St. Louis, Mo (AP) - The St. Louis Cardinals have signed highly touted Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fuku####.
The St. Louis Post Dispatch, citing anonymous sources, said the Cardinals signed the outfielder to a four-year deal worth $55 to $60 million. MLB.com, also using an anonymous source, reported that the deal is for $58 million and is pending a physical. He is not expected to arrive in America until next week as his wife is expecting twins.
Reports earlier on Friday said that the power-hitting Fuku####, 28, told his Japanese team he intended to play in the majors. Since he was a free agent, a posting fee was not required.
Fuku#### hit .451 with 51 homers and 194 RBI during his MVP season in 2006 with the Konichiwa Dragons. Last year he hit .394 in 81 games as his season was cut short by elephant titus. He averaged 39 homers per season from 2003-06 and has a career average of .405.
Fuku#### said "I will be the greatest Japanese player to ever come to America,Ichiro dosen't have #### on me and the Cubs suck."
I couldn’t resist. C’mon… he does look like Santa. Alright, onto the pre-game write-up…Seattle would like to hold onto their lead in the NFC West as they have a one-game lead over the Arizona Cardinals in a division that was wide open heading into the season. Right now, the Rams, who started 0-8, have won two in a row and are playing better football.
The Seahawks are going against conventional wisdom and historical practices in an attempt to win any way possible. Seattle has gone to a runningback by committee, put QB Matt Hasselbeck in the shotgun and have passed first to set up the run.
The Rams are slowly getting some of their injured players back on the field and are refusing to go down without a fight. The running game with Steven Jackson and the passing with QB Marc Bulger are finally looking like everyone thought they would at the beginning of the season. Defensive coach Jim Haslett has his unit playing extremely tight football
As is the case everytime the Rams and Seahawks play, this game will be a difficult task for both involved. The team that does the better job of minimizing mistakes and protects the ball better, will win this game. Both teams are evenly matched on offense and their defenses are strikingly similar.
Rams Keys For Success
1. Run the ball with Steven Jackson. Having Jackson healthy and running the ball changes the Rams’ offense. He is running like a back who’s making up for the missed time while injured. Teams will have to show that they can stop Jackson, or their defense will be on the field all day and the Rams will control the clock. A successful running game also will set up the play-action pass and give QB Marc Bulger more time to throw.
Jackson will pound the middle of the Seahawks’ defense and keep the linebackers and a safety up in the box to give Bulger bigger holes in the passing lanes. The sooner Jackson gets going, the more stress he puts on a defense. The Rams will use Jackson on his straight ahead runs, swing passes and screens, so he can build momentum and allow the offense to dictate the game to the Seahawks.
2. Pressure QB Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck has been asked to carry the Seahawks’ offense until Shaun Alexander can come back and contribute. He will be asked to read the defense and make any necessary adjustments at the line of scrimmage. The Seahawks know that they must pass first and run second. The passing game will consist of short passes to the receivers and backs — around 40-45 times a game.
The Rams will bring pressure and force Hasselbeck to move around and avoid the rush. The Rams have a fast defense, and they bring blitz packages on running and passing plays. The Seahawks have to be successful with quick pass patterns and hot reads for Hasselbeck on every play.
3. Use Multiple Receiver Sets. The Seahawks know that the Rams will run Jackson. The Rams need to come out in their four-receiver set and force the Seahawks to play extra cover corners. Their four-receiver set with one running back allows them to run or pass and keeps some of the better run stoppers off the field. This will give Bulger better matchups at the line of scrimmage.
PREDICTION: The Seahawks offense gift-wraps a victory as the Rams defense takes advantage of 1 tipped ball for an interception to give the Rams great field position and the go ahead score late in the game.
The Rams started a dismal 0-8, their worst season-opening losing streak ever. However, consecutive wins against the Saints and 49ers jump-started the team, which, to the shock of the football world, rattles off 8 straight victories to finish 8-8 and win the awful NFC West as the Seahawks falter down the stretch. The suddenly unstoppable offense plows its way through the early playoff rounds, winning games with the greatest of ease. They head into Super Bowl XLII in Arizona as 14-point underdogs to the New England Cheatriots, but proceed to dismantle the Pats 44-7, a perfect clobbering which culminates in a poignant scene in which Tom Brady and Bill Belichick break down and beg a fiery-eyed Steven Jackson for mercy, who merely grins as he hands the football to a terrified Patriot linebacker, picks him up, carries him into the end zone, then takes the ball back for Jackson’s fourth touchdown of the game.
