Rams Schedule

[Barry Waller]

Well, as usual the NFL didn't give the Rams any breaks when it comes to the schedule. As you can see from looking at it below, the league must not like hot seated coach Scott Linehan very much.

Getting off to a decent start is so important for a team, and having to travel to Philly for the opener, then face the Super Bowl champs at home, then on the road at Seattle is certainly no bargain at all.

I guess one has to look at the bright spots. At least we may have our O-line intact at the start against those three ferocious pass rushes. Then again, maybe looking hard at Jake Long in the draft isn't such a poor idea.

Should the Rams not be up to snuff in their blocking schemes at the start, Marc Bulger could end up in the hospital.

Then add "soft" opponent in Buffalo at home, an early bye and Washington in DC, a very hard place to play, followed by NFC possible favorite Dallas and it adds up to doom if the Rams are not ready to really play well early on.

Since the Redskins and Philly are on the road, this shapes up to be a nightmare that would be fortunate to even be .500 after six games, with 1-5 a real possibility, not a good omen for Linehan at all. Then comes a trip to New England, so at 1-6, Linehan may never even make it to November.

We will know very early if this team is improved, that's for sure, but it doesn't look good on paper. If it's really bad early, this fragile team might fall apart again and not be able to beat anyone by November.






matchups with super bowl xlii teams, late nfc west division games highlight 2008 schedule



ST. LOUIS – Games against both Super Bowl XLII teams, and three consecutive divisional matchups late in the season will highlight the St. Louis Rams 2008 season, announced by the NFL today.



The Rams open the season on the road Sept. 7 at Philadelphia, the first time the Rams have played in the “City of Brotherly Love” since 2002. The Rams opened the 2001 season at Philadelphia, collecting a 20-17 overtime victory en route to playing in Super Bowl XXXVI that season. Since the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995, the Rams are 8-5 in season openers.



The Rams return to St. Louis for the season home opener to face the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants on Sept. 16. The game will mark the first time the Rams will host the Giants since 2002. In Week 3, the Rams head back on the road to face NFC West Division champs the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 21. In Week 4, the Rams come back to the Edward Jones Dome to face off against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 28. The game will mark the first time the Bills have played in St. Louis since 1995.



After a bye in Week 5, the Rams have back to back games against the NFC East -- first heading east to take on new head coach Jim Zorn and the Washington Redskins Oct. 12, then coming home to take on the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 19.



The Rams will close the month of October against the Super Bowl runner-up New England Patriots in Foxborough Oct. 26.



In Week 9, the Rams will return home for its first home divisional game against the Arizona Cardinals Nov. 2. The Rams return to the road to take on the New York Jets Nov. 9 and then head to face NFC West foe San Francisco ***** Nov. 16.



The Rams have back-to-back home games for the first time of the season in Weeks 13 and 14. On Nov. 23, the Rams take on former Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith and the Chicago Bears and on Nov. 30, the Rams face the Miami Dolphins.



To open December the Rams have back-to-back-to-back divisional games. First, the Rams head to Phoenix to take on the Cardinals for the second meeting of the season. The Rams come back home to take on Seattle on Dec. 14 and San Francisco Dec. 21. The three-game stretch marks the first time the Rams have had three consecutive divisional games since realignment in 2002.



The Rams close out the regular season on the road at Atlanta Falcons, Dec. 28.



The NFL’s “flexible scheduling” element will come into play this season for Weeks 11-17. Flexible scheduling will ensure quality matchups on Sunday night in those weeks and give surprise teams a chance to play their way onto primetime.



ST. LOUIS RAMS 2008 SCHEDULE



PRESEASON

Date Opponent (Network) Time

Thurs.-Mon., Aug. 7-11 @ Tennessee Titans (KTVI) TBD

Thurs.-Mon., Aug. 14-18 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (KTVI) TBD

Thurs.-Mon., Aug. 21-25 BALTIMORE RAVENS (KTVI) TBD

Thurs., Aug. 28 at Kansas City Chiefs (KTVI) 7 p.m.



REGULAR SEASON

Sun., Sept. 7 at Philadelphia Eagles (FOX) Noon

Sun., Sept. 14 NEW YORK GIANTS (FOX) Noon

Sun., Sept. 21 at Seattle Seahawks (FOX) 3:05 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 28 BUFFALO BILLS (CBS) 3:05 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 5 BYE

Sun., Oct. 12 at Washington Redskins (FOX) Noon

Sun., Oct. 19 DALLAS COWBOYS (FOX) Noon

Sun., Oct. 26 at New England Patriots (FOX) Noon

Sun., Nov. 2 ARIZONA CARDINALS (FOX) Noon

Sun, Nov. 9 at New York Jets (FOX) Noon

Sun., Nov. 16 at San Francisco (FOX) 3:05 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 23 CHICAGO BEARS (FOX) Noon

Sun., Nov. 30 MIAMI DOLPHINS (CBS) Noon

Sun., Dec. 7 at Arizona Cardinals (FOX) 3:15 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 14 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (FOX) Noon

Sun., Dec. 21 SAN FRANCISCO (FOX) Noon

Sun., Dec. 28 at Atlanta Falcons (FOX) Noon

[shower beers]

By my amazingly biased count, I count an 11-5 record, with a NFC West championship, and playoff appearance. Let's go Rams!

[general counsel]

Shower Beers, while i love your optimism, i think you have been spending a bit too much time with the hookah pipe.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[Curly Horns]

Well, as usual the NFL didn't give the Rams any breaks when it comes to the schedule. As you can see from looking at it below, the league must not like hot seated coach Scott Linehan very much.

Well, it could be worse.

The Rams were due to play the teams from the NFC and AFC East.

Keeping that in mind....

Only one of those games is scheduled on the road in November and that comes early (Nov 9th) against the weaker Jets. No games against the NFC/AFC east are scheduled on the road in December.

Yes the deck is a tad stacked on the front side. However, it might be better to face some of these teams early. Philly is not as strong as in years past, the Giants could be suffering from a SB hangover and late Sept. is as good a time to play at Seattle as a division opponent can get.



:l

[bigredman]

Wow...the BASH on the eve of taking on the Super Bowl Champions and all those New Yorker's in town. Should be a wild time in St. Louis!!! Oh...by the way...get your rooms reserved now, because New York will be there in force.

[AlphaRam]

Wow...the BASH on the eve of taking on the Super Bowl Champions and all those New Yorker's in town. Should be a wild time in St. Louis!!! Oh...by the way...get your rooms reserved now, because New York will be there in force.

We'll be going, as well, Randy. We'll probably arrive on Friday and leave Monday. We will be going to Philly, as well.