Been there, done 0-5

[RamWraith]

By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Sunday, Oct. 14 2007

BALTIMORE — After 70 years in the National Football League, the Rams could make
history Sunday — or at least match it. Not that resembling the 1962 Los Angeles
Rams in any way, shape or form is desirable.

At 0-5, the Rams will match the '62 club for worst start in franchise history
unless they leave Maryland with an upset victory Sunday over the heavily
favored Baltimore Ravens.

Forty-five years ago under coach Bob Waterfield, the Rams stumbled to an 0-6
start with losses to Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, Detroit and
Minnesota. The skid ended in Game 7 with a 28-14 victory at San Francisco. But
after a 12-3 loss the following week in a rematch with Detroit, Waterfield
resigned and was replaced by Harland Svare.

If you're in the league long enough, most players experience a season like
this. Wide receiver Torry Holt and defensive end Leonard Little are among a
handful of current Rams who have been here before. They were part of the 2002
Rams, who started the year 0-5 under Mike Martz.

But the skid ended right there. Unbeaten Oakland, en route to the AFC
championship, came to the Edward Jones Dome the following week. With
quarterback Marc Bulger making his first NFL start, the Rams snapped their
losing streak with a surprising 28-13 victory.

"We put a good whupping on them," Little recalled. "We had a great game. We
played good on both sides of the ball. You never know in this league when
that's going to happen."

There's no time like the present. Buried under an avalanche of injuries, coach
Scott Linehan is under fire just 21 games into his Rams coaching tenure. Even
so, the mood seems good in the locker room and on the practice field at Rams
Park.

"I've been on some teams before in Tennessee that I don't think would hold up
so well to 0-5," wide receiver Drew Bennett said. "There's a lot of good
character in this room that keeps everything together. Guys are working as hard
now as they were first week of the season. And I think that's important."

But 0-5 is a big hole, and some resignation has sunk in that those playoff
hopes of August and early September are already unattainable. Known for his
organizational skills, Linehan even had a plan for where to place the chairs in
the dome locker room last season before his Rams head-coaching debut.

But there's no blueprint for how to cope with 0-5, because no coach — Linehan
included — ever thinks his team is going to start a season in such fashion.

At least Little, Holt and a few other Rams veterans can draw upon the '02
experience. Because not only did the Rams end their 0-5 start that season with
the upset over Oakland, they won five straight and nearly got themselves back
into playoff contention.

"We just kept fighting," Holt recalled. "We just kept believing that at some
point we were going to get our turn. A lot of times, all it takes is just
getting that first win, and getting recharged, and re-energized, and getting
your sense of confidence and swagger back. Saying, 'Hey, we can win a game in
the National Football League.'

"I think that's going to be the case with this football team. We have to get a
win. Then as we win, we'll slowly get some guys back, then the sky's the limit.
Anything can happen from that point on."

Cornerback Tye Hill returns Sunday after missing the past four games because of
back and rib injuries. Defensive tackle Claude Wroten returns after serving a
four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

The offensive line — as stitched together as it may be — will start the same
five players for the second week in a row Sunday, something that has yet to
happen this season.

In another week or two, Bulger, strong safety Corey Chavous, wide receiver
Isaac Bruce and running back Steven Jackson could return.

But for now, the Rams must try to beat Baltimore with Gus Frerotte at
quarterback, Todd Johnson at strong safety, Marques Hagans playing a prominent
role at wide receiver and rookie Brian Leonard working as the feature back
again in place of Jackson.

(In addition, some combination of Hagans and newly signed Brandon Williams will
return kicks in place of the injured Dante Hall.)

"When you're 0-5 ... and you've been close but you haven't been able to make
that step, it's been difficult," Frerotte said. "We just have to have energy.
Energy has to come whether you're winning or losing."

It will take a lot of energy for the Rams to win in M&T Bank Stadium, where
Baltimore has the best home record in the NFL this decade. And if they don't,
well, they're in the history books.

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

If you're in the league long enough, most players experience a season like
this. Wide receiver Torry Holt and defensive end Leonard Little are among a
handful of current Rams who have been here before. They were part of the 2002
Rams, who started the year 0-5 under Mike Martz.

Martz went 0-5? That must be a typo. Our lord and saviour Martz, the greatest Rams head coach of all time, ran too good of an offense to ever go 0-5! This is an OUTRAGE!!!!!!