Could 2013 Be A Growing Year?

After going 2-14 in 2011 the Rams had a huge turnaround in 2012 going 7-8-1, and surprised everybody going 4-1-1 in the division. Rams fans are now expecting the team to follow last seasons success with a playoff run. However the Rams have a tough schedule in 2013 and are still a very young team. Therefore instead of a breakdout season, the Rams may just be in for a growing season.

The last time the Rams had a season that seemed promising was in 2010, and I’d like to think we’d all like to forget the 2011 season. The fear that the 2013 season might go the same lingers in the back of the minds of Rams fans everywhere. The Rams are very young and if their rookies all go into a sophomore slumps, they could be in trouble.

The second reason the Rams could have a growing season, is that they once again have a tough schedule. The Rams open up at home against the Cardinals then play the Falcons, the Cowboys, and the 49ers, then they finally get a “break” in week five when they play the Jaguars. The Rams could very well start the season 0-4 as there isnt one for sure win in those games, even the opener against the Cardinals. The good thing about playing such quality opponents is that win or lose they can be used as learning experiences and will make the team better. In those four games, we will learn alot about where the Rams are at as a team.

2013 could be a growing year, with the inexperience and tough schedule, however a lot has changed since 2011, the Rams have more weapons, a nee coach, but more importantly a new attitude. Brian Quick was supposed to be the playmaker the Rams have been waiting for, however it was the mid round pick out of Wake Forest who became the playmaker. The Rams also drafted Tavon Austin and signed Jared Cook who have potential to be good playmaking weapons. For every playmaker the Rams have lost, the picked up a better one, excluding Steven Jackson.

The Rams getting Jeff Fisher last season was huge. Fisher brought in a new winning attitude along with years of experience. Not taking anything away from Steve Spagnuolo, but we saw how big of a mistake Spags was after we saw his disappointing season as the Saints defensive coordinator. Fisher brought the attitude ti the team that they can beat anybody on any day, and we saw that with how well the Rams did in their division. If the Rams bring that attitude once again, they could make a playoff run like fans are expecting.

The Rams are in for a season that could go either way.If the Rams do have a growing season, they will be ready to strike once again in 2014. The days of having multiple losing seasons in a row are over, they just need to win on a more consistent basis.The Rams are young and there will be bumps and learning to be done, but there will be a lot more winning in the near future than there has been in the past.