The BIG Picture |
By Tony Ammann |
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The Rams were caught with 12 men on the field during a play against the New Orleans Saints Sunday but actually had an extra man for most of the game. That extra man didn't have a headset or shoulder pads, nor was the extra man necessarily a male. The 12th man who assisted the Rams (9-2) in their sixth straight win at the Trans World Dome Sunday was no other than the home crowd. With five weeks to go in the regular season in the National Football League, the Rams have all but secured themselves a West Division title and a spot in the playoffs. More importantly, St. Louis has a two-game edge over four teams in the National Football Conference for the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. There's something about the Rams playing at home that almost makes them untouchable this season. In the team's six wins at home this year, the closest any opponent has come is Baltimore, when the Rams beat the Ravens by 17 on opening day. During the Rams' 6-0 run at the dome, they have outscored their opponents by a combined total of 216-62. The fans finally have reason to cheer every time the Rams take the field, whether the team is on offense or defense. Nothing can be more frustrating for a visiting quarterback than trying to call plays to his players on the field when they can't hear him. Much of St. Louis' success on defense at home this year should be attributed to the deafening crowd. The Atlanta Falcons became the first NFL team that plays home games in a dome to go to the Super Bowl last year. The Rams could realistically become the second team to do that if they advance to the Super Bowl, which ironically takes place in Atlanta. Although NFL teams that play their home games under roofs do not have a successful history in the playoffs, there may be nothing more intimidating to a visiting team than a thundering crowd in a big game. Future Hall of Famer Dave Winfield may have revolutionized the advantage of playing in a dome in baseball. While playing for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992, Winfield publicly advised the Toronto fans to make more noise during the Jays' run for the pennant late in the year. Toronto drew more than 4 million fans that year, and it seemed that every one of them responded to Winfield's request. The tranquil setting at Skydome turned into an ear-piercing roar, and the Jays' went on to win the first of back-to-back World Series titles. Fortunately, no one has had to coax Rams' fans into getting excited this year. Check your pulse if the Kurt Warner story hasn't given you reason to follow this team. Two of the remaining five games on St. Louis' schedule this year take place at home against the New York Giants and Chicago Bears. The four teams on the Rams' backs for best record in the NFC are Detroit, Minnesota, Tampa Bay and Washington. All four teams have identical records of 7-4. If the Rams can just focus on playing their own game, everything should fall right into place. The team will visit the Panthers Sunday, and with a win, would clinch the West Division title. It would have been easy for Rams' fans to give up after quarterback Trent Green suffered a season-ending injury to his knee in the preseason. Kudos to the St. Louis fans, who continue to show why they are the some of the most loyal fans in the country, win or lose. | |