2008 St. Louis Rams

The 2008 St. Louis Rams had another difficult season, marking one of the lowest points in the franchise’s history. The team faced major challenges both offensively and defensively, leading to a disastrous year that saw the Rams finish with a 2-14 record. It was a season of transition, with the team undergoing changes at multiple levels, including a change in head coach.

Regular Season:

• Record: The Rams finished with a 2-14 record, the worst in the NFL, and tied for the worst record in franchise history.

Coaching:

• Scott Linehan was fired midway through the 2008 season after the Rams started the year 0-4. His tenure had been marked by underperformance and the team’s failure to improve on either side of the ball. Linehan’s firing was an attempt to spark a turnaround, but it came too late in a disastrous season.

• Jim Haslett, who had served as the interim coach in 2007 after Linehan’s firing, was promoted to head coach for the remainder of the 2008 season. However, Haslett was unable to improve the team’s fortunes, and the Rams finished with the worst record in the league.

Offense:

• Quarterback Play: The Rams’ quarterback situation was in flux all season. Marc Bulger, the Rams’ starter in previous seasons, struggled with injuries and performance issues. He played in 9 games, throwing for 2,395 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Bulger was eventually replaced by Trent Green, a veteran quarterback who had previously been with the Rams in the early 2000s, but his efforts didn’t lead to much improvement either.

  • In the latter part of the season, the Rams also tried Brock Berlin and Kyle Boller, but no one could provide the stability needed at the quarterback position. The lack of consistent play from the quarterback position was a major contributor to the team’s struggles.

• Steven Jackson: Steven Jackson remained the Rams’ only real offensive weapon, and despite the team’s poor performance, he put together another strong season. Jackson rushed for 1,042 yards and 7 touchdowns, adding 379 receiving yards. He was the one bright spot in an otherwise dismal offensive attack. However, Jackson was often forced to shoulder too much of the load, and the lack of a consistent passing game made it easy for defenses to key in on him.

• Wide Receivers and Tight End: The Rams’ receiving corps was another area of struggle. Torry Holt, a longtime staple of the Rams’ offense, was still productive, finishing the season with 796 yards and 3 touchdowns. However, Holt was no longer the explosive, game-changing player he once was.

  • Isaac Bruce had left the team prior to the season, and the Rams were left with a largely underwhelming group of receivers, including Drew Bennett and Dante Hall, who were unable to step up and contribute consistently.

  • The tight end position, which had been a key part of the Rams’ offense in the past, also struggled, with no standout performers.

• Offensive Line: The offensive line was a major weak spot, and its struggles played a significant role in the Rams’ offensive ineptitude. Marc Bulger and the quarterbacks were under constant pressure, and Steven Jackson had limited room to work with in the running game. Injuries and poor play from the offensive line hurt both the passing and running games.

Defense:

• The 2008 Rams’ defense was also one of the worst in the NFL. They finished 29th in total defense and allowed 26.6 points per game, ranking among the worst in the league. They could not stop the run and were regularly exposed in the passing game as well.

• Pass Rush Issues: The Rams’ pass rush was non-existent for much of the season. They recorded just 17 sacks during the year, which was the worst in the NFL. This lack of pressure on opposing quarterbacks allowed them to pick apart the Rams’ secondary with ease.

• Secondary Struggles: The Rams’ secondary was porous and allowed numerous big plays. Tye Hill, Ron Bartell, and Fakhir Brown struggled to defend against both top-tier receivers and quarterbacks. The lack of a pass rush compounded the issues in the secondary.

• Linebackers: The Rams’ linebacking corps was not much better. Will Witherspoon, one of the better defensive players on the team, continued to perform well, but the team as a whole lacked a cohesive and effective defensive unit.

Special Teams:

• Jeff Wilkins, the Rams’ longtime kicker, had a solid season, finishing 23-for-29 on field goals. However, even Wilkins’ consistency couldn’t change the outcome of many games.
• Dante Hall, who had been brought in as a return specialist, failed to provide the spark the Rams were hoping for. The special teams units overall were relatively average and did not help shift momentum in the team’s favor.

Key Players:

• Steven Jackson: Jackson continued to be the heart of the Rams’ offense and was one of the few bright spots. His production on the ground and through the air made him one of the league’s top running backs, but he had little help from the rest of the offense.

