The Rams and Power Rankings — Learning from the past

ESPN’s Week 13 Power Rankings are out, and the Rams have climbed to dizzying heights — 18th overall, as high as they’ve ranked since the fall from their Martzian peak. Interestingly enough, if we compare this year’s climb to the muddle of the 2006 team that finished a disappointing 8-8, they have reached a similar peak at the exact same point in the season. Darken the lights and cue the slide show: As week 12 of 2006 concluded, the Rams had just beaten a feisty San Francisco 49ers team by a slim three-point margin. Their record ascended to 5-6 on the season, and they headed home for a critical week 13 game against the deeply flawed 2-9 Arizona Cardinals. The similarities to this week’s matchup are astounding. But as you might surmise from that plummeting purple line, that Sunday in ‘06 did not go well. Despite more than 150 yards from scrimmage by Steven Jackson, and touchdown catches by both Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, the Rams could not ov...