It's not just Jenkins. Rams corners on the whole play off coverage. It's the style of this defense.

Yes. As of this week, the Parade Meter has been changed to seven victories.

Again, it's more the latter. Steven Jackson is the lead back, and Daryl Richardson clearly beat out Isaiah Pead for the No. 2 job in training camp. Richardson has done nothing to lose the No. 2 job as the season has progressed, and it's difficult _ pretty much impossible _ to give three backs work in the same backfield. Pead was in for three plays against San Francisco, and for the season has been in for 30 offensive plays _ which is the equivalent of about half a game. (He was inactive vs. Seattle.)

Specific, as in a doctor's diagnosis? Can't tell you that. But it's more below the heel _ meaning the mid-foot area, but on the bottom of the foot. The Rams and Amendola gave it a try against Arizona but he was in for only seven plays and didn't play in the second half at all. He just couldn't do much. So they decided to shut him down. He was in the boot most of last week, except for Friday.

Can I say both? I think the Rams need to add at least one wide receiver. But if Amendola isn't re-signed, then they need two.

Maybe they just can't believe they went winless against the Rams this season.

Agreed. I don't know if it was the most the Rams have blitzed, but if it wasn't, it was close to it. (This is without looking at any tape, which I usually do Weds. or Thurs. The defensive style and play-calling this year has been much more conservative than I expected, both with respect to blitzing and all the off coverage.

No, I thought the basic premise of the Parade Meter is that it could change based on a variety of factors once the season started: Injuries, strength of schedule, and obviously the play of the team. But maybe you have a point. We'll take it under consideration for next season. If you're going by the initial Parade Meter at the start of the regular season it was five victories. Get the confetti out, and we'll see you down at Kiener Plaza.

Until his two drops against San Francisco on Sunday, Lance Kendricks hadn't had a drop in weeks. He has been much more sure-handed than as a rookie last year. So yes, my sense is that the Rams still view him as their No. 1 TE going forward.

Yeah, I actually wrote something about this for The Sporting News. He was teammates with Belcher for three seaons at Maine. He knew him well in college, but it wasn't like they were best of friends. Once they began their NFL careers, the only time they spoke is when their respective teams played each other _ you know, the couple of minutes before or after the game. So the last time they spoke was the Governor's Cup preseason game in August in St. Louis. Sadly, Belcher talked about coming up to Maine (which is still Mulligan's permanent home) in the offseason to visit Mulligan.

We'll get an idea on Wednesday, when the team returns to practice. Maybe that's why the Rams keep him out of San Francisco, to get the injury right with some rest.

Since the Rams have that tie game, we won't have to worry about teams with identical records. It simplifies any tiebreaking procedures. At 9-6-1, to earn the second wild-card berth, the Rams need the following teams to have seven losses. Here are those teams, with their current records: Seattle (7-5), Dallas (6-6), Washington (6-6), Tampa (6-6), Minnesota (6-6). By winning out, the Rams would take care of Tampa and Minnesota themselves, since the Rams play both of those teams. That means Dallas and Washington would have to lose once the rest of the way. And one of them is guaranteed to lose once _ barring an overtime tie _ becaue they close the regular season against each other. Seattle, would need to lose once before it ends the regular season against St. Louis under this scenario..

He was reduced to 20 defensive plays only because he was coming off a concussion. Rest assured, he will have his normal workload this Sunday barring some setback.

His play has leveled off some lately, but he's still a top tier corner in my book.

Could be more prime time if they finish strong. And they are starting to get a little more attention on the Sunday highlight shows.

Those are two tough corners _ Sherman and Browner. So yeah, obviously it would help the Rams out. I think one of them has his appeals hearing scheduled for Dec. 14. As of right now they're both still playing.

Agreed. But they've played a lot of run-oriented teams, and haven't had the lead very often.

It would be nice. And it's been an aspect of the Rams' game that has been missing seemingly forever. I'd like to see Janoris Jenkins given more of a shot at punt returner. But remember, he fumbled on that one punt return in Miami and I think the Rams want him to concentrate on cornerback at this point.

Don't know what they saw. I was a pool reporter after the game and was asked by the San Francisco media to ask about the safety call. While was there, I should've asked about the roughing call as well.

Certainly possible. But I think Clemens brings a veteran presence, plus a great knowledge of this sceme.

His speed _ as Dick Vermeil used to say _ is glaring. I would love to see him invited to camp next summer.

Yeah, that was a bizarre call. Jackson, still your best player, wasn't even on the field. But overall, I think Schottenheimer's done a good job. Keep in mind, the Rams have played seven top 10 defenses so far in 12 games. And they've had to do that without their offensive line intact until the past two games, and with Amendola on the field for only five full games.