• Torry Holt: Holt was a reliable target for the Rams’ quarterbacks despite the overall struggles of the passing game. However, at age 32, Holt was no longer in his prime, and his production had diminished.

• Marc Bulger: Bulger’s play had declined significantly in 2008 due to both injuries and ineffectiveness. He failed to live up to the expectations set in earlier seasons and could not provide the stability the Rams needed at quarterback.

• Aeneas Williams: The veteran cornerback had been a key leader in the secondary, but the Rams’ defense as a whole struggled, and Williams could not carry the defense on his own.

• Chris Long: The Rams’ top draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, defensive end Chris Long, showed promise but struggled to make an immediate impact with the lack of a pass rush around him.

Summary:

The 2008 St. Louis Rams had one of the worst seasons in recent memory, finishing with a 2-14 record. The team was plagued by injuries, poor coaching, and ineffective play on both offense and defense.

Marc Bulger and the quarterback position were major liabilities, and despite another strong season from Steven Jackson, the offense had no consistency or explosive playmaking. The offensive line and receiving corps were also weak spots, and the defense was one of the worst in the league, with no pass rush and a vulnerable secondary.

The firing of Scott Linehan midway through the season and the promotion of Jim Haslett to interim head coach could not reverse the team’s fortunes. With a lack of talent in key areas and poor team play, the 2008 Rams’ season was a complete disaster.

This season marked a significant low for the franchise, and the team would undergo significant changes in the coming years, with a focus on rebuilding the roster, especially in terms of defense and quarterback play.

Head Coaches: Scott Linehan, Jim Haslett

• To be listed, a player must have played at least one game for the team during this season.
• * Hall of Fame
• + Primary starter

