17.

I'll try to get a full injury update out tomorrow.

IT WASN'T PASS INTERFERENCE IN OVERTIME

Jim Thomas interviewed Fox NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira for the Post-Dispatch yesterday. Pereira was the NFL's V-P of officiating the last nine years and is probably the world's top expert on NFL rules and officiating. Fox has him on-call to provide expert analysis any time a call is challenged during one of their games.

Asked about the pass interference call on O.J. Atogwe last Sunday that put San Francisco in position for the game-winning FG in overtime Sunday, Pereira's comments were:

"Am I the only person who thought that pass was uncatchable?" Um, no.

"Was the actual pass catchable? It's clearly thrown behind him. I think he had no shot of getting the ball."

The NFL has yet to comment on the officiating incompetence that in effect lost Sunday's game for the Rams.

Injury report, 11/12

* Roger Saffold did not practice yesterday due to a sore shoulder but is not expected to miss Sunday's game in San Francisco. Apparently he slept on it wrong.

* Na'il Diggs is having his shin x-rayed as a result of a collision with Craig Dahl in yesterday's practice. Hopefully a bruise, not a break.

* James Butler and Fendi Onobun were back in practice on at least a limited basis. Onobun has been affected by a bulging disc in his back. Danario Alexander (knee) remains unlikely to play against the 49ers.

* Also limited yesterday:
- Britt Miller (calf)
- James Hall (broken hand)
- Steven Jackson (broken finger)

* Because they were full participants in yesterday's practice per NFL.com, I'll pull Ron Bartell, James Laurinaitis and David Vobora off the injury report. Daniel Fells, Michael Hoomanawanui, Donnie Jones and Fred Robbins are not even listed on the NFL report, so they'll come off here as well. Furthermore, long-term injury cases Darell Scott and Justin King are also not on the report to the league. So I'll guess everybody's healthy, or at least healthy enough. Not getting a lot of help from the local media here. The bye week was LAST week, you know, guys.

Injury report, 11/11

* Jason Smith has been cleared for full action and will start at right tackle Sunday. He had suffered a concussion in practice two weeks ago. I'd still get him one of those Mark Kelso helmets.

* Only four players sat out practice yesterday, so I guess this is the whole injury report now:
- Danario Alexander (knee surgery)
- James Butler (sprained ankle)
- Britt Miller (?) No details provided. He had a hamstring issue about three weeks ago.
- Fendi Onobun (back).

There are a lot of players with dings - see Tuesday's post - but I guess the local media are blowing those off for now.

Battle of Troy Sunday

Troy Smith (above, buried in Rams defenders) will start for the 49ers at QB Sunday.

Troy's last outing vs. the Rams: He took all the snaps at QB in the 4th preseason game here in September for the Ravens. The Rams won the game 27-21.

Stats:
18-38-237, 2 INTs, passer rating 45.6, sacked three times.
He also had 56 yards rushing on 7 carries, with two short TD runs.

Keep. Him. In. The. Pocket!

Union, no?

Just to make sure the impending ruination of our favorite sport isn't too far in the back of our minds, Rams players have voted to decertify the players' union in the massively-likely event the owners lock them out next year. This is a legal maneuver that gives the union the right to sue the league if there is a lockout. This sounds like a good thing for fans, especially if the suit is heard by a judge who owns season tickets. Then again, whom does the union even represent once it has been decertified? Anybody? What would the decertified union even sue the owners for? Divorce?

Good luck explaining any of this to your kids if you don't have a law degree, and woe unto modern sports for creating a world where lawyers making motions becomes more important than receivers going into motion.

As for that explanation for the kids, I'd go with "the players and their bosses are fighting over who can be the most greedy," and I'm a capitalist.

The dance is over for Kurt

Kurt Warner was eliminated from Dancing With the Stars last night, becoming this season's fifth-place finisher. That's a little disappointing, Kurt; hell, when Warren Sapp was on the show, he came in second! And you didn't even outlast Bristol Palin, though her ability to come in last every week and still advance is more likely the first Great Tea Party Conspiracy.





Nice try, though, and good luck to Kurt on his next effort, as long as it's not a comeback with the Big Dead. I'm sure Ken Whisenhunt has already called, though.

photo - USA Today

Rams notes, 11/9

* Injury update: The FIRST-PLACE Rams practiced yesterday and have today off. These players were limited participants in Monday's practice:

- Jason Smith (concussion) sounds like a good bet to play against the 49ers Sunday - Steve Spagnuolo described him as "symptom-free" - but is being monitored daily and still has to be fully cleared to play.

- Danario Alexander (knee) is already jogging, just a couple of weeks after his latest knee surgery. Highly doubtful he'll be up for San Francisco, but his recovery appears to be on the quick side.

- Ron Bartell's being listed with thigh and shoulder issues again. I can only go off other people's reports, so somebody got sloppy when he dropped the shoulder issue in a previous report.

- Adam Goldberg was sent home sick.

- James Laurinaitis (sprained knee), Fendi Onobun (back) and David Vobora (hamstring) were also listed as limited participants.

Other injuries, as reported previously before the bye:
James Butler (sprained ankle); Daniel Fells (back); James Hall (broken hand); Michael Hoomanawanui (back, ribs); Steven Jackson (broken finger); Donnie Jones (calf); Justin King (hamstring); Fred Robbins (toe); Darell Scott (sprained ankle).

