Rams report, 12/27

* Injury report. Both teams are in reasonably good shape for tomorrow's season finale between the Rams and the Seahawks. The key Ram likely to be missing will be E.J. Gaines, their best defensive back, who's listed as doubtful due to getting concussed by his own teammate T.J. McDonald last week. Janoris Jenkins, Chris Long and Scott Wells are all probable.

Key players for Seattle: Jermaine Kearse (hamstring) is out. Max Unger (knee) is questionable. Marshawn Lynch (back) and Russell Okung (chest) are probable.

The Seahawks are poised to clinch home field throughout the playoffs (for the 2nd year in a row) with a win and are 12-point favorites. 4% of fans are still picking the Rams to win, as is Sterling Sharpe, but the NFL Network Playbook host is just doing that as a jinx to try to get Green Bay the #1 seed.

* Ex-Rams and relatives in the news since the last time this poor excuse for a blog did an update:
12/23 - Ray Agnew Jr. waived by Cleveland;
12/17 - Matt Daniels promoted from Jacksonville's practice squad;
12/17 - Garrett Gilbert signed to New England's practice squad;
12/16 - Ryan Fitzpatrick placed on IR by Houston after breaking his leg in their week 15 game against the Colts;
12/16 - Matthew Mulligan signed by Tennessee;
12/16 - Quinton Pointer signed to Baltimore's practice squad;
12/16 - Zac Diles waived by Cleveland;
12/15 - Houston signed Case Keenum off the Rams' practice squad. He started in their surprise 25-13 win last week over the Ravens that kept Houston's slim playoff hopes alive and dealt Baltimore's a blow;
12/14 - Kevin Reddick promoted from Carolina's practice squad;
12/10 - Gerald Rivers signed back to Denver's practice squad;
12/8 - Danny Gorrer placed on IR by Baltimore after tearing an MCL and a PCL in their week 14 win over Miami;

* Ex-Rams on TV:

The Michael Sam special aired on OWN a/k/a the Oprah Channel last night. I could not find any info on how it fared in the TV ratings.

Not having been on an NFL roster most of this season, the Oprah Channel special may mark the end of Sam's NFL career. I'm a little surprised he didn't try the CFL route, and I'd be a little surprised from here if he doesn't give a media career a try.

In other TV news, I have Sunday Ticket but obviously don't pay a lot of attention to who's announcing every game. I had Cleveland vs. Carolina on last Sunday, and what to my wondering eyes should appear? Adam Archuleta doing color commentary for CBS. He did not do a bad job, either, so expect to hear more of him in the future. (Wikipedia says he's been doing college games out west since 2012.)


* When the Rams lost Keenum off their practice squad, they replaced him with DT Doug Worthington. Worthington is 6'5" 311 and has not appeared in a game since 2012. He missed all of 2013 due to a torn bicep. He was a 7th-round pick of Pittsburgh in 2010 but spent his first three seasons with Washington before getting cut this summer. He also had a summer fling with San Diego. Worthington was a three-year starter at Ohio State. Every other team that's had him played him as a 3-4 DE, so I'm really not sure what the Rams are thinking here. Well, he's already gotten in a fight with Joseph Barksdale in practice, so maybe he fits right in with Gregg Williams' well-disciplined defense.

* The current practice squad: tackle Steven Baker, WR Emory Blake, guard Travis Bond, DB Christian Bryant, DT Matt Conrath, LB Marshall McFadden, TE Brad Smelley, Worthington and WR Devon Wylie. I guess the Rams are going to end the season a man short on the squad. They were short even before they lost Keenum.

Try to have fun with the game tomorrow; it'll be nine long months till the Rams' next meaningful action...

-$-