St. Louis at Washington
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 20, 2015
Where: FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Rams -3.5. O/U: 41
PREDICTION: Rams 23, Redskins 17
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Oddsmakers currently have the Rams listed as 2½-point favorites versus the Redskins, while the game’s total is sitting at 42.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins was less than stellar against Miami, going 21-of-31 for 196 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Expect Washington to continue to lean on running back Alfred Morris, who racked up 121 yards on 25 carries last week but has scored only one touchdown in his last six contests. The defense was excellent in Week 1, holding the Dolphins to 256 total yards, but a special-teams failure – Jarvis Landry’s 69-yard punt return for a TD – capped Miami’s fourth-quarter comeback.

In their last action, Washington was a 17-10 loser at home against the Dolphins. They failed to cover the +4-point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (27) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

Team record: 0-1 SU,0-1 ATS
Washington is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Washington is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games
Washington is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

Quarterback Nick Foles was solid in his St. Louis debut last week, going 18-of-27 for 297 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Foles has found a comfortable target in tight end Jared Cook, who hauled in five passes for 85 yards last week and made a pair of TD catches against Washington last year. The Rams’ defense gave up 343 yards against Seattle but also recorded six sacks and came up with a huge fourth-down stop in overtime to seal the victory.

In their last action, St. Louis was a 34-31 winner at home against the Seahawks. They covered the +3.5-point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (65) was profitable news for OVER bettors.

Team record: 1-0 SU,1-0 ATS
St. Louis is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of St. Louis’s last 11 games on the road
St. Louis is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Washington
St. Louis is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Washington

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St. Louis at Seattle
When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, December 28, 2014
Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Seahawks -13. O/U: 41
PREDICTION: Seahawks 30, Rams 3
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Oddsmakers currently have the Seahawks listed as 13-point favorites versus the Rams, while the game’s total is sitting at 41.

Seattle is vying to lead the NFL in both scoring defense (16.5) and total defense (268.6) and is sending four defensive players to the Pro Bowl – middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (first trip), cornerback Richard Sherman (second), strong safety Kam Chancellor (third) and free safety Earl Thomas (fourth). Interestingly, outside linebacker K.J. Wright leads the team with 100 tackles and defensive end Michael Bennett has a team-leading seven sacks and weren’t named to the game. Running back Marshawn Lynch (1,246 yards, 12 touchdowns) was the lone offensive player picked – his fifth selection – and he had 113 yards against the Cardinals for his fifth 100-yard outing of the season. Quarterback Russell Wilson passed for 339 yards and rushed for 88 more against Arizona and has 3,236 yards and 20 passing touchdowns to go with 842 rushing yards and six scores.

Seattle won its last outing, a 35-6 result against the Cardinals on December 21. The Seahawks covered in that game as a -9.5-point favorite, while the 41 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Team record: 11-4 SU,9-6 ATS
Current Streak: won 5 straight games.
Seattle is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Seattle’s last 5 games
Seattle is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games at home

One area in which St. Louis doesn’t lack for talent is on the defensive line, where defensive end Robert Quinn (10.5 sacks) was named to his second Pro Bowl and rookie defensive tackle Aaron Donald (eight sacks) also made the squad. “He came in with great skills for a rookie,” defensive end Chris Long told reporters of Donald. “He just had this natural ability, natural understanding of leverage and pass rush and good hand work. He’s a hard-nosed kid.” Quarterback Shaun Hill passed for a season-best 290 yards in the loss to the Giants and Kenny Britt has a team-best 710 receiving yards. Rookie Tre Mason has a team-best 737 rushing yards and had 85 yards and scored a TD in the October meeting.

The Rams were a 37-27 loser in their most recent outing at home against the Giants. They failed to cover the -6.5-point spread as favorites, while the total score (64) made winners of OVER bettors.

Team record: 6-9 SU,7-8 ATS
St. Louis is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
St. Louis is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of St. Louis’s last 10 games on the road
St. Louis is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Seattle

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Long suffered a torn right ACL and Quick a torn rotator cuff and separated shoulder, in Sunday’s 34-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Both injuries will require surgery and end the 2014 season after seven games for both players.

The Rams will place Long and Quick on injured reserve in the next couple of days as they re-shuffle the roster to get ready for next week’s game at San Francisco.

According to Fisher, Long suffered the injury with 4:19 to go in the third quarter when he got hit low on the outside of the leg by a Chiefs defensive tackle.

Long’s injury is the second of its kind to the same knee in a span of 308 days. In an eerie bit of coincidence, quarterback Sam Bradford suffered his second ACL injury to the same knee 307 days after his initial tear.

Like Bradford, Long’s contract combined with his latest knee injury could make his future in St. Louis tenuous at best.

Long’s base salary was guaranteed only for the first two years, meaning the Rams could part with him after the season with little penalty.