My total guess is that most of those players would list as probable for Sunday, with Butler and Scott possibly questionable.

* Hold that line. The Rams are SIX-point underdogs (over-under: 38) to the 49ers, which I think makes them an attractive bet. That would sound great if it weren't coming from someone who has to take two weeks of "whammy" picks back to even claim a mediocre 3-4-1 record this season. Still, I don't get such a big line, even given that the Rams are winless on the road this season. Two of those losses were by less than a FG. I'm also not certain what San Francisco has done to merit a six-point line over anybody. They're 2-6 for a reason, aren't they? Maybe I'm discounting the recent series history too much - the Rams have lost the last four meetings - but I don't feel anything other than a close game Sunday, like 16-13 either way.

More to add when there's more.

Congratulations Sam Bradford

Sam Bradford has been named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Month for October. He threw for over 1,000 yards and had 7 TD passes in leading the Rams to a 3-2 record for the month.

Bye week report, 11/4

The Rams practiced for the last time this week yesterday and will be off the rest of this bye week. They'll return to practice Monday. Here's where everybody stands (or sits) with injuries:

* Jason Smith (concussion) practiced on a limited basis yesterday. He passed an exertion test but still has to pass a neurological test to be completely cleared to play. If Jason doesn't already have one of those old Mark Kelso "Gazoo" helmets, the Rams seriously ought to think about getting him one.

Also not practicing Wednesday:

* Danario Alexander, knee, out 1-3 more weeks. Steve Spagnuolo did not rule Alexander 100% out for the 14th in San Francisco.
* Ron Bartell, thigh, day-to-day. The good news is that Bartell's shoulder problem - he left the field at one point clutching it and in a lot of pain - has apparently improved enough to make his thigh bruise the main concern.
* James Butler got a low-ankle sprain in the Carolina game. He has a chance to play on the 14th.
* Daniel Fells, back, apparently an injury from Sunday's game. Has had it CT scanned but no results were disclosed.
* Donnie Jones, strained calf. This has been bothering Donnie since about the end of September but has been kept pretty quiet. He was to have an MRI on it Monday.
* Justin King, hamstring, inactive for Carolina game. He's had hammy problems on and off all season and is starting to smell like the latest Scott Linehan draft bust, if you ask me.
* James Laurinaitis, sprained knee. Has been bothering him for a little over a week now.
* Fendi Onobun, back, inactive for Carolina game. Injured in practice last week.
* David Vobora, hamstring. Was listed as having played Sunday but he's been fighting this problem for about three weeks now.

Other injuries:
* James Hall suffered a broken hand in the Carolina game.
* Steven Jackson played with a broken finger, which, as you might expect, was very sore after the game.
* Michael Hoomanawanui got a CT scan on his back and ribs after taking a couple of hard shots Sunday. I'm assuming no further news there is good news.
* Fred Robbins still has a sore toe that has bothered him since early in the Tampa game.
* Darell Scott was inactive for the Carolina game due to re-aggravating the ankle he sprained back in September. His timeline is unknown.
* Darian Stewart continues to fight hamstring problems and has for about a month now.

In other words, the bye week is here at the perfect time.

Other stuff:
* Gathering no Moss. A Rams blog that didn't suck would have discussed the Randy Moss issue before it was over, but he was waived by the Vikings, passed up by the Rams and claimed by the Titans before I got to weigh in. I was against it, but only 50.1% to 49.9%. The Rams unquestionably could have used his on-field talent, and he could have been the piece the Rams need to win the very-even NFC West. The 49ers and Seahawks also passing on him surprised me. I think the Rams are at the point now where they could add a character risk. And as a risk, Moss is a better bet than Vincent Jackson, and isn't any worse than T.O., who the Rams very nearly signed before this season. But the front office appears to have done its homework, and if they don't think Moss will fit into the locker room well enough, then I'll trust their judgment.

To me, the Moss deal felt a little too much like the time the Blues traded for Wayne Gretzky. Superstar player, helped them for half a season, but only stayed around long enough to screw up their playoff run.

* Judgment I don't trust: Got my Sports Illustrated in the mail yesterday, and saw that Peter King had written up his midseason all-pro team, on which his offensive rookie of the year is: MAURKICE POUNCEY?

Further evidence that sportswriters shouldn't be allowed to vote on the awards they actually give out. Really? The center for the Steelers is better than the rookie QB who's taken a 1-15 team last year to 4-4 at this year's halfway point? Really?

* Practice squad shuffle: Hyphen Jr., Jimmy Saddler-McQueen, was added back to the practice squad October 28th, kicking off Antoine Thompson. Meanwhile, the Rams have had so many injuries at wide receiver, they've actually used the practice squad injured reserve, which I didn't know even existed. A fracture was found in Brandon McRae's fibula, and he's done for 2010. He was replaced on the PS by WR Greg Mathews, formerly of the Bears and Michigan Wolverines, and Ted Ginn, Jr.'s cousin.

* Dancing fool: Kurt Warner's proving as unstoppable on the dance floor as he was on the field, at least until Dancing With the Stars turns into a ballroom blitz. Rick Fox was eliminated Tuesday night.

photo - Mental Floss

Rams report, 10/29

Bad omens for the Rams Sunday, and beyond...

