St. Louis Rams 2007 Preview
Background: The Rams are one of the more vagabond teams in NFL history. It's not just that they've moved four times, but they have also been in four completely different markets - Cleveland, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and now St Louis. The Rams also have the NFL's first and only female owner, Georgia Frontiere.
Since arriving in St. Louis in 1995 and filling the void left when the Cardinals went to Arizona, the Rams have found their footing. The team has won a Super Bowl, gone to another, and been in the playoffs five times. Built around a big passing offense perfectly suited to their home field dome, the Rams have always been fun to watch.
Team Identity: The Rams are an old NFL team. They have many fans outside of St Louis that followed them when they were in SoCal. It doesn't hurt that St. Louis is a great sports town that always seems to support their teams.
We at Southern Pro Football didn't include them in our coverage last year because they seemed just outside of the Swampland footprint. However, they've been added this year because St. Louis is one of the great gateway cities in this country. Its history is very Southern.
The Rams work in St Louis because pro sports works in St Louis. However, it is our hope that some of St Louis will start to rub off on the Rams and give them a little more of that Mississippi River flavor.
We're bringing the Rams into the SPF fold with open arms. Let's see if they reciprocate.
2007 Storyline: The transition from Mike Martz to Scott Linehan was necessary and ultimately, very smooth. Last year's team finished just outside of the playoffs as younger stars stepped up (Steven Jackson), and the veteran core kept up the beat.
The Rams are the sleeper in the NFC West. This team should be wondering - why not us? This is a team that might sneak up on everyone.
Expectation Meter: The Rams are blessed with a strong fan base that is fairly satisfied. They play an indentifiable brand of football, and they do it well. Still, the city expects the team to compete and possibly win. They have one of the NFL's most underrated QBs in Marc Bulger, and the prime of his career shouldn't be wasted.
Right now, Linehan gets the benefit of being the anti-Martz. After listening to Vermeil cry and Martz scream, Linehan's stable personality was refreshing. However, he needs to keep winning to stay ahead of the boo birds.
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