Fantasy Football Deeper Sleeper Alert for Week 6: Torry Holt

It dawned on me a couple of days ago while going through the Week 6 schedule that we have a very underrated reunion story taking place this week. Unfortunately, it is during one of the least compelling and meaningful games on the schedule from a “real” standpoint.

I am speaking, of course, about Torry Holt, one of the greatest players in Rams history, who will be hosting his former team this weekend as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Even though it is not a game getting much attention, that doesn’t mean the game won’t be very meaningful from a fantasy standpoint.

In fact, quite the contrary. When the Jaguars and Rams meet up this weekend, with their two combined victories and zero percent chances to make the playoffs, I propose that the events could dictate the outcome of many a fantasy matchup this week. Why?

23rd and 30th.

Those are the overall defensive ranks of the Rams and Jags, respectively.

Which brings me to Torry Holt as a sleeper selection for your Week 6 lineups.

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Friday Morning Would…You Start Glen Coffee or Steve Slaton in Week 4?

[Editor's Note: Welcome to MSF's new Morning Would series. This will be a regular feature here on the site where I basically have carte blanche to write about anything I want to. (And this differs from every other post...how?)

Primarily, I will be taking advantage of this feature on mornings like today, when there are no obvious hot button topics to tackle nor other weekly features to post, and I feel like invoking a clever, slightly crass pun while also providing useful info. Enjoy.]

In today’s edition of Morning Would, I am going to expound upon an answer I gave in the comments section of this week’s fantasy football Start Em, Sit Em post.

A reader asked whether I would start Glen Coffee or Steve Slaton at running back, and something tells me other people may have this very same decision to make this week at their #2 RB slot, or own one of these two players and are wondering what to expect in Week 4.

My answer is that I like both of them this week, but that I would start Steve Slaton, and here’s why:

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Rams-Packers Preview: St. Louis Looking to Pull Off Upset of Green Bay in Home Opener

The St. Louis Rams host the Green Bay Packers Sunday in their home opener. The Rams are winless through two weeks, losing 28-0 to Seattle, and 9-7 to Washington. The Packers are 1-1 following a 21-15 win over Chicago, and a 31-24 loss to Cincinnati.

Here is the TV and odds info for this weekend’s game:

• Packers-Rams Date: Sunday, September 27th
• Packers-Rams Time: 1:00 ET
• Packers-Rams TV Network: FOX
• Packers-Rams Announcers: Chris Myers and Trent Green
• Packers-Rams Point Spread: Packers -6.5
• Packers-Rams Over-Under: 41

There may be more Packers fans at the Edward Jones Dome than Rams fans with thousands of Packers faithful traveling to see their team. Couple that with disappointed Rams season ticket holders selling their seats, and you’ve got another version of “Lambeau South,” as the Dome was referred to two years ago when Green Bay came to town and left with a lopsided victory.

If the Rams expect to stay close and have a chance to win at the end, they must do these three things.

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NFL Week 1 Afternoon Game Previews: 49ers-Cardinals, Rams-Seahawks, Giants-Redskins

[Editor's note: Matt Noonan of NoonTime Sports, who recently offered up his 2009 predictions for each division, has checked in with previews of the three afternoon games scheduled for the first Sunday of the 2009 NFL season.

Read his previews and predictions below, and get all of the information you need to schedule for your football watching Sunday with our NFL Week 1 TV Schedule and Point Spreads post.]

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Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on all NFL tickets for the 2009 season.

And if you’re planning on making any bets, head on over to BetOnline to place your Week 1 wagers.

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Washington Redskins at New York Giants Preview and Prediction

• Redskins-Giants Date: Sunday, September 13th
• Redskins-Giants TV & Kickoff Time: 4:15 ET on FOX
• Redskins-Giants Location: Giants Stadium in New York
• Redskins-Giants Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Redskins-Giants Point Spread: NYG -6.5
• Redskins-Giants Over-Under: 37

Look for a true physical contest as both of these teams hope to start the season on the right foot.

For the New York Giants, a team that many experts believe should be the top dog in this particular division, they need to get out to an early lead and protect Eli Manning from the grueling Redskins defense. Brandon Jacobs should get a majority of the carries, probably between 20-25. But who will be Manning’s go-to target now that Plaxico Burress will not be sporting the blue and white on Sunday’s? Possibly Domenik Hixon or Steve Smith? Any suggestions?

On the other side of the ball, Jason Campbell carries not only this game, but also the entire season on his shoulders. Don’t expect anything too exciting from aging veteran running back Clinton Portis in this contest, but clearly make sure to watch for newly acquired defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, as well as linebackers Brian Orakpo and London Fletcher.

