ST. LOUIS – Jeff Fisher took an offbeat approach for breaking the ice when St. Louis Rams veterans and rookies met for the first time.

Besides standing and reciting their names, schools, favourite movies, etc., during introductions, the new players were asked to recall the name of their first pet along with how it died. Fisher said several mentioned hamsters and turtles, while some remembered the family dog or cat getting squashed by trains or buses.

“We had one whose parents just put him down that morning,” Fisher said Wednesday. “You know, it was sad. No, it was good. Good introduction.”

Cornerback Cortland Finnegan recalled lighthearted goings on when he was a rookie playing for Fisher in Tennessee. There, he got saddled with the nickname Fido.

“It’s something coach Fisher always throws in there for giggles,” Finnegan said. “I played the nickel and I would always run after the wrong guy.”

Rams rookies got hung with nicknames, too. Finnegan said one looked like Greg Oden, and another resembled Gonzo, the Muppet.

There are limits to the frivolity. Players won’t be asked to sing and Fisher went out of his way to emphasize there will be no hazing, no rookies taped to goal posts or the like.

“They’re here to help us win,” he said after the team completed a second day of organized team activities.

There is fresh optimism surrounding a franchise that’s a sorry 15-65 the last five years. Defensive end Chris Long, the second overall pick of the 2008 draft, is playing for his fourth coach entering his fifth season and can’t recall a vibe quite like this.

“There’s been a lot of changes since I’ve been here. This is by far the one I’m most excited about,” Long said. “I think we’re all very excited about it. It’s a new beginning for a lot of people and, in the same sense, you have to re-prove yourself.”

Fisher does not seem worried about all those lean seasons in the recent past.

“We’ve completely forgotten about last year,” the coach said. “This is a team that’s going out there to win, period. There’s players that are emerging that were here. There’s players that are improving. We’ve got an influx of talent through free agency and the draft and we’re going to play hard and win games.”

Fisher said much of the base offence and defence have been installed. The Rams worked on situational play and the red zone Wednesday and might delve into the two-minute offence on Friday.

A handful of rookies have been unable to attend. Running back Isaiah Pead, a second-round draft pick, was among four who attend schools on the quarter system and can’t participate until the end of exams. Plus, Pead and two wide receivers who could get plugged into the offence immediately, second-rounder Brian Quick and fourth-rounder Chris Givens, are attending an NFL rookie premiere event in California.

“It’s mandated by the league that they come out there, so unfortunately they’re missing some quality work,” Fisher said. “It’s a photo thing, and (trading) cards and those kinds of things. Really great timing.”

The Rams added a pair of veterans for depth, signing free agent linebacker Mario Haggan and offensive tackle Barry Richardson, and both were on the field Wednesday. Richardson started every game the last two seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and the 32-year-old Haggan also has been strong on special teams.

ST. LOUIS (AP) Jeff Fisher took an offbeat approach for breaking the ice when St. Louis Rams veterans and rookies met for the first time.

Besides standing and reciting their names, schools, favorite movies, etc., during introductions, the new players were asked to recall the name of their first pet along with how it died. Fisher said several mentioned hamsters and turtles, while some remembered the family dog or cat getting squashed by trains or buses.

”We had one whose parents just put him down that morning,” Fisher said Wednesday. ”You know, it was sad. No, it was good. Good introduction.”

Cornerback Cortland Finnegan recalled lighthearted goings on when he was a rookie playing for Fisher in Tennessee. There, he got saddled with the nickname Fido.

”It’s something coach Fisher always throws in there for giggles,” Finnegan said. ”I played the nickel and I would always run after the wrong guy.”

Rams rookies got hung with nicknames, too. Finnegan said one looked like Greg Oden, and another resembled Gonzo, the Muppet.

There are limits to the frivolity. Players won’t be asked to sing and Fisher went out of his way to emphasize there will be no hazing, no rookies taped to goal posts or the like.

”They’re here to help us win,” he said after the team completed a second day of organized team activities.

There is fresh optimism surrounding a franchise that’s a sorry 15-65 the last five years. Defensive end Chris Long, the second overall pick of the 2008 draft, is playing for his fourth coach entering his fifth season and can’t recall a vibe quite like this.

”There’s been a lot of changes since I’ve been here. This is by far the one I’m most excited about,” Long said. ”I think we’re all very excited about it. It’s a new beginning for a lot of people and, in the same sense, you have to re-prove yourself.”

Fisher does not seem worried about all those lean seasons in the recent past.

”We’ve completely forgotten about last year,” the coach said. ”This is a team that’s going out there to win, period. There’s players that are emerging that were here. There’s players that are improving. We’ve got an influx of talent through free agency and the draft and we’re going to play hard and win games.”

Fisher said much of the base offense and defense have been installed. The Rams worked on situational play and the red zone Wednesday and might delve into the two-minute offense on Friday.

A handful of rookies have been unable to attend. Running back Isaiah Pead, a second-round draft pick, was among four who attend schools on the quarter system and can’t participate until the end of exams. Plus, Pead and two wide receivers who could get plugged into the offense immediately, second-rounder Brian Quick and fourth-rounder Chris Givens, are attending an NFL rookie premiere event in California.

