Week 8: I rarely play the NFL...but St. Louis getting 9 points?!

Aztec4Life

Montezuma Mesa Survivor
Is this a sucker bet? St. Louis can score points on anybody, and the offense seems to have found it's rhythm the past few weeks (despite a poor 2nd Half against my Seahawks in Week 6). Chargers had a tough loss on the road last week, and they may lose Merriman this week since he's been plunging the juice.

Anybody else liking the Rams +9?...
 
Against a SD defense that was just made to look like fools..
I am gonna look into this this week. When I first looked at it I was going to jump all over the chargers big. Still a couple of days before bets go in.. Will do some research..
GL Aztec
 
I like St. Louis too. The Chargers not only lost Merriman, but also Shaun Phillips (Foley's replacement) who is out 4-6 weeks with a calf injury. These two were instrumental in San Diego's success this far running their 3-4 defense!
 
With Merriman & Phillips out, Jackson could have a solid game and in turn, keep Tomlinson and Co. off the field. I just think 9 points is alot for a competitive team like the Rams. SD isn't exactly a passing juggernaut, and that seems to be the Rams greatest weakness (pass defense). The question is, how will St. Louis's rush defense do against LT?...
 
Also...St. Louis has had 2 weeks to prepare for SD.

Now some trends...

The Rams are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.

Since 2000, the Rams are 2-0 SU against the Chargers.

The Rams are 6-12 ATS in their last 18 games on the road.
 
ST LOUIS
CB Fakhir Brown (Ankle) missed last game, "?". - 10/15
FB Paul Smith (Eye) is expected to miss at least 3 more weeks. - 10/5
C Andy McCollum (Knee) will miss the rest of the season. - 9/11
OG Claude Terrell (Wrist) IR - 8/28
RB Marshall Faulk (Knee) IR - 7/28

SAN DIEGO

OT Marcus McNeill (Hand) injured last game, "?". - 10/17
OT Shane Olivea (Knee) injured last game, upgraded to probable. - 10/17
OT Roman Oben (Foot) is expected to come off PUP list, "?". - 10/16
OG Leander Jordan (Neck) IR - 10/10
FS Bhawoh Jue (Knee) is expected to miss 2 weeks. - 9/28
LB Steve Foley (Leg) placed on the non-football IR. - 9/4
KR Darren Sproles (Tibia) IR - 8/15
 
Rams Notebook: Full roster available for Sunday
By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Tuesday, Oct. 24 2006

As the NFL season progresses, teams' injury reports tend to grow. "Everybody's
kind of going through that middle-of-the-season injury bug," Rams coach Scott
Linehan noted. "That's why the bye, when you get it, you hopefully can take
advantage of it and try to get as healthy as possible."

That appears to be the case for the Rams. Barring any problems at practice this
week, they should go into Sunday's game at San Diego with all hands on deck.
First-team cornerback Fakhir Brown, out for two games with a sprained right
ankle, "didn't miss one rep" Monday, Linehan reported, in the team's first
practice since Wednesday.

Also, Madison Hedgecock practiced with a cast on his surgically repaired right
thumb, which he broke Oct. 15 against Seattle. And fellow fullback Paul Smith
is expected back Wednesday after missing two games because of fractures and
muscle damage near his left eye.

Linehan said Brown probably would start at right cornerback vs. the Chargers.
"As long as he's able to go full speed, I don't see any reason why that
wouldn't be the case," Linehan said. "But we're going to have to see how he
feels Wednesday and Thursday."

Brown was hurt Sept. 24 at Arizona. He played the following week against
Detroit, "and that made it worse," he said. The pain spread to his heel. "It
really wasn't like it was a big sprain," Brown said. "But playing corner, you
can't be out there limping."

Incognito's challenge

Fledgling center Richie Incognito figures to encounter his stiffest test to
date when he goes against San Diego's Jamal Williams, a 6-foot-3, 348-pound Pro
Bowl nose tackle.

"He's a game-wrecker," Incognito said. "Every game I've watched him, he's just
a great ballplayer. It's going to be a challenge."

Incognito, 6-3 and 305, was the Rams' starting left guard in the season opener
against Denver. He shifted to center when veteran Andy McCollum suffered a
season-ending knee injury vs. the Broncos.

Williams anchors the Chargers' 3-4 defense, which is yielding just 241.2 yards
per game, the best average in the NFL. But the Chargers apparently will be
without two key cogs on that unit, end Igor Olshansky (knee) and linebacker
Shawne Merriman (suspension).

Learning a position he'd never played in a game, even in college at Nebraska,
is "an ongoing thing," Incognito said. "It's tough, because I wasn't (at
center) in training camp and I wasn't preparing for all the defenses. Every
week we get a new look from some other team, so it's kind of like getting
acquainted each week."

The biggest difference between guard and center is the amount of space in which
to work. At center, "I've got a guy right head up over me," Incognito
explained. "At guard, you can get two or three steps in before you make
contact."

Family time

Linehan spent his free Sunday watching football, but not NFL games. Instead, he
watched two of his sons — 11-year-old Matt and 10-year-old Michael — with their
little league teams in Chesterfield.

"It's something I don't get to do very often," Linehan said. "It was a lot of
fun for me."

Ram-blings

The Rams will resume their normal schedule with a day off today before resuming
practice Wednesday. . . . During the bye, Rams running back Steven Jackson
(745) fell to No. 2 in the league in yards from scrimmage behind Philadelphia
back Brian Westbrook (795). Westbrook, though, has played in seven games to
Jackson's six.
 
I can't believe the line went up to +9.5 at plus money, that's a shame we didn't wait. Thought it would skyrocket down.
 
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