Washington has and will always be a team that looks like they belong in the Pro Bowl, but in order to win this contest they need to pressure Manning and establish an equal running and air attack.

Prediction: Giants 24 – Redskins 16

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals Preview and Prediction

• 49ers-Cardinals Date: Sunday, September 13th
• 49ers-Cardinals TV & Kickoff Time: 4:15 ET on FOX
• 49ers-Cardinals Location: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale
• 49ers-Cardinals Announcers: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• 49ers-Cardinals Point Spread: ARI -6.5
• 49ers-Cardinals Over-Under: 46.5

Who would have imagined Arizona was going to be the representative of the NFC in Super Bowl XLIII? Yet, after a crushing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cardinals are energized and ready to defend their NFC crown. However, in the past, these meetings against the 49ers haven’t always been a cakewalk for the birds in the desert.

Take a look at the past few divisional meetings in Arizona between these teams:

2008: Arizona 29 – San Francisco 24

2007: Arizona 31 – San Francisco 37

2006: Arizona 34 – San Francisco 27

2005: Arizona 31 – San Francisco 14

2004: Arizona 28 – San Francisco 31

2003: Arizona 16 – San Francisco 13

2002: Arizona 14 – San Francisco 17

In the end I expect Kurt Warner to have a field day against Mike Singletary’s defense. Expect a great game for the Cardinals’ wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston.

As for the 49ers, just expect a solid running attack with Frank Gore.

Overall, this game surely belongs to the Cardinals, but who really knows what will happen once the final whistle blows.

Prediction: Cardinals 31 – 49ers 26

St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks Preview and Prediction

• Rams-Seahawks Date: Sunday, September 13th
• Rams-Seahawks TV & Kickoff Time: 4:15 ET on FOX
• Rams-Seahawks Location: Qwest Field in Seattle
• Rams-Seahawks Announcers: Ron Pitts and John Lynch
• Rams-Seahawks Point Spread: SEA -8
• Rams-Seahawks Over-Under: 41

The return of Jim Mora Jr. and Steve Spagnuolo’s debut has a head coach… hmm… may have to side with Mora in this contest.

The Seahawks are coming off an awful 2008 season, as are the Rams. The last time the Seahawks ended the season with 4 wins was in 1982, but this year look for a rejuvenated and healthy Matt Hasselbeck to lead an exciting offensive unit that features newly acquired running back Edgerrin James and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

As for the Rams, this season and game are all about playing for pride, but also starting to improve their offense and defense for the future. Spagnuolo should turn this team around, slowly, but this game will just be a beginning in the journey of turning the Rams from a basement squad to the Greatest Team on Turf-Part II.

Prediction: Seahawks 24 – Rams 10

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St. Louis Rams Majority Ownership For Sale and Leaving St. Louis Is A Possibility

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Rams majority owners Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez are looking for buyers for the team. This is not much of a surprise since they have been open to offers after inheriting the team after their mother and long time owner Georgia Frontiere died in January of 2008. And as the columnist Bernie Miklasz reported, Goldman Sachs (one of the strongest financial companies even during Wall Street’s sour months and best last name ever) is now leading the charge to find the highest bidder.

I checked my checking account this morning and I am a wee bit short of their last Forbes value report ($979 million). But the thing about finding the best offer to buy the 60 percent majority from Rosenbloom and Rodriguez is that keeping the team in St. Louis is no longer a priority. It was priority when Rosenbloom himself first floated the “open to offers” idea to only St. Louis based investors. But G-Sachs nullifies that because “IT’S ALL ABOUT MONEY! GOD DAMN MONEY!” as coach Pete Bell said in Blue Chips.

I have been a fan of the Rams since they were in Los Angeles and now in St. Louis, so I don’t really care if they move cities. As long as they don’t move to a random place that I hate (i.e. Ann Arbor, Chicago’s yuppie North side, Celebration Florida, or any where in Tennessee) while changing the team nickname and colors. I mean how could I even convince myself to still be a fan at that point? If I could get someone at G-Sachs to invest my checking account in the stock market and multiply it by 979 million, I would choose LA (yes, I‘m a double stack and frosty away from an overdraft fee). This also got me thinking what random possibilities are there?

