St. Louis Rams Climbing Back Up The NFL Power Rankings

Dec 2, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; NFL referee Carl Cheffers (51) flips the coin between the San Francisco 49ers and the St. Louis Rams after regulation at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams defeated the 49ers 16-13 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

After a 4 games losing streak, not counting the tie with the San Francisco 49ers, the St. Louis Rams’ ranking had plummeted into the bottom tier of the league. There is nothing more disheartening than seeing your team listed next to the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs or the Oakland Raiders, and that is exactly where it was headed. Luckily, the Rams were able to snap that skid with a dominating performance of the weltering Arizona Cardinals. Playing the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13 was easily the biggest game of the season for the Rams. For one, it kept St. Louis’ slim playoff chances alive, but, more importantly, showed that the Rams can play, and win, against a full strength, playoff-caliber team. It was also the first games that the St. Louis Rams had won without Danny Amendola being activated for the game. Needless to say, the Rams have moved up the ranks this week.

Sports Illustrated: 17th

"I know one team that prays St. Louis doesn’t somehow scratch and claw its way into the NFC playoff field: The 49ers of San Francisco. Jim Harbaugh’s team, like Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, has to be looking back over its shoulder at the Rams, muttering “Who are those guys?” With games at Buffalo and home against Minnesota in the coming two weeks, St. Louis could still be a factor in the race all the way until the end"

NFL.com: 17th

"At 5-6-1 and coming off two straight wins, the St. Louis Rams deserve to be the best of the bottom half of the league. Last week in this space, we mentioned the Rams’ prospects if they could get past San Francisco. They managed that. Now, with the Bills and Vikings up next, it’s conceivable this ballclub could be 7-6-1 come Week 16 … when they play in Tampa Bay in what could be a playoff elimination game. #justsayin’"

NBC Sports: 15th

"That tie could still make things interesting down the stretch if the Rams keep winning and enough of the other contenders keep losing."

CBS Sports: 17th

"They are alive in the playoff chase. Can you believe? Too bad they don’t play the 49ers every week."

Yahoo Sports: 19th

"Kudos to Jeff Fisher & Co. for proving that their 24-24 tie with the 49ers in Week 10 was no aberration by upsetting the 49ers with a 16-13 overtime win on Sunday. There is still much work to be done in the rebuilding process, but the Rams are armed with draft picks, have a smart GM in Les Snead, who use those picks to put this team in contention for the playoffs real soon."

SB Nation: 24th

"Six teams are ahead of them for the Wild Card. It’s incredibly unlikely, but not impossible."