St. Louis Rams head to Minnesota in all important matchup

On October 1^st 2006 the St. Louis Rams beat the Detroit Lions 41-34. Quarterback Marc Bulger was 26 of 42 for 328 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receivers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce each had a touchdown and over 100 yards receiving. Running back Steven Jackson also weighed in with a touchdown, gaining a total of 81 yards on the ground. With this win, the Rams improved their 2006 season record to 3-1.

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Not since this date have the Rams improved their win-loss differential to +2. Memories of the Greatest Show of Turf were already fading, and the Rams ended 2006 with a disappointing 8-8 – a record which would still prove to be better than any season that has since followed in a decade of playoff absence.

Three head coaches and nine seasons later, St. Louis goes into Week 9 of the 2015 NFL season facing a tough trip to Minnesota where a win will take the team to 5-3. Having finally broken into the NFL’s top ten power rankings according to ESPN, this week’s game gives the Rams a real chance to cement their credentials as postseason contenders.

Arizona continues to win and Seattle is picking up steam despite some early season setbacks, so a road win for Jeff Fisher’s men against a Vikings team, which could well feature in the NFC wild card race, would send a real message to the rest of the league.

A loss for St. Louis would negate the ground made with Seattle’s loss on the Rams’ bye in Week 6, and give Pete Carroll’s men added incentive to come back rested from their own bye and try and improve the standing in the division with a win against the Cardinals next Sunday.

Nov 1, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) celebrates after scoring a 66 yard touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

This is why Sunday’s fixture is so crucial, not just in the context of this seasons NFC playoff race, but in the context of the entire state of the franchise and the direction the team is going under Fisher.

Criticized for lack of adventure and an inability to take the team above .500, some have argued that Fisher’s job may be on the line in the event of another losing season without postseason football. If, however, the Rams can come away from Minnesota with their fifth victory of the season heading into a winnable home game against the currently 2-5 Chicago Bears, then there will a real case that Fisher’s plan of run-first offence led by Todd Gurley combined with punishing defence is a winning recipe.

Love it or hate it, unquestionably Fisher has stamped his identity on the Rams and he will live or die by his preference of playing style.

Sunday will feature two of the league’s elite running backs: Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson who has come closer than anyone to breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, and the Rams rookie Gurley.

If the Rams are to come away with the win, Gurley needs another big game. It is a lot of pressure on young shoulders, but is probably too much to hope for that Peterson will be a non-factor. Minnesota and St. Louis are currently 30^th and 32^nd respectively in the league’s passing stats, so expect to see the battle to be won and lost on the ground. On the other side of the ball, St. Louis fares much better ranked 8^th in run defense compared to the Vikings 15^th.

Not since the final game of the 2010 season when the Rams had a win-and-you’re-in situation going into Seattle for a playoff spot has a game mattered so much to St. Louis as this Sunday’s fixture. It is coach-defining, season-defining, franchise-defining. Can the Rams continue to push for that elusive playoff berth or is the team destined for another mediocre finish hovering just below .500? We will be a lot closer to knowing after Sunday.

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St. Louis Rams game vs Minnesota is season-defining

By Lawrence Pereira | Nov 6, 2015