Los Angeles Rams – This is the best-case scenario if you ask me. I know LA isn’t “random” but a Hollywood big wig buying the team majority would be. Imagine Jack Nicholson owning the team and living out of a tinted window luxury box. A sex tape would surely surface on the Internet and on DVD before Week 3 and he could get his return on the investment before week 17. “Viagra Stadium” would also help his investment and help the possibilities of said sex tape. Yes, I would still be a fan if they changed their name to the L.A. 4-Hour Boners. There are some hilarious possibilities of things to give out to the first 10,000 fans at the door, but lets move on.

London Rams – The NFL has leaked interest in putting a team over seas and scheduling the one game a year there has added to this interest. That would definitely open the door to Simon Cowell being owner/head coach. The pro is the funniest post-game tirades since Jim Mora got the boot from Indianapolis. The con is the nightmare that Ryan Seacrest would be saturating himself into NFL Sundays. Never mind, Fox already did that. The con would actually be Amy Winehouse would shag the whole team. This would birth the most herpes infested locker room ever and make the Cleveland Browns staph infection problem look healthy.

North Chicago Lovable Losers – This is the worst-case scenario and I would NOT be a fan. Though Carlos Zambrano could be an awesome Ray Lewis style LB with that “mean streak” everyone talks about. If the team were made up of all Cubs players they would have to forfeit all their games coinciding with baseball season but at least it would be guaranteed they could start their season before October. With an early bye week they would only start 0-3 at the very worst. Playing on Wrigley Field would save the owner money; it would be reason number 4,807 why I would adopt a new favorite NFL team, and one more reason for the yuppies to get hammered drunk on the rooftops.

Las Vegas Rams – The NFL could steal the NBA’s random idea to put a team in Vegas, baby, so why not? How slutty hot would the cheerleaders be? The field goal uprights would save money on stripper poles for them right? So many questions would be answered week one at halftime and depending on your personal interests, the entertainment would never get old. And never get televised for that matter. I could see horse track style betting vendors outside the stadium making it the best place to tailgate in the NFL…EVER. Our very own BetOnline writer could sponsor the stadium as well. Not that Las Vegas needs any help but this would add another great attraction to the city. I myself would like to see the Reno 911! actors serve as stadium security, in character. The over under on them accidentally shooting a fan, player, or themselves during a game would be the second home game. I say under.

Obviously at this point the Rams moving out of St. Louis is a larger possibility than them staying or else a St. Louis investor (Budweiser) would have already made a significant offer. But maybe this will bring them to the table now that there is no longer the stipulation that a buyer needs to keep the team in town. Either way, I like the possible scenarios. Except the North Chicago scenario of course.

Will a Cardinals Victory in Super Bowl 43 Make Kurt Warner a Hall of Famer?

As we approach Super Bowl 43, and the third appearance in the Big Game for Arizona QB Kurt Warner, the Hall of Fame credentials of Warner have become a hot topic of debate.

Warner’s career as a starter began in 1999, when he quarterbacked “The Greatest Show on Turf” in St. Louis to the Super Bowl crown. Along the way that season he racked up 4,353 yards, 41 TDs, and both an NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP trophy. In many ways, considering the complete obscurity from which Warner came, it is one of the great single-season performances by an individual in not just NFL history, but in sports history.

In 2001, Warner brought the Rams to another Super Bowl (which they lost to New England) and won his second regular season MVP Award. He was not as dominant, throwing “only” 36 TDs against 22 INTs, but he set a personal record with 4,830 passing yards and still finished with a passer rating over 100 (101.4).

The next five years, however, were lost years for Warner. He battled injuries and ineffectiveness as he bounced from St. Louis to an infamously bad one year in New York and then to Arizona in 2005. While he was never truly terrible (Warner has never had a passer rating below 85.8 in any season in which he has started 10 or more games), Warner fell sharply off the radar screen from his days as the MVP in St. Louis.

This season, however, Kurt Warner has rocketed back to prominence. His regular season numbers were outstanding: 4,583 yards, a completion percentage of 67.1%, 30 TDs, and a passer rating of 96.9. And don’t give me the whole “well he has Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin” argument. Joe Montana had Jerry Rice, Roger Craig, and John Taylor, plus Bill Walsh crafting the offense; and I don’t hear that argument when people extol the greatness of Montana.

Warner’s true greatness, however, can best be viewed through his performance in the 10 biggest games in which he has played: the playoffs. Heading into Super Bowl 43, Warner has a career playoff passer rating of 97.3. This is good for second all-time as the immortal Bart Starr has a rating of 104.8. Joe Montana is third with a rating of 95.6. Additionally, Warner has a 9-1 record as a QB in the playoffs, with his only loss thus far coming to the Patriots in Super Bowl 36. Of all quarterbacks with 10 or more playoff starts, Warner’s winning percentage is the highest.

