They were supposed to be the St. Louis Lambs.
They were supposed to let other teams calmly sheer them week after week.They were picked to finish at the bottom or near it in the NFC West, that out of whack division comprised of an F-16 (San Francisco) and four crop dusters (Atlanta, New Orleans, Carolina, Lambs).
But after three weeks the Lambs are flying the friendly unbeaten skies next to Steve Young, Jerry Rice and their San Francisco brethren.
Some are now suggesting the Lambs - make that Rams if not Tigers - have a legitimate shot at being 6-0 when they host the Niners on Oct. 22.
That may be a tad optimistic but a lot better than someone suggesting they might be 0-6 at that time, which was a possible scenario before the season.
So, what's happened?
Basically, the Rams are playing good football.
They're forcing turnovers, lots of them. And they're not committing any.
The Rams have intercepted nine passes and recovered three fumbles in three games while not giving up the ball once.
No other team is even close to those numbers. The Dallas Cowboys have coughed up the ball four times and San Francisco five.
New head coach Rich Brooks has been able to get his message across - hard work pays off.
Cornerback Todd Lyght wasn't too happy with Brooks' tough training-camp regimen at first. Those two-a-days in 100-degree heat were almost too much to take.
"All the conditioning we did, I couldn't understand it," Lyght told the Associated Press. "He was killing us. We had guys falling down in the heat, going on IVs and stuff. We don't have 100 players like in college and we can't be hurting the ones we've got. At the time, it seemed like self-destruction."
Now, he knows better. Last year's team, Lyght said, was soft.
Receiver Todd Kinchen said sweating the details has been the biggest difference between Brooks and his predecessor, Chuck Knox.
Plus, quarterback Chris Miller who has started only 20 of the last 48 games because of injuries, has been healthy. Miller was coached by Brooks at Oregon.
ESPN's Chris Mortensen predicted the Rams would only win four games all season. They can reach that level today against Chicago. It will be tough to beat the Bears but then, they are no longer Lambs.
YOUNG ON TARGET: There is only one quarterback in the NFC with a rating of more than 100. He's the same guy who has won four straight passing titles all with ratings over 100 - San Francisco and ex-BYU QB Steve Young. Young, who had a record rating of 112.8 last season, is at 111.2. Cleveland's Vinny Testaverde leads the AFC at 106.4.
RICKEY VS. DEREK: After three weeks the numbers are very close. Rickey "Running" Watters, who departed San Francisco for Philadelphia, has gained 294 yards rushing and receiving. His replacement, Derek Loville, has gained 297. Watters has rushed for 207 yards on 58 carries for a 3.6 average with no touchdowns and has caught 14 passes for 87 yards and one touchdown. Loville has gained 168 yards on 40 carries for a 4.2 average with one TD and has caught 18 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. The league leader in yards from scrimmage is Emmitt Smith of Dallas with 474 - 427 rushing and 47 receiