The St. Louis Rams (0 - 6) are desperate to earn their first victory of the 2011 NFL season, but NFL experts don't expect it to come when they host Drew Brees and the high octane New Orleans Saints (5-2) in Week 8.
With quarterback Sam Bradford nursing an ankle injury and still unable to practice on Wednesday in preparation for Sunday's matchup against the Saints, NFL pundits are skeptical about the Rams' chances for victory. Whether Bradford plays or not, it's fairly easy to see why most experts are down on the Rams this week. The Saints' 62-point outburst against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7 constitutes more points than the Rams offense has produced over the course of the entire season (56 pts).
Peter King of Sports Illustrated predicts the Saints will blowout the Rams 30-9, and the entire five-man panel at CBS expects the Saints to emerge victorious as well. Perhaps the most confident pick in favor the Saints comes from Vinnie Iyer at Sporting News:
It's impossible for the Rams' secondary to slow down any of Drew Brees' receivers, and they will be equally burned by the speed of Darren Sproles out of the backfield. The scoreboard operator will busy again when Brees is on the field. Saints 55, Rams 3.
'Impossible' is a strong word to choose, but based on expert opinions regarding this week's matchup, Iyer just might be correct.
Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more information on this Week 8 NFL matchup, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Rams be sure to visit Turf Show Times. Visit SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.