ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: To beat Dallas, Rams will have to defy odds

Golly, are any puke fans actually worried about the Rams? This should be a very easy win for the pukes.

By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/rams/story/0DD35826D881170886257365001C529B?OpenDocument

Sunday, Sep. 30 2007

IRVING, TEXAS — Long before the injuries hit, the suspensions started and the offense sputtered, most observers looked at the Rams' 2007 schedule and put an"L" next to Sept. 30 at Dallas.

As in loss. And that was before anyone knew the Cowboys would start 3-0 for thefirst time since 1999. That their offense would be scoring points at a

"Greatest Show on Turf" pace. That their defense would play better than

expected.

Take into account all of that, and it's almost impossible to see the winless

Rams (0-3) coming out of Texas Stadium with a victory Sunday.

"As a defender, these are the kinds of games you play for," linebacker Pisa

Tinoisamoa said. "No one thinks we can win. It's kind of like one of those

movies where you're like: 'All right, nobody thinks we can win. What are we

going to do? Are we just going to buy into what everyone thinks? Or are we

going to go ahead and show them what we think? Which is the opposite.'"

Make no mistake, the oddsmakers definitely don't think the Rams will win. They have installed the Rams as 13-point underdogs. According to official Las Vegas point-spread records, the Rams haven't been that big of an underdog since before the 1999 Super Bowl championship season.

In the NFL this season, only New England in Week 3 — a 16½-point favorite over Buffalo — has been more heavily favored than the Cowboys over the Rams.

"We know that we're heavy underdogs, and we're using that for motivation to go in there and give a great effort," coach Scott Linehan said. "We expect to go down there and be successful."

Easier said than done. In Dallas, wide receiver Terrell Owens is happy.

Quarterback Tony Romo sits to pee is hot. Running back Marion Barber has been a monster.And the offensive line is big and nasty. The Cowboys already have scored 116 points. Only the 2000 Rams (with 119 points) have scored more in their first three games since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

"They have a very good offense, no question about it," said defensive tackle

La'Roi Glover, a former Cowboy. "The scheme is good, the players are good,

they're rolling right now. It'll be a heck of a challenge for us, if not the

biggest challenge (of the season)."

Believe it or not, the game pits the NFC's No. 1 offense (Dallas) against the

NFC's No. 1 defense (St. Louis). That's right. The Rams have the NFC's

top-rated team in total defense, which ranks teams according to yards allowed.

"Didn't know that," defensive end Leonard Little said. "Right now this team is

just worried about winning our first game."

And finishing games. That was the mantra all week long at Rams Park,

particularly among the defensive players.

"We've just got to finish," Little said. "I mean, it's a game of four quarters.

Not three. Not 3½. But four quarters. We've played well for three quarters in

our first three games of the year. In the fourth quarter, we seem to fall

apart."

The Rams have been outscored 51-9 in the second half this season, and 30-6 in the fourth quarter. The fourth-quarter woes were particularly evident against Carolina and Tampa Bay, with both teams pounding away at the Rams on the ground down the stretch. The Panthers gained 72 yards on 16 carries in the fourth quarter. In Tampa, the Buccaneers rushed for 101 yards on 15 carries in the fourth quarter.

Are there letdowns? Is the defense pressing to make something happen late in

games?

"Who knows?" Glover said. "I don't know if there's one or two or three things

you can put your finger on. But from today forward, we're looking for

solutions."

Solving Dallas won't be easy, because the Cowboys have been excellent

finishers. The Cowboys have scored 48 points in the fourth quarter alone, more than seven NFL teams — Rams included — have scored all season.

Against Miami, the Cowboys rushed for 96 yards on 14 carries in the fourth

quarter. Against Chicago, the Cowboys rushed for 92 yards on 13 carries in the final quarter.

With only two touchdowns all season, the Rams' offense must try to keep up with Dallas, despite missing three offensive line starters to injury, plus running

back Steven Jackson (groin).

In addition, the Rams will be facing a 3-4 defensive front similar to the one

they struggled with against San Francisco.

So there's no easy way out of their winless ways for the Rams.

"I've thought a lot the last Monday, Tuesday, what can we do better?"

quarterback Marc Bulger said. "We're losing these guys. We lost Steven now. But they're all excuses. And losers make excuses. Our head coach isn't a loser.

"All I can do as a player is control what I do. I can't worry about who's

playing. Who's practicing. Who's out. ... I can just control what I do. And I

think as long as everyone on the team does that, then we'll start winning

games."

I don't like it when tr1 is posting articles like this. Bottom line is this is the NFL. Every team has professionals who are capable of playing well on any given Sunday. We just need to come out and handle business. If we have any hopes of being a contender this season. This is a MUST win.

I don't like it when tr1 is posting articles like this. Bottom line is this is the NFL. Every team has professionals who are capable of playing well on any given Sunday. We just need to come out and handle business. If we have any hopes of being a contender this season. This is a MUST win.

This one is a gimmie, don't sweat it.

This one is a gimmie, don't sweat it.

No game is a gimme win.

If we win, it's expected. We lose the sky is falling.

We better play well.

No game is a gimme win.

If we win, it's expected. We lose the sky is falling.

We better play well.

I can't see how the pukes lose this one...no way...

I can't see how the pukes lose this one...no way...

Plenty of ways. We have had the leisure to play late games thus far. This is a 12 o'clock kick off. So we have to get going early. No Davis, Brown and an injured Carp hurts our Special Teams. So Dante Hall could have a BIG return day against us.

Plenty of ways. We have had the leisure to play late games thus far. This is a 12 o'clock kick off. So we have to get going early. No Davis, Brown and an injured Carp hurts our Special Teams. So Dante Hall could have a BIG return day against us.

Darn-beat me to it. Yeah-this is what scares me too, not having these guys. Hopefully, our backups can step up, but it's going to be awefully interesting nonetheless.

I'm not taking the Rams lightly either-coming off a very physical and emotional game on national tv last week, the Rams are hungry to get their first win.

this game makes me very nervous.. an early turnover, a long kick return, before you know it the rams think they can win this and get confidence..

This is a lock! Trust me, last time I felt this way the Giants were coming into FedEx 0-2 and playing awful!

They will have to beat the odds and break Romo sits to pee's leg and arm

Go RAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go RAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I second that. If the Rams win I will run across my college campus naked singing Hail to the Redskins.

Try and set yourself up all you want tr.

Not one Dallas player or fan is taking this game lightly.

It's going to be a tough game. Just like they all are.

Win by 1 or win by 100, it matters not.

I just want the win. Not really concerned how we get it at this point.

Thats for Monday morning.

I can't see how the pukes lose this one...no way...

The same ways many other bigger underdogs have won these types of games.

No game is a gimme win.

If we win, it's expected. We lose the sky is falling.

We better play well.

Well this one is , this is a clear gimmie wel all know it

Well this one is , this is a clear gimmie wel all know it

In all fairness that is what we thought about the Giants

I'm thinking 42-17 Dallas.

In all fairness that is what we thought about the Giants

Its not what I thought about the Giants , only people who thought the Giants was a gimmie were the crazy fans lol , the Skins' really aren't that good right now and our wins are grind out ugly wins right now =p .... this game is way different , I would love to be wrong but come on the rams sucked with Jackson and Pace ... lol

I'm thinking 42-17 Dallas.

I agree , 42-17 looks about like a perfect prediction