Sunday night, Kurt Warner can further bolster his Hall of Fame resume. Not only does Warner have a chance to join Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, and Tom Brady as the only two-time Super Bowl MVPs – Montana actually won it three times – but there is a significant Super Bowl record within Warner’s reach:

Kurt Warner needs 364 passing yards to break Joe Montana’s record of 1,142 career passing yards in the Super Bowl, which Montana accumulated in four games. Incidentally, 364 yards would be Kurt Warner’s lowest total in a Super Bowl as he threw for 414 and 365 yards in his previous Super Bowl appearances (good for 1st and 2nd on the single-game Super Bowl record list).

So let’s be hypothetical for a moment, and let’s say the Cardinals and Kurt Warner overcome the odds (literally, as Pittsburgh is a 7-point favorite) to win the Super Bowl and Warner is named MVP. This would be Kurt Warner’s Hall of Fame resume:

• 10-1 record in the postseason (best playoff winning percentage ever)
• 2-time NFL MVP
• 2-time Super Bowl MVP
• Only QB to be named Super Bowl MVP for two different teams
• Second-highest career completion percentage
• Highest career average passing yards per game
• Second-highest career playoff passer rating
• Most career yards in Super Bowl (you have to assume he’ll be throwing for a lot of yards if the Cardinals are to win)
• Intangible: the greatest rags-to-riches story in NFL history

Do the cumulative numbers stack up against the greatest QBs in NFL history? No, and they never will. Kurt Warner is already 37 years old and has maybe a couple more seasons left in him. He can move up the charts for wins, passing yards, TDs, etc., but his career numbers will never stack up against the greats.

What Warner will possess, if the Cardinals win and he plays great, is one of the greatest playoff and Super Bowl resumes of any player in NFL history. With as much emphasis as is placed on getting a Super Bowl ring and coming up big in clutch spots, Warner’s playoff resume will give him a tremendous boost when his name is called for HOF voting. Additionally, Warner will have done what no one thought possible: deliver a Super Bowl championship to the long-suffering Cardinals franchise.

If the Cardinals lose, even if Warner plays amazing, his candidacy will take a huge hit. Despite the two NFL MVP awards, Warner simply does not have a substantial enough regular season career to merit Hall consideration. He needs the incredible quality of his playoff resume to compensate for the fact that he has really only had 3 spectacular regular seasons. A 1-2 Super Bowl record and only one Super Bowl MVP award is a significant step back from a 2-1 Super Bowl record and two Super Bowl MVP awards. The rarified air that another Super Bowl win would place him in immediately vaults him into serious Hall of Fame consideration.

Kurt Warner would go into the Hall of Fame as one of the best playoff QBs of all-time – a player who was at his best on the grandest stage when his team needed him the most. His Hall of Fame candidacy will be built upon this clutch dominance. To merit legitimate Hall of Fame consideration, Kurt Warner needs to lead the Arizona Cardinals to a Super Bowl title on Sunday.

If he does, at least in my book, Kurt Warner will make himself a Hall of Famer.

What do you think?

Is Kurt Warner a Hall of Famer?

• Yes -- even if the Cardinals lose Super Bowl 43
• Yes -- but the Cardinals must win Super Bowl 43
• No
• Yes -- but the Cardinals must win Super Bowl 43 and Warner must be the MVP

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And, for the record, Jason Whitlock has a post today covering the same subject. He thinks even the question is “ridiculous”. If Namath is in the HOF, says Whitlock, then Warner has to be. And with a win Sunday, Whitlock places Warner among the top 10 QBs of all-time.

Steve Spagnuolo Bringing Dick Curl With Him to St. Louis as the Sports World Giggles

I am taking a quick moment out of my busy work day to be completely juvenile and sophomoric. Get ready to giggle, if you aren’t already from the headline of this post.

ProFootballTalk is reporting that Steve Spagnuolo has added a few names to his coaching staff, and one of them has to make the Sports Name Hall of Fame: Dick Curl.

Dick Curl will be the assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach for the Rams’ new regime under Spagnuolo. Interestingly, as PFT points out, Dick Curl was known as “Father Time” in his previous place of employment, Kansas City, for his work in clock management. You can learn more about Dick Curl at his bio page at kcchiefs.com — at least for as long as they keep it live on their site.

Speaking of fathers, I’m sure my dad would be so proud of me for writing this post.

Anyway, let’s get to the important stuff. Which sports figure named Dick is the greatest Dick of all-time?

