hmmmm, I agree with you about forgetting about the 2007 season. In 2006 we won our last coupleof games, established the run against some good defenses, and pulled right back to within .500. At the time I thought Scott Linehan and the Rams turned a corner. I was excited because they were no longer wasting time outs, they showed a commitment to defense and special teams and were playing more a "normal" (balanced rather then live and die by how your offense scores) type football. Bulger and Jackson were both in top form. Then in the offseason we signed Bennett and the two Halls and I thought hey we should be better. Then came the injuries. I want to give Linehan a fair chance because of the injuries...especially since he has shown a commitment by stepping back, taking more of a CEO role (which is good because head coaches can't just coach one part of the team they are in charge of all of it), hiring Al Saunders, ect. But I still have a few concerns and don't share your optimism. Here are my concerns (post last nights preseason game against the Chargers):
1. Bulger looks horrible. I know its preseason but the guy looks like he doesn't care. Bulger needs to be the leader of this team. Throwing two interceptions against the second stringers on San Diego is pathetic and inexcusable. He looks like he is throwing of of his back foot and running around like a chicken with his head cut off...and to me, it looks like he doesn't want to be out there...I don't know if its his fault or Linehans. I also though not scoring on the four in four downs was inexcusable, although we didn't have Jackson and probably would have scored had we had him. There were several times when Bulger was throwing to a different spot then his recievers (Bennett and McMichael imparticular). I don't know if this was his fault or the recievers running to the wrong spot but it needs to be fixed.
2. Drew Bennet. I don't know if he or Bulger is in the wrong because I don't know the playbook but Bulger and Bennett aren't on the same page and it needs to be fixed. Drew Bennett also dropped several balls and that needs to be fixed. There are times he makes a spactacular catch, and other times he drops passes he should catch...maybe I'm used to hall of famers in Bruce and Holt.
3.
Steven Jackson...come back home to camp...you are in the wrong and went about your hold out in a moronnic way. End it...the Rams will pay you.
4. Scott Linehan. He has never won a game against a coach with a winning record.
5. Left tackle. If Pace goes down we don't have much depth at tackle
6. Linebacker depth. Pisa always gets hurt, if he does draft is the only adequate backup.
7. Running back depth. If Jackson gets hurt we are screwed.
Along with the concerns I also have some positives.
1-2.
Leonard Little looked in top form last night. The toe/heel injury he suffered hasn't slowed him down which is FANTASTIC news. Carriker, Long, and Ryan are all young and have nothing but upside. For the first time in a long time I'm happy with the direction of our defensive line (although Carriker and Long looked bad against Tennesse). Throw in Glover, Hall, and Adeyenju and I think we are solid. Although I, unlike others, don't expect huge things from Long this year. I'm more ready to watch Carriker.
3. Al Saunders. We are finally going to utilize the tight end, be balanced, and be run oriented which is going to win football games, reduce turnovers, and send a few people to the probowl.
4. Pace is back.....THANK GOD.
5. Our offensive line has good depth. Although Setterstrom got hurt, which sucks. I thought we started the year with great depth because we signed Bell and drafted two gaurds. It fueled competition at the O-line position which is nothing but positive. we have two players that can play at every position with the exception of tackle....although thats opinion...personally I don't want Adam Golhberg starting.
6. Culberson. I like letting him get the start at linebacker. I enjoy watching him. He is all over the field and we should be able to blitz more with him then we could with Chillar. I like the speed of Culberson, Witherspoon, and Pisa if he stays healthy.
I agree with your assessment of 9-7/.500ish. I think the beginning half of the schedule will be brutal. I wouldn't be suprised if we were 0-8....Philly (there secondary is awesome now that they signed Samuel), Seattle (solid all around team), Washington (tough place to play), New England (4 Superbowls), and the two New Yorks (Jets have signed a lot of players and Giants are returning sb champs with an obviously improved team and qb), are all tough games and 5 out of six of those games are on the road. You add Dallas in St. Louis who in theory should pound us. It looks for a tough first half. But when we get passed the first half, we should win our last eight games. If we can steal a couple in the beginning (Seattle, Buffalo, and Washington). We should be sitting pretty. I'm still pissed we haven't beat Seattle under Linehan. We have had the oppurtunity three out of the four times and our players have found a way to blow it. We better sweep the NFC West this year... I'm going to say 8-8 or 9-7 as well....assuming Pace, Holt, Little, Jackson and our linebackers stay healthy.