Tipsheet: Once again Rams face brutal schedule
• By Jeff Gordon
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_09b0e462-bb42-5db4-9613-efa689a5f6d5.html
The Rams better get off to a good start this season because the middle of their schedule is savage.
Year 3 of the Jeff Fisher Regime opens with a home game against Minnesota, a game at Tampa Bay and a home game against Dallas. The Rams will have every chance to win early.
Then comes an early bye week, probably too early to be of value.
And then comes serious trouble: Games at Philadelphia, at home to San Francisco (on Monday night), at home to Seattle, at Kansas City, at San Francisco, at Arizona -- three in a row on the road! -- and then back home against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
If the Rams are still in one piece at playing at San Diego next, things ease up a bit with games at home to Oakland, at Washington and at home to Arizona (on short rest on Thursday night) and the New York Giants. Then the season ends with the traditional game in the Seattle madhouse.
Whew! That schedule has "7-9" written all over it. In fact, ESPN tabbed the over-under at 7.
It's bad enough playing in the NFC West, but forcing that division to play tough AFC West teams this season is just piling on.
Based on last season's records, this schedule ranks as the third-hardest in the NFL. They play seven playoff teams during a span of eight games.
The Rams will need to rebuild their home-field advantage and beat some powerful teams in The Ed to get to the high side of .500.
Wish them well.