* Jason Smith suffered an apparent concussion in practice Thursday. He was held out of practice today due to concussion-like symptoms and is officially out for the Carolina game Sunday.

Smith hasn't been Jackie Slater at right tackle, but this is a very bad development for the Rams. Smith missed a number of games last year, his rookie season, due to concussion. At this point I think it's a very legitimate fear that this is going to be a lifelong, career-shortening problem for the 2009 #2 pick overall.

Odds are that Adam Goldberg will play RT Sunday, with John Greco at RG. That line could well still hold its own; Greco's been a strong run-blocker and Carolina hasn't put together much of a pass rush this season.

On the other hand, Renardo Foster is claiming after today's practice that HE's starting at right tackle Sunday. Words cannot express what a bad idea that would be.

Remember me picking the Panthers yesterday to put the whammy on them? It isn't working.

* Danario Alexander damaged cartilage in his left knee during practice today and will have to have it operated on for the FIFTH time. This is "minor" knee surgery, however, and the first estimate is that he will be out 2 to 4 weeks. Still, a scenario where you have four healthy wide receivers and count Laurent Robinson as one of them? Not good. Not good at all.

On the other hand, Isaac Bruce will be at the stadium Sunday. Seriously, suit him up. He'd probably be the leading receiver...

* Steven Jackson did not practice yesterday but has already announced he's going to play Sunday. Most of the other players who were out of Wednesday's practice were still out as well. Limited participation for Ron Bartell (shoulder, thigh) and James Laurinaitis (knee). James Butler has improved enough for limited participation and his chances of playing Sunday have improved. David Vobora and Mardy Gilyard have been upgraded to full participation.

So, yeah, the Rams' offensive and defensive leaders are both nicked up. The bye week's coming at the perfect time, but beating Carolina Sunday's getting harder by the minute.

* There are still 4,000 left, but enough tickets have been sold satisfy the NFL's TV blackout policy. The game will be on KTVI-2 at noon.

Rams notes, 10/28

* Injuries. Sitting out practice Wednesday:
- Steven Jackson (finger), expected to play Sunday
- James Butler (sprained MCL), very likely out this week
- Justin King (hamstring)
- Fred Robbins (toe), expected to play Sunday
- Darell Scott (ankle)
- Darian Stewart (hamstring)
- a new one on me, Fendi Onobun (back)

Ron Bartell (shoulder stinger, thigh bruise) was "very limited". I'm going to assume James Laurinaitis (knee), Kevin Dockery (ribs) and Keith Toston (groin) aren't injured enough to keep on the list. Bradley Fletcher's (hamstring) practicing, so take him off the list, too. No word on Mardy Gilyard (hamstring).

* Transactions. The Rams finally transferred Cliff Ryan to the injured reserve yesterday and filled his place with another needed body in the secondary, former Whiner safety Michael Lewis. Ryan's 2010 season is now likely only to be remembered for his goal-line fumble, on a fumble return, that cost the Rams an opening day win over the Big Dead, so let's hope he makes a full recovery from his migraine problem and bounces back in '11.

- Lewis, 6'1" 222, in his 9th year out of Colorado, played for Steve Spagnuolo at Philadelphia. He pretty much lost his starting job to rookie Taylor Mays three weeks ago and essentially quit there and asked for his release.

Scouts Inc. grades Lewis as an average-quality starter. Big, powerful, punishing tackler and aggressive in run support, but best left playing close to the LOS. Not a great open-field tackler, struggles in coverage, lacks good burst to close on passes.

Lewis' draft stock fell in 2002 when it was revealed that he had a type of heart arrhythmia known as atrial fibrillation. The Eagles selected him late in the second round. He's used his visibility as an NFL player to raise awareness about heart conditions and to raise funds for the American Heart Association and hospital cardiac centers. Bleacher Report article

- Curtis Johnson, cut from the main roster in favor of Quincy Butler, was not added back to the practice squad, as I poorly guessed at the time. He's a free agent. In addition, the Rams replaced Mortty Ivy with LB David Nixon, who had been deleted from Houston's PS.

* About that sellout: Reports that the Rams had 1,000 tickets remaining to sell out Sunday's game were misleading. They should have said: remaining to lift the TV blackout. There are 5,800 left total as of this morning, 800 need to be bought up to lift the blackout. It's not my money, but it would seem silly if the Rams didn't buy the rest of those up themselves. We should be able to expect to see Sunday's game on local TV.

* Waiver wire watch: I haven't checked the wires in a while, here are recent transactions involving former Rams:
- Houston signed Damione Lewis.
- Bobby Carpenter, who had been cut in Miami, signed with the Lions.
- Keith Null has been on and off the Jagwires PS. Currently off.
- The Rams thankfully passed up on the opportunity to pick up Danny Gorrer after the Ravens dropped him from their PS.
- Buffalo cut former Rams second-round pick Joe Klopfenstein. He was on their IR anyway.

* For entertainment purposes only. Let's see. I tried to work the fact that my Rams betting record in 2010 is horrible by picking Tampa last week, to put the whammy on them. So what happens? They beat the Rams but NOT the spread, screwing me twice. Screw you, Bucs. So now I'm 1-5-1.

