BetUS $500 Match Bonus
Sign up for a new account with BetUS and deposit $500 or more to get a $500 match bonus!

$20 Free Play at Sportsbook.com
Your first bet is free when you open a new account at sportsbook.com!

2009 NFL Predictions: St. Louis Rams

Written August 21, 2009 by Nick Scarpa

rams-predictions-2009 New St. Louis Rams head coch Steve Spagnuolo’s hard-nosed approach will be welcomed by a St. Louis team that hit rock bottom last season going 2-14. The emphasis in the off-season was to put together a more physical team that is mentally tough, and Spagnuolo made some moves to steer the team in the right direction. The Rams are a rebuilding team however, that is too small and too injury prone. The coaching staff is also very unproven. Look for St. Louis to remain in the NFC West basement without enough playmakers on either side of the ball. Get ready to bet on the NFL this season with a $500 match bonus from BetUS. Just make a deposit of $500 or more in a new account and BetUS will add another $500 for you to bet with!

The Rams gameplan on offense is to have the power running game featuring Steven Jackson to set up the play-action pass for accurate QB Marc Bulger. Jackson has arguably the best combination of power, speed and pass-catching ability of any back in the NFL. Jackson could have a huge season with the addition of bulldozing FB Mike Karney. The problem for Jackson, and Bulger, is that they have been unable to stay on the field. A revamped O-Line that added some muscle should help. The big question on the O-Line is whether or not #1 draft pick Jason Smith can fill the vacancy left by Pro-Bowl left tackle Orlando Pace. The receiving corps is very green but has potential. TE Randy McMichael is a solid pass-catching end with speed and toughness over the middle. McMichael is an 8-year veteran that should be a stabilizing component for the young wideouts.

The Rams are undersized and will have problems improving on last season’s 31st ranked scoring defense. Spagnuolo plans to have an aggressive, attacking defense that disrupts plays. What Spagnuolo will find out is that the Rams personnel is not nearly of the same caliber that he had as the NY Giants defensive coordinator. St Louis will have 4 new starters, but none have the impact potential necessary to improve the leaks. Last season’s #2 overall draft pick DE Chris Long, has upside with his awesome athleticism, but is also a bit undersized. Free safety O.J Atogwe was the Rams best defensive player last season and will team with ascending SS James Butler who came with Spagnuolo from the Giants. The secondary has one decent cornerback in Ron Bartell and a bunch of fringe players competing for the other cornerback slot. The Rams special teams are among the top-10 best units in the NFL. St. Louis has two excellent legs in K Josh Brown and P Donnie Jones.

Get ready to beat the NFL odds each week with expert NFL picks from handicappers with a true track record of winning. When you need winning football picks there’s simply no better site than Betfirms.

If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:

No comments yet, but your thoughts are welcome!

Comments

Got something to say?