Who is the best sports Dick?

• Dick Vitale
• Dick Trickle
• Dick Curl
• Dick Butkus

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Please, your irreverent comments and innuendo are demanded below.

Steve Spagnuolo – not Jason Garrett – is the Pick for Rams Head Coach

On Friday night, there were indications that Jason Garrett could be the new head coach of the St. Louis Rams.

After all, he was in town with his wife and checking out the Rams’ facilities, with a garment bag in tow. He was the only one of the finalists believed to be in town at the time.

But the Rams perfectly pulled off an end around. Steve Spagnuolo is now the new coach of the Rams. The Post-Dispatched reported that the New York Giants defensive coordinator agreed to terms on a four-year contract worth close to $12 million.

It bears noting that Spagnuolo has known Rams general manager Billy Devaney for some time. Spagnuolo was an intern with Washington when Devaney was there during the Redskins’ Super Bowl runs. Spagnuolo was also a scout in San Diego when Devaney was working in the personnel department.

Spagnuolo, 49, was a defensive coordinator for two seasons with the Giants after a seven-year run as an assistant at Philadelphia from 1999-2006, where he worked under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. This is the first head coaching position for Spagnuolo at any level.

The pulse of Rams fans is positive with news of Spagnuolo’s hiring. The masses were up in arms when word came down that Garrett was in town and considered to be a front-runner for the position vacated by Scott Linehan and now Jim Haslett, the team’s interim head coach for the last 12 games of the season.

Spagnuolo is now pressed with assembling a staff quickly. The Senior Bowl activities start next week in Mobile, Ala. and its likely that Spagnuolo will be able to network with some prospective assistant coaches down in Alabama. In a perfect world, the Rams would have loved to have their coaching staff in place and on the same page as the scouting department in time for Senior Bowl week.

One coach to keep an eye on is Sean McDermott, the Eagles’ secondary coach and one of Johnson’s prized pupils. Spagnuolo and McDermott worked together in Philadelphia. McDermott has served in a variety of capacities with the Eagles since 1998 and it is only a matter of time before he becomes a defensive coordinator.

Another possibility for defensive coordinator is Giants secondary coach Peter Giunta. He’s a coach that Rams fans are familiar with as Giunta was on Dick Vermeil’s staff from 1997-2000 and was co-defensive coordinator at one time here.

It’s hard to gauge what type of offensive philosophies Spagnuolo has or who he might want to bring along to flesh out his offensive staff in St. Louis. It’s unknown if he will keep offensive coordinator Al Saunders, quarterbacks coach Terry Shea or offensive line coach Steve Loney, all of whom have contracts for 2009. Spagnuolo was a collegiate wide receiver at Springfield (Mass.) College from 1978-1981.

Spagnuolo won’t have the benefit of players like Justin Tuck, Antonio Pierce or Osi Umenyiora to work with in St. Louis. Much rebuilding has to be done, especially on the defensive side of the ball. There are also several issues on offense, where Marc Bulger, Torry Holt and Orlando Pace appear to be on the downside of their careers.

Why not Jason Garrett as the Head Coach of the St. Louis Rams?

The St. Louis Rams apparently have wrapped up their interviews Thursday with their five finalists when New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo talked with the team in Los Angeles.

Now, let the speculation begin as to which one of that group — Spagnuolo, Leslie Frazier, Jason Garrett, Jim Haslett and Rex Ryan — gets the nod as the new head coach.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is already reporting that Haslett has been told he’s no longer in the running. Haslett, the interim head coach after Scott Linehan’s firing, could land on his feet in Green Bay as the Packers’ new defensive coordinator.That leaves us with four candidates.

So why not Jason Garrett? The mere fact that he has made it to finalist status might be a shock to some and if he was to be hired as head coach, could be termed a stunner around the league after Dallas’ mediocre showing this season on offense.

Maybe Garrett was undeservedly assessed too much of the blame for the Cowboys’ struggles this season after a stellar 2007 campaign — Garrett’s first as an offensive coordinator. After all, it wasn’t Garrett’s fault that Tony Romo got hurt and missed time at midseason. Not many teams lose their starting quarterback and continue to pile up points at record pace. Garrett was also faced with the unenviable task of implementing wide receiver Roy Williams into the offense during the season after Williams’ acquisition from Detroit. Inserting Williams into the mix without the aid of a full offseason or training camp isn’t easy, especially when a guy named Terrell Owens is on the other end of the line of scrimmage wanting the ball. Also, top running back Marion Barber was hobbled down the stretch with a toe injury.

