OPPONENT: ST. LOUIS RAMS
Last year: 2-14, fourth in the NFC West.
Head coach: Steve Spagnuolo, first-year as an NFL head coach after working the previous two seasons as the Giants defensive coordinator and then eight years before that with the Eagles staff. Spagnuolo is the 25th head coach in Rams history and the fifth person to hold the position in this decade.
Last appearance in playoffs: 2004, when they finished 8-8 and beat Seattle 27-20 in the first-round of the playoffs before losing to Atlanta 47-17.
Starting quarterback: Marc Bulger has a broken pinkie on his right hand and it’s unlikely he will play against the Chiefs. Bulger has said he will be on the field for the regular season opener next weekend. Last year he threw 11 TD passes and 13 INTs, while being sacked 38 times.
Offensive Threats: These are no longer the Rams of the Vermeil-Martz Flying Circus or Greatest Show on Turf. Isaac Bruce is long gone, Torry Holt is gone, Marshall Faulk is almost eligible for the Hall of Fame and Kurt Warner is in Arizona. The power in the ‘09 Rams offense is RB Steven Jackson (above), not only as a runner but a receiver. Jackson went over 1,000 rushing yards last year and caught 40 passes for 379 yards.
Youngsters Laurent Robinson and Donnie Avery are working with the first team offense at wide receiver. Avery had 53 catches for 674 yards in his rookie season last year, but he’s coming off a broken foot.
Defensive Threats: The Rams defense has struggled in recent seasons and there are enough playmakers on that side of the ball. DE Leonard Little is in his 12th season; he had six sacks last year. The Rams No. 1 pick from last year DE Chris Long had the normal rookie struggles on the defensive line. The best player on this unit is FS Oshiomogho Atogwe, who finished last year with five interceptions.
Draft picks: No. 1 choice OT Jason Smith may break into the starting lineup at right tackle due to injuries on the line. Second-round LB James Laurinaitis out of Ohio State has already moved into the starting lineup in the middle. CB Bradley Fletcher, a third-round choice is getting a lot of playing time, as is fourth-round DT Darell Scott. Fifth-round WR Brooks Foster went to the injured reserve list this week with a foot injury.
Familiar names: former Chiefs assistant coach and scout Dick Curl is the assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach for Spagnuolo … rookie DE Ian Campbell out of K-State is trying to stick … Former Chiefs RB Sam Gado is hoping to make the roster, as is long-time Raiders receiver Ronald Curry … the backup QB right now is former Ravens starter Kyle Boller.
Let the game begin. I smell a Chiefs victory tomorrow night. It would almost be embarrasing to lose to the Rams. Although I’m sure they probably feel the same way losing to us.
I have a feeling that Todd Haley’s offense will be more exciting to watch than what we have grown accustomed to. Chiefs 24 Rams 10
jimbo what makes you think that, not trying to dog you buddy but whatd make you think that.
jimbo, why? Chan is gone and Haley will be calling plays but the OL is the same that got Cassel injured. The WR are the same, TE the same, and LJ and the backs the same. Did you by chance think Chan was hiding the offense from us? Still have no really good returners on Special teams. I hope you are correct and I got the tv all warmed up but do not hold out much hope for a victory until we play raiders or broncos.
Just reread the article, did anyone else notice how the StL draft picks are doing compared to us. Our Kicker is there and Jackson got Boone’s job but the rest seem like role players not playmakers. The StL draftees do not seem to need the 3 years many like to say it takes to learn ____position, correct Dorsey lovers?
First of all Kc Mutt Dorsey plays defensive line so it takes long for those guys to develop compared to receivers and o-lineman. SEcond Chris Long was the #2 pick the draft for the Rams and he’s not tearing it up either at defensive end. Not say he ’s not going to be good but it takes long for defensive lineman to develop.
I agree with Jimbo. The Rams don’t have an awful defense. Even worse offense then us especially minus Bulger. This is a win for KC and our offense should look good against a team that one just as many games as we did last year. And lets not forget the Rams defense are among the worst in the league. I don’t see how anyone disagreeing with Jimbo it only makes sense.
Correction I meant to say the Rams have an awful defense.
Let the game begin. I smell the stench of another Chiefs ‘Loss’ tomorrow night…it would almost be embarrassing to lose to the STL Rams- but then we will. I’m sure those Rams probably feel the same way losing to us- but they shouldn’t, they won’t.
I have a feeling that s offense will be even less exciting to watch than what we have grown accustomed to. Rams 198 chiefs 5/6 (or as an alternate score: STL 24 KC 13)
&
I figure the “scrubs” will play the better part of the game for both teams…so it’ll likely be a toss-up. Will the guys that won’t make their team be better than the guys that won’t make our team? Hard to say.
Seriously, though. Two of the top three worst teams in the league last year. But, I think both teams are now on the right track to success. It may take a little time…but I see winning franchises in the near future for both. And I wish the Rams well.
Chiefs offense is dismal so far this year. Reminds me of last year aka Chan Gailey offense.
We currently have an offensive coodinator from a almost world champion team, in our house. You think for one minute we are going to see the same safe play calling of Chan Gailey? I don’t think so. The Chiefs have many more plays available from what we have seen thus far. Granted, we don’t want to expose our treasure chest of formations & plays during preseason. Sometimes it is not the plays themselves, it is the way they are timed & implemented.
We have Haley taking the bull by the horns for the first time this year. Yeah, we still have an abundance of under achievers. Several 1st string players that possibly would be practice squad type players for the elite teams.
But, we are the KC Chiefs. Pioli & Haley don’t care how much money you make, your college pedigree or who your mama is. The Chiefs have historically recruited black athletes & small school misfits that the notorious blue bloods of the orignal NFL shunned prior to Lamar Hunt & the early days of the AFL.
Pioli & Haley understand this, smart, talented, tough players is all they are looking for. We are witnessing a dynasty in the making. Yeah it is going to be painful for a couple of years to watch our Chiefs. We always will want & expect more every game. But, it is, what it is.
If you ask me why I think the Chiefs will win tomorrow night. I’ll tell you. The misfits, the coaches & us fans we have had enough this preseason losing crap & we are’nt going to take it anymore. The Rams are going down & we will have a whole lot more fun & positive things to talk about tomorrow night.
I know this is no scientific analysis of why we will win. But, Damnit we just are. So there…
Go Chiefs…
Who said this:
“We are witnessing a dynasty in the making.”
- and this –
“we don’t want to expose our treasure chest of formations & plays during preseason.”
a) a moron
b) Obuma’s press secretary
c) a moron
d) Dem party before the healthcare vote
e) a moron
f) a paid spokesperson/comedian
g) a moron
g) some of the above
h) all of the above
i) caramba, God above help us all
daddy-o
I smell like dirty farts.
Crappy-O
jimbo said
“Let the game begin. I smell a Chiefs victory tomorrow night. It would almost be embarrasing to lose to the Rams. I have a feeling that Todd Haley’s offense will be more exciting to watch than what we have grown accustomed to. Chiefs 24 Rams 10″
- Rin says – Right, ‘check’
- ah, ah, ah-hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
&
FINAL SCORE – The ‘POWERFUL’ LAMBS 17
& his dirty farts Chiefs 9
heh heh heh!
daddy-o