- Joined
- Jun 28, 2010
- Messages
- 48,937
- Name
- Burger man
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_0c05da89-72af-5681-9716-8f117e07484c.html
With the first pick in the 2014 draft, the St. Louis Rams select ...
While not necessarily likely, it is certainly within the realm of possibility that the Rams will have the No. 1 overall draft pick following Sunday’s games — the final games of the 2013 NFL regular season.
If that were the case, it would represent one final parting gift from the Washington Redskins coming out of the 2012 draft deal that sent a bevy of picks to the Rams and allowed the Redskins to select quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Plain and simple, if Houston (2-13) wins at Tennessee (6-9), and Washington (3-12) loses at the New York Giants (6-9), the Rams will have the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft — the last of three first-round picks the Rams received in the RGIII trade.
Should the Rams pick first it should give them increased opportunities to trade down, although it’s unclear who they might take if they stayed at No. 1.
Keeping in mind that it’s still early — extremely early — many of the media mock drafts have Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, UCLA outside linebacker Anthony Barr, and either Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles or Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr in their top five.
A Houston victory and a Washington loss would leave both teams at 3-13. But St. Louis, with Washington’s pick, would get the No. 1 overall pick because of the strength of schedule tie-breaker. By virtue of Washington playing a softer schedule than Houston, St. Louis would get the No. 1 spot and Houston the No. 2 pick.
Here are the three other scenarios at play for the Rams involving that Washington pick:
If Houston and Washington both lose Sunday, the Texans get the No. 1 overall pick, and the Rams pick No. 2.
If Houston and Washington both win Sunday, the Texans get the No. 1 overall pick, and the Rams could pick anywhere from second to fifth depending on how five teams fare that enter Sunday with a 4-11 record: Atlanta, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Oakland, and Tampa Bay.
Similarly, if Houston loses and Washington wins, the Texans go No. 1 overall and the Rams would pick anywhere from second to fifth.
The Houston-Tennessee and Washington-New York Giants games are noon starts (St. Louis time), so those contests should be over by the time the Rams take on the Seahawks in Seattle in a 3:25 p.m. kickoff (St. Louis time).
Will coach Jeff Fisher be watching the scoreboard at CenturyLink Field for the Houston and Washington finals?
“No,” Fisher said after Wednesday’s Christmas practice at Rams Park. He then added with a straight face: “Why would that be?”
In other words, why should he have to pay attention to those scores.
When reminded that the Rams had a chance for the No. 1 overall pick, pending the results of those two games, Fisher replied, “Well, those things take care of themselves. I’m not going to be too awfully concerned about it. I’ll be more focused on the Seattle game.”
The Rams do have plenty to play for against their NFC West rivals. An upset victory by the Rams would give them an 8-8 record, for their first non-losing season since 2006. It would also surpass last season’s victory total, when the Rams finished 7-8-1 in Fisher’s inaugural season in St. Louis.
A Rams victory would give them 15 triumphs in Fisher’s two seasons here — matching the combined victory total in the five seasons prior to his arrival. (The Rams went 15-65 from 2007-11.)
And lastly, the Rams could cost Seattle the No. 1 overall seed in the NFL with an upset. Had San Francisco lost on Monday night to Atlanta, Seattle would’ve clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC right there and then and might have rested some of their starters against the Rams.
Before that game kicked off, Fisher said Monday afternoon that he’d rather the 49ers win, meaning the Seahawks would have to try to clinch against the Rams.
“Yeah, we’d much prefer that because in a lot of ways, if it didn’t and they locked up home field throughout and everything, then you guys put the little asterisk by the (Rams) win if that happens,” Fisher said. “We’d rather have it mean something.”
Fisher got his wish Monday night when San Francisco held off the pesky Falcons 34-24. The Seahawks still haven’t clinched the NFC West title, much less the No. 1 overall seed. So there will be a lot on the line for them Sunday.
While Fisher will be occupied with the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon, just about everyone else in Rams Nation will be curious to see if the Rams come up with the No. 1 overall pick for the second time in five drafts.
Although Houston is in the midst of a franchise-record 13-game losing streak, the Texans did defeat Tennessee 30-24 in overtime at Reliant Stadium in Week 2 of the season. And the Titans have been anything but invincible at home, losing five of seven at LP Field entering Sunday’s finale.
The Texans, however, are minus their top two ballcarriers with Arian Foster and Ben Taint both on injured reserve. Quarterback Case Keenum missed last week’s game with a thumb injury, and there is some speculation that T.J. Yates will make his first start since 2011.
Washington, meanwhile, is trying to avoid its eighth consecutive loss. The Redskins lost to the Giants four weeks ago at home 24-17.
In addition to that pick from Washington, the Rams also have their original first-round pick. As things currently stand, the Rams would get the 15th overall pick with that selection, but it could change up or down several spots depending on whether the Rams win or lose against Seattle. And depending on how 12 other teams with records ranging from 6-9 through 8-7 do in their finales.