”It’s mandated by the league that they come out there, so unfortunately they’re missing some quality work,” Fisher said. ”It’s a photo thing, and (trading) cards and those kinds of things. Really great timing.”

The Rams added a pair of veterans for depth, signing free agent linebacker Mario Haggan and offensive tackle Barry Richardson, and both were on the field Wednesday. Richardson started every game the last two seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and the 32-year-old Haggan also has been strong on special teams.

The St. Louis Rams are seeking to install a retractable roof on the Edward Jones Dome as part of their stadium upgrade proposal, St. Louis’ KTVI reported.

Because of a Missouri Sunshine Law, details will be available Monday about the Rams’ counter-offer to upgrade the dome.

The Rams recently rejected an offer from the operator of the building, the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, that would have cost $124 million — half from taxpayers, half from the team — to updgrade the dome, instead submitting a proposal of their own.

According to the terms of the team’s lease, the Rams are free to leave the city in January 2015 if the stadium is not among the league’s top facilities.

CHARLES: DEFENSES WILL ‘FEEL MY PAIN’: Jamaal Charles wants to put to rest any fears the Kansas City Chiefs and their fans might have about his ability to return from last season’s knee injury as one of the NFL’s premier running backs.

“If you’re worrying about me not being the same, just look out for me this year,” Charles said earlier this week. “I’m hungry. I want it this year. I’ve got the passion for it. I just can’t wait to play football. I can’t wait to bring stuff back to this community and show them how much we can win. I feel like this is a year for us that we can go all the way. I’m saying that because I feel it in me that I can bring a lot to the team this year, being bigger, stronger and maybe even faster.”

Later, apparently speaking to Chiefs opponents, Charles continued.

“When I touch that field again, you’re going to feel my pain,” he said. “You’re going to go through what I went through. It’s going to be that way for me the rest of my career.”

NFL CONSIDERING REPLACEMENT REFS: The NFL is looking for potential replacement officials while it negotiates with the officials’ association on a new contract.

The previous contract expired after last season, and another negotiating session is expected later this month, NFL Referees Association Executive Director Tim Millis said.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said today, “We expect to reach an agreement but must have contingency plans in place.”

While the sentiment across the NFL about the devaluation of running backs in the pro game is certainly true, it hasn’t kept Alabama’s Trent Richardson from being mentioned as a top-10 pick possibility in the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft. In fact, it’s looking unlikely that Richardson will fall out of the top six. 

According to Russ Lande of Sporting News, the St. Louis Rams have identified Richardson as their “first choice” in terms to the team’s No. 6 overall pick.

With former Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson on board and a roster not lacking of holes, the idea of the Rams taking Richardson might come off as a little surprising. 

It shouldn’t. 

Run-first coach Jeff Fisher is now at the controls in St. Louis, and he’s looking at a running back in Jackson who is approaching the age of 30 and has over 2,000 career carries.

Few running backs in recent history have taken on the age of 30 with much success, and it doesn’t help how many miles are currently on Jackson’s tires.

Only three running backs—LaDainian Tomlinson, Thomas Jones and Ricky Williams—are higher on the active career rushing attempts list. Once you factor in career catches, Jackson is well over 2,500 career touches in the NFL. 

The Rams have just one problem: Richardson might not be there when their pick comes up. And if St. Louis attempts to trade back in the draft and still get Richardson, a few other teams may come into play. 

Cleveland Browns (No. 4 overall)

No team in the NFL has a bigger hole at running back than the Browns and it appears (at least right now) that the front office is going to go ahead and build around quarterback Colt McCoy for 2012.

If that’s the case, there’s simply no bigger piece Cleveland could give McCoy than Richardson, a workhorse back with as much talent as any back in the last five or six drafts. Most mock drafts of late agree.

It’s far from set in stone, but Richardson looks like a good bet to land in Cleveland. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 5 overall)

New head coach Greg Schiano hasn’t seemed happy about the status of the running game he’s walking into for 2012. With LeGarrette Blount as the No. 1 back, he’s got plenty of reasons why.

The Bucs would have to think long and hard about taking Richardson at No. 5, as he’d help springboard a rushing attack that finished near the bottom of the NFL last season while relegating Blount to the bench.

The 5’11″, 225-pound Richardson could go well over 1,000 yards running behind guards Davin Joseph and Carl Nicks as a rookie.

Kansas City Chiefs (No. 11 overall)

Yes, the Chiefs added free-agent running back Peyton Hillis to the mix, but the front office might still have a hard time passing on Richardson if he got to No. 11.

Hillis was only given a one-year deal and the recovery of Jamaal Charles (ACL) will likely mean Kansas City eases him back into the fold. Richardson would ensure the Chiefs’ running game stays right where it needs to be for another shot at cracking the playoffs in 2012.