By all accounts, Jason Garrett appears to be an astute football man. He’s a Princeton grad and his father Jim has been a collegiate coach and worked in the NFL as an assistant coach and scout. His brothers, John and Judd, both work for the Cowboys as well.

Just last year, Garrett was offered the head coaching jobs at Atlanta and Baltimore, but came back to Dallas as the league’s highest-paid assistant coach at $3 million per year, possibly looking to become the Cowboys’ next coach some day. Garrett suddenly didn’t forget to coach in one year.

Too often we look at offensive and defensive numbers when trying to judge if a coordinator will make a head coach when in fact, owners and general managers are looking at qualities such as character, leadership, discipline when they are doing their appraisals.

If Garrett has displayed those qualities during his interviews, then it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him as the Rams next head coach.

St. Louis Rams Short List: Coaching Search Down to Five

The St. Louis Rams’ coaching search is in the home stretch.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that five candidates are finalists for the head coaching position. They are, in alphabetical order:

–Leslie Frazier, Minnesota defensive coordinator

–Jason Garrett, Dallas offensive coordinator

–Jim Haslett, Rams interim head coach

–Rex Ryan, Baltimore defensive coordinator

–Steve Spagnuolo, New York Giants defensive coordinator

Haslett has already interviewed with the Rams’ brass in Los Angeles and Ryan was interviewed by general manager Billy Devaney on Sunday in Baltimore. Frazier is slated to be interviewed on Thursday in L.A. Spagnuolo and Garrett have yet to be interviewed, but it appears meetings have been set up with both of them. The P-D reports that the finalists will meet with Devaney and Rams ownership in L.A.

The final list looks attractive. Spagnuolo, even with Sunday’s loss in the NFC Divisional playoff round, has built a vaunted defense in New York with the Giants. The same could be said for Ryan, whose defense has carried the Ravens to the AFC Championship game in Pittsburgh this weekend. Ryan, though, can’t be hired until his team is eliminated from the playoffs. That could hinder his chances of landing a head coaching job this season. Teams might not be willing to wait until February to hire a coach because many prospective assistant coaches could be snatched up by then.

Frazier, like Spagnuolo and Ryan, has built a reputation as a top-tier defensive mind. In fact, Spagnuolo and Frazier were on the same staff together in Philadelphia from 1999-2002 learning their craft under Jim Johnson.

Haslett is the only one of the five to have any head coaching experience, having been the head coach in New Orleans before coming to St. Louis as the defensive coordinator under Scott Linehan. But Haslett had 12 games to impress the Rams and his team went just 2-10 under him to finish the season.

Garrett was a hot commodity last season after directing Dallas’ explosive offense. But he cooled this season when things in the Dallas offensive huddle became, well, explosive. Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Jason Witten and Co. never could get on the same page and as a result, the offers for Garrett’s services weren’t as frequent as they were last season when they forced owner Jerry Jones to bump Garrett’s pay to keep him in Big D.

The Rams figure to face some fierce competition if they choose to hire someone other than Haslett. The remaining four have interviewed elsewhere and reportedly Ryan and Spagnuolo are finalists for the New York Jets’ opening.

Under normal circumstances, I could see the Rams getting the loser of the Jets sweepstakes — Ryan or Spagnuolo, who apparently has known Devaney for years, but also had a lengthy interview with the Jets. Yet I also can’t see the Rams waiting on Ryan if the Ravens make it to the Super Bowl.

So expect the Rams to wait for the AFC Championship game to be in the books before settling on their head coach.

St. Louis Rams Coaching Search: Leader Wanted in St. Louis to Show Male Sheep the Way

The search has begun for the St. Louis Rams as they try to find someone to lead the team back to prominence and out of the cellar of the NFC West.

New general manager Billy Devaney will interview Green Bay assistant head coach/linebackers coach Winston Moss sometime this week to lead off the parade.

Moss has never been a coordinator in college or the NFL, but that is of little importance to Devaney, who told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the next coach of the Rams, first and foremost, “needs to be the leader in our building. He needs to change the atmosphere inside our building. This leader, whoever it is, has to reconnect with our fan base.”

That’s not saying that Winston Moss is the leading candidate for the spot vacated by the fired Scott Linehan, who gave way to interim coach Jim Haslett. But apparently Moss fits the criteria that Devaney has laid out.

Devaney will lean on an experienced group of football men as he canvasses the league for the right candidate. He said Tuesday that Bobby Beathard, a four-time Super Bowl-winning executive at Washington and his former boss at San Diego, will be a sounding board along with Rams director of player personnel Lawrence McCutcheon. In addition, former Big Red tackle and Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf and former league MVP Marshall Faulk will be asked for their input.

