Spagnuolo, GM Likely Done In St. Louis

Added on Jan 02, 2012 by Jack Thurman in

NFL

Fortunes change quickly in the National Football League and the latest testimony to that is the imminent firing of St. Louis Rams’ head coach Steve Spagnuolo and team General Manager Billy Devaney. The Rams were considered a ‘team on the rise’ last season but never overcame a slew of early season injuries en route to a dismal 2-14 record. Sources suggest that the move will be made official on Monday or Tuesday but ‘no later than Tuesday’.

There’s a lot of talent in St. Louis on both sides of the ball, but team ownership was no doubt concerned about the Rams’ lack of competitive fire. In addition to their 2-14 SU record the Rams had a NFL worst 3-12-1 record against the spread. While the clueless mainstream sports media would argue that pointspread wins and losses are irrelevant that’s most definitely not the case. In this instance, they reveal a team that was not only losing games but doing so in a completely noncompetitive fashion. In fact, Sunday’s spirited effort against the playoff bound San Francisco 49ers with St. Louis losing 34-27 though covering as +13′ dogs was the first time all season that the Rams had covered the pointspread in a losing effort. Since St. Louis had been an underdog of a touchdown or more nine times this season that reflects a team that is too content to roll over against superior opposition. And that, of course, comes back to the coaching staff and the competitive spirit of the players that the GM hires.

Spagnuolo insisted that he wasn’t thinking about his future after Sunday’s game, suggesting that he was too happy about the spirited battle against the Niners in what may have been his ‘swansong’ along the Rams’ sideline:

“I don’t go there. I think you know me well enough. In the middle of that game, in the fourth quarter as exciting as it was? Nah.”

Curiously, the Rams could see a quick turnaround if they can keep their personnel healthy–particularly quarterback Sam Bradford–and get a coach that can impart a greater sense of toughness on his roster. In addition the Rams will be the beneficiaries of a high draft pick in the upcoming college draft and a more favorable schedule due to their poor record.