But since the Rams are favored for the first time this season, (by 3, over/under 37.5) it would be irresponsible for me to use my powers of bad betting any other way than to jinx the Panthers, so Carolina's the pick. Shaky justification: they're coming off a win, Rams haven't beaten them since 2001, I won't be wearing my lucky Torry Holt jersey in favor of a throwback #80 for Isaac Bruce Day. That was an awfully lucky jersey from 1999-2001, though.

According to this source, the last time the Rams were favored to win a game was December 12, 2007, when Scott Linehan's 2-9 team was favored by 3 at home over the Falcons, who were also 2-9. The Rams won and covered, 28-16, in an epic QB battle between Gus Frerotte and Joey Harrington.

* Also for entertainment purposes only: Kurt Warner survived a subpar week on Dancing With the Stars after the much better-looking Audrina Patridge was sent packing for the hills.

Rams notes, 10/26

Updates, aftermath and other stuff I can think of in the wake of the Rams' heartbreaking loss in Tampa Sunday:

* Injury update:

- Steven Jackson broke his left ring finger Sunday and had surgery on it yesterday to have two pins inserted. He's all but certain to play Oct. 31st against Carolina.

- Ron Bartell's chances don't look very good for the Carolina game. He played against Tampa with a quad injury and suffered a shoulder stinger in the 4th quarter. The shoulder injury by itself is significant enough to downgrade him to day-to-day status. If it persists, Bartell will be heading for the magnetic resonance imager.

- James Butler sprained an MCL early in the game and is very doubtful for Carolina. No official idea yet on how long he'll be out.

- Fred Robbins injured a toe, I'm guessing early in the game. He'll need an examination to determine severity but is expected to be able to play on it for now.

- Darell Scott made a surprise return from his high ankle sprain, at least two weeks ahead of schedule, and played Sunday. He mildly re-injured the same ankle.

- James Laurinaitis has a sore knee and is day-to-day.

- NFL.com lists Chris Chamberlain (toe) as having played yesterday, I'd guess on special teams. He comes off the injury list, then. Na'il Diggs (knee) played; pretty darn well, too. Take him off also. Jackson played most of the 2nd half after a slight neck injury. Kevin Dockery played with injured ribs. Keith Toston played with a mild groin injury.

- The Rams' hamstring injury count goes down to four, from six, since David Vobora and Brit Miller were also listed as playing Sunday. Justin King, Darian Stewart and Mardy Gilyard were all inactive due to hamstring injuries, and Bradley Fletcher tweaked one late in the game. He's day-to-day.

- I feel bad about what Cliff Ryan's likely going through, but I really fail to understand why he's still tying up a roster spot. Maybe the Rams are going to throw a battery of migraine specialists at him over the bye week. Inactive again Sunday, probably should have been IR'ed last month.

* Transactions: A week after we started guessing this move around here, the Rams have re-acquired Quincy Butler, after he was waived by the Saints. Looks like he's going to have more than a decent chance to play right away against Carolina. LB Curtis Johnson was waived from the main roster to clear space for Butler and seems likely to return to the practice squad.

* Statistics:

- Despite having dealt Alex Barron away in the offseason, the Rams lead the NFL in false starts, with 15. They've had 10 the last three weeks. Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith have three apiece, followed by Jacob Bell with 2. The others: Billy Bajema, Mark Clayton, Adam Goldberg, John Greco, Mike Karney and one "everybody but the center" from Sunday.

- The formula to winning in the NFL can be deceptively easy sometimes.
The Rams are 3-0 when they score more than 17 points.
They are 0-4 when they don't.

That's a pretty paltry number to be the tipping point, isn't it? Steve Spagnuolo ought to be looking at his offense with a hard eye right about now.

* This week's harebrained idea: the Rams have one of the best defensive backs in franchise history on their staff, WRs coach Nolan Cromwell: anybody think he could help our hands-of-stone defense stop dropping interceptions like they're live porcupines?

* TV time: less than 1,000 tickets remain for Carolina, so there should be little trouble getting Sunday's game past the NFL blackout rule.

* Yes, I'm bitter: LaGarrette Blount's ridiculous success Sunday has me rooting hard for Boise State to finish ahead of Oregon in the BCS this year. Like last year.

* Pro Bowl balloting has opened on NFL.com. Steven Jackson's certainly the Rams' best bet for a Pro Bowler this year, but it'd be nice to get Long, Hall, Robbins and Laurinaitis some recognition.

* Kurt in trouble: Kurt Warner had the lowest score on Dancing With The Stars last night.

Rams notes, 10/21

* Injury status: Cliff Ryan (migraines), Justin King (hamstring), Darian Stewart (hamstring) all sat out of practice yesterday, as I assume did DarellDorell Scott (ankle). Ron Bartell (thigh) also sat out and may bear watching.

Chris Chamberlain (toe), Na'il Diggs (knee), Mardy Gilyard (hamstring), Jerome Murphy (hamstring) and David Vobora (yes, hamstring) were limited participants in practice. No word on Brit Miller, also reported with a hamstring problem after the Chargers game.

Danario Alexander has returned to full-go status and comes off the injury list.

* Chargers LB Kevin Burnett will not even be fined for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Sam Bradford Sunday. Not even a token "Hey, be more careful" fine? I figured the league would get him for $10-$15K, at least.

Way to protect your future stars, jackasses!

* Still kicking: Kurt Warner has outlasted Florence Henderson, who was kicked off Dancing With the Stars this week. Kurt has yet to pull a hamstring at last word.