Having those people in his corner will give Devaney the best chance at trying to pinpoint the right man for the job, not to mention, discover any warts that might be hidden by prospective candidates. He might be anxious to get an outsider’s opinion of Jim Haslett, who will also get to interview for the job he kept “cold” for the final 12 weeks of the season. Haslett went 2-10 during his audition and lost his last 10.

The fact that Devaney highlighted leadership in his criteria means he is more interested in substance rather than style points or trying to lure the circuit’s hottest coordinator.

Devaney was part of a coaching search last year when Atlanta was looking to replace Bobby Petrino. The Falcons interviewed the likes of Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan before settling on relative unknown Mike Smith, who was previously the defensive coordinator at Jacksonville. We know how that turned out — Smith’s Falcons won the NFC South a year after the franchise sank to new depths during the Michael Vick saga.

That’s proof that a struggling team doesn’t need to throw big bucks at someone like Bill Cowher to have success. They don’t have to have the hot name like Jason Garrett (last year), Steve Spagnuolo (last year and this year) or Josh McDaniels (see Spagnuolo).

Rex Ryan is an intriguing possibility. For the time being, he’s off limits because the Ravens are preparing for this week’s AFC Wild Card playoff game at Miami. Once the Ravens’ season is over, Ryan is worth taking another look at. He’s an excellent schemer who has been able to put pressure on offenses in 4-3 and 3-4 sets. Then again, he is able to deploy players such as Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Bart Scott, Terrell Suggs. What do those players have in common? They don’t play for the Rams.

Is Ryan a “leader” who has the qualities that Devaney is looking for? Or is he the beneficiary of having premier talent at his disposal? If Devaney passes on Ryan again, we should know Devaney’s opinion. But picking his brain is worth the time and effort.

If I was pressed with compiling a list of candidates for the Rams, I would start with these two men:

Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz — Schwartz has been the Titans’ defensive coordinator for eight seasons and is labeled as intense by some, a numbers freak by others. Bottom line, he has gotten great production out the Titans on defense the last two seasons.

Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier — Frazier knows a thing or two about defense, having played for the Chicago Bears when they won the Super Bowl following the 1985 season. He helped turn around Philadelphia as an assistant before moving on to Cincinnati and Indianapolis, places where his charges showed marked improvement. He’s in his second season in charge of the Vikings’ defense and is well-respected around the league.

Who do you think is the best candidate for the St. Louis Rams?

• Mike Martz
• Leslie Frazier
• Steve Spagnuolo
• Rex Ryan
• Jim Haslett
• Winston Moss
• Jim Schwartz

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Jay Zygmunt Out as GM for St. Louis Rams

While it remains to be seen if there will be a new coach roaming the sidelines for the St. Louis Rams next season, one thing is for certain.

The person calling the shots for the Rams organization will be different.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday that Rams’ vice president of football operations/general manager Jay Zygmunt would soon be out. That timetable was sped up to Monday afternoon when the team announced that the Rams and Zygmunt mutually agreed to part ways.

Jay Zygmunt has been a lightning rod for controversy in recent years, mainly because of his ascension to a high-profile position in charge of football decisions despite never having an on-field background.

Zygmunt, who has been with the Rams since 1982, previously was the man in charge of legal matters, the salary cap and contract negotiations and was highly regarded for his performance in those areas. But after the Rams’ Super Bowl victory following the 1999 season, his authority expanded to include that of president of football operations.

Mike Martz was a rookie head coach in 2000, Jay Zygmunt was a rookie in charge of football operations and Charlie Armey was a veteran talent evaluator at the time and well-respected in league circles. Armey had the title of general manager, but he didn’t pull the most weight in regards to authority.

It made for a sometimes crazy and uncomfortable situation and it came to a boil during the 2005 season when Martz was sidelined due to health issues. During an October game, Martz called then-offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild at halftime to offer some advice. Martz, who was not at the game, again tried to contact Fairchild via a phone call to security in the second half, but Zygmunt headed off the security guard and sent him to team president John Shaw’s suite. Shaw refused to let Fairchild take the call from Martz, saying he would not grant an outside live phone into the coaches’ box. In January 2006, Martz was relieved of his duties as head coach.

Zygmunt’s departure signals a major change in the way the Rams’ front office will operate. Not only will Jay Zygmunt not be there, it’s expected that Shaw’s role with the team will be diminished. It’s believed that Shaw is looking to ease into retirement and will stay on only to advise new owners Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez on financial matters. Shaw was close to Rosenbloom and Rodriguez’s mother, Georgia Frontiere, who previously owned the team.

