Like It or Not, St. Louis Deserves a Break

The St. Louis Rams just can’t catch a break.

Coming off an impressive season-opening victory over Baltimore, the last thing they need is a week off. But that’s what they get. Anything to put the brakes on momentum for the NFL’s worst team of the 1990s.

“They’re killing us,” safety Keith Lyle said. “I think the worst teams in the league get the worst byes.”

Ideally, a team would like an open date somewhere in the middle of the schedule. That’s never happened for the Rams, at least not since they angered the rest of the league by moving from Anaheim in 1995. Last year, the bye came after four games. In 1997 and ‘95, they played five games and then rested. In 1996, it was two games.

Now, one week into the season, about the only aspect of the Rams that needs rest is coach Dick Vermeil’s overworked tear ducts.

Ready or not, rest they did this week. Vermeil gave the players Monday and Tuesday off, then they worked out for 2 1/2 hours Wednesday through Friday. They scattered for the weekend. Even Vermeil planned a getaway to his farm in Pennsylvania.

They’d better enjoy it, because it’ll be their last extended time off until January.

“It’s unfortuanate ours is so early,” wide receiver Isaac Bruce said. “You’ve got to live with it. That’s the result of losing.”

The NFL loves parity, at least most of the time. The worst team gets the first draft pick, so it can catch up to the rest of the pack. The worst team gets the most advantageous schedule.

The Rams, who were 4-12 last year, have the third-easiest schedule in the league. Their opponents were a combined 109-131 last year, a .454 winning percentage.

Yet when it comes to byes, the downtrodden are forgotten.

The latest indignity also can be blamed on the 31-team league. Now, with the Cleveland Browns back, somebody has to sit out every week. The San Diego Chargers, for instance, are opening a week later than everybody else.

The Rams seem to have a pretty good attitude about it.

“I don’t know how they do it,” center Mike Gruttadauria said. “But this is what we’ve got and we’ll deal with it.”

The first item on the agenda is making sure the opener isn’t one of the only highlights. The Rams have won four of their five openers since the move to St. Louis, but they’re 19-41 otherwise, and haven’t had a winning season since 1989.

After winning seven games in 1995, they’ve regressed one victory each season. Players are confident that’s going to end, especially now that their quarterback situation appears under control. Previously untested Kurt Warner, who inherited the job when Trent Green suffered a season-ending knee injury, threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-10 victory over the Ravens.

Add Marshall Faulk, rookie first-round pick Torry Holt and Bruce, apparently back at full strength after hamstring injuries plagued him the last two seasons, and there’s considerable optimism the offense that rated 27th last year now can become an equal partner with the defense.

“I don’t want to sit here and say to you we’re going to be great or anything like that, or get overly excited,” safety Keith Lyle said. “But I like the way it’s going. It feels good to be 1-0.”

The Rams return to action against a Super Bowl team. The Atlanta Falcons come to town next Sunday. Bruce isn’t as optimistic as some, saying his team must cut down on mistakes to keep the good feeling going.

He gave himself a grade of C-minus after catching eight passes for 92 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens, taking off points because he had three penalties.

“We have to rectify things and start over,” he said.