That may be a little far-fetched, but hey, the day after Thanksgiving officially marks the beginning of Christmas season, and making dreams come true is what Christmas is all about, right?
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I will be back tomorrow with a preview of the Rams-Seahawks matchup on Sunday.
It’s been a long season. But the Rams have won two straight, so what the heck, let’s have some fun.
Say the Rams knock off the NFC West-leading Seahawks (6-4) Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams would move to 3-8 and stand three games out of first place with five to go. Up next would be two very winnable contests — the Falcons (3-7) at the Dome and the Bengals (3-7) in Cincinnati.
OK, now the Rams are 5-8. The division champ might wind up 8-8. Could the Rams actually run the table and steal the title? Hell Yes !!!!!!!!!
They are going to do it! The Rams will go 8-8 and MAKE the playoffs! BAM!! How do you like that for a bold prediction. Bulger is Back! Jackson is Back! The receivers are healthy, enough. The division is weak. Heck, the conference is weak. Through 11 weeks (10 games), not many teams have separated themselves from the rest of the NFC. Sure, it appears Green Bay and Dallas are off on their own, but then there is Tampa and Seattle at 6-4 leading their divisions. the current wildcard spots go to New York and Detroit. After them, no team in the NFC is over .500. If the Rams role off a few wins…. maybe they have a chance.
If the defense and O-line step it up, good things will happen. That is asking a lot. I still believe in all honest 7 wins is reasonable; Seattle, Arizona, Atlanta and one more somewhere. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help anything but morals. Winning 6 or 7 games only hurts their draft position next year. We need a good draft pick.
The win this past weekend against the division rival 49ers, marked the franchise’s 500th win. A nice feet, but doesn’t mean much for this season.
Here is a look at the injury report of the Rams, this may explain some of the losses IR: Jerome Carter, depth at safety and special teams Adam Goldberg, offensive line Richie Incognito, offensive line Leonard Little, arguably the best player on the defense Orlando Pace, arguably the best player on the team Mark Setterstrom, offensive line Raonall Smith, depth at LB and special teams Aaron Walker, emerging TE That is just IR, Bulger has missed games. Jackson has missed games. Bruce, Hall, Bennett have been hurt while Holt hasn’t been 100% since his surgury. Many more injuries that just kill everything they had going for them. Many people picked them to go to the Super Bowl before the season.
The Rams get to face a Shaun Alexanderless Seattle Seahawks this week. Hasselbeck may not play also. That just means the Rams would have to contain the everathletic Seneca Wallace. They can get the job done. Don’t be deceived by the 2-8 record, they are playing decent football now.
Head Coach Scott Linehan reacts to a play against the New Orleans Saints. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
When the Rams knock off the 49ers on Sunday in San Francisco, they will have posted back-to-back victories. “That’s a winning streak,” coach Scott Linehan declared Friday.
After a slight pause, he added, “When you don’t have any, one in a row is a winning streak.”
After slogging through his team’s 0-8 start, Linehan can be excused for expanding the definition a bit. Just as his players can be pardoned for lingering in the aftermath of the 37-29 triumph at New Orleans.
“You try to stay the same, no matter if you win or lose,” tackle Alex Barron said. “But that’s hard to do after you’ve gone 0-and-whatever and then you win a game. It’s going to give you a little kick.”
The result was a more upbeat mood this week at Rams Park. “Just winning in itself changes the entire atmosphere,” Isaac Bruce said.
Added fellow wide receiver Torry Holt: “Winning always inspires you, gives you a little more bounce. You’re just a little bit more chipper, a little bit more excited about coming to work.” Still, Linehan emphasized that no one is organizing a celebratory parade just yet.
“The perspective is there; we understand where we are and how we got here,” he said. “If we can find a way to flip the result of the second half (of the season) from the first half, it’s going to continue to improve the atmosphere around here.”
Although the 49ers have the lesser of the two horrendous records, it's becoming evident that the two are headed in different directions this year.