Cincinnati Bengals (No. 17/21 overall)

The Rams would be taking a big, big risk trading back any farther than No. 17, as the Bengals look like a team that pounce on Richardson if he’s available. While Cincinnati signed BenJarvus Green-Ellis this offseason, Richardson is the kind of back that could take the Bengals offense to another level.

Andy Dalton/A.J. Green/Richardson is a trio of offensive playmakers that few teams could beat in 2012 and beyond. 

Welcome to Friday’s St. Louis Rams “News and Notes at Noon”, the destination for all major Rams updates and other related information available at the same time and place each day.

Free Agency Updates

It looks as if right tackle Eric Winston, who the Rams have targeted, may have trouble getting out of Kansas City without a contract agreement, according to Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network:

Jason La Canfora‏ @JasonLaCanfora Follow

Jim Thomas ‏ @jthom1

 Rams Park literally jammed with free agent visitors: Mario Manningham, Steve Smith, Shaun Hill, Scott Wells, Travelle Wharton.

Of those visiting, Manningham and Smith are wide receivers, Hill is a quarterback, Wells is a center and Wharton is a guard.  The focus of that group was clearly on offense.

For a rundown on the Rams current free agency situation, please see this from Howard Balzer of 101sports.com.

According to Jim Thomas, the Rams also entertained free agent quarterback Brady Quinn:

Jim Thomas ‏ @jthom1

Finally, for a rundown on the 2012 Free Agency period as it relates to the NFC West, check this from Mike Sando of ESPN. 

Stan Kroenke, Tony La Russa and the Los Angeles Dodgers

For the analysis of Alvin Reid of 101sports.com, please take a look at this piece. 

Reid asserts that it is ultimately good for St. Louis and Rams fans here if Rams owner Stan Kroenke does not eventually become the owner of the Dodgers.  

2012 NFL Draft

With the NFL Draft not less than a month and a half away, I thought it would be a good time to share a mock draft database, like this one from Walter Football. 

Finally, my friend Chris Douglas of Missouri State will perform for NFL scouts today at his pro day in Springfield, according to ky3.com. 

Douglas is the son of former Harlem Globetrotter showman Michael “Memphis” Douglas, who now runs the Michael Douglas Youth Foundation and performs in charity events for the Harlem Legends as well as providing basketball camps for youth, and more.

Douglas had some impressive runs during his Missouri State career and ran for over 1,000 yards in 2010.  Hopefully, Douglas will get a shot to contribute to an NFL team this Fall.

Have a great day, STL Rams nation.

Shane Gray covers the St. Louis Rams year-round. You are encouraged to check out the rest of his work here and to follow him on Twitter.

AFC EAST
New England Patriots
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
New York Jets
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
Miami Dolphins
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
Buffalo Bills
	   Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
	   Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
	   Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
	   Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
Cincinnati Bengals
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Cleveland Browns
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
	   Home: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
	   Away: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
Tennessee Titans
	   Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
	   Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville Jaguars
	   Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
	   Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Indianapolis Colts
	   Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
	   Away: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
	   Home: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Away: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
San Diego Chargers
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Oakland Raiders
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
Kansas City Chiefs
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   -- -- -- =
NFC EAST
New York Giants
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Philadelphia Eagles
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
Dallas Cowboys
	   Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Away: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Washington Redskins
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
Detroit Lions
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Chicago Bears
	   Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
	   Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
Atlanta Falcons
	   Home: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
	   Away: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
Carolina Panthers
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Arizona Cardinals
	   Home: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
	   Away: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Seattle Seahawks
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New York Jets
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
St. Louis Rams
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

Billy Devaney made this mess by making horrible draft picks and even worse free agent signings. Poor Steve Spagnuolo was asked to clean the mess up, but injuries and bad luck handcuffed Spags almost before the season ever started.

I’ve argued it might be better to keep Spags, simply because it would be better for Bradford to have the continuity of playing under the same offensive coordinator. Having said that, there are rumors Josh McDaniels is going to Kansas City, so keeping Spags is no guarantee that Bradford will run the same offense again next year anyway.

Either way, if Spags stays or goes, is 2012 going to play out much different than 2011? Even with a healthy secondary, a better O-line, and an extra weapon or two, are the Rams really going to catch the Niners?

I just don’t see it happening.

If the Rams don’t improve dramatically in 2012, Spags will get fired next year. So why not just speed this whole process up? Because by dragging our feet on this whole coaching situation, we are stunting Bradford’s growth. Think of QBs like Jason Campbell, who played for one coordinator after another…

It ruined their career before it ever started.

The Rams are going to go as far as Sam Bradford takes them. If he ends up being a bust, and the team has to change directions at the QB position, then it’s going to be another five years or more before the Rams are competitive. So Rams owner Stan Kroenke needs to do everything in his power to make Bradford successful.

Perhaps the most important thing Kroenke could do to help Bradford would be to wipe the slate clean and let Bradford start over with a new coach and a new GM.

Patrick Peterson of the Cardinals breaks free from the grasp of Chris Chamberlain of the Rams on a 99-yard, game-winning punt return in overtime during Sunday’s game in Glendale, Ariz.

