St Louis Rams NFL Betting Odds

Last Season

After the 2007 NFL season, the St. Louis Rams thought they hit rock bottom with their 3-12 record. They were wrong, because last season they finished with an even poorer 2-14 record. The Rams also had the unfortunate distinction of being the only team in the NFL to be ranked in the bottom 3 both offensively and defensively. In fact, the beleaguered team only averaged a dismal 14 points per game through its offense, while its defense gave up a massive 29.1 points per game. The Rams could not even win a single game in the NFC West division, no doubt the weakest in the NFL.

Off Season

In the off-season the St. Louis Rams bid farewell to head coach Jim Haslett, who only won 2 out 12 games while he was with the team, and welcomed former New York Giants defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, to St. Louis. Spagnuolo famously turned the Giants' struggling defense around, and he'll no doubt be expected to do the same for the Rams. In terms of players, the Rams managed to snag highly talented former Baltimore Ravens center, Jason Brown, in a lucrative 5-year deal. In the 2009 NFL Draft, the team selected beefy defensive tackle, Jason Smith; swift linebacker, James Laurinaitis; and solid cornerback, Bradley Fletcher.

2009 Preview

While the St. Louis Rams have supposedly fixed many major problems with their offense, others problems remain. For instance, quarterback, Marc Bulger, needs to step it up this season, but to do that he needs a solid and consistent wide receiver which the team is still lacking. Last season Torry Holt was the Rams' wide receiver of choice, but his defection to the Jacksonville Jaguars has put Donnie Avery in the spotlight this season. Assuming Avery performs, running back, Steven Jackson, could also shine. With Spagnuolo's guidance, look for great things from the Rams' young defensive players, like defensive end, Chris Long, and James Laurinaitis.

2009 Prediction

While the St. Louis Rams have finally found some leadership they can believe in, each player must personally dig deep to bring the best of themselves onto the field. This is especially true of Marc Bulger who has the potential to do great things, but has not performed at his best over the last few seasons. Hopefully he'll shine in 2009 and motivate the rest of the team to follow suit.

**Our Pick In a sorry season for the worst NFL teams the Rams stood out as the clear second-worst with a 2-14 record in a weak division that featured two other below .500 clubs. This season they're trending towards a 1-15 season and have a lot of quit in them. Look elsewhere for any Cinderella stories in 2009.

 

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