Detroit Lions-St. Louis Rams: Five Questions With Rams FC Armen Dacity

There's no such thing as an "easy win" when you're the Detroit Lions. That's something other teams talk about, and they're usually referring to the Detroit Lions.

That being said, it's hard to deny the fact that most Lions fans looked at the first quarter of the season and were hard-pressed to find a victory. Then they saw a home game against the St. Louis Rams, the Lions' brothers in futility, and circled it on their calendars as the Lions' likely first win of the season.

Of course, that was when we were certain that the Rams would still be a bad team, and the Lions would have their starting quarterback available. We're one quarter of the way through the 2010-11 NFL season, the Rams are 2-2 and leading the NFC West, and Matthew Stafford has played one half of a football game.

Although the Lions have put on perhaps the strongest 0-4 start in recent memory, they're still a winless football team. That makes this game against the Rams a far more anxious event for Lions fans. It carries all the concern of a game the Lions need to win, but the Rams' strong start has dampened some of the feeling that the Lions are necessarily a better team and should win.

So, to brace for the inevitable clash of teams that would like to be considered "on the rise," here are five questions with Rams Featured Columnist Armen Dacity to illustrate where the Rams are in their rebuilding project.

You can catch my answers to his five questions here on the Rams board.

Dean Holden: The Rams and Lions have been the two worst teams in football over the past two years, and last year, the Lions resulted in the Rams’ only win of the season. So far this year, the Rams are 2-2 and tied for the NFC West lead. What has been the biggest factor in the turnaround thus far?

Armen Dacity: The easy answer is Sam Bradford, and he is without question a big part of the reason. I also think the defensive scheme that Steve Spagnuolo wanted to put in place from Day 1 is finally taking hold. The defense is more aggressive and making more plays than last year. There’s still a long way to go, but I like what I see so far.

DH: How does the Rams’ solid start change your perspective on the team’s season goals, if at all? How does it change your outlook on the Lions game? Is it now a “must win” game in the eyes of Rams fans?

AD: Rather than looking at this week as a “must game,” I see the next four games (@Detroit, San Diego, @Tampa, Carolina) as a “must split” scenario. If the Rams can finish the first half of the season at 4-4, they can start thinking about challenging in a weak NFC West.

DH: During the offseason, there was a massive push by Lions fans to go after free agent O.J. Atogwe. He ended up re-signing with the Rams after all, much to the chagrin of many of those same Lions fans. How has he played for the Rams thus far under his new contract? What kind of impact do you expect him to have against the Lions?

AD: Atogwe has been hampered by a thigh injury, but seems to be on the mend. When he’s healthy, he’s one of the better “ball hawks” in the league, and could be a factor against a somewhat mistake-prone QB like Shaun Hill.

DH: In recent years, the Rams offense has basically begun and ended with Steven Jackson. Are you starting to see more of an offensive balance emerge in St. Louis, or is Jackson still shouldering most of the load? What offensive weapon should the Lions focus on in the game this Sunday?

AD: The offense has done a good job of balancing its approach, but Jackson is still the focal point, and has to be the first priority for opposing defenses. If you can stop Jackson without overplaying the run, you can stop the Rams offense. If, on the other hand, you stack the box with eight men, Bradford can beat you.

DH: In the past two drafts, the Lions and Rams have had the top two picks between them, alternating between No. 1 and No. 2. Given a season and a quarter (which I acknowledge is not enough time to make a truly accurate assessment), who has had the better top picks, the Lions with Matthew Stafford and Ndamukong Suh, or the Rams with Jason Smith and Sam Bradford?

AD: That’s a tough one at this stage. I certainly prefer Bradford over Stafford, but there’s no question that I’d pick Suh over Smith. That said, given the recent busts at the top of the draft, I’d say both teams have done a very good job of capitalizing on the dubious distinction of selecting in the top two spots.