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Scoping out the Rams schedule
08/30/2009
Post-Dispatch football writer Jim Thomas takes us through the '09 schedule, and what might happen week by week. Rams Bye Week is Nov. 8
Mike Holmgren is gone. And some of the Seahawks' best players are getting creaky (QB Matt Hasselbeck, LT Walter Jones, DE Patrick Kerney). But Qwest Field remains one of the league's toughest venues on visitors. The 12th Man is tough to beat. – SEAHAWKS 23, RAMS 16
Here comes Clinton Portis. An early test to be sure for the run defense of new coach Steve Spagnuolo. But the Rams have had success in this building before, including their first win last year. And Spags knows the NFC East like the back of his hand. – RAMS 27, REDSKINS 23
Brace yourself for the invasion of the Cheeseheads. The Pack is back in St. Louis for the fourth time in nine years. Deacon Jones' number is retired as part of game-day festivities. Too bad the Deacon won't be out there rushing Aaron Rodgers. – PACKERS 34, RAMS 17
Three road games in the first four weeks. Yikes! Obviously, the Rams have no friends among the schedule-makers at NFL headquarters. The Niners can play decent defense, but it's still Frank Gore or bust for their less-than-stellar offense. – RAMS 20, ***** 16
Will Brett Favre supply the missing piece to a Vikings team that already includes one of the league's best runners in Adrian Peterson and one of the game's best run defenses? The Rams find out first-hand, and the answer might not be pretty. – VIKINGS 34, RAMS 13
J-ville beat out St. Louis for an expansion team in 1993. But it hasn't been able to beat St. Louis on the field yet. OK, there have been only two regular-season meetings since then. But Torry Holt and the Jaguars get their revenge in this one. – JAGUARS 23, RAMS 6
It's a different looking Colts team without Tony Dungy on the sidelines and Marvin Harrison catching passes. But in case you hadn't noticed, Peyton Manning is still playing quarterback, and that's more than enough to get Indy past the Rams. – COLTS 30, RAMS 20
Can deposed Rams coach Scott Linehan, the Lions' offensive coordinator, work his "magic" with No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford at quarterback? The Lions won't go winless in '09 as they did in '08, but they won't win this one as Spags claims his third road victory. – RAMS 27, LIONS 20
For the second time in three years, the Rams come off a bye to get the Saints. While the Saints slug it out with division rival Carolina on Nov. 8, the Rams freshen up. Once again, the bye helps the Rams spring an upset as Spags gets his first home win. – RAMS 30, SAINTS 24
Here comes Kurt. These are always bittersweet events for Rams fans, who love seeing Kurt Warner, one of the heroes of the Greatest Show on Turf. But they cringe at the thought of their squad losing to Bill Bidwill. Which is exactly what happens — again. – CARDINALS 31, RAMS 17
The Seahawks come to town with a nine-game winning streak over their division rivals. It's the longest series winning streak for a Rams opponent since the days of the 17-game losing streak to San Francisco in the '90s. But the streak ends here. – RAMS 23, SEAHAWKS 20
The reunion tour continues as the Rams renew acquaintances with LT Orlando Pace, LB Pisa Tinoisamoa and Bears coach Lovie Smith. But with what Mike Ditka used to call "Bear Weather" likely this time of year, any warm feelings won't last. – BEARS 17, RAMS 13
Monster DT Albert Haynesworth has left for greener pastures in Washington, but the Titans still have plenty of muscle on both sides of the ball — too much muscle for the Rams in their first visit to Nashville since the '99 Super Bowl season. – TITANS 24, RAMS 10
The ghost of Ryan Fitzpatrick still haunts the Texans. Fitz engineered an amazing fourth-quarter comeback for the Rams in a 2005 overtime victory, the only previous meeting between the teams. Fitzpatrick is long gone from St. Louis, but the result is the same. – RAMS 16, TEXANS 10
As painful as it might be to admit for some in St. Louis, there is no doubt that the Big Red are the Best in the West. University of Phoenix Stadium is a tough place to play, a fact reinforced by the Cardinals' seventh straight victory in the series. – CARDINALS 38, RAMS 17
What better place for Isaac Bruce to play his final NFL game than St. Louis, where he did so much for 13 seasons. Bruce strolls into retirement in style, with a couple of clutch catches and at least one TD catch at the Edward Jones Dome. – ***** 28, RAMS 27
