SI says to Rams fans: curb your enthusiasm
Sports Illustrated’s NFL Preview hits the stands tomorrow, and Rams fans are not likely to be too happy when it does. Thanks to Ben Kaplan at SI, I got a sneak preview of their look at the NFC West. What does their magic 8 ball say for the Rams? Outlook not so good.

This philosophy — that the running game would have to take the focus of the defense away from the passer — was an obvious failure last season. Then, the Rams were trying to protect a fragile specimen in Marc Bulger, and they were attempting to take pressure off their young corps of wide receivers. But defenses found it easy to stack 8 and 9 in the box, force obvious passing downs and easy penalties, then pin their ears back and get after the QB. The result was a Pro Bowl year for Jackson, and a seat on the trainer’s table for him and nearly everyone else.
Now the Rams find themselves with arguably the most fragile and precious commodity — the rookie franchise quarterback — and their workhorse a year older, and if anything a receiving corps even more dependent on its young players. And that doesn’t bode well, says Trotter:
This thinking led to a prediction of a 3-13 finish for the Rams, good for a distant fourth place in a division that Peter King sees being otherwise quite close — he has the Seahawks (?), 49ers and Cardinals separated by a single game in the standings (but none finishing above .500).
However, I think there are significant reasons that Rams fans can differ with this outlook.
Tags: Danny Amendola, Donnie Avery, Jim Trotter, Peter King, Sam Bradford, Steven Jackson



















Every now and again I get to post a legitimately “nice” item. You know, something other than 



