1-15 record can't dampen Rams' enthusiasm

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS — That 1-15 record must be a misprint.

For a franchise that appears to have hit rock bottom after its
third horrible year in a row (six wins total), St. Louis Rams
players, coaches and front office personnel seem pretty
optimistic that good times are not that far away.

No, really.

“I know this is crazy, but we feel like we have a pretty good
foundation in certain areas,” general manager Billy Devaney
said. “No kidding there’s places we have to upgrade
significantly, but there’s not nearly as many places as this
time last year.”

While gathering belongings from his locker before leaving for
the offseason, cornerback Ron Bartell couldn’t stifle a chuckle
when a reporter asked how far away the Rams were from playoff
contention. Just a few seconds later, however, he noted the Rams
could become the latest team to accomplish a quick turnaround.

Even if they were last in the league in scoring with one
touchdown or fewer in 13 games. Or 29th overall in total offense
and defense. Or that they have a 13-game home losing streak and
few marquee names beyond Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson.
Even if they bowed out with a puny 109 yards in total offense
per game.

“It’s a league of parity,” Bartell said. "One year you can be
1-15 like the Dolphins were (in 2007) and then you can turn
around and be 10-6.

“It’s just a few pieces here and there and guys stepping up
their level of play, myself included. The sky’s the limit when
that happens.”

Nose tackle Clifton Ryan echoed those thoughts while noting
players needed to be tougher and more determined. The 49ers
scored three touchdowns in the final 7 1/2 minutes to pull away
from a 7-6 lead in the Rams’ finale, and that happened a lot to
St. Louis.

“That’s kind of been our M.O. through the season, we’ll play for
36 minutes, 40 minutes, 45 minutes, 50 minutes and just
collapse,” Ryan said. “Once we learn, we’ll win those games.”

The Rams are well positioned to make improvements after
jettisoning veterans and absorbing bad contracts last season,
especially if there’s a salary cap and even if it’s uncapped.

“You have to plan for both and we’ve done that,” Devaney said.
“It doesn’t complicate things on our end, we’ll be ready for
either scenario.”

Rookie coach Steve Spagnuolo thought winning at least some of
the close ones next season will be a combination of player
maturity and player upgrades. It was a hodgepodge roster at the
finish with unheralded rookies like quarterback Keith Null and
starting wide receivers who weren’t around in training camp.

Except for Nov. 1, when the Rams ended a 17-game losing streak
by beating Detroit, they never made those one or two key plays
that mean the difference.

“I say this half-kiddingly, but I think they all even out in the
end in this league,” Spagnuolo said. "So if we had a bad break
this year, I’m banking on a good one next year.

“I fully believe with the pains we went through this year, we’ll
be stronger for it.”

Playing for a team that earned the No. 1 pick was a culture
shock for middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, who lost only
eight games in four seasons at Ohio State. Laurinaitis didn’t
despair, became only the second rookie to lead the team in
tackles with 146 stops, and was voted the Rams’ rookie of the
year.

“I think I’ve built up a lot of resiliency, how to respond to
losses and do it in a professional manner,” Laurinaitis said.
“It’s very easy to play 100 percent when you’re winning, things
are rolling and the crowd’s into it.

“When you’re down and things get out of control, that’s when
it’s easy to pack it in. I never did that.”

Week after week, Spagnuolo noted that players remained upbeat.
There were 13 players on injured reserve at the end of the
season and four others who might as well have been on IR, but
the team always did its best to put a positive spin on a dire
season.

“Through all the adversity we went through, unless I’m missing
something, there wasn’t anybody jumping ship, pointing fingers,
going off the deep end,” Spagnuolo said. “I’m not that naive to
think there aren’t some things, but I just trust and hope that
whatever little things might be they don’t fester, guys get them
out in the open and we address it.”