Illustration from thestretchinghandbook.com, which maybe somebody at Rams Park might want to check out

Congratulations Chris Long

Good luck finding the official announcement, but the NFL has named Chris Long the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Long had two sacks and about a million pressures in the Rams' 20-17 win Sunday over San Diego.

Transaction update, 10/20

Chauncey Washington has replaced Hyphen Jr., Jimmy Saddler-McQueen, on the practice squad. Washington was waived from the main roster earlier in the week, and there is still an opening there. I'm still thinking Quincy Butler.

Never mind, Quincy Butler has signed with the Saints. The Rams have ended up bringing back awful DB Antoine Thompson to the practice squad and promoted LB Curtis Johnson from the squad.

Methinks someone at Rams Park goofed. Why not just leave Washington on the roster?

Rams notes, 10/19

* That was an award-worthy performance by the Rams over San Diego Sunday. Proof? Steven Jackson is up for FedEx Ground Player of the Week, and Danario Alexander is up for Pepsi Rookie of the Week.

As they say in Chicago, vote early and vote often.

* Did somebody say the player(s) who had to step up for the San Diego game were Chris Long and the defensive line? Just checking.

* As I guessed during RamView, the official's interpretation on the helmet-to-helmet hit by Kevin Burnett on Sam Bradford was that Bradford had become a runner and was fair game. Bull. Shit. Why does the league make it legal for the QB to slide for safety and also make it legal to clock him in the head? Needless to say, the league's doing a lot of answering this week for letting all of these downfield blows to the head go unpenalized. One thing TMQ got right this week was to include the hit on Bradford on the list of this weekend's notorious blows to the head, the only national outlet or column I've seen or heard do so.

* Wacky 2010 statistic #1: 33-year-old James Hall is in the top 5 in the NFL in sacks with 6. He's on a pace for 16. His high sack season for the Rams was 6.5 in 2008.

* Wacky 2010 statistic #2: the Rams have won as many games this season as they did the last two seasons combined. (Randy Karraker, 101 ESPN)

* Wacky 2010 statistic #3: the Rams are out of first place in the NFC by one game. Note I didn't say NFC West. Nobody in the whole conference is above 4-2. Home field advantage for the playoffs!

* Jackson is 32 yards from passing Eric Dickerson to become the leading rusher in team history.

* Injury update: Bartender! A round of hamstrings for everyone. Minor hamstring injuries for Mardy Gilyard, Brit Miller and Jerome Murphy. Significant hamstring injuries for Darian Stewart and Justin King, who are expected to miss Sunday's game in Tampa because of them.

Anybody on this freaking team ever heard of stretching?

Ron Bartell has an injured left wrist and a bruised thigh but should be able to go against the Bucs, and Chris Chamberlain returns to practice this week. Jacob Bell is fine and played Sunday. Same for Jason Smith. Na'il Diggs is day-to-day due to a sprained knee. David Vobora (ANOTHER hamstring) was on the active roster Sunday but didn't play. Cliff Ryan was inactive again and is out indefinitely, or infinitely, even, due to migraines. DarellDorell Scott was also inactive due to a high ankle sprain and should be out another 2 to 4 weeks.

Danario Alexander's got some soreness in his knee but it was expected. He'll probably be practiced lightly this week.

* Transactions: Reports are that the Rams have waived Chauncey Washington from the active roster, but no corresponding transaction has been announced. Mortty Ivy is listed on the active roster on the Rams' website right now, but with Washington still on it, too, that's a 54-man roster, not quite legal. They do list only 7 on the practice squad. I'm surprised they'd cut Washington - our depth at RB hasn't gotten any better, you know - and more surprised that they'd replace him with an LB, if they are, given all the injuries at DB right now.

Calling Quincy Butler!

* Buc the odds: Tampa opened in Vegas as a 3-point favorite, which is already being bet down. Over/under is 38. I think there's plenty of reason to bet the Rams, but let's try to keep the jinx on my 1-3-1 Rams betting record and pick pewter power.

TMQ can suck it

Gregg Easterbrook mentions the Rams for probably the first time in three years (one year, his whole preseason preview of the Rams was two lines long) in his famous on-line column at ESPN.com, and it's to criticize the fans...

"Worst Crowd Reaction: St. Louis spectators have gotten out of practice watching football played properly. Les Mouflons leading San Diego 17-10 with 4:44 remaining, facing third-and-13 on the Bolts' 29, St. Louis coaches called a draw that gained 2 yards. Home spectators booed loudly. But a rush ensured the clock kept moving, and grinding the clock is essential to endgame strategy. The Rams launched a field goal on the next snap for a 20-10 lead; San Diego scored a quick touchdown, then kicked deep rather than onside; St. Louis was able to drain the rest of the clock for the win."

Dear Gregg: The clock had stopped the play BEFORE, because Pat Shurmur had called a pass from the Chargers 20 and Jason Brown committed a holding penalty. Why not analyze the unwiseness of that call instead of taking a cheap shot at St. Louis fans? Having now made the potentially-clinching FG attempt far more difficult, Shurmur followed that call with the same conservative middle run he'd been calling THE ENTIRE SECOND HALF while the Rams' 17-point lead melted down to a one-score difference. And it failed like it had all half.

