No, the Rams aren’t the worst NFL team ever. And they may not be the worst team in the league this season, either.

Thank Steven Jackson for that. He almost single-handedly drew the line Sunday in Detroit, carrying the Rams to their breakthrough 17-10 victory.

They snapped their 17-game losing streak and eliminated the prospect of an 0-16 finish.

So that’s a start. Now the Rams must escape the league cellar by riding Jackson to additional victories during the second half.

Here are some teams the Rams could pass during their final eight weeks:


Lions: The return of wide receiver Calvin Johnson should give the 1-6 Lions a lift. But Detroit Free Press columnist Michael Rosenberg has his doubts.

“The Lions are the worst team in the NFL,” he wrote. “What other conclusion can we reach? Coming into this game, the Rams had lost 17 straight games, which doesn’t sound like much to Lions fans but is still pretty bad. They hadn’t scored a rushing touchdown all season, which is like a chef going two months without using an oven.

“Naturally, the Rams’ clinching score Sunday was a rushing touchdown, by Steven Jackson. The Lions remain the cure for everybody’s ills. They ought to bill St. Louis for three hours of therapy.”


Cleveland Browns: They fell 30-6 at Chicago. Quarterback Derek Anderson went 6 for 17 for just 76 yards and two interceptions before yielding to Brady Quinn.

The Browns are 1-7. The Dawg Pound is planning a protest at the next home game. Coach Eric Mangini is losing sway with owner Randy Lerner, reports Pro Football Talk. Lerner hired former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar to advise him on football matters.

Anderson summed up the mood in the locker room for reporters: “I'm not happy that I got pulled out, I'm not happy we lost, I'm not happy about anybody's play, my play, nothing. I haven't been happy.”

Yeah, well, losing every week will do that to you.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They are 0-7 and transitioning to rookie quarterback Josh Freeman, the former Kansas State standout. Rookie head coach Raheem Morris has his hands full with the Packers coming to town next.

Tampa Tribune columnist Martin Fennelly sees a winless season as a real possibility.

“Two winnable Bucs games have already been lost, to Washington and Carolina,” he wrote. “This season has become like Balloon Boy's balloon. It's floating away, filled only with air. Where, oh, where, is the win?

“There are seven teams left on the schedule, and four have winning records. More ominous, there are two games apiece with the Saints (6-0) and Falcons (4-2). More ominous still, there are no gift matchups with the league's other trash.”


Kansas City Chiefs: Their sole victory came against the hapless Redskins. The Chiefs (1-6) used their bye week to address the Larry Johnson situation, suspending him for a game for misconduct.

The Chiefs put up with Johnson’s antics when he was a dominant running back, but this season he is averaging just 2.7 yards per carry. He is the anti-Steven Jackson right now, setting the worst possible example for his teammates.

Why didn’t the team release him? Management figured this would set a bad precedent, showing other malcontents that they could get out by acting up.


Washington Redskins: They have lost three consecutive games, falling to 2-5 overall. Owner Daniel Snyder has rendered coach Jim Zorn a lame duck, setting the stage for a horrific second half.

The Washington Post passed along this assessment from defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth: “Urgency, heart, 'want-to,' whatever. I don't know. We're lacking a lot of stuff right now.

“If we just keep going our separate ways, then we'll just keep getting slaughtered like we have.”


So there are plenty of teams in worse shape than the Rams, believe it or not. The Rams are still playing for their rookie head coach, which is big.

This team has a star player willing to shoulder responsibility in the face of adversity, which is even bigger.

Instead of playing to laughter during the season’s second half, the Rams will have an opportunity to earn some respect.