Fisher lays ground for exciting St. Louis Rams team by Mark Mayer of The Gaming Today

ST. LOUIS RAMS

Win total last 5 years: 19

LVH over/under wins (7½)

Clearly Las Vegas books believe the Rams will improve, but 8-8 seems a very tall order in a division with San Francisco, Seattle and an improved Arizona.

Jeff Fisher went 7-8-1 last year, which included an overtime win and tie against the division champion 49ers. That’s a lot better considering in three of the last five seasons the Rams won 2 games or less.

Fisher has certainly laid the groundwork for an exciting team, adding speed and explosiveness on offense that should be a cut above last year’s No. 23 rating in total offense and No. 25 in scoring.

We begin with the top pick, West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin. At 5-8, 174-lb, Austin was brought in to provide the home run threat along with his breakaway ability as a kickoff and punt returner. Austin is being compared to Percy Harvin, who opened up the Minnesota offense before taking his talents to Seattle.

The Rams lost their best receiver Danny Amendola to New England and franchise running back Steven Jackson to Atlanta, but did add tight end Jared Cook (Titans) and 4-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jake Long (Dolphins).

With Jackson gone, the franchise label falls upon quarterback Chad Bradford, who in season four is being expected to put up career high numbers. Management has been patient with Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner as a sophomore at Oklahoma. That said, a subpar season and he could be yesterday’s news in St. Louis.

There is the potential for the Rams to resurrect “the greatest show on turf” gang that won a Super Bowl with Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az Hakim and Rick Proehl. Bradford has Austin, Cook, rookie Steadman Bailey (also from West Virginia) and Chris Givens

However, there’s no Jackson and certainly no Marshall Faulk. It will be running game by committee until someone breaks through, but the position has depth.

Defensively the Rams were just outside the top 10, so it’s a strength. Robert Quinn and Chris Long combined for 22 sacks and middle linebacker James Laurinaitis is a stud.

The problem as mentioned at the top is living in the NFC West and having to play those three teams twice apiece. Then there’s the rest of the schedule that includes road games at Atlanta, Houston, Dallas and Indianapolis.

Fans probably won’t be happy with 8-8, but if the Rams get there look out in 2014.

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