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By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/22/2009
It's the season for Christmas cards and holiday greetings, but Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo is getting more than that in his mailbag these days.
"I get some great letters and some great comments" from fans, Spagnuolo said. "It makes me feel good. I'm human. And I hope they still feel that way. If they can just remain faithful, that will be appreciated."
Of course, not all of the cards and letters are complimentary, and Spagnuolo gets more than a few suggestions as well.
"I like the ones that I get with the designed plays on them," Spagnuolo said, laughing. "Oh, I get a lot of designed plays … (on) small little index cards. We've had a few in there — all the good ones we've run."
Anything for a victory, right? With just two games to play in his rookie season as an NFL head coach, it's no secret what's on Spagnuolo's wish list.
"Two wins," he said. "Two wins. And it's two NFC West opponents, which I think is important going forward — how you play against the people in your division."
If the Rams are going to improve, there's no better place to start than their own division. Since the conclusion of the 2004 season — the Rams' last playoff campaign — they are 4-24 against the NFC West, which breaks down to 0-10 against Seattle and 2-7 against both Arizona and San Francisco.
The Rams play their final road game of the season Sunday at Arizona and then close out with a Jan. 3 home game against San Francisco.
Given the Rams' depleted roster, the team's troubles in the NFC West probably will spill over into next season. On Monday, tight end Daniel Fells became the 12th Rams player to go on the injured reserve list, with a fractured thigh bone. Three other Rams basically are out for the season, although they haven't been put on IR yet: quarterback Marc Bulger (shin bone), offensive tackle Jason Smith (concussion) and cornerback Quincy Butler (knee and ankle).
The injuries to Fells and Butler took place in Sunday's 16-13 loss to Houston, which dropped the Rams' record to 1-13.
The team's depth and talent are questionable, and Spagnuolo is running out of players.
"Yeah, slowly but surely. Anybody have any eligibility left?" he asked reporters Monday. "We're pretty banged up. The list is long. But it just gives another guy an opportunity. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it does. It gave some guys an opportunity (against Houston). And that'll happen again this Sunday."
At least it looks like the worst of last week's illnesses and swine flu is behind the Rams.
"I believe so," Spagnuolo said. "... There's some normal cold and flu going around."
They don't give medals for trying in the NFL. But given everything the team has gone through this year, Spagnuolo appreciates the fact that the squad hasn't given in to the circumstances, or the won-loss record.
"That's what I expressed to them in the locker room (after Sunday's game)," Spagnuolo said. "I did again today. It means a great deal to me and to the staff. I know it's not easy. Especially with vets. It's not an easy thing to go through. Not for any of us.
"They're able to dust themselves off and come back to work on Wednesday and get ready to play a game. … But again, we're not here for effort. We're here to try to win a football game. So we're not going to be satisfied with that, knowing that the only way to win is to have that (effort)."
Spagnuolo said a hustle play by rookie defensive tackle Darell Scott against the Texans exemplified that attitude.
"The fumble he recovered, you talk about an effort play," Spagnuolo said. "From a guy that I don't know if he ate anything the three days before (the game). That was a pretty good indicator right there of what those guys have inside."
Scott was one of four Rams players who did not practice Friday because of illness. Scott recorded three solo tackles, including one tackle for loss against the Texans. His recovery of a fumble by Arian Foster in the first quarter came 24 yards downfield from the line of scrimmage.
"I'm hopeful that people will see what the guys, what the players are still giving, knowing that going forward that eventually will pay off," Spagnuolo said. "It's hard now, when you got guys so banged up, to turn that into a lot of success. But we'll go play Arizona; we're going down to win a game."
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/22/2009
It's the season for Christmas cards and holiday greetings, but Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo is getting more than that in his mailbag these days.
"I get some great letters and some great comments" from fans, Spagnuolo said. "It makes me feel good. I'm human. And I hope they still feel that way. If they can just remain faithful, that will be appreciated."
Of course, not all of the cards and letters are complimentary, and Spagnuolo gets more than a few suggestions as well.
"I like the ones that I get with the designed plays on them," Spagnuolo said, laughing. "Oh, I get a lot of designed plays … (on) small little index cards. We've had a few in there — all the good ones we've run."
Anything for a victory, right? With just two games to play in his rookie season as an NFL head coach, it's no secret what's on Spagnuolo's wish list.
"Two wins," he said. "Two wins. And it's two NFC West opponents, which I think is important going forward — how you play against the people in your division."
If the Rams are going to improve, there's no better place to start than their own division. Since the conclusion of the 2004 season — the Rams' last playoff campaign — they are 4-24 against the NFC West, which breaks down to 0-10 against Seattle and 2-7 against both Arizona and San Francisco.
The Rams play their final road game of the season Sunday at Arizona and then close out with a Jan. 3 home game against San Francisco.
Given the Rams' depleted roster, the team's troubles in the NFC West probably will spill over into next season. On Monday, tight end Daniel Fells became the 12th Rams player to go on the injured reserve list, with a fractured thigh bone. Three other Rams basically are out for the season, although they haven't been put on IR yet: quarterback Marc Bulger (shin bone), offensive tackle Jason Smith (concussion) and cornerback Quincy Butler (knee and ankle).
The injuries to Fells and Butler took place in Sunday's 16-13 loss to Houston, which dropped the Rams' record to 1-13.
The team's depth and talent are questionable, and Spagnuolo is running out of players.
"Yeah, slowly but surely. Anybody have any eligibility left?" he asked reporters Monday. "We're pretty banged up. The list is long. But it just gives another guy an opportunity. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it does. It gave some guys an opportunity (against Houston). And that'll happen again this Sunday."
At least it looks like the worst of last week's illnesses and swine flu is behind the Rams.
"I believe so," Spagnuolo said. "... There's some normal cold and flu going around."
They don't give medals for trying in the NFL. But given everything the team has gone through this year, Spagnuolo appreciates the fact that the squad hasn't given in to the circumstances, or the won-loss record.
"That's what I expressed to them in the locker room (after Sunday's game)," Spagnuolo said. "I did again today. It means a great deal to me and to the staff. I know it's not easy. Especially with vets. It's not an easy thing to go through. Not for any of us.
"They're able to dust themselves off and come back to work on Wednesday and get ready to play a game. … But again, we're not here for effort. We're here to try to win a football game. So we're not going to be satisfied with that, knowing that the only way to win is to have that (effort)."
Spagnuolo said a hustle play by rookie defensive tackle Darell Scott against the Texans exemplified that attitude.
"The fumble he recovered, you talk about an effort play," Spagnuolo said. "From a guy that I don't know if he ate anything the three days before (the game). That was a pretty good indicator right there of what those guys have inside."
Scott was one of four Rams players who did not practice Friday because of illness. Scott recorded three solo tackles, including one tackle for loss against the Texans. His recovery of a fumble by Arian Foster in the first quarter came 24 yards downfield from the line of scrimmage.
"I'm hopeful that people will see what the guys, what the players are still giving, knowing that going forward that eventually will pay off," Spagnuolo said. "It's hard now, when you got guys so banged up, to turn that into a lot of success. But we'll go play Arizona; we're going down to win a game."
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