St. Louis Rams Odds - Spagnuolo new coach of team with identity crisis
The Rams odds for Super Bowl XLIV are very long. The online sports betting community must admit that of all the teams in the NFL, the Rams roster is the one that is the most flux. While they are trying to rebuild, they don’t seem to have many pieces. Meanwhile, a lot of veterans that they might have to rely upon may no longer be reliable.
St. Louis Rams odds: +20000 to win Super Bowl XLIV
- Rams offense is now the most dysfunctional show on turf
- What does Marc Bulger have left in the tank?
- What can Spagnuolo make of this Rams defense?
The Rams odds for the Super Bowl make them the longest shot to win it, and the reason for that is because there are far more questions than answers. On offense, the Rams betting community no longer sees The Greatest Show On Turf, as this unit is a shadow of its former self.
For a second consecutive season, quarterback Marc Bulger has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns, and now has just 22 touchdowns and 28 interceptions in the last two seasons after finishing with 24 touchdowns and only eight interceptions in 2006. More startling to the Rams betting fans has been the lack of big plays. This once quick-strike offense has just 62 plays of 20 yards or longer in the last two years, after averaging roughly 60 per 16 games in Bulger’s previous four seasons.
The sportsbook odds makers aren’t sure what to make of this unit any longer. The offensive line is shoddy, even though the team added first-round pick Jason Smith. Bulger will be on his seventh offensive coordinator in the last five seasons, while the wide receiving corps has been stripped down to bare bones. Not to mention Rams betting fans no longer will see dangerous weapons like Torry Holt or Isaac Bruce running polished routes; this season, sophomore Donnie Avery and Laurent Robinson, who have 95 combined career catches, are projected to be the top two starters.
On defense, the Rams have just as many questions. Spagnuolo, who was the former defensive wizard with the New York Giants, will have to get the most out of first-round picks Adam Carriker, Chris Long and Tye Hill. The jury is still out on them but they have to lead the way. Rookie linebacker James Laurinitis will start from the get-go and the hope is that he can take some pressure off of Will Witherspoon, who is back on the outside. Hill has been a disappointment for his career and if he doesn’t step up, it leaves the Rams secondary fairly bare. Safety O.J. Atogwe is a playmaker but he’s one of the few on this defense.
The Rams odds for this season don’t look so good. This is a team that clearly has an identity crisis, and the 2009 season will be one where Spagnuolo will have to determine who is part of the solution and who is part of the problem. The Rams betting community should brace themselves for a long season.
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Stan Simmons first tasted football through the college game, but his football handicapping has strictly focused on the professional sport. Not many people devote as much time to the NFL as Simmons. For six days a week he works, labors and handicaps the sport, and on the seventh he rests as the games play out. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
