NFL Schedule 2012: Rams vs. Patriots in London Begins 3-Year Annual Trip for STL

The NFL's London initiative is headed for disaster. It simply isn't possible for anyone—not even the teams' fanbases—to be excited about the New England Patriots vs. St. Louis Rams in Wembley Stadium next season.

There honestly couldn't be a more terrible game to schedule.

It gets even worse though. According to the Rams' website, Londoners should get used to seeing the St. Louis team journeying overseas and infiltrating the legendary Wembley Stadium:

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The Rams will serve as the home team for this year’s contest, and the team has reached an agreement to play a home game at Wembley Stadium in 2013 and 2014 as well.

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St. Louis owner Stan Kroenke owns a number of professional sports clubs including the Barclays Premier League outfit, Arsenal, located in North London, and it is no surprise at all that he wants to increase visibility of his franchise in an area where so many loyal Arsenal fans live.

The unfortunate thing is that the Rams are a long way from being a contending football team again.

And for the English fans who don't care about the Rams or the Patriots, and just want to watch good football, they're doomed with these two teams taking the field.

Yes, there is a chance that the Patriots will be the defending Super Bowl champions when they head to London next year, but that excitement only goes so far.

As things look now, New England would absolutely dominate the Rams in Wembley Stadium. The Londoners have already been treated to some ugly games in the NFL's "International Series," including the Giants' 13-10 win over the Dolphins in 2007, the Patriots' 35-7 dismemberment of the Bucs in 2009, and the Bears' 24-18 win over the Bucs this year.

The only "good" game they've truly seen was the Saints' 37-32 win over the Chargers in 2008.

This is an unfortunate turn of events for the NFL's international series and for the American football fans in London.

They should get used to seeing the Rams come to town, and for their sake we can only hope new coach Jeff Fisher can make them relevant again.