Boo! Rams fans were certainly entitled to (though I didn't, choosing instead to try to send positive vibes to our kicker). The crowd saw the game in jeopardy because of a half of bad play-calling and spoke its mind. We couldn't trust Josh Brown with a 36-yard FG in Oakland, now Shurmur was leaving it to him to hit from 48. And we know four minutes and three timeouts is plenty left for a comeback by the high-powered San Diego offense. Hell, it took them all of one minute to reduce the lead to three! By not running the previous play, Shurmur failed to take an additional 45 seconds off the clock, failed to burn up one of San Diego's timeouts and left Brown a much more difficult task to put the game out of reach. We're supposed to be happy about that because the clock is still running? What's so superior in your mind about the clock management the way those plays were called?

You go back to complaining about governors taking their security details with them on overseas trips and leave criticisms like this to people who actually watched the game, mm-kay?

Rams notes, 10/15

* Sunday's game will be aired on local TV, KMOV advertising last night that they and A-B bought up leftover tickets to qualify the game as a sellout. Noon Sunday on channel 4 (CBS, NOT Fox-2, this is an AFC road game.)

* Injury update. The only players who didn't practice at all yesterday were Chris Chamberlain (toe) and David Vobora (hamstring). That's more than a little interesting if it's perfectly accurate. That would mean Cliff Ryan is finally playing again, DorellDarell Scott is getting close, and Jacob Bell doesn't have any lingering concussion symptoms from Sunday. Good news all around. Also, Steven Jackson has declared he's 100% and is no longer wearing that weird fetish gear he had on the last couple of weeks to protect his groin injury. (Actually, he didn't wear it last week against Detroit.) Steven Jackson with full range of motion is a good thing. He is 141 yards away from the team career rushing record.

* Nate Burleson was fined $15,000 for being a jackass after his TD in the second half of last Sunday's game. After an exaggerated strut for the last 10 yards into the end zone, he punted the ball into the crowd and raised his jersey to show some stupid message on his t-shirt. Burleson commented the NFL "was kind of rough on me. They got me."

Yeah, you want to know how to avoid that? Act like you've been there before.

Jackass.

* Several Post-Dispatch contributors were asked who on the Rams needed to step their game up the most this week. None of them mentioned the defensive line, (ok, Brian Burwell sorta did) which wasn't even in the same area code as Shaun Freaking Hill most of the game. If Chris Long plays to his level of the first four weeks, I like the Rams' chances to at least stay close.

Rams notes, 10/13

Looks like I have a lot to catch up on - then again, so do the Rams, after that odious spectacle in Detroit Sunday. When you were 1-15 the year before, don't go anyplace the next year thinking you will win just by showing up, m-kay?

* Lies, damned lies, and statistics. One of the big blows of the Detroit fiasco statistically was that the Rams actually had a positive point differential for a couple of weeks. Not any more; they've now scored 83 this season and given up 96. Then again, the Cardinals have one of the NFL's worst point differentials at -50, and they're in first place.

* In case you weren't already sure the onside kick to start the Lions game was one of the dumbest possible calls in the NFL, Mike Sando's blog on ESPN.com found out it's been tried EIGHT times in the last TEN YEARS (about 2,600 games) and worked TWICE. Great odds, Spagnuolo, you numbnut. Ironically, Kansas City tried the same thing in Indianapolis Sunday about the same time the Rams did in Detroit. And also failed. And that was also a dumb call. By doing that, Todd Haley was kind of agreeing with everyone else that the Chiefs' 3-0 record was a mirage, that they couldn't really compete with the Colts. Wrong message. Though the Colts have at least very famously shown vulnerability to the onside kick, back in February in the Super Bowl, and the Chiefs have pretty good special teams. A poor call, but infinitely more justifiable than the Rams'.

The Bills are at the Ravens in two weeks; that's the next time ANYBODY in the NFL has permission to even think about starting a game with an onside kick.

* Injury update. Mark Clayton, of course, is out for the rest of the season after tearing a patellar tendon in the first quarter against Detroit. TE Darcy Johnson has also been placed on season-ending IR. He has symptoms of a concussion and is on his way to being waived/injured.

The Rams are officially healthy at TE again, though: Billy Bajema and Michael Hoomanawanui both return to action this week. Gary Gibson's shoulder injury didn't keep him out of Sunday's game, so he also comes off the list. Kevin Dockery (hamstring) was out for Detroit but should be up for San Diego.

Still on the list lih: Chris Chamberlain (toe) is at least doing limited work in practice, but is probably another week away. DarellDorell Scott's got up to another 3 to 5 weeks to go on his high ankle sprain. Cliff Ryan's migraines continue to be, well, a headache. About time to think about IRing him, isn't it? Jacob Bell was "dinged" and will be watched for concussion symptoms. Justin King (calf) played Sunday but was pretty far from 100%.

Day-to-day: David Vobora (bruised knee); Jason Smith (sore foot); Ron Bartell (bruised calf, stone hands).

* Transactions. Oh, great, Mizzou fans are abuzz: Danario Alexander was promoted to the 53-man roster to replace Clayton. And Illini fans: not only is Uh-Oh on the way back, but Brit Miller was also called up from the practice squad, to replace Johnson. Brandon McRae and Mortty Ivy were re-signed to the PS.

