2007 St Louis Rams Preview

2007 St. Louis Rams preview from MadduxSports.com. Once the NFL season underway be sure to purchase Maddux's Expert NFL Picks. We have also have a live NFL lines page so all visitors can compare multiple odds from the best sportsbooks on the net.

Trying To Hang On
By Adam Barone

Since winning the Super Bowl in 1999, the St. Louis Rams have managed to keep themselves in contention in the NFC, and seem to be doing a suitable job of retooling before they fall to the point of rebuilding. They drafted Oregon State RB Steven Jackson in 2004 to replace an aging Marshall Faulk and haven't missed a beat in the backfield. Jackson, with 1528 yards last season and 13 TDs along with 90 catches for 806 yards and 3 TD, has made a name for himself as one of the NFL's top backs. He's an incredibly dependable bruiser with plenty of speed who is entirely capable of carrying an offense similar to the LTs and LJs of the league. The Rams are loaded with depth in the backfield at tailback and fullback, with Kay-Jay Harris, former Dolphin Travis Minor, and Stephen Davis behind Jackson, with recent draftee and hybrid runner/blocker Brian Leonard filling in at both positions as well as on special teams. Look for Leonard to prove to be a valuable addition to Mark Bulger's arsenal as a pass catcher out of the backfield. His versatility will draw tacklers away from Stephen Jackson's running lanes or give Jackson more room to make a catch of his own.

Marc Bulger and the passing game were very successful in 2006, as Bulger passed for 4301 yards with 24 TDs against only 8 picks. He still has “Greatest Show on Turf” catalysts Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, and former Titan Drew Bennett has been added as a free agent, along with another former Dolphin, Randy McMichael, who brings an upgrade at tight end. The Rams also acquired KR/WR Dante Hall from the Chiefs primarily as a kick returner, but he'll also see some time with the offense. With so many new weapons and Stephen Jackson a year older and more mature, the St. Louis offense could make a serious bid for the best in the NFC.

The defense's biggest weakness in 2006 was at defensive tackle, as the run defense finished 31st overall, better than just the Colts, which is certainly no accomplishment. To address the D tackle deficiency the Rams selected Adam Carriker out of Nebraska in the first round of April's draft. Carriker, 6'2/295 lbs., played end in college, but the Rams will have him gain about twenty pounds and move him to tackle. MLB Will Witherspoon and DE Leonard Little were the stars of the defense last season, Witherspoon piling up 113 tackles and Little making 13 sacks. The defense was the league's 23rd overall in 2006, and though the offense should be extremely difficult to stop, the Rams will have trouble adding Ws to their record if the D does not improve considerably.

2007 St. Louis Rams Predictions

The Rams were an 8-8 team last season, despite Mark Bulger's, and Stephen Jackson's big seasons. They've significantly improved their offense for 2007 by adding 3 targets for Marc Bulger, but if the run defense doesn't improve right away don't expect the Rams to improve to much more than 9-7. Incumbent defensive tackle La'Roi Glover is a year older and Adam Carriker is not only a rookie, but he's inexperienced at the defensive tackle position. Though there are no big names in the secondary, the Rams' pass defense was the 8th best overall in 2006 and will need to stay consistent. One of the more difficult teams to get a bearing on in terms of gambling and NFL picks and predictions, the Rams will need to play ball control on offense and not allow the opposition to do the same. Expect inconsistent results from St. Louis against the spread until they prove that their off-season changes have paid off.

If you enjoyed reading our St. Louis Rams preview read up on the rest of the NFC West division teams like the 49ers, Cardinals, and Seahawks team previews from Maddux Sports.

Related Pages:
Official Site
NFL Football Betting