Photo by The Associated Press.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The St. Louis Rams seemed to have victory sewn up. All they needed was a fourth field goal of the day from Josh Brown as time expired.

The 42-yarder was well within the reliable kicker’s range. But Arizona’s 6-foot-8 Calais Campbell soared to block the kick and send the game to overtime. Then rookie Patrick Peterson put a stunning end to the game with a 99-yard punt return and the Cardinals won 19-13, snapping a six-game skid.

“It is probably the toughest loss I have had since I have been in the league,” said Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, who was back after missing two games with a high left ankle sprain. “I felt that for the most part we controlled this game. At the end with the opportunities we had in their territory and to possibly go ahead and not convert, it is tough.”

The Rams (1-7) were coming off their first win of the season, a 31-21 upset of New Orleans. They dominated the first half statistically Sunday, yet led just 9-6. Still, after two Arizona safeties on consecutive offensive plays, St. Louis led 13-6. Even after the Cardinals rallied, the Rams seemed to be in position to still pull it out.

“You are going to have games like this where you feel like you did everything right to win the game but couldn’t finish out,” Rams linebacker Brady Poppinga said. “Give Arizona credit. They held in there until the final play and they made the play. They made one more play than us.”

That play was a stunner, one that went totally against what a punt returner is supposed to do. Nobody fields a punt at his 1-yard line — except the confident, talented rookie from LSU.

“On conventional wisdom, I am sure that his coaches, when he caught it, were saying, ‘You’re supposed to let it go,’” St. Louis coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “So it’s where we wanted to kick it. It was a gutsy play by a really good player. I don’t know what else to say. I don’t think we did anything wrong.”

Peterson became the first player in NFL history to have three punt returns for scores in his first eight games. His was the second touchdown punt return in overtime in NFL history; the other was 86 yards by Tamarick Vanover of Kansas City to beat San Diego on Oct. 9, 1995.

“He’s a special young man,” Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “I’m glad that we have him on our football team — my new son.”

John Skelton, starting in place of Arizona’s Kevin Kolb, gave up safeties on consecutive plays in the third quarter, then threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald with 4:51 to tie the game 13-13.

Brown had field goals of 48, 37 and 41 yards.

Steven Jackson rushed for 130 yards in 29 carries and Sam Bradford was 23-of-36 for 255 yards. Skelton was 20-of-35 for 222 yards for the Rams.

Donnie Jones twice pinned the Cardinals inside their 10-yard line in the third quarter to set up the safeties. The first punt was downed at the 2. Arizona moved it to the 5, then James Hall burst through for a sack for a safety that boosted St. Louis’ lead to 11-6. Arizona got the ball at its 9 the next time, and Skelton was called for intentional grounding on a rollout pass, giving the Rams a 13-6 lead.

It was the first time a player yielded two safeties in a quarter since Aaron Rodgers did it against Minnesota on Nov. 9, 2008. The last player to have safeties on consecutive plays was Kordell Stewart of Pittsburgh against Jacksonville on Oct. 3, 1999.

The safeties marked the first time in NFL history a team had scored a total of four points in a quarter.

With Kolb out with a turf toe, Skelton, a 2010 fifth-round draft pick out of Fordham, brought the Cardinals back with a no-huddle offense. He completed 5-of-7 passes for 47 yards and scrambled twice for 28 on a nine-play, 84-yard drive for the game’s only touchdown on a leaping grab by Fitzgerald in the back of the end zone.

The Rams took the subsequent kickoff and drove to the Arizona 32, where they had third-and-1, but twice Jackson was stopped for no gain, the first time by O’Brien Schofield, the second by Darnell Dockett. St. Louis chose to go for it on fourth-and-one rather than let Brown try a 50-yarder.

St. Louis got another chance.

Bradford’s 23-yard pass to Austin Pettis moved the ball to the 42, then a 5-yarder to Pettis moved it to the 37. Cornerback Michael Adams was injured on the play and had to be carted off. St. Louis tight end Lance Kendricks and wide receiver Greg Salas had been taken off on carts earlier.

The pass interference penalty on Peterson — against Brandon Lloyd, who caught five for 80 yards — moved the ball well within Brown’s range. The Cardinals had lost four games by four points or fewer and they seemed headed for a fifth, until Campbell, with a generous shove from Dockett, knocked the kick away.

“It’s one of those ones that stings extremely deep to the soul of a competitor,” Poppinga said. “We had every opportunity to win, and just couldn’t as a team finish it out.”

Salas probably is out for the season with a broken leg. The Rams also lost Kendricks with a sprained foot, Josh Hull with a hamstring injury and Brandon Gibson with a hip injury.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – The St. Louis Rams seemed to have victory sewn up. All they needed was a fourth field goal of the day from Josh Brown as time expired.

The 42-yarder was well within the reliable kicker’s range. But Arizona’s 6-foot-8 Calais Campbell soared to block the kick and send the game to overtime. Then rookie Patrick Peterson put a stunning end to the game with a 99-yard punt return and the Cardinals won 19-13, snapping a six-game skid.