08/30/2009
Post-Dispatch football writer Jim Thomas takes us through the '09 schedule, and what might happen week by week. Rams Bye Week is Nov. 8
Mike Holmgren is gone. And some of the Seahawks' best players are getting creaky (QB Matt Hasselbeck, LT Walter Jones, DE Patrick Kerney). But Qwest Field remains one of the league's toughest venues on visitors. The 12th Man is tough to beat. – SEAHAWKS 23, RAMS 16
Here comes Clinton Portis. An early test to be sure for the run defense of new coach Steve Spagnuolo. But the Rams have had success in this building before, including their first win last year. And Spags knows the NFC East like the back of his hand. – RAMS 27, REDSKINS 23
Brace yourself for the invasion of the Cheeseheads. The Pack is back in St. Louis for the fourth time in nine years. Deacon Jones' number is retired as part of game-day festivities. Too bad the Deacon won't be out there rushing Aaron Rodgers. – PACKERS 34, RAMS 17
Three road games in the first four weeks. Yikes! Obviously, the Rams have no friends among the schedule-makers at NFL headquarters. The Niners can play decent defense, but it's still Frank Gore or bust for their less-than-stellar offense. – RAMS 20, ***** 16
Will Brett Favre supply the missing piece to a Vikings team that already includes one of the league's best runners in Adrian Peterson and one of the game's best run defenses? The Rams find out first-hand, and the answer might not be pretty. – VIKINGS 34, RAMS 13
J-ville beat out St. Louis for an expansion team in 1993. But it hasn't been able to beat St. Louis on the field yet. OK, there have been only two regular-season meetings since then. But Torry Holt and the Jaguars get their revenge in this one. – JAGUARS 23, RAMS 6
It's a different looking Colts team without Tony Dungy on the sidelines and Marvin Harrison catching passes. But in case you hadn't noticed, Peyton Manning is still playing quarterback, and that's more than enough to get Indy past the Rams. – COLTS 30, RAMS 20
Can deposed Rams coach Scott Linehan, the Lions' offensive coordinator, work his "magic" with No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford at quarterback? The Lions won't go winless in '09 as they did in '08, but they won't win this one as Spags claims his third road victory. – RAMS 27, LIONS 20
For the second time in three years, the Rams come off a bye to get the Saints. While the Saints slug it out with division rival Carolina on Nov. 8, the Rams freshen up. Once again, the bye helps the Rams spring an upset as Spags gets his first home win. – RAMS 30, SAINTS 24
Here comes Kurt. These are always bittersweet events for Rams fans, who love seeing Kurt Warner, one of the heroes of the Greatest Show on Turf. But they cringe at the thought of their squad losing to Bill Bidwill. Which is exactly what happens — again. – CARDINALS 31, RAMS 17
The Seahawks come to town with a nine-game winning streak over their division rivals. It's the longest series winning streak for a Rams opponent since the days of the 17-game losing streak to San Francisco in the '90s. But the streak ends here. – RAMS 23, SEAHAWKS 20
The reunion tour continues as the Rams renew acquaintances with LT Orlando Pace, LB Pisa Tinoisamoa and Bears coach Lovie Smith. But with what Mike Ditka used to call "Bear Weather" likely this time of year, any warm feelings won't last. – BEARS 17, RAMS 13
Monster DT Albert Haynesworth has left for greener pastures in Washington, but the Titans still have plenty of muscle on both sides of the ball — too much muscle for the Rams in their first visit to Nashville since the '99 Super Bowl season. – TITANS 24, RAMS 10
The ghost of Ryan Fitzpatrick still haunts the Texans. Fitz engineered an amazing fourth-quarter comeback for the Rams in a 2005 overtime victory, the only previous meeting between the teams. Fitzpatrick is long gone from St. Louis, but the result is the same. – RAMS 16, TEXANS 10
As painful as it might be to admit for some in St. Louis, there is no doubt that the Big Red are the Best in the West. University of Phoenix Stadium is a tough place to play, a fact reinforced by the Cardinals' seventh straight victory in the series. – CARDINALS 38, RAMS 17
What better place for Isaac Bruce to play his final NFL game than St. Louis, where he did so much for 13 seasons. Bruce strolls into retirement in style, with a couple of clutch catches and at least one TD catch at the Edward Jones Dome. – ***** 28, RAMS 27
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