Surprisingly, it's the 49ers who are dead last in the NFL in total offense. The Rams were competing for that dubious distinction before they reeled off 37 points against the Saints last week. The Rams started the season 0-8, but the 49ers are hot on their heels having lost their last 7 in a row. Both the 49ers' running and passing games are unproductive and they are struggling to sustain any drives. On defense, they are struggling to stop the run and are allowing other teams to convert too easily on third down.
The Rams have caught alot of bad breaks and were incredibly bad on the road up until last week, but now look renewed with a healthy Steven Jackson playing the role of workhorse, Marc Bulger finding his rhythm, and the defense playing hard snap to whistle.
The 49ers now have a distraction to go along with their poor play as of late as quarterback Alex Smith admitted Wednesday that his shoulder, and now forearm, have been "killing him" and have greatly affected his play. Coach Mike Nolan took exception to Smith airing this to the media before admitting it to him. Look for Trent Dilfer to start this week against the Rams in his place, and possibly the rest of the season.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
Get Jackson involved early Jackson isn't quite 100 percent recovered from his groin injury, but he's still capable of setting the tone for the Rams' entire offense. All of their production on the ground and in the passing game is directly related to Jackson's presence. The Rams won their first game last week because Jackson delivered with consistently strong running to move the chains, and even contributed a TD pass. The fact that Marc Bulger could rack up big yardage without being sacked stemmed from Jackson running hard and wearing down the Saints' defense, and the 49ers' defense is similarly undersized. The quicker that Jackson gets going as a rusher and as a receiver, the sooner everything else opens up. The Rams also need to remember to give Jackson a breather, and can do so effectively with Brian Leonard and Antonio Pittman. Pittman showed his big-play potential last week against New Orleans when he broke off a 43 yarder late in the game.
Disguise the defensive sets The 49ers' offensive line is playing poorly. With the injury losses of left tackle Jonas Jennings and right guard Justin Smiley, there has been much confusion in the blocking assignments. The 49ers have used two tight ends to help with pass protection, but that is not working, and both the passing and running games have suffered as a result. Rams defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has been changing schemes every week and will have the 49ers guessing on assignments, leading to plays breaking down. Last week against the Saints, Haslett said he recalled calling blitzes on 16 of the first 18 plays. One wrinkle he put in was using linebacker Will Witherspoon as the "buck" end in passing situations with end Leonard Little out for the season. Witherspoon responded with one sack and one forced fumble.
Spread the wealth The Rams looked to have their swagger back on offense against New Orleans, who was no slouch of an opponent. Having receivers as talented as Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Drew Bennett, Randy McMichael and Steven Jackson puts great pressure on any defense they face. Now that Bennett and McMichael are starting to see more action on the field, teams are going to have to account for their whereabouts more stringently. The 49ers like to bring strong safety Michael Lewis up into the box to stop the run and blitz on passing downs. He is a hard-hitting upfield defender, but he does not recover well in pass coverage. The Rams will start with quick slants to Holt and establish a rhythm, which also will keep the pressure off Bulger. Look also for the four-receiver set and Jackson going up the middle to the area that Lewis has vacated.
WHEN THE RAMS HAVE THE BALL
RUNNING GAME The healthier running back Steven Jackson gets the healthier the Rams' running game gets. To showcase him, the Rams will use tight end Randy McMichael to block an outside linebacker, and tight end Joe Klopfenstein will come in motion and get in between the guard and tackle and engage an inside linebacker. The Rams also will go to a four-receiver set and run Jackson up the middle. Backs Brian Leonard, Antonio Pittman and Travis Minor will serve as a change of pace and will be used to make sure Jackson doesn't wear down.
The 49ers will play in their base 3-4 defense and try and occupy the Rams' linemen, giving linebackers Patrick Willis and Jeff Ulbrich an opportunity to stop the run. Willis, though, is playing with a cast on his hand, and it has affected his tackling. It is difficult for him to wrap up on the tackle and trying to stop a blood-stained hurricane like Steven Jackson only makes his job that much harder. Strong safety Michael Lewis will come up and add an eighth man in the box to try and get Jackson down before he gets deep into the secondary. The Rams will likely swing Jackson into the flat to get him the ball in space when things get too clogged in the middle.