“It is probably the toughest loss I have had since I have been in the league,” said Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, back after missing two games with a high left ankle sprain. “I felt that for the most part we controlled this game. At the end with the opportunities we had in their territory and to possibly go ahead and not convert, it is tough.”

The Rams (1-7) were coming off their first win of the season, a 31-21 upset of New Orleans. They dominated the first half statistically Sunday, yet led just 9-6. Still, after two Arizona safeties on consecutive offensive plays, St. Louis led 13-7. Even after the Cardinals rallied, the Rams seemed to be in position to still pull it out.

“You are going to have games like this where you feel like you did everything right to win the game but couldn’t finish out.,” Rams linebacker Brady Poppinga said. “Give Arizona credit. They held in there until the final play and they made the play. They made one more play than us.”

That play was a stunner, one that went totally against what a punt returner is supposed to do. Nobody fields a punt at his 1-yard line – except the confident, talented rookie from LSU.

“On conventional wisdom, I am sure that his coaches, when he caught it, were saying ‘You’re supposed to let it go,’” St. Louis coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “So it’s where we wanted to kick it. It was a gutsy play by a really good player. I don’t know what else to say. I don’t think we did anything wrong.”

Peterson became the first player in NFL history to have three punt returns for scores in his first eight games. His was the second touchdown punt return in overtime in NFL history; the other was 86 yards by Tamarick Vanover of Kansas City to beat San Diego on Oct. 9, 1995.

“He’s a special young man,” Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “I’m glad that we have him on our football team – my new son.”

John Skelton, starting in place of Arizona’s Kevin Kolb, gave up safeties on consecutive plays in the third quarter, then threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald with 4:51 to tie the game 13-13.

Brown had field goals of 48, 37 and 41 yards.

Steven Jackson rushed for 130 yards in 29 carries and Sam Bradford was 23 of 36 for 255 yards. Skelton was 20 of 35 for 222 yards for the Rams.

Donnie Jones twice pinned the Cardinals inside their 10-yard line in the third quarter to set up the safeties. The first punt was downed at the 2. Arizona moved it to the 5, then James Hall burst through for a sack for a safety that boosted St. Louis’ lead to 11-6. Arizona got the ball at its 9 the next time, and Skelton was called for intentional grounding on a rollout pass, giving the Rams a 13-6 lead.

It was the first time a player yielded two safeties in a quarter since Aaron Rodgers did it against Minnesota on Nov. 9, 2008. The last player to have safeties on consecutive plays was Kordell Stewart of Pittsburgh against Jacksonville on Oct. 3, 1999.

The safeties marked the first time in NFL history a team had scored a total of four points in a quarter.

With Kolb out with a turf toe, Skelton, a 2010 fifth-round draft pick out of Fordham, brought the Cardinals back with a no-huddle offense. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 47 yards and scrambled twice for 28 on a nine-play, 84-yard drive for the game’s only touchdown on a leaping grab by Fitzgerald in the back of the end zone.

The Rams took the subsequent kickoff and drove to the Arizona 32, where they had third-and-1, but twice Jackson was stopped for no gain, the first time by O’Brien Schofield, the second by Darnell Dockett. St. Louis chose to go for it on fourth-and-one rather than let Brown try a 50-yarder.

St. Louis got another chance.

Bradford’s 23-yard pass to Austin Pettis moved the ball to the 42, then a 5-yarder to Pettis moved it to the 37. Cornerback Michael Adams was injured on the play and had to be carted off. St. Louis tight end Lance Kendricks and wide receiver Greg Salas had been taken off on carts earlier.

The pass interference penalty on Peterson – against Brandon Lloyd, who caught five for 80 yards – moved the ball well within Brown’s range. The Cardinals had lost four games by four points or fewer and they seemed headed for a fifth, until Campbell, with a generous shove from Dockett, knocked the kick away.

“It’s one of those ones that stings extremely deep to the soul of a competitor,” Poppinga said. “We had every opportunity to win, and just couldn’t as a team finish it out.”

Salas probably is out for the season with a broken leg. The Rams also lost Kendricks with a sprained foot, Josh Hull with a hamstring injury and Brandon Gibson with a hip injury.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP)—Patrick Peterson(notes) sure delivered a dramatic end to his
team’s six-game losing streak.

The rookie cornerback returned a punt 99 yards for a touchdown in overtime
to give the Arizona Cardinals a stunning 19-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams
on Sunday.

Peterson, whose pass interference penalty moments earlier seemed to set up
the Rams (1-7) for a game-winning field goal, fielded the ball at the 1. He
evaded and bounced off tacklers over the next 30 yards or so, then outran
everyone, striding the last few yards in celebration of his third punt return TD
of the season as Arizona (2-6) won for the first time since the opening week of
the season.

It was the second punt return in NFL history to win a game in overtime. The
other was 86 yards by Tamarick Vanover of Kansas City to beat San Diego on Oct.
9, 1995.

Arizona’s Calais Campbell(notes) blocked Josh Brown’s(notes) 42-yard field goal attempt as
regulation ended to force the overtime.