* Blackout watch. Currently about 5,000 tickets remaining for the San Diego game this coming Sunday. Kevin Demoff's hoping for help from local firms again to get the game on TV. Yeah, losing 44-6 to freaking Detroit didn't exactly help the cause.

* Vegas verdict. The Rams opened as 9.5-point underdogs to the Chargers, but that's already been bet down to 8.5. Sigh, give me the Chargers and the over. The good news: I'd be a crappy 1-2-1 betting Rams games this season.

* RamView's harebrained personnel move of the week: instead of rushing the brittle-legged Alexander up off of our own PS, I was for signing Juaquin Iglesias off of Chicago's. 6'1" 205, runs a sub-4.5 40, and most importantly, gives Sam Bradford a familiar target. Iglesias had 142 catches for over 2,000 yards and 15 receiving TDs his last two seasons at Oklahoma. Most if not all of it would have been from Bradford. I could not completely back Iglesias, though, until he is completely cleared in the Lisa Lampanelli matter. That's just gross.

* Lest I forget, Kurt Warner is still in fine shape on Dancing With The Stars, which sent The Situation back to Jersey last night.

Rams notes, 10/8

* Justin King sat out yesterday's practice due to a calf problem he has been fighting since training camp. Kevin Dockery's already out, so if King can't go, Jerome Murphy steps up to nickelback, with no true corner backing him up. I'm already having nightmares of Calvin Johnson beating James Butler pitifully for TDs.

* Off the injury list: Steven Jackson, Oshiomogho Atogwe, Laurent Robinson, Rodger Saffold, Darian Stewart.

* Still out: Dockery (hamstring), Gary Gibson (lih, shoulder), Cliff Ryan (migraines), Darell Scott (ankle).

* Making a comeback: Billy Bajema, Chris Chamberlain, Michael Hoomanawanui.

Rams notes, 10/7

* Injury update:
- Gary Gibson sat out practice yesterday due to a shoulder injury.
- Rodger Saffold left practice early due to a shin injury but expects to return to practice today.
- Laurent Robinson is apparently back at full strength after missing two weeks due to a foot injury. The Rams were 0-2 with Robinson on the field; 2-0 with Brandon Gibson. Just sayin. They scored 27 points in 2 games with Robinson on the field; 50 with Gibson. Just sayin again.
- Billy Bajema, Chris Chamberlain, Michael Hoomanawanui and Darian Stewart are practicing in individual drills. Steven Jackson and Oshiomogho Atogwe are close to, if not full-go.
- Remaining out: Kevin Dockery (hamstring), Cliff Ryan (migraines), Dorell Scott (ankle).
- Out of nowhere, Marquis Johnson has been put on season-ending IR. He has both knee and shoulder injuries that will require surgery. George Selvie better not walk under any ladders anytime soon; he's the only of the three Rams' 2010 7th-round picks not on IR. I thought 7 was supposed to be lucky. Mark Setterstrom was a 7th-rounder, too; his 2010 season ended before training camp. Be careful out there, George.

* Roster moves:
- Johnson's spot on the practice squad has been filled by former Notre Dame DB Terrail Lambert.
- Mounting injuries at DT have led to the "deletion" of Jamie McCoy from the practice squad. He has been replaced by DT Jimmy Saddler-McQueen. I don't know a thing about Saddler-McQueen, but the last time the Rams had a DT with an awesome hyphenated last name, they won the Super Bowl. And the new guy's last name has *3* capital letters. Way to raise the bar.

* Kurt Warner's Hall of Fame candidacy is safe; he has outlasted Margaret Cho on Dancing With The Stars.

Rams notes, 10/5

The Rams came out of Sunday's history-making 20-3 smackdown of Seattle little the worse for wear. Injuries during the game:

- Besides having a 13-stitch divot taken out of his head while foiling a fake FG, Kevin Dockery re-aggravated his hamstring and will be out up to two weeks.

- Gary Gibson injured a shoulder and may have to get it MRI'ed.

- Steven Jackson and Oshiomogho Atogwe, however, did not worsen the respective groin and thigh injuries they played with. I assume they'll be no worse than probable for Detroit.

* Old injuries:
- Darian Stewart was inactive against Seattle due to a hamstring injury but could return to practice this week. His status was originally described as day-to-day.

- Laurent Robinson was inactive for the second straight week due to a foot injury; I've seen no estimated duration for that. Have to call him out indefinitely.

- Cliff Ryan's migraine problems also continue. He was inactive against Seattle and I'd also consider him out indefinitely. If Gary Gibson can't go, the Rams are going to have to come up with another defensive tackle. So, Ernest Reid, did you keep in shape after training camp? OMG, D-Lew's available, isn't he? Don't even think about it, Billy Devaney.

- Billy Bajema (sprained MCL) could return to practice this week. That would be on the quick side for his recovery time.

- In even bigger surprises, Chris Chamberlain (toe) and Michael Hoomanawanui (ankle) are also considered possible for return to practice this week. I had them as out another 3-5 weeks.

- Darell Scott (ankle) should be out another 4-6 weeks, unless he's also a fast healer and comes back next week. Or, more than likely, these were all 4-6 week injuries instead of 6-8.

* Off the injured list: Mike Karney, Keith Toston, and Craig Dahl all played Sunday, as of course did Jackson and Atogwe.

