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.