Pos	#		Player	GP	GS	Start Pos	Exp	DOB	Ht	Wt	College
DE	94		Victor Adeyanju	16	9	LDE+	3	02/11/1983	6′ 4″	280	Indiana
S	21		Oshiomogho Atogwe	16	16	FS+/SS	4	06/23/1981	5′ 11″	210	Stanford
WR	17		Donnie Avery	15	12	WR+	R	06/12/1984	5′ 11″	184	Houston
T	70		Alex Barron	16	15	RT+	4	09/28/1982	6′ 7″	315	Florida State
CB	24		Ron Bartell	16	16	LCB+/RCB	4	02/22/1982	6′ 1″	209	Howard
CB/S	41		Eric Bassey	10	0		2	01/23/1983	6′ 1″	209	Oklahoma
TE	87		Anthony Becht	16	11	TE+	9	08/08/1977	6′ 5″	280	West Virginia
G	63		Jacob Bell	13	13	LG+	5	03/02/1981	6′ 4″	295	Miami (OH)
WR	83		Drew Bennett	1	0		8	08/26/1978	6′ 5″	196	UCLA
QB	13		Brock Berlin	1	0		2	07/04/1981	6′ 1″	215	Miami (FL)
CB	34		Fakhir Brown	13	11	RCB+/LCB	9	09/21/1977	5′ 11″	195	Grambling State
K	3		Josh Brown	16	0		6	04/29/1979	6′ 0″	212	Nebraska
QB	10		Marc Bulger	15	15	QB+	7	04/05/1977	6′ 3″	204	West Virginia
WR	14		Keenan Burton	13	1	WR	R	10/29/1984	6′ 0″	202	Kentucky
CB	36		Quincy Butler	1	0		2	11/25/1981	6′ 1″	185	Texas Christian
DE/DT	90		Adam Carriker	15	9	UT/NT	2	05/06/1984	6′ 6″	308	Nebraska
LB	57		Chris Chamberlain	16	0		R	09/30/1985	6′ 1″	230	Tulsa
S	25		Corey Chavous	16	13	SS+/FS	11	01/15/1976	6′ 1″	208	Vanderbilt
CB	31		Jason Craft	13	2	LCB/NB	10	02/13/1976	5′ 10″	187	Colorado State
LB	53		Quinton Culberson	16	10	SLB+	2	10/21/1985	6′ 1″	244	Mississippi State
RB	33		Kenneth Darby	10	0		2	12/26/1982	5′ 10″	211	Alabama
LB	52		Chris Draft	12	8	SLB/MLB	11	02/26/1976	5′ 11″	236	Stanford
TE	46		Daniel Fells	12	1	TE	1	09/23/1983	6′ 4″	252	California – Davis
RB	38		Samkon Gado	1	0		4	11/13/1982	5′ 10″	226	Liberty (VA)
DT	97		La’Roi Glover	16	9	UT+/NT	13	07/04/1974	6′ 2″	290	San Diego State
T/G	73		Adam Goldberg	16	6	LG/LT/RT	5	08/12/1980	6′ 7″	318	Wyoming
LB	59		Larry Grant	2	0		R	02/16/1985	6′ 1″	235	Ohio State
G/T	79		John Greco	9	1	RG	R	03/24/1985	6′ 4″	314	Toledo
QB	12		Trent Green	3	1	QB	11	07/09/1970	6′ 3″	208	Indiana
RB	82		Dante Hall	8	0		9	09/20/1978	5′ 8″	187	Texas A&M
DE	96		James Hall	16	2	LDE/RDE	9	02/04/1977	6′ 2″	280	Michigan
CB	26		Tye Hill	4	4	LCB	3	06/03/1982	5′ 10″	185	Clemson
WR	81		Torry Holt	16	14	WR+	10	06/05/1976	6′ 0″	190	North Carolina State
G/C	68		Richie Incognito	15	15	RG+	3	07/05/1983	6′ 3″	318	Nebraska
RB	39		Steven Jackson	12	11	RB+	5	07/22/1983	6′ 2″	235	Oregon State
S	35		Todd Johnson	14	3	SS	6	12/18/1978	6′ 1″	202	Florida
P	5		Donnie Jones	16	0		5	07/05/1980	6′ 3″	222	Louisiana State
WR	86		Eddie Kennison	3	1	WR	13	01/20/1973	6′ 1″	201	Louisiana State
TE	88		Joe Klopfenstein	16	10	TE+	3	11/09/1983	6′ 5″	262	Colorado
FB	36		Dan Kreider	11	4	FB	9	03/11/1977	5′ 11″	255	New Hampshire
C/G	60		Nick Leckey	10	10	C+	5	03/12/1982	6′ 3″	302	Kansas State
FB	23		Brian Leonard	2	0		2	02/03/1984	6′ 1″	229	Rutgers
DE/LB	91		Leonard Little	14	5	LDE	11	10/19/1974	6′ 3″	263	Tennessee
DE	72		Chris Long	16	16	RDE+/LDE	R	03/28/1985	6′ 3″	263	Virginia
WR	89		Dane Looker	13	6	WR	7	05/05/1976	6′ 0″	194	Washington
CB	27		Ricky Manning	5	1	RCB	6	11/18/1980	5′ 9″	193	UCLA
RB	45		Chris Massey	16	0		7	08/21/1979	6′ 0″	245	Marshall
TE	84		Randy McMichael	4	4	TE	7	06/28/1979	6′ 3″	255	Georgia
RB	22		Travis Minor	13	0		8	06/30/1979	5′ 10″	203	Florida State
DE	92		Eric Moore	7	0		4	02/28/1981	6′ 4″	270	Florida State
T	76	*	Orlando Pace	14	14	LT+	12	11/04/1975	6′ 7″	325	Ohio State
RB	30		Antonio Pittman	12	5	RB	2	12/19/1985	5′ 11″	207	Ohio State
C	65		Brett Romberg	14	6	C	3	10/10/1979	6′ 2″	298	Miami (FL)
DT/NT	95		Clifton Ryan	16	12	NT+/DT/UT	2	02/18/1984	6′ 3″	316	Michigan State
G	67		Roy Schuening	1	0		R	04/08/1984	6′ 3″	315	Oregon State
WR	19		Derek Stanley	10	0		2	08/27/1985	5′ 11″	179	Wisconsin – Whitewater
LB/DE	55		Gary Stills	14	0		10	07/11/1974	6′ 2″	250	West Virginia
LB	50		Pisa Tinoisamoa	16	16	WLB+	6	07/15/1981	6′ 1″	240	Hawaii
LB	58		David Vobora	8	1	MLB	R	04/08/1986	6′ 1″	238	Idaho
CB	20		Jonathan Wade	16	1	RCB	2	03/27/1984	5′ 10″	195	Tennessee
LB	51		Will Witherspoon	16	12	MLB+/SLB	7	08/19/1980	6′ 1″	240	Georgia
C/G	61		Cory Withrow	1	0		9	04/05/1975	6′ 2″	287	Washington State