Television analysts and shock jocks try to be the one to nail (read: wild guess) the NFL team that is going to completely turn things around from the previous year and make the leap from a lousy 1-15, 3-13 or 4-12 record to a 10-6 record—better known as becoming a playoff team. Most analysts are wrong, but fans find the banter amusing enough to give away a few seconds of their time, just as long as the analyst is talking about their favorite team.

August 18, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins (21) forces a fumble from Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jon Baldwin (89) in the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

Well, today, ESPN’s favorite shock jock and out-of-proportion-blower, Colin Cowherd, said on his radio show “ESPN’s The Herd” that the Rams are going to be 9-7 this season. He cites various reasons for why the Rams are going to turn things around, but some of the most important arguments he made were because a) he isn’t a believer in Seattle as much as other analysts are b) the Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints are going in the wrong direction as far as offseason programs went and c) Sam Bradford is an actual quarterback who should be starting every Sunday in this league.

For me, it seems like a lot of work for head coach Jeff Fisher to do in his first year of wearing the headset on the Rams’ sidelines, but it isn’t beyond believable.

The Rams brought in a lot of talent this offseason in players like Courtland Finnegan, Jenoris Jenkins, and Isaiah Pead, and the team extended Chris Long after the former Cavalier put up tremendous numbers on the defensive line. Those mere roster moves help put the team closer to the playoffs than anything the team probably could have done this offseason.

However, calling them a playoff team seems premature, at this point in time. I say “playoff team” because I believe 9-7 will be enough to get a team a wildcard playoff spot this year. As much as I’d like to see the Rams make it as a wildcard team, I will reserve my hopes until I actually see them get the wins on the field. Unlike Cowherd, I am one of those people who hate gawking at rosters on paper. On paper does nothing for a franchise but win them preseason hype and television time in the offseason.

Will the Rams make the playoffs this season by going 9-7? We’ll see…