With the first pick in the 2014 draft, the St. Louis Rams select ...
While not necessarily likely, it is certainly within the realm of possibility that the Rams will have the No. 1 overall draft pick following Sunday’s games — the final games of the 2013 NFL regular season.
If that were the case, it would represent one final parting gift from the Washington Redskins coming out of the 2012 draft deal that sent a bevy of picks to the Rams and allowed the Redskins to select quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Plain and simple, if Houston (2-13) wins at Tennessee (6-9), and Washington (3-12) loses at the New York Giants (6-9), the Rams will have the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft — the last of three first-round picks the Rams received in the RGIII trade.
Should the Rams pick first it should give them increased opportunities to trade down, although it’s unclear who they might take if they stayed at No. 1.
Keeping in mind that it’s still early — extremely early — many of the media mock drafts have Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, UCLA outside linebacker Anthony Barr, and either Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles or Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr in their top five.
A Houston victory and a Washington loss would leave both teams at 3-13. But St. Louis, with Washington’s pick, would get the No. 1 overall pick because of the strength of schedule tie-breaker. By virtue of Washington playing a softer schedule than Houston, St. Louis would get the No. 1 spot and Houston the No. 2 pick.
Here are the three other scenarios at play for the Rams involving that Washington pick:
If Houston and Washington both lose Sunday, the Texans get the No. 1 overall pick, and the Rams pick No. 2.
If Houston and Washington both win Sunday, the Texans get the No. 1 overall pick, and the Rams could pick anywhere from second to fifth depending on how five teams fare that enter Sunday with a 4-11 record: Atlanta, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Oakland, and Tampa Bay.
Similarly, if Houston loses and Washington wins, the Texans go No. 1 overall and the Rams would pick anywhere from second to fifth.
The Houston-Tennessee and Washington-New York Giants games are noon starts (St. Louis time), so those contests should be over by the time the Rams take on the Seahawks in Seattle in a 3:25 p.m. kickoff (St. Louis time).
Will coach Jeff Fisher be watching the scoreboard at CenturyLink Field for the Houston and Washington finals?
“No,” Fisher said after Wednesday’s Christmas practice at Rams Park. He then added with a straight face: “Why would that be?”
In other words, why should he have to pay attention to those scores.
When reminded that the Rams had a chance for the No. 1 overall pick, pending the results of those two games, Fisher replied, “Well, those things take care of themselves. I’m not going to be too awfully concerned about it. I’ll be more focused on the Seattle game.”
The Rams do have plenty to play for against their NFC West rivals. An upset victory by the Rams would give them an 8-8 record, for their first non-losing season since 2006. It would also surpass last season’s victory total, when the Rams finished 7-8-1 in Fisher’s inaugural season in St. Louis.
A Rams victory would give them 15 triumphs in Fisher’s two seasons here — matching the combined victory total in the five seasons prior to his arrival. (The Rams went 15-65 from 2007-11.)
And lastly, the Rams could cost Seattle the No. 1 overall seed in the NFL with an upset. Had San Francisco lost on Monday night to Atlanta, Seattle would’ve clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC right there and then and might have rested some of their starters against the Rams.
Before that game kicked off, Fisher said Monday afternoon that he’d rather the 49ers win, meaning the Seahawks would have to try to clinch against the Rams.
“Yeah, we’d much prefer that because in a lot of ways, if it didn’t and they locked up home field throughout and everything, then you guys put the little asterisk by the (Rams) win if that happens,” Fisher said. “We’d rather have it mean something.”
Fisher got his wish Monday night when San Francisco held off the pesky Falcons 34-24. The Seahawks still haven’t clinched the NFC West title, much less the No. 1 overall seed. So there will be a lot on the line for them Sunday.
While Fisher will be occupied with the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon, just about everyone else in Rams Nation will be curious to see if the Rams come up with the No. 1 overall pick for the second time in five drafts.
Although Houston is in the midst of a franchise-record 13-game losing streak, the Texans did defeat Tennessee 30-24 in overtime at Reliant Stadium in Week 2 of the season. And the Titans have been anything but invincible at home, losing five of seven at LP Field entering Sunday’s finale.
The Texans, however, are minus their top two ballcarriers with Arian Foster and Ben Taint both on injured reserve. Quarterback Case Keenum missed last week’s game with a thumb injury, and there is some speculation that T.J. Yates will make his first start since 2011.
Washington, meanwhile, is trying to avoid its eighth consecutive loss. The Redskins lost to the Giants four weeks ago at home 24-17.
In addition to that pick from Washington, the Rams also have their original first-round pick. As things currently stand, the Rams would get the 15th overall pick with that selection, but it could change up or down several spots depending on whether the Rams win or lose against Seattle. And depending on how 12 other teams with records ranging from 6-9 through 8-7 do in their finales.