"This wasn't just a reality check, it was a beat down of the highest order. The Rams' offense, defense, and special teams all played a role Sunday in a loss of historic proportions. About the best that could be said about the Ram's 44-6 defeat at the hands of the Detroit Lions was that it only counted as one loss. There were times when it must have felt like three or four. "I don't know if I've ever been part of a loss like this before," rookie quarterback Sam Bradford said. Actually, not many Rams players have. In the 73-year history of Rams football, Sunday's 38-point loss matched the seventh-worst defeat. Since the franchise moved to St. Louis in 1995, it was the third-worst, exceeded only by a 47-3 loss to the New York Jets in 2008 and a 47-7 loss at Tennessee last season. The crowd of 55,714 at Ford Field loved every minute of it. As the Lions' point total climbed — and climbed some more — they resurrected the Wave. They yelled Suuuuuuh! every time No. 2 overall draft pick Ndamukong Suh made a play at defensive tackle. And as the clock wound down, they resorted to derisive chants of BRAD-ford ... BRAD-ford, followed by One more pick! ... One more pick! Actually, Bradford threw only two interceptions, although one was returned 42 yards by Alphonso Smith for Detroit's last touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Even Detroit offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, the deposed Rams head coach, got in on the "fun," dialing up a halfback pass by Javhid Best with a 28-point lead and nine minutes left in the game. In the locker room afterward, Rams defenders didn't seem too pleased with that call, but running back Steven Jackson offered his own emphatic take on the play. "Stop it," Jackson said. "If I'm an offensive coordinator, and you feel that play's going to work — we get paid, too. Stop it." Actually, the Rams did 'stop it" because Best's pass fell incomplete. Even so, it was one of the few Detroit plays that didn't work Sunday. "It's a hard one to swallow," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "I mean all three phases had a hand in the disappointment of getting beat. And usually when that happens in all three phases, the score is lopsided, and it was."" http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_4374fc2b-4eed-5f60-aeb7-63b44b31e31a.html
