FanNation - The Republic of Sport

- I suppose congratulations are in order for Mizzou for beating Northwestern 30-23. I know I wasn't alone in screaming at the television (and breaking my knuckle punching a post) in frustration, though. Still, a win's a win, and for the first time in school history, Mizzou won ten games in a season concurrently.

- Once again, Chase Daniel looked uncertain, hesitant to throw a deep ball, and inaccurate when he did. His confidence has been shaky at best ever since the Oklahoma State game, when he threw the deciding pick at the end. Still, if he can recover his confidence, I truly believe he could make it in the NFL. He's short, but so is Drew Brees. Many NFL offenses are starting to incorporate elements of the spread more, and he's an accurate passer.

- I hate to say it, but I can't imagine Maclin coming back for a junior season. His stock is as high as it can be, especially after that punt return TD, and he's just too injury-prone to risk coming back and blowing out a knee again in college. My advice for him would be to take the money while he can and spend time developing in the NFL.

- The Rams...oy vey. Never have I watched a team and been so frustrated. Once again they were in a position to win a game against a better team, but let it slip through their fingers. They could easily have been 6-10 this year, or maybe even 7-9.

- Despite being 2-14 this year, I can see reason for hope next year. Jackson rushed for over 270 yards in the last two games. If he can rest his legs and have a full pre-season workout, he could be a dominant force again next season. Donnie Avery looks to be a tremendous talent, if he can polish his routes and learn to read a blitz. He and Burton both cost the Rams several first downs this season because they weren't ready to be the hot read for Bulger. But given another training camp, with a season under their belt, I could see them becoming a good duo. Combine them with Holt (if he stays) as a possession receiver, and we could be alright...

- ...if we develop a new quarterback. Perhaps we don't need to this year, but certainly next year. I know Bulger's under contract for a few more years, but his confidence is shot. He's turned into Chad Pennington, throwing the high-percentage, low-yield screens and dumps, and even then he didn't get the yardage needed. Granted, this isn't really completely his fault, given the lack of protection he's had for a while. But I simply think it's time for the Rams to start looking at a new quarterback, one who might be a little more mobile with a better arm.

- I don't think the defense was as terrible as people made it out to be. I commented on an article on here earlier about this. Yes, the statistics and rankings look terrible. But how many times did the offense go three and out? How many times did the offense turn the ball over in their own territory, forcing the defense to defend a short field? Few teams could survive given the disadvantages the Rams' defense had from time to time. They certainly have room for improvement; too many big plays were given up (see the Falcons game for a perfect example), but I think they kept the team in a decent number of games, and if it hadn't been for a blown kick return at the end of the second quarter, the Rams would have had the lead in their final possession of the game. If the offense can keep the ball a little bit more, giving the defense more time to rest up, I think the games become a lot closer than most people think. It's hard to win games when the offense averages 14.5 points per game.

- If I were drafting for the Rams, I would go with an offensive tackle with the second pick. Andre Smith would be a good choice. It seems like our offensive line gets injured and interchanged entirely too much over the course of the season, and Bulger is getting hurried too much. I know I said they need to develop a quarterback, but I can't see them taking a top QB like Stafford or Bradford in the first round, unless they pull off a Cleveland and trade for a late first-round pick. Their best bet would probably be to wait until next year.

- It's disheartening to hear how many people are bemoaning the Blues and their record right now. Yes, the team has a less-than-mediocre record right now. But answer me this: how many teams would have a good record after losing their top two scorers (Kariya and McDonald both were leading the team when they got injured), their top defenseman (Johnson), and their team captain?

- As far as the development of the young players, it's hard to gauge. Berglund's developing quite nicely. He could be a real difference-maker for years. Oshie's been too injured to really gauge. Perron...I just don't know. Sometimes he displays flashes of brilliance, and he's obviously talented. But maybe he just hasn't been paired with the right scorer, but he seems lost at times. I don't know whether he'll be a top-notch goal-scorer, but he could become an awesome setup man, like Oates was for Hull, as his stats have bore so far.

 The problem is (and I'm hoping I'm wrong), none of these guys, with the exception of Berglund, look like they could be a perennial all-star. Other than Boyes, the Blues just don't have any snipers who can score on a semi-nightly basis. Most of the team leaders in points have more assists than goals, and for some of them, the margin is pretty wide. Perhaps Berglund or Oshie can fill this role eventually, but until someone does, it's going to be awfully hard to get goals.

- I hated the Stempniak trade at first, as Lee was one of my favorite players. But Colaiacovo alone has made that trade worthwhile. He moves the puck well, has played solid defense, and he's even got some offensive potential. Steen hasn't shown quite as much, though.

I guess that's it for now. Hopefully you guys had a good holiday season, and happy new year.