John Skelton(notes), starting in place of Arizona’s Kevin Kolb(notes), gave up safeties on
consecutive plays in the third quarter, then threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to
Larry Fitzgerald(notes) with 4:51 to tie the game at 13-13.

Brown had field goals of 48, 37 and 41 yards.

Steven Jackson rushed for 130 yards in 29 carries and Sam Bradford(notes), back
after missing two games with a high ankle sprain, completed 23 of 36 for 255
yards. Skelton was 20 of 35 for 222 yards for the Rams.

Donnie Jones(notes) twice pinned the Cardinals inside their 10-yard line in the
third quarter to set up the safeties. The first punt was downed at the 2.
Arizona moved it to the 5, then James Hall(notes) burst through for a sack for a safety
that boosted St. Louis’ lead to 11-6. Arizona got the ball at its 9 the next
time, and Skelton was called for intentional grounding on a rollout pass, giving
the Rams a 13-6 lead.

It was the first time a player yielded two safeties in a quarter since Aaron
Rodgers(notes) did it against Minnesota on Nov. 9, 2008. The last player to have
safeties on consecutive plays was Kordell Stewart of Pittsburgh against
Jacksonville on Oct. 3, 1999.

The safeties marked the first time in NFL history that a team had scored a
total of four points in a quarter.

Skelton, a 2010 fifth-round draft pick out of Fordham, brought the Cardinals
back. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 47 yards and scrambled twice for 28 on a
nine-play, 84-yard drive for the game’s only touchdown on a leaping grab by
Fitzgerald in the back of the end zone.

The Rams took the subsequent kickoff and drove to the Arizona 32, where they
had third-and-1, but twice Jackson was stopped for no gain, the first time by
O’Brien Schofield(notes), the second by Darnell Dockett(notes).

The Cardinals couldn’t take advantage, though, because Skelton fumbled but
recovered for a 15-yard loss and Arizona had to punt with a minute to play in
regulation.

Bradford’s 23-yard pass to Austin Pettis(notes) moved the ball to the 42, then a
5-yarder to Pettis moved it to the 37. Cornerback Michael Adams(notes) was injured on
the play and had to be carted off. St. Louis tight end Lance Kendricks(notes) and wide
receiver Greg Salas(notes) had been taken off on carts earlier.

The pass interference penalty on Peterson—against Brandon Lloyd(notes), who
caught five for 80 yards—moved the ball well within Brown’s range. But the
6-foot-8 Campbell knocked it away.

Peterson’s game-winning play came a day after his college team, No. 1 LSU,
defeated then No. 2 Alabama 9-6 in overtime.

The Rams dominated the first half statistically but led only 9-3.

Bradford was sacked three times in the first half, two of them to stall
drives and force St. Louis to settle for field goals. Adrian Wilson(notes) stopped
Steven Jackson four a four-yard loss to at the 19 to stall the other Rams drive.

St. Louis outgained Arizona 189-58 in the first half and had a 13-4
advantage in first downs. That all turned around in the second half.

Peterson, whose pass interference penalty moments earlier seemed to set up the Rams (1-7) for a game-winning field goal, fielded the ball at the 1. He evaded and bounced off tacklers over the next 30 yards or so, then outran everyone, striding the last few yards in celebration of his third punt return TD of the season as Arizona (2-6) won for the first time since the opening week of the season.

It was the second punt return in NFL history to win a game in overtime. The other was 86 yards by Tamarick Vanover of Kansas City to beat San Diego on Oct. 9, 1995.

Arizona’s Calais Campbell blocked Josh Brown’s 42-yard field goal attempt as regulation ended to force the overtime.

John Skelton, starting in place of Arizona’s Kevin Kolb, gave up safeties on consecutive plays in the third quarter, then threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald with 4:51 to tie the game at 13-13.

Brown had field goals of 48, 37 and 41 yards.

Steven Jackson rushed for 130 yards in 29 carries and Sam Bradford, back after missing two games with a high ankle sprain, completed 23 of 36 for 255 yards. Skelton was 20 of 35 for 222 yards for the Rams.

Donnie Jones twice pinned the Cardinals inside their 10-yard line in the third quarter to set up the safeties. The first punt was downed at the 2. Arizona moved it to the 5, then James Hall burst through for a sack for a safety that boosted St. Louis’ lead to 11-6. Arizona got the ball at its 9 the next time, and Skelton was called for intentional grounding on a rollout pass, giving the Rams a 13-6 lead.

It was the first time a player yielded two safeties in a quarter since Aaron Rodgers did it against Minnesota on Nov. 9, 2008. The last player to have safeties on consecutive plays was Kordell Stewart of Pittsburgh against Jacksonville on Oct. 3, 1999.

The safeties marked the first time in NFL history that a team had scored a total of four points in a quarter.

Skelton, a 2010 fifth-round draft pick out of Fordham, brought the Cardinals back. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 47 yards and scrambled twice for 28 on a nine-play, 84-yard drive for the game’s only touchdown on a leaping grab by Fitzgerald in the back of the end zone.

