Is St. Louis for Real?

I know it's still early but the way things are shaping up, St. Louis could finally be back to a top tier team. Let's go over there team by each position...

QB: A healthy Bulger means they have a great QB. When this guy is on the field the Rams have the best passing offense in the league, look at last years stats up until he got injured. He played in only 8 games and had a QB rating of 94, 2297 yards, and 14 TDs. He should finaly have a line that can keep him on the field and he still has one of the best WR lineups out there. Plus they have a solid backup finaly in Ferrotte. My prediction...If Bulger is healthy all season, he's a pro-bowl caliber QB.

HB: Steven Jackson is a rising star in the NFL. He's got everything if you really look at him, he's got amazing power, but he also has the speed to get away from defenses in the open field. Many are saying this will be his breakout season. He's got a new Coach to work with who says he will finally get more touches in games, plus he's finally got a solid line. Marshall may not be back this year, I hope he comes back because he is a great teacher and leader for this offense. But everyone has to move on sometime. My predictions...If Jackson really does have his breakout season and piles up 1500+ yards, the Rams are in the playoffs without question.

WR: Holt, Bruce, Curtis, McDonald, Looker. WOW! How many teams can say they have 3 4 5 guys that could all be 2 and 3 guys? Holt is a shoe in for 1300 yards, a reciever who I think gets overlooked because he isn't a #### like Owens and Johnson and Smith.  Anyway, Bruce will be healthy and is probably the best route runner on the team, future hall-of-famer, the rams will be back to having one of the best recieving tandums in the league. Curtis just makes plays. It seems like when ever he gets the ball something amazing happens. He has blazing speed and will be a great number 2 guy when Bruce retires. My Prediction...The Rams will tear up teams through the air this year if Bulger stays healthy, Bruce has close to 1000 yards, Holt has 1300 or more, Curtis has around 700.

TE: This could be a question mark for the Rams. Klopfenstein should be a great recieving TE and should be a big upgrade over Manuemaleuna, but he's a rookie so nothing is set in stone. My predictions for TE...The Rams will have a good start for this young TE and in the next few years he could be a top tier TE in the NFL.

OT: Pace is arguably the best LT in the NFL. Always shows up in the Pro-Bowl, not much you can say other than he is a force defensive lines have to deal with. Barron looked like he will be a great RT last year, he could be the makings of another Pace.

OG: At one side you have Timmerman, one of the best Guards in the league, never injured, always plays hard. At the other side though, it looks right now like Terrell will start, he should be good enough to get the job done but don't be surprised to see a few players swich out at this position.

C: McColumn is one of those guys that is a great linemen that no one really talks about. Hasn't missed a week in something like 150 games, second only to Timmermans 170 I think. He's a great veteran lineman and he more than gets the job done.

My predictions for the O line...The Rams line, if healthy, will help Jackson to a 1500+ yard season and will keep Bulger on his feet. Pace and Timmerman go to the pro-bowl.

Now to Defense...

DE: Little is one of the most feared DE in the NFL. Teams have to make gameplans around him. He missed a couple games last year when his brother died and didn't play like himself until the last few games, he'll be back in the pro-bowl. Hargrove looked like he was finaly starting to settle in towards the end of the season and I thnk he'll be a more than capable starter.

DT: The addition of Pro-Bowler Glover was HUGE for the Rams this year, they haven't had a dominating DT in years and he will be a great mentor for Kennedy who will play the other tackle. Another great thing about Glover, they will finaly have a great leader for there defense.

My Predictions for the D line...The Rams will have one of the most solid D lines in the league, will be ranked in the top 10 in rushing defense.

LB: The addition of Witherspoon was amazing. I was jumping for joy when I saw they picked him up. The best defensive player in free agency and the Rams get him. Witherspoon will play in the middle, and with Tinoisamoa next to him they should have a great group at linebacker. Now, the other side is a big question mark, the good thing is that whoever gets the starting job will be a good starter, they have probably 4 guys that are battleing for it. My guess is probably Coakley, and thats fine. He didn't get to show anything last year because he didn't play in the right style of defense for him and he was injured most of the season. My predictions...The Rams LB further improve the run defense and the Rams finally have a group of linebackers that won't have to be replaced next season.

CB: Now, this whole Backfield depends on basically one person. Butler. If Butler returns from last seasons knee injury and looks like the same Butler, the Rams have a pretty good backfield, if not, well lets just hope he is. They picked up Brown from the Saints who will probably be the number 3 CB. They still have Fisher who, when healthy, can be a great CB. And they have rookie Tye Hill. I don't expect much from him this year, but in a couple years he should be a great CB. Finally they have Bartell. Last years big surprise for the Rams was this rookie. He showed some signs that he will be a great CB. Look for him and Brown to battle for the number 3 spot, and don't be surprised if he nabs the number 2 spot from Fisher.

FS: Atgowe and Carter are fighting for this spot. Both are young and won't wow anyone, but should be enough to get the job done.

SS: Chavous was another great pickup this off season. Great leader and should be a big imrovement in pass defense over Archuleta who left for Washington. Chavous might not be the big hitter like Archuleta but he's a smart proven safety and is an upgrade. He will also serve as another defensive leader for the Rams.

My predictions for the defensive backfield...The Rams, while they did improve there pass defense, won't shut down the opposing team, but they won't be a push over backfield like these last couple of years. Look for a solid, middle of the pack pass defense this year.

Overall, I'd say that if everything goes like it could and should, the Rams are back in the playoffs and have a few pro-bowlers. Note that these predictions are the best posable outcomes in my mind and not all of them will probably go as I have said. But look out for this years St. Louis Rams, they will battle the Seahawks for the best in the West.