St. Louis Rams: 5 Keys To Beating the Seattle Seahawks

The St. Louis Rams are the worst team in the NFL. I know the Indianapolis Colts have the worst record, but let's get serious. The Colts are without Peyton Manning—the best quarterback alive not named Aaron Rodgers. With Manning in the lineup, even the sorry Colts would be a .500 football team.

The Rams, they are just pathetic.

So how can the Rams hope to win their Week 14 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks? On paper, this game seems hopeless. The Seahawks are very good at home. Just ask the Baltimore Ravens, who lost at Seattle this year.

Yes, that would be the same Ravens team that threw a 37-7 beatdown on the Rams back in Week 3.

Making matters worse, the Seahawks came into the Edward Jones Dome and beat St. Louis on their own turf back in Week 11, by a score of 24-7.

But we don't play the games on paper, and there are upsets every week. The Rams are playing for nothing but pride now.

Here's how I think the Rams can pick up their third win of the season...

1. Get After Their Quarterback

Tavaris Jackson was 14-of-24 for 148 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs when these teams met in St. Louis.

Jackson is not an elite QB, and he's prone to making mistakes under pressure. If nothing else, the Rams have proven that they can get after an opposing QB this season.

The best game the Rams played all year was against the Saints. During that game, Robert Quinn and Chris Long combined for four sacks and a blocked punt. If they can get after Jackson and force him to make a mistake or two, the Rams might have a chance.

2. Avoid Giving Up the Big Play

The Seahawks completed a 55-yard pass on a wide receiver reverse, where Sidney Rice threw the pass. They gave up a touchdown pass of 18 yards to Rice and a 22-yard rushing touchdown to Justin Forsett.

During head coach Steve Spagnulo's tenure with the Rams, his team has shown an ability to "bend but not break" a lot of times on defense.

If the Rams D can continue this trend, and not give up a big play, then they might have a chance to compete.

3. The O Line Has To Step Up

The writers who cover the Rams professionally have been hammering the coaching staff for not using Steven Jackson as much lately. Jackson was on quite a tear when the Rams were beating New Orleans and Cleveland. He even played well in the losses to Arizona.

Then, all of a sudden, Jackson's touches dropped, and his yards from scrimmage were almost cut in half.

Of course, this has to be the coaches' fault. It can't be the fact that the O-line has been decimated by injuries, and there's nowhere for Jackson to run, can it?  Of course not.

It can't be the fact that the Rams are trailing these games, and somewhere in the second or third quarter, the running game becomes obsolete, can it?  No, it has to be the coaches' fault.

This is one time I'll give the Rams' coaches a hall pass. The play-calling isn't their fault. They have the starting guards playing tackle, and guys off the street are playing guard.

Bottom line, the Seahawks don't care. They are going to try to beat the Rams up, and this line hasn't shown anything to make me think that won't happen.

But if these guys want to keep playing pro football, they need to seize this opportunity. This is their shot to make an impression. They are playing for their next job in the NFL.

Step up guys. Blow some holes open. Protect your QB. This is your shot.

4. Sam Bradford Has To Play Better

Sam Bradford, it all comes down to you. Your O-line isn't very good. Your defense has been wiped out by injuries. Your wide receivers, yep, they are banged up also.

You don't have a lot of help. You are playing in one of the toughest stadiums to win at in the NFL.

Sam Bradford, what are you made of? In Week 11, you were 20-of-40 for 181 yards, with 1 TD and 1 INT. That's not going to cut it. Not on the road. Not with the depleted roster you're trying to work with.

Sam, you're going to have to take some chances. You're going to have to figure out what their defense is doing to you. You're going to have to get the ball out of your hand quickly.

If Bradford does not play his best game of the year, the Rams will not win this game.

5. The Coaches Have To Be Aggressive

Let's be honest here, OK? We are playing for a draft slot now. That's it. There's nothing else to play for besides "are we picking second or third?"

So why play it safe?

Spags, your job is on the line. Josh McDaniels, if Spags goes, chances are, you are gone with him. So throw caution to the wind and try to put some points on the board.

I'd love to see a game plan where Lance Kendricks is the focal point of the offense, because that would give Bradford some easy throws, and it would soften up the middle of the field.

If the D has to worry about the middle of the field, that opens up some running room for Steven Jackson, and it also creates more one-on-one chances for Brandon Lloyd on the outside.

At least, that's how it works when I'm playing Madden, but hey, what do I know? I'm not a football coach. I'm just saying, the Rams are boring to watch. If we're going to lose, why not lose trying to make plays? Why does it always look like we're so afraid to take chances?

Shake it up. Try something crazy. Who knows, it just might work. Either way, it can't be worse than watching the crap we've been exposed to so far this season.

Spags, go for the win this week. Stop calling the game like you're afraid to lose.