The Rams took the subsequent kickoff and drove to the Arizona 32, where they had third-and-1, but twice Jackson was stopped for no gain, the first time by O’Brien Schofield, the second by Darnell Dockett.

The Cardinals couldn’t take advantage, though, because Skelton fumbled but recovered for a 15-yard loss and Arizona had to punt with a minute to play in regulation.

Bradford’s 23-yard pass to Austin Pettis moved the ball to the 42, then a 5-yarder to Pettis moved it to the 37. Cornerback Michael Adams was injured on the play and had to be carted off. St. Louis tight end Lance Kendricks and wide receiver Greg Salas had been taken off on carts earlier.

The pass interference penalty on Peterson — against Brandon Lloyd, who caught five for 80 yards — moved the ball well within Brown’s range. But the 6-foot-8 Campbell knocked it away.

Peterson’s game-winning play came a day after his college team, No. 1 LSU, defeated then No. 2 Alabama 9-6 in overtime.

The Rams dominated the first half statistically but led only 9-3.

Bradford was sacked three times in the first half, two of them to stall drives and force St. Louis to settle for field goals. Adrian Wilson stopped Steven Jackson four a four-yard loss to at the 19 to stall the other Rams drive.

St. Louis outgained Arizona 189-58 in the first half and had a 13-4 advantage in first downs. That all turned around in the second half.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Hope is a beautiful thing—it keeps us going, striving towards something better because there has to be something better, right? Even if that hope is terribly misplaced, we never realize it until it’s too late. When it comes to the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams, however, there’s not a lot left for this year. But don’t fear, you loyal fans, neither of these teams will pull a Detroit Lions and go 0-16.

There is hope that these teams can win one, two, or three because maybe, just maybe, at the end of the year they will play a bunch of backups and steal an extra win or two. For the Colts, it’s the hope that when Peyton Manning comes back they will return to the glory days of yore (as recently as last year). Whereas for the Rams, their hope lies in second year quarterback Sam Bradford and the wishful thinking that he’s just in a sophomore slump right now.

So, here we are, trying to keep that glimmer of hope alive for both of these fan bases. As fruitless as this labor may turn out to be, far be it for me to deny someone their hope.

Indianapolis Colts

 Is there any doubt Peyton Manning should be a 10-time MVP now? Without him this year the Colts have averaged a mere 205 passing yards a game and are scoring slightly under three touchdowns a game. However, we’re not here to talk about what would have happened, we’re here to talk about what will happen.

This team has shown signs of life the last few weeks, losing by less than a touchdown to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. The upcoming schedule isn’t taking any mercy on the hapless Indianapolis team with games against one of the league’s best defenses in the Cincinnati Bengals, one of the league’s best offenses with the New Orleans Saints and whatever it is the Tennessee Titans have been doing to win.

The following week, the Colts welcome in the Atlanta Falcons in what I think will be a surprisingly close game but still won’t be their first win. That will come the next week, when they play the Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s hard to pinpoint one exact reason the Colts will win this game, but I’ll just put the blame on Blaine Gabbert. The Colts dynamic duo of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis will get after the rookie QB and cause him to make a multitude of errors, costing his team the game.

Get well soon, Peyton!

St. Louis Rams

 It’s hard to find a suitable word for how the season has gone thus far for the Rams. They rank 28th in passing offense (187 yards per game) and 25th in rushing offense (92.5 yards per game). To try and be as fair as possible, their last three games have come against solid defenses in the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins, but those numbers are just pathetic.

Oh, and it probably doesn’t help that they rank dead last in rush defense at 179.8 yards allowed per game.

Obviously, their first win won’t be coming this weekend as they travel to Green Bay and will allow roughly 2,000 points. Then two weeks after that they travel to play the Dallas Cowboys, and should play a nice host to the New Orleans Saints. I 100 percent guarantee their first win will come one of the following three weeks, though.

The Rams’ first chance will come when they visit the Arizona Cardinals. Luckily for St. Louis, the Kevin Kolb-for-Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie trade will work out in its favor has Kolb has been very lackluster so far this year. Plus, the loss of Rodgers-Cromartie will benefit Sam Bradford as it obviously leaves Arizona’s secondary in a much worse position than it was last year. However, I don’t think this will be the week for the Rams.

Week 10 the St. Louis Rams take on the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium. This should be a close contest, but in the end Peyton Hillis and co. will rack up too many yards and eat up too much clock to let this one slip through their grasp.

I’s the week after that their big break finally comes.

Ah, the Seattle Seahawks, you guys are good for something! It’s games like these that keep the phrase “lesser of two evils” meaningful in sports society. Both teams have been absolutely pathetic to this point and I don’t expect either team to turn it around soon. While the Seahawks did just pull off an impressive win against the New York Giants, that game was more about how Eli Manning lost over how the Seahawks won.

So, here it is, St. Louis, your proverbial brass ring of sorts for you to go out and grab. If not this week, at least we all have the wonderful Monday Night Football matchup between these two just a few weeks later!