Long is scheduled to count $10.5 million against the cap next year and $10 million against the cap in 2015. But the only money in those totals guaranteed is the prorated part of his original $5 million signing bonus. That comes to $2.5 million in dead money if the team releases him but with a net savings of $8 million.

Before the injury, Fisher said he believed Long was rounding into form after some rough moments in the opening weeks.

“He had an issue a couple weeks ago but last week he played really well,” Fisher said. “He played his best game to date last week and he was off to a great start in this game. He was strong, he was stout, he was playing well. It’s very unfortunate.”

Rookie Greg Robinson, the No. 2 overall pick in May’s draft, moved from left guard to left tackle in Long’s stead against the Chiefs and will now head back to that spot on a more permanent basis.

“That’s what he does,” Fisher said. “He’ll have a week to work on the footwork and things like that this week but he went out there and knew what to do … at the tackle position he’ll be fine.”

Quick left the game after a 10-yard catch with just under 12 minutes to go in the second quarter. He landed awkwardly after making the grab near the Chiefs sideline as cornerback Jamell Fleming brought him down.

Quick is under his rookie contract through 2015 but was in the midst of a possible breakthrough third season before the injury. In a little more than six games, he had already set career highs in receptions (25), receiving yards (375) and touchdowns (three).

“He was very productive,” Fisher said. “He took advantage of all the opportunities, he made tough plays, tough catches, we’re going to miss him. But as is the case when you have injured players, people step up so we have got to have people step up.”

In Quick’s case, the people stepping in will be Stedman Bailey and Chris Givens.

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When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 26, 2014
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Chiefs –7. O/U: 44.
PREDICTION: Chiefs 30, Rams 24
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Oddsmakers currently have the Chiefs listed as 6-point favorites versus the Rams, while the game’s total is sitting at 43.

Jamaal Charles (6,113) passed the franchise’s career rushing-yardage mark held by Priest Holmes (6,070) in the win over San Diego, but remarks he made on Tuesday about a hit he absorbed on a touchdown run prompted Kansas City to begin testing him for a possible concussion. According to Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder, Charles passed all the concussion tests and will be monitored closely the rest of the week leading up to the game. Outside linebacker Justin Houston is having a superb season with seven sacks – tied for second in the NFL – and outside linebacker Tamba Hali has four sacks and three forced fumbles.

The Chiefs were a 23-20 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the Chargers. They covered the +3-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (43) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 3-3 SU,4-2 ATS
Kansas City is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Kansas City is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City’s last 6 games
Kansas City is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games at home

Quarterback Austin Davis threw two touchdowns against Seattle and has tossed nine over his last four games while entrenching himself as the starter. Rookie Tre Mason had 85 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut and gave St. Louis some much-needed, hard-charging running. The Rams had three sacks against Seattle after having just one entering the contest and star defensive end Robert Quinn finally recorded his first of the season after tallying 19 last season.

The Rams were a 28-26 winner in their most recent outing at home against the Seahawks. They covered the +6.5-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (54) made winners of OVER bettors.

Team record: 2-4 SU,2-4 ATS
St. Louis is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
St. Louis is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis’s last 5 games
St. Louis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

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After the game, Rams coach Jeff Fisher said more tests would be needed when the team returns to St. Louis on Sunday but also indicated that he was optimistic about what those tests will yield.

“I can’t speculate but it appeared just to be a hyperextension of the same knee,” Fisher said. “He’s walking around fine inside right now. That’s all I can tell you.”

A league source told us that initial tests did not show any damage to Bradford’s surgically repaired left ACL, adding that the Rams “dodged a bullet.”

Bradford will undergo an MRI no later than Sunday, Fisher confirmed Saturday night.

Bradford took what appeared to be a light hit from Cleveland’s Armonty Bryant as he threw incomplete to tight end Jared Cook. Bradford shrugged Bryant off, but the defensive lineman made contact with the quarterback’s left knee.

Bradford fell to the ground in pain as Rams doctors and trainers rushed to his side. He limped off the field under his own power but favoring the left leg as he went to the locker room for further examination.

Seven plays earlier, Bradford escaped pressure from Cleveland linebacker Barkevious Mingo but took another hit on the knee from Browns linebacker Paul Kruger.

Bradford was making his second start of the preseason after returning from a season-ending torn left ACL suffered against Carolina on Oct. 20, 2013. Bradford went 4 of 9 for 77 yards before leaving.

Veteran Shaun Hill replaced Bradford, going 2 of 6 for 45 yards.

St. Louis lost two other players in the opening quarter as defensive tackle Kendall Langford and guard Rodger Saffold went out with ankle injuries.

Two more Rams were injured on the same play in the second quarter. Cornerback Trumaine Johnson suffered a knee injury and defensive tackle Michael Brockers tweaked his ankle. Johnson’s injury appeared to be the most serious. He was taken off the field on a cart, and several teammates wished him well before he was driven away.

Fisher said those four players would also need further examination before anything more can be determined.

