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THIS WEEK & MORE
BY PA RAM (Nov 30) 

1. THIS WEEK. This weekend will be nothing short of playoff caliber. Carolina MUST win this game. This will not be a cakewalk. If the Rams want to win the remaining games they will have to

St. Louis Rams Tony Horne returns a kick against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Nov. 28, 1999 at the Trans World Dome in St. Louis. Horne jump-started the Rams in their 43-12 victory over the Saints last week with four returns for 160 yards (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

come to play each week. On any given Sunday. That is truer this year than ever before.

Fortunately the Rams appear to be up for the challenge.

2. RUNNING UP THE SCORE? Both Carolina and New Orleans accused the Rams of running up the score and both teams will use it as a motivator in the upcoming games. 

Well, I demand an apology.  That's right.

I just happened to be flipping through some Ram history and stumbled onto the dreaded 1996 season.

Did you know that in week #7 at Carolina the Panthers had the audacity to beat the Rams 45-13?  Was it really necessary to run up the score in such an unsportsmanlike fashion?

Couldn't they have stopped at...oh...say 28-13? Wasn't that good enough for them? Nooooooooo. They had to push our faces into a 45-13 drubbing.

Talk about running up the score.

And speaking of that...the Rams also were the victims of a 34-0 mugging at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers(then coached by current Panther head coach George Seifert). Couldn't George have pulled back after ...oh...how bout 24-0? Nooooooooo. He had to dump on 10 more points. Disgusting.

The Steelers were no better...whacking the Rams to the tune of 42-6. I did not hear them apologize for running up the score either. Come on Cowher....let's hear an, "I'm sorry." It's not like we took your Dr. Pepper or anything.

The Saints had the integrity NOT to run up the score that year...and in fact lost a game to us. However...in 1997 they did lay a 24-3 whooping on us. I know that isn't as bad as some of the others...but hey...it's the Saints we're talking about. For them that IS running up the score.

By the way...I make no apologies to the Falcons for the 59-6 drubbing they took in 1996 at the hands of the Rams as it was not as bad as the 75 game I believe when the Rams beat them 59-0.

I will expect the Panthers and Saints to apologize in the near future for these embarrassing moments in Rams history.

Somehow though...I don't think they cared then...and I don't think they care now. And neither should the Rams.

It is a shame to hear professional teams cry about running up the score. The Rams have had their share of embarrasments. This year things are different. And the Rams need to apologize to no one.

3. HOW WE FINISH UP. As for the remainder of the schedule: we face the spoilers. These are teams with nothing to lose. By the time we hit the Giants they will be out of things. The Eagles and Saints and Bears already are.

These teams can play loose. They have nothing to lose.

The playoffs? The best defense the Rams could face in the playoffs would be Tampa Bay. That concerns me. However, if it is a low scoring affair...our D has shown ability to make plays and score...and against a very questionable Buc offense the opportunity would be there. Especially in the dome.

They must not beat themselves...it comes down to that.

The Vikes defense or the Redskins D isn't any better than some of the teams the Rams have faced. The Lions...they have already seen....although this time it would be at home.

Dallas D coud cause problems...they are fast.