PASSING GAME Once the Rams get their running game going and the 49ers put defenders in the box, the Rams will be ready to open up the offense. The Rams' passing game is all about rhythm and timing with the receivers. The 49ers cornerbacks must try to bump the receivers at the line if they want to disrupt that timing.
Cornerbacks Walt Harris and Nate Clements are big enough and fast enough to cover the Rams' receivers one-on-one, but they cannot let Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce (who could be limited by a strained hamstring) off the line cleanly. The corners will not get any other help, since the Rams will likely go to their four-receiver set with Drew Bennett and McMichael. In this formation, the Rams will usually hit Holt on a 15-yard dig route over the middle. Another favorite is to drive the cornerback deep to the corner and hit McMichael in the gap between the corner and the dropping linebacker.
QB Marc Bulger has been reading the defense very well recently, Holt has a reception 127 consecutive games and the Rams are happy to take short passes to get first downs. Even if you know what they are planning, they have a way of getting the ball in there and moving the chains. And Jackson is a dangerous weapon in the passing game as well when you get him out in space and hit him with a screen or flair pass.
THE BLITZ The Rams have been hurt and are playing with their 13th different offensive line combination this season. But line play was surprisingly good last week. It is still porous, especially at left tackle with Alex Barron very susceptible to a gap blitz. But Bulger is reading the blitz very well and has been able to release the ball before the pressure gets him. The Rams will use two tight ends and two back sets to hold the linebackers on play action.
The 49ers are just not that effective on the blitz, and Bulger has been seeing this all season long. If the 49ers do not play aggressive on defense, Bulger could have an extremely productive day.
IN THE RED ZONE Until last week, the Rams were among the worst teams in the red zone -- mainly because they were only there 22 times. Last week, the offensive production finally changed. Jackson even threw a touchdown pass of his own. This week the Rams will run Jackson in the red zone to take advantage of a smaller 49ers defensive front 7.
The 49ers will bring everyone up and attack the line of scrimmage to try to stop Jackson. If he is stopped the Rams will spread the offense and go to their favorite target -- Holt -- or use their two new targets -- Bennett and McMichael
KEY MATCHUPS
Rams RB Steven Jackson vs. 49ers ILB Patrick Willis While still not entirely 100% after coming back from his groin injury, Jackson is still getting stronger every game. He will want to make up for lost time and will control this game with his running, receiving and who knows, maybe even his passing. The running game will get extra blocking from tight end Joe Klopfenstein, who is improving in that area. Klop will go in motion and lead up into the hole for Jackson as was the case against New Orleans. Jackson's power and speed to the outside will wear down the 49ers' defense and allow Jackson to dominate a tired unit later in the game if he holds up that long. The rookie Willis is the 49ers' leading tackler, but he is starting to run out of gas. He also is playing with a broken hand, which doesn't let him wrap up on his tackles or handle the ball well in pass coverage. Willis looks like he is getting frustrated and trying to do too much for his struggling team.
Conversely....
Rams MLB Will Witherspoon vs. 49ers RB Frank Gore The 49ers will need to rely on Gore to carry their offense, and he will be responsible for the running game and giving Alex Smith (or Trent Dilfer) a chance in the passing game with good play-action potential. Gore was the man in the teams' Week 2 meeting, getting 20 carries and scoring twice as the 49ers held on to win, 17-16. Gore's tough inside running and ability to break tackles will hopefully give the 49ers a chance to get a balanced attack going this week. The Rams will play their attacking defense and will have to meet Gore in the hole and stop him before he gets into the secondary. Witherspoon is fast enough to match up with Gore, but Gore is substantially bigger and stronger than Reggie Bush is, so this will be a much bigger test.
Rams WR Torry Holt vs. 49ers CB Nate Clements Clements was signed away from Buffalo to be a shutdown corner, and he will challenge Holt in the passing game. Clements is good at taking away deep routes, but he will need to be prepared for plenty of quick-slant timing patterns to Holt.
Clements will not get any help against the crafty Holt because the 49ers will likely commit eight defenders to play against the run. Despite all the talk about his age, Holt has found a way to get open against the league's best corners, and he will do it again this week in spite of that "talk".