“We’ll be busy in the morning diagnosing,” Fisher said. “The extent to what the injuries are, I can’t make any predictions as to whether anybody should be back for Miami, Minnesota, what have you.”

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As expected, Jackson voided his contract with the St. Louis Rams on Thursday, making the 29-year-old an unrestricted free agent.

Jackson, the Rams’ career rushing leader, didn’t totally rule out a reduced role should he land with a contender. He never has played for a winning team over his nine-year career.

“Well, that’s where a very open dialogue has to take place,” he said. “I have opted out of my position of being with the team and being comfortable because I want to continue to still be the bell cow. So that’s how I want teams to look at me, that’s how I’m going to shop myself, and we’ll cross that bridge when we get there if that’s not the feedback we’re receiving.”

A three-time Pro Bowler, Jackson has topped 1,000 yards rushing in each of the last eight seasons. According to ESPN Stats & Information, only three players in NFL history have a longer streak of consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons than Jackson’s current run: Emmitt Smith (11 from 1991-01), Curtis Martin (10 from 1995-04) and Barry Sanders (10 from 1989-98). All are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jackson rushed for 1,042 yards and four touchdowns last season. He has 2,395 carries for 10,135 yards and 56 touchdowns over his career.

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It’s not clear when the injury occurred during Peterson’s MVP season, which also included participation in the Pro Bowl. But the Vikings began listing Peterson on their injury report with an “abdomen” injury before their Week 15 game at the St. Louis Rams.

Peterson ran for 212 yards in that game, was limited to 86 yards the following week at the Houston Texans and then had 199 against the Green Bay Packers in Week 16. He finished the season with 2,097 yards, the second most in NFL history.

The team said in a statement that it expects “a speedy recovery” and that no long-term issues are expected.

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The NFL ended Williams’ indefinite suspension Thursday and approved the Titans’ contract with Williams. Tennessee also announced in the same release that Williams had been hired as a senior assistant coach for its defense.

The league issued a statement saying that commissioner Roger Goodell cited several reasons for reinstating Williams, including that Williams accepted responsibility for his role in the bounty program, his commitment to never be involved in any pay for performance system, and pledging to teach safe play and respect for the rules.

“The commissioner emphasized that Williams must fully conform to league rules and will be subject to periodic monitoring to confirm his compliance,” the NFL said in its statement.

Williams, suspended indefinitely last March, is the last person involved in the scandal to be reinstated by the league. New Orleans coach Sean Payton had his suspension lifted on Jan. 22.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for eight games and assistant head coach Joe Vitt for six. Four current or former Saints players were also suspended after an investigation found the club had a performance pool offering cash rewards for key plays, including big hits. The player suspensions eventually were overturned.

Williams coached for the Saints between 2009 and 2011 and was hired as defensive coordinator by the St. Louis Rams in January 2012 before being suspended. Williams had been free to look for a new job in the NFL since the playoffs started, and now he is returning to the team where he got his start in the league back in 1990.

The Titans scheduled a news conference for Thursday afternoon with Williams expected to be on hand along with Titans coach Mike Munchak.

“I have known Gregg for over two decades and have seen him work his way up from a quality control coach to a head coach,” Munchak said in a statement. “He will bring a great deal of defensive knowledge and energy to our staff. The decision to bring him here only came after going through a thoughtful and thorough process.”

How well this move works remains to be seen, but Munchak faces a must-win situation going into his third season as head coach.

The Titans missed the playoffs in his first season on a tiebreaker in 2011 before slumping to a 6-10 record in 2012. Fans have not been happy that Munchak has kept Jerry Gray as his coordinator after a season when Tennessee set a franchise record by allowing 471 points, gave up at least 30 points in seven different games and ranked 27th in yards allowed.

Munchak previously made only one move on his defensive staff, firing linebackers coach Frank Bush and moving Chet Parlavecchio from assisting with special teams to linebackers coach.

Williams will be working with Gray, the same man he took with him to Buffalo when he was hired as the Bills head coach in 2001 after four seasons as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator under then-coach Jeff Fisher. Gray also worked with Williams at the Washington Redskins between 2004-07 before Williams worked with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2008 and then with the Saints.

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Before Williams can finalize a contract with the Titans, however, he first must be reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell — a move that could come as early as this week.

Should Williams be reinstated, no obstacles are expected on the contractual front, according to sources. The two sides are familiar with each other, with Williams having worked in Tennessee from 1993-2000.

Williams already has met with Titans officials, including head coach Mike Munchak, who is said to be in favor of Williams’ addition to the staff, according to sources.

Additionally, former Titans and St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher has endorsed Williams to his former employer. Fisher hired Williams to lead St. Louis’ defense this season, but Williams’ suspension for his role in the Saints’ bounty scandal lasted the entirety of the 2012-13 season. Williams was not retained by the Rams at season’s end.

Neither Williams nor his representatives could be reached for comment.

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