* Transactions. QB Thaddeus Lewis cleared waivers and was added to the Rams practice squad earlier in the week.
* Attempted transactions. The Rams did make an offer to outcast San Diego WR Vincent Jackson, but according to John Clayton, Stan Kroenke pulled the Rams out of the running after news of Braylon Edwards' DUI got out. (Seattle also quit going after Jackson on the Edwards news.) Jackson, of course, is currently suspended by the league for multiple DUIs. The reasoning sounds completely flawed - why should Edwards getting arrested for DUI make Jackson any more likely to get another one than he was when you made the offer to him? - so I assume Kroenke sensed an overwhelming wave of bad P.R. coming and opted to dodge it. Sensible.
The Vikings seemed to be the team that came closest to getting Jackson. They reportedly offered him $6 million this season. The Chargers' compensation demands, though, were too high: a 2nd-round pick and, depending on reports, an additional 2nd, 3rd or 4th-round pick in return. San Diego didn't come much off their demands because Jackson can go somewhere and rot for all Chargers general manager A.J. Smith cares, and he was not dealt before the Wednesday deadline that would have had him active by week 5. He can still be traded before the league deadline, if a team wants him for half a season or less.
In Smith's defense, Denver did get two 2nd-rounders for Brandon Marshall. In the Rams' defense, their last two 2nd-rounders are James Laurinaitis and Rodger Saffold; I'll be darned if I'd give up that kind of value for a player who's an incident away from a probable season-long suspension.
Give the Rams credit for giving it a try with VJ, and credit for having the sense to know when to back out.
* Walking wounded: Craig Dahl has passed all his concussion tests so far but still has to pass one tomorrow before he can be cleared to play Sunday.
There's optimism that Cliff Ryan will be cleared to go Sunday after missing last week due to migraines.
There seems to be less optimism about Laurent Robinson, limited in practice yesterday due to a foot injury, and with talk increasing that Mardy Gilyard will play a bigger role in the offense and that this might finally be the week they activate Brandon Gibson. Robinson's considered questionable for Sunday but I'm leaning toward doubtful.
Also limited in practice yesterday: Steven Jackson (knee), O.J. Atogwe (thigh), Daniel Fells (knee), Rodger Saffold (back), all of whom I'm going to assume are questionable. If Fells can't go, it looks like the Rams will unleash Project Onobun.
* Line movement: The Redskins opened as 4-point favorites for Sunday's game but have been bet down to 3 on some lines. Really? Over/under is 39. Unless that's a cosmic sign to bet on Steven Jackson, I'm going with Washington and giving the points all day on this game. Sorry.
* Back in blackout: Sunday's game is reportedly still "several thousand" tickets from being soldout. Yep, crap games like last week's loss to Oakland will do that to a fan base. The Rams are expected to seek a one-day extension to today's weirdly-precise 3:05 deadline.
I assume Fox still gets to show a game if the Rams don't sell out, so the good news for you slackers who are going to help keep me from having much video of this week's game to review is that you're probably going to get Dallas @ Houston instead, which is completely unfair. The NFL should arrange it so St. Louis is stuck with the Raiders-Cardinals game if the Rams don't sell out. It's only week 3 and we've already got a matchup that crappy? Strong motivation to get the Rams on TV.
* RB2 candidates? Larry Johnson was cut in Washington, having had five carries for two yards the first two weeks. I didn't realize how bad Washington's run game is so far this season. Clinton Portis is barely averaging 3 yards a rush. They ran for 17 yards on 18 carries in last week's loss to Houston. Their run-blocking so far has been a disaster, so maybe the Rams have a better chance Sunday than I think. Johnson, however, does not sound like any improvement over Kenneth Darby. He's almost 31, has had off-field problems and I doubt is worth the effort.
Brandon Jacobs reportedly wants out of New York. Well, a billion times NO to that possible trade idea. That mangina destroyed my fantasy team last year, for one. Also, as the New York Daily News hilariously reports, the jackass threw his helmet into the stands for two more yards than he gained on the field Sunday night in Indianapolis. I'd sooner bring back Trung Canidate.
* Kurt Warner survived the first week of Dancing With the Stars. David Hasselhoff was the first dancer discarded. Don't expect any more detail than that on Kurt's dancing adventures here.
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