INJURY REPORT
49ers 11/7/07 - Alex Smith - QB - Shoulder - Not likely to play 11/15/07 - Aubrayo Franklin - DT - Calf - Out 4 weeks 9/20/07 - Manny Lawson - LB - Torn ACL - Out for season
Rams 11/7/07 - Richie Incognito - G - Knee IR 11/15/07 - Isaac Bruce - WR - Hamstring - Should play Week 11 11/13/07 - Aaron Walker - TE - Shoulder - IR 11/12/07 - Dante Hall - WR - Ankle - Did not play Week 10 11/12/07 - Brett Romberg - C - Ankle - Status uncertain 11/5/07 - Leonard Little - DE - Toe - Out for season 11/8/07 - Steven Jackson - RB - Groin - Should play 9/12/07 - Orlando Pace - T - Shoulder - Out for season
How does a club that struggled so mightily on defense improve itself for the 2007 season?
Well, if you are the St. Louis Rams, you add several pieces to your offense.
The Rams ranked next-to-last against the run last year while allowing the fifth-most points in the league. However, rather than add some ball stoppers to the club, second-year head coach Scott Linehan and the St. Louis front office decided they were just going to outscore everybody in the league.
That shouldn't be too hard with the likes of regulars Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson, Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, but just to be sure, the Rams brought in Drew Bennett, Dante Hall and Randy McMichael.
Add that to a solid offensive line and you get the greatest show on earth since Corey Haim and Corey Feldman took over television.
Of course, the Rams have some lost boys of their own on the defensive side of the ball. They did trade for defensive end James Hall and take defensive tackle Adam Carriker in the first round of the 2007 draft to strengthen the defense, but those acquisitions are hardly enough.
St. Louis is going to have to light up the scoreboard if they want to win the NFC West, and that won't be tough with Jackson in the backfield. The running back took over in St. Louis last year and the torch was symbolically passed this offseason when long-time Ram leader Marshall Faulk finally retired. Faulk's career was derailed by knee problems, and he was out the entire 2006 season due to surgery.
The Rams are sure to be fun to watch this year. However, it won't be because they are a pair of train-wrecked former actors trying to make a comeback.
No, it will be because the club is set to rip through other team's defenses like a well-tuned train of offense, a thunderous locomotive that may be stopping at the top of the NFC West.
Below we take a capsule look at the 2007 edition of the St. Louis Rams, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:
2006 RECORD: 8-8 (2nd, NFC West)
LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2004, lost to Atlanta, 47-17, in NFC Divisional Playoff
COACH (RECORD): Scott Linehan (8-8 in one season with Rams, 8-8 overall)
DEFENSIVE STAR: Leonard Little, DE (58 tackles, 13 sacks)
OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 17th rushing, 4th passing, 10th scoring
DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 31st rushing, 8th passing, 28th scoring
FIVE KEY GAMES: San Francisco (9/16), at Dallas (9/30), Seattle (11/25), Atlanta (12/2), at Arizona (12/30)
KEY ADDITIONS: RB Brian Leonard (2nd Round, Rutgers), RB Travis Minor (from Dolphins), WR Drew Bennett (from Titans), WR Dante Hall (from Chiefs), TE Randy McMichael (from Dolphins), DE James Hall (from Lions), DT Adam Carriker (1st Round, Nebraska), LB Chris Draft (from Panthers), CB Lenny Walls (from Chiefs), S Todd Johnson (from Bears), P Donnie Jones (from Dolphins)
KEY DEPARTURES: FB Paul Smith (to Broncos), WR Kevin Curtis (to Eagles), WR Shaun McDonald (to Lions), G Adam Timmerman (free agent), DE Brandon Green (to Seahawks), DT Jimmy Kennedy (to Broncos), LB Dexter Coakley (free agent), CB Travis Fisher (to Lions), P Matt Turk (to Texans) QB Ryan Fitzpatrik(to Bengals)
QB: Bulger returns under center for the Rams much happier after signing a six- year contract extension reportedly worth just more than $10 million per season that includes $26 million in guaranteed money. Bulger (4,301 passing yards, 24 TD, 8 INT) was outstanding last year, as his interceptions were way down while he completed 62.9 percent of his passes. His numbers were good for a 92.9 quarterback rating, one of the best in the NFC. Gus Frerotte will serve as Bulger's backup for the second straight season. He got into just one game with the Rams last year, completing a single pass for 27 yards.
