The St. Louis Rams haven’t had a winning season since 2003. They went a pathetic 6-42 the past three years and had the League’s second worst defense each season. As a result of their poor play, they picked in the top two of the draft each year. After selecting defensive lineman Chris Long in 2008 and offensive lineman Jason Brown in 2009, it looks like they struck gold with quarterback Sam Bradford in 2010.
Despite being a rookie quarterback playing on a bad team, Bradford is making plays and keeping the Rams competitive. He got his first career win as the Rams surprised the Redskins 30-16 on Sunday in week three.
I had the Rams and the points in this one figuring the game would be low-scoring and close the entire way. I had an inkling they would win, mainly because I figured the Redskins would still be bummed out over their last-second loss to Houston — but felt it was too risky to select them. With a reliable quarterback handling the offense, it’s time to express more confidence in the Rams.
Watching Bradford work does not feel like watching a rookie making his first career starts. He stands in the pocket without panic, doesn’t have happy feat, and he acts like he’s in command. Even though Sam doesn’t have any strong receiving options, he frequently finds the open man and puts the ball in catchable spots. His stats won’t blow you away — four touchdowns and five picks with 655 passing yards — but for a rookie that’s pretty darn good.
St. Louis is no longer the pathetic squad we saw the past three years. They’re no longer a doormat in the NFL and NFC West. Yes they lost to two poor teams to begin the season and yes they have a pretty easy schedule, but this team looks ready to compete, and most of it is because of their new quarterback, Sam Bradford.