And for those who think I forgot about the Dolphins, I didn’t. They’re just a much better team than these two.

As always, thanks for reading and be sure to leave any questions, comments or concerns down below.

Read More: andrew luck nfl draft, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, St. Louis Rams

Week 5 of the NFL had no team legitimately state its case for the rights to be the one to “Suck For Luck”.

The Miami Dolphins and the St. Louis Rams were two of the remaining winless NFL teams, but both of them enjoyed a bye week so they could fall eternally behind your current favorites, the hapless Indianapolis Colts. The Colts blew 17-0 and 24-7 leads against the previously hapless Kansas City Chiefs, but Kansas City has rallied to prove they’re not quite that bad, scoring 21 unanswered to rally to victory. Indianapolis is now alone at 0-5, and with three road games ahead against Cincinnati, New Orleans and Tennessee plus a home visit from Atlanta, 0-9 and 1-8 are very likely.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are another team that appears destined for the cellar after falling to the Cincinnati Bengals 30-20. Jacksonville now looks to be in very bad shape to lose seven in a row going into their bye week, with the Steelers, Ravens, and Texans all lined up next. They should definitely be in contention by the time we reach the halfway point of the 2011 regular season.

The Denver Broncos might have gone to Tim Tebow, but their team continues to lose. Denver will be on their bye week next week as they try to transition to the Tebow era, but their schedule does get exceptionally brutal after a creampuff matchup with the Miami Dolphins. It would not be surprising to see the Broncos also compete heavily in this contest.

Current Andrew Luck power rankings:

1. Indianapolis Colts. If they can’t beat Andy Dalton, it’s not clear who they can beat.

2. Miami Dolphins. They’ll be facing a frustrated Jets team in the Meadowlands on Monday night. Doubt they’ll be picking up their first victory there.

3. Denver Broncos. Bye week.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars. Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh. Doom.

5. St. Louis Rams. The Rams have had a pretty brutal schedule to start out. Won’t get any easier when they face the Super Bowl champs next week.

ST. LOUIS (AP)—The St. Louis Rams’ first-round pick didn’t dress for the
season opener. C.J. Ah You’s(notes) wrist injury has given Robert Quinn(notes) an opportunity
in Game 2.

Quinn, taken 14th overall in the April draft, is expected to make his debut
Monday night on the road against the New York Giants.

Ah You hurt his wrist in the season-opening loss to Philadelphia. He had a
pin inserted in his wrist during an operation this week and will miss at least
one game.

The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Quinn was just the third first-round draft choice
for St. Louis to be listed inactive for the first game. He missed the first few
days of camp due to a knee injury sustained while working out on his own.

Still, not dressing for the opener against the Eagles caught Quinn off
guard.

“It’s just one of those things,” Quinn said. “Once you find out, you’ve
just got to realize you have to support your teammates. It’s still a team sport.
Of course, everybody wants to play.”

That’s all behind Quinn now. He’s worked hard this week to show he can get
the job done.

“I feel like I’ve had a pretty good week of practice,” Quinn said. “I’m
pushing myself a lot harder. I put pressure on myself every day. I guess I’ve
got a little more focus on the little things.”

He has caught the eye of his coaches.

“Robert’s done a nice job,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “He actually did
something working as a scout team player. Now, he got plenty of reps with the
Rams defense. But I thought he was pretty impressive.”

Defensive coordinator Ken Flajole said Quinn did a good job in practice this
week.

“Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to dial him up a little bit and give him a
chance to play and see what he can do,” Flajole said.

That’s what Quinn wants—to get on the field. Playing on Monday night makes
little difference to Quinn.

“It doesn’t matter if it was a Tuesday, Wednesday or a Thursday, football
is football,” Quinn said. “That’s the easiest way to look at it. You put the
pads on and go out play football. They’re keeping score and we’re playing to
win.”

The Rams wanted Quinn for his pass-rushing skills. He recorded 13 sacks in
25 games at North Carolina. In the preseason, Quinn had a sack and blocked a
field goal in a win over Kansas City.

Learning the defense is an ongoing situation, Quinn said. Spagnuolo said the
transition might be more difficult for Quinn given he did not play his senior
season at North Carolina.

“Being here for a little while, it’s getting easier for me,” Quinn said.
“I’ve had a lot of reps in practice. You find something to work on everyday, no
matter if you’re a first-year player or a 20-year vet.”

Getting that first NFL sack is something Quinn said he has thought about.

“I’ve been thinking of some kind of celebration for the first NFL sack,”
Quinn said, laughing. “I haven’t really concluded what I’ll do. It’ll probably
be a spur of the moment thing. I’ll probable just get up and walk back to the
huddle, knowing me. But I’ll take a ‘W’ over a sack.”

NOTES: Game-day captains for Monday’s game will be DT Fred Robbins(notes) and OG
Harvey Dahl(notes). “We want the biggest guys we can get out there for the coin
toss,” Spagnuolo quipped. … TE Michael Hoomanawanui(notes) (calf) is likely to
return to action against the Giants.