ST. LOUIS - It seems the attitude of "the Rams are so leaving, good riddance" is the preferred position of many sports fans in St. Louis. I'm not here to argue that's not reasonable. If the Rams ownership has a deep and abiding love for St. Louis and plans on being here for generations, I must have missed that press release.
In recent years, the Rams have not only been second fiddle to the Cardinals, in terms of sports fan devotion, but you could make a case that the St. Louis Blues are even more popular. But Sunday's game left with me a feeling I can only describe as: "Hey, I think I'm falling for these Rams."
We all know the old journalism rule: "No cheering in the press box." Journalists and broadcasters alike aren't really supposed to say they're "rooting" for the home team. We're supposed to be unbiased. But come on. Find me a newscaster in St. Louis who is NOT decked out in red when the Cardinals are in the playoffs. So let's set aside for a second that it's okay for media types to openly root for the home team.
The Rams fake punt deep in their own territory clinging to a two-point lead late in the fourth quarter just may have been the gutsiest, nerviest, daring decision in an otherwise overly conservative league in the last five years.
I can't tell you the last time NFL strategy made me jump off my coach and run closer to the TV screen. And the Rams did that a couple of times on Sunday.
The punt return trickery, where the Rams punt return team deceived the Seahawks into thinking the ball was going to Tavon Austin when it fact it went to Stedman Bailey on the other side of the field, showed just as much pluck and derring do. I don't think I've ever seen that.
These Rams aren't going to the Super Bowl. But these Rams are dangerous. Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, the defending Super Bowl Champion, probably despises playing at the Edward Jones Dome. That's not nothing.
Walking around the neighborhood yesterday, more than once I got together with someone to say, "Did you see that fake punt? Can you believe Fisher did that?" Believe it or not, on a beautiful fall Sunday afternoon, there was a little Rams buzz in my neighborhood.
Texts messages from friends and family trickled in: "That was easily the xxxx-iest call I've seen all year." Similar sentiments were shared on Facebook and Twitter. The Rams were in the NFL conversation, in a good way, and it felt good.
Rams QB Austin Davis isn't going to win the MVP award.
But Rams QB Austin Davis is dangerous. He's young and unproven. He has a strong arm. He's thrown for over 300 yards. He shouldn't be on the roster, some could argue. But here he is. You could make a Rocky Balboa comparison if you wanted to get carried away.
On days like Sunday, the Rams make St. Louis just a bit better. I know there are many who will still say, "I have the NFL TV package, I could care less if my city has a team." But get real. It matters. It's better to be a city with an NFL team than one that doesn't. The distinction of losing two NFL franchises is not something we should want.
Please don't take this love letter to the Rams after week seven of the NFL season as support for spending tax dollars on a new stadium for the franchise. That's a much different, more complicated, discussion. If you don't think public money should be used to subsidize otherwise profitable pro sports teams, I'm never going to try to convince you that you're wrong.
Do I think the Rams will walk into Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City next week and upset the Chiefs? No. But I'll be watching. I'm curious. I think it's possible.
Sundays are a little bit better when the dangerous Rams are playing. Admit it; we're better together.