RB: Outside of a certain talented back in San Diego, who was better than Jackson last year? The answer is nobody. Jackson was third in the NFC in rushing yardage while his rushing TD total was second in the conference. However, he also emerged as a receiving threat out of the backfield, hauling in 90 passes for an additional 806 yards and three touchdowns. Jackson showed an ability last year to turn a short play into a huge gain. Second-round draft pick Brian Leonard should slide into the backup role behind Jackson after being a fullback at Rutgers, meaning he could stay on the field and block from time to time. Travis Minor (74 rushing yards), signed as a free agent, will serve as the third back.
WR/TE: Little has changed at the top two receiving spots for the Rams, and that certainly is a good thing. Holt (93 receptions, 10 TD) went over 1,000 yards receiving for the seventh straight year in 2006, though his 1,188 yards last year was his lowest total in that span. Bruce (74 receptions, 3 TD) is still solid, but turns 35 this year and the Rams will need to start grooming a replacement. In the short term that will be free agent signee Bennett, who replaces the departed Kevin Curtis as the third receiver. Bennett (46 receptions, 3 TD with the Titans) is 29 and had 737 receiving yards in 2006. Hall (26 receptions, 2 TD with Kansas City) was acquired via trade from the Chiefs for special teams, but will also get time as the fourth receiver. The Rams brought in McMichael to improve their play in the red zone, and the 6- foot-3 tight end is happy to oblige after suffering through a drama-filled season in Miami last year. He made 62 catches for 640 yards, but found the end zone just three times. Joe Klopfenstein (20 receptions, 1 TD) will back up McMichael and hit the field in two tight end sets.
OL: The line did an excellent job of opening up room for Jackson last year, and that was with star tackle Orlando Pace out late in the season. Only a torn left triceps prevented Pace from making his eighth straight Pro Bowl, as a Week 10 injury prematurely ended his campaign. Alex Barron, meanwhile, had no problems staying healthy, playing in all 16 games, and will start again this year at right tackle. Richie Incognito also started 16 games last year, but at three different positions. He will play right guard to begin the season, while Mark Setterstrom will play left guard. Setterstrom came on strong after being inactive for the first nine games of his rookie campaign in 2006. Veteran Andy McCollum looks to have overtaken Brett Romberg for the starting center spot. Todd Steussie is the main backup at tackle, while Adam Goldberg, Claude Terrell and Drew Strojny round out the bench.
DL: After last year's performance, it comes as no surprise that the defensive line will feature two new faces. End James Hall (24 tackles, 5 sacks with the Lions) was acquired by trade to help take pressure off of left defensive end Leonard Little. Little (58 tackles, 13 sacks) was a disruptive force last season, forcing seven fumbles while tying for second in the conference in sacks. The trading of underachieving tackle Jimmy Kennedy to Denver opens up a spot for Carriker. He will play alongside 11-year veteran La'Roi Glover (38 tackles, 5.5 sacks), an excellent tutor. Glover will help Carriker transition from the end spot that he played in Nebraska. End Victor Adeyanju is a good run-stopper off the bench, while tackle Claude Wroten will try to contribute in his second year.
LB: Weakside linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa (36 tackles, 2 sacks) darts to the ball, but was ####ed up in 2007, while Will Witherspoon (113 tackles, 3 sacks) is a spark at the middle spot. Both are considered undersized, a reason the Rams struggled against the run a year ago. Brandon Chillar (56 tackles, 2 sacks) is adequate at the strong side LB, though the club signed former Panther Chris Draft (107 tackles, 5.5 sacks), who will bring versatility to the group while pushing Chillar for time. Tim McGarigle backs up Witherspoon, while Raonall Smith and Jon Alston can also play the outside.