Billy Devaney, the Rams’ vice president of personnel, is expected to have more say in the team’s matters and perhaps lead a search for the team’s next head coach.

The St. Louis Rams are Fading Under Head Coach Jim Haslett

Sunday’s embarrassing 17-16 defeat at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers will make it tough for the St. Louis Rams to bring back interim head coach Jim Haslett.

For the second week in a row, the Rams enjoyed a fourth quarter lead only to see the opponent walk off with the victory. This time, the Rams held a 16-3 advantage with just over four minutes to play before the 49ers pulled off the comeback.

The Rams showed some spunk and won their first two games under Jim Haslett, but since then have dropped nine straight in varying fashions. Simply put, they haven’t been able to close out games.

Even though he was handed a sub-par product upon the dismissal of Scott Linehan, Haslett has done little to prove to Rams ownership he should be the choice to lead the team. He’s had ample time to rally the troops and “coach them up,” but he hasn’t gotten the job done.

That said, the Rams will be hard-pressed to bring in a big name as a replacement. Owner Chip Rosenbloom could sell the team if a good offer comes along and any prospective head coach would be reluctant to sign a long-term deal if ownership is in a state of flux.

In other words, Marty Schottenheimer and Bill Cowher will not be seen shopping for homes in the St. Louis suburbs.

Ramblings from St. Louis: Keith Tkachuk hits 1,000 points and the Rams Still Stink

–Congratulations are in order for Blues forward Keith Tkachuk, who scored career NHL point 1,000 with a goal in the Blues’ 4-2 win at Atlanta on Sunday.

We keep waiting for the 36-year-old Tkachuk to fade into the background and for his days as a top-six forward to come to an end, but “Walt” keeps coming back for more and despite a recent scoring slump, has 16 points in 22 games. He will be a free agent after this season.

Speaking of the Blues, goaltender Chris Mason may be aligning himself for more playing time in the future. Mason got the win on Sunday and has won his last three starts. He has stopped 106 of the last 109 shots he has faced. His goals against average this season is 2.29, compared to Manny Legace’s 3.19.

–Things were looking rosy for the Saint Louis University Billikens when they upset then-ranked Boston College by a 53-50 score at home on Nov. 22. But since then, SLU has dropped a pair of road games at Nebraska (71-57) and Detroit Mercy (62-57). Next up is a date at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Tuesday. While SIUC’s 2-3 record doesn’t look too glitzy, keep in mind that two of the Salukis’ losses came against Duke and UCLA. Simply put, if SLU wants to put key wins on its resume in order to entertain NCAA Tournament hopes, a triumph in Carbondale is paramount.

–The St. Louis Rams have been just plain offensive on offense this season. The Rams rank dead last in the NFL in touchdowns scored (12) on offense and overall (13). It was more of the same on Sunday in a 16-12 defeat at the hands of Miami. All of the Rams points came off the foot of Josh Brown via field goals. The Male Sheep have gone eight straight quarters without a touchdown.

–Rams quarterback Marc Bulger, who suffered a concussion the week before against Chicago, had a passer rating of 22.2 and threw three interceptions. The Rams picked a bad year to have a bad year — Detroit and Cincinnati seem to have dibs on the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Bulger is clearly on the downside of his career. He was exposed way too much in Mike Martz’s system and the hits are starting to take their toll. Despite already giving big money to Bulger in 2007, the Rams have to draft a quarterback next spring.

–Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel will apparently have a void to fill on his coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Dave Christensen has reportedly accepted the head coaching job at Wyoming. He’s expected to stay on board as the Tigers prepare for Saturday’s Big 12 title game date with Oklahoma in Kansas City.

Steven Jackson Injury Update

(Update 11/14 2:30 pm — Steven Jackson is not making the trip to San Francisco this weekend with his St. Louis Rams teammates. Jackson will instead stay in St. Louis to see a specialist for his strained thigh muscle.)

(This post was originally published in Week 8. The most recent injury update regarding Steven Jackson is that he will be ready to play in Week 9 when the Rams play Arizona.)

Breaking news out of New England: St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson will not play on Sunday versus the New England Patriots.

Adam Schefter reported on the NFL Network that Steven Jackson, who had been listed as a 50-50 proposition earlier this week with a leg injury, decided against playing after taking part in pregame warm-ups.

Filling in for Steven Jackson will be Travis Minor and Antonio Pittman.