* Old news:
- Santana Moss was fined $5,000 for the crackback block he threw on Atogwe last week.

- Keith Null spent four days on the Jagwires practice squad, becoming deletable when they picked up Trent Edwards.

- More memories of training camps past:
Brooks Foster was added to the Dolphins practice squad.
Cord Parks was dropped from the Seahawks practice squad.
Lance Ball was added to the Broncos practice squad.
The Saints cut K.C. Asiodu.

- And yes, Danny Gorrer is still holding down a job in the NFL. Ravens PS.

- Per NFL.com, Marquis Johnson returned to the Rams practice squad September 30th. The Rams online roster is not up-to-date; it has Johnson on the active roster and just seven men on the PS.

* Betting lion: Rams opened as 3-point underdogs to the Lions, over/under 42.5. I'll take the Rams and the points, please.

Seattle game on TV

The Rams and several local firms bought up enough of this week's unsold tickets to clear the stupid NFL blackout rule and get Sunday's game on TV. Noon on KTVI-2.

This might, however, be the last home game that gets on TV until Kansas City comes here in December. I'm guessing that's the one game on the schedule that has the chance to be an actual sellout, since Chiefs fans travel well and that team is playing well. I give the Rams and the local business community high credit for putting out funds to help get the first three games on TV, but we can hardly expect them to do it all season.

For all the taxpayer dollars that get put into building stadiums for NFL teams, we sure do get screwed as far as whether or not we get to watch our local team on TV. Maybe the fans/taxpayers should be the folks who go on strike after this season.

Rams notes, 10/1

* Steven Jackson, O.J. Atogwe, Cliff Ryan, Laurent Robinson and Darian Stewart have all been held out of practice so far this week. About the only injury situation on the team that's improved this week is Craig Dahl's. He's full-go now and if the game were today, he'd be starting in Atogwe's free safety spot.
Jackson describes his leg and groin as "still tight" and hasn't attempted to do any running yet since his injury last Sunday. At this point he's considered doubtful for Seattle.

* The Rams got an extension of the blackout deadline again this week, to noon today. Right now it's believed the game will be televised locally.

* With Jackson very likely down and the secondary continuing to have to rely on awful James Butler, I'm reluctantly taking Seattle minus the point.

* And lest I forget, Kurt Warner's still alive on Dancing With the Stars after Michael Bolton was banished this week. Kurt, your Hall of Fame candidacy is safe as long as you beat out Bolton and Margaret Cho. Don't let America down.

Rams sign Chauncey Washington

The Rams have signed RB Chauncey Washington off the Jets' practice squad. He fills the spot made available when Dominique Curry had to be placed on IR.

The Chauncey Washington file:
25 years old, 5'11", 224

Drafted in 2008 by Jacksonville in the 7th round. He played for Dallas in 2009 and was signed off their practice squad by the Jets at the end of the season. He has just 4 career carries for 9 yards, and one reception for 9 yards, all in 2008.

2009 Preseason:
Game 1 vs. NY Giants - played, no stats
Game 2 vs. Carolina - 8 carries for 19 yards, lost a fumble
Game 3 vs. Washington - played, no stats
Game 4 vs. Philadelphia - 12 carries, 56 yards
He led the Jagwires in rushing and receiving in the 2008 preseason.

Washington played college ball at Southern Cal and led the team in rushing his final two seasons. He was academically ineligible in 2004 and was redshirted. He was academically ineligible again in 2005 and lost his scholarship. He got his grades back up in 2006 but was slowed by a hamstring injury. He had year-long problems with a stress fracture in his ankle his freshman year. He rushed for 969 yards (5.0 ypc) in 2007 and was an all-Pac 10 honorable mention despite further academic concerns and an injury that cost him the opening game. He majored in sociology.

NFL.com's report from Washington's pro day in '08: 36" vertical, 9'11" broad jump, 4.58 short shuttle, 7.53 3-cone, 18 bench presses. NFL says he ran 4.45 and 4.45 in the 40. That's impressive. Except it's apparently a typo. Countless reports say he ran a 4.35.

Scouting report: Hard runner and big hitter on special teams. Considered good special teams player, so he's probably here as much because Chris Chamberlain and Dominique Curry are hurt as he is because Steven Jackson is hurting. Has a (good kind of) chip on his shoulder because he feels he should have made the Jets' main roster. Powerful like a bigger back, shifty like a smaller back. Big and physical, can pound the ball inside but can be a good receiver out of the backfield. Wasn't thrown to often, though. Good running technique. Keeps going forward after contact. Secure ball handler. Not a slasher, marginal outside speed. Not a good instinctive runner. Won't make people miss. Has had lower leg injuries throughout his career.

Compares to: Tim Hightower, drafted a couple of rounds ahead of Chauncey in '08.

Fun fact: More interesting than fun: Chauncey's legs were paralyzed for a week when he was nine years old but doctors never figured out the cause. He says he started running faster after he got out of the hospital.

The Rams probably wouldn't have signed Washington off a practice squad had Curry not gotten hurt; now, they add on a good, needed special teams guy and nice depth at RB. Washington's measurables pretty much beat either of the other Rams backup RBs'. He not only gets back on an NFL roster, he finds a situation where he could contribute right away and have a spot in a team's future plans. He'll certainly stiffen the competition at backup RB next summer should he be here long enough. Great timing for both sides of this deal.

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