DB: St. Louis' secondary leaves something to be desired. Cornerback Tye Hill (50 tackles, 3 INT) has speed and skill, but is limited by his 5-foot-10 frame. Fakhir Brown (66 tackles, 3 INT) isn't much bigger and will miss the club's first four games for violating the NFL Substance Abuse Policy. That will give backup corner Ron Bartell a chance to shine. Bartell (25 tackles, 3 INT) excelled in the nickel package last year. Lenny Walls was signed to serve as the other backup. Corey Chavous (86 tackles, 1 INT) brings a veteran presence to the secondary and he will play alongside free safety O.J. Atogwe (72 tackles, 3 INT), who is entering his third season in the NFL. Todd Johnson and Jerome Carter round out the bench.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Hall (22.8 kickoff return avg. 8.9 punt return avg.) was brought in to help the Rams in the field position battle. He will turn 29 this season and took only one punt back for a score last year, but is still a big threat to break one. Marques Hagans will help out returning kicks. The reliable Jeff Wilkins (32-37 FG) returns as the team's kicker, while punter Donnie Jones (42.8 avg.) replaces Matt Turk.
PROGNOSIS: No one will question the Rams on offense this year. The club should put up a lot of points and win over the hearts of fantasy football enthusiasts everywhere. Luckily for the Rams, there is no clear-cut favorite in the division and anything can happen in today's NFL. Bulger and Jackson will be at the forefront of a very scary offense. The Rams will win there division and go deep into the playoffs.
Of the NFL's eight divisions, perhaps the most balanced — and, thus, most difficult to predict — is the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks have prevailed the past three years, and yet some forecasters have picked them to finish last this season. I predicted them to finish last in this division six months ago.
Only two games separated the Seahawks (9-7), Rams (8-8) and 49ers (7-9) in 2006. The Cardinals wound up 5-11.
The Seahawks lost some key performers in the offseason and didn't pick up much.
They're depending on quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and running back Shaun Alexander to stay healthy, something they couldn't do in 2006.
The Rams, Arizona and San Francisco made significant, and sensible, roster additions, strengthening their personnel and giving them legitimate shots at dethroning the Seahawks. A run around the division:
RAMS For the defense — Two new starters on the defensive line, end James Hall and tackle Adam Carriker, provide hope that the most glaring weakness in '06 — defending the run — can be improved. New targets — Wideouts Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce both topped 1,000 receiving yards last year, and the Rams added WRs Drew Bennett and Dante Hall, plus prolific tight end Randy McMichael. $65 million man — Quarterback Marc Bulger received a six-year contract extension after putting together his best season. Bulger, a two-time Pro Bowler, has emerged as one of the league's most productive QBs. Second time around — A year ago, new coach Scott Linehan and his staff were feeling their way. Now, the faces are familiar and the systems are locked into place.
49ERS Money talks — Management doled out almost $40 million to land four new starters for a defense that ranked 26th overall last year. The Niners also drafted six defenders. More Gore — Actually, coach Mike Nolan wants his feature back, Frank Gore, to have fewer touches in 2007. But it'll be hard not to call on Gore, who rushed 312 times for 1,695 yards last year and caught 61 passes. On the rise — If 2005's No. 1 overall draft pick, quarterback Alex Smith, improves just half as much as he did from his rookie season to his second year, the offense will be formidable. Go deep — The 49ers gave Smith a hand by beefing up his corps of wideouts with the additions of Ashley Lelie and Darrell Jackson.
SEAHAWKS On the mend — QB Matt Hasselbeck suffered injuries to his right knee, left hand and left shoulder last year. He's healed, but the Seahawks are quietly concerned about lingering effects. On the run — Shaun Alexander is coming off a foot injury, which is always a concern for a running back. A healthy Alexander is one of the NFL's top ballcarriers. Just for kicks — Josh Brown is best in the clutch — he beat the Rams twice last year with late field goals. Young punter Ryan Plackemeier has one of the league's strongest legs. Pressure on — With their offensive standouts aging, the Seahawks need to get more out of a defense that has some individual standouts but underperformed in '06.
CARDINALS Futile franchise — Despite elevated expectations in recent years, the Cardinals have reached .500 only twice in 19 seasons since leaving St. Louis. Hurtin' already — Left tackle Oliver Ross and linebacker Chike Okeafor have suffered possible season-ending injuries. Ross' loss means that rookie Levi Brown probably will fill that all-important spot. Lighting the wick — New coach Ken Whisenhunt was Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator, so maybe he can ignite an offense that is long on potential but overall was just OK last year. Leader of the pack — Matt Leinart set a franchise record for rookie QBs by throwing for 2,547 yards in '06. That helped free up RB Edgerrin James for another 1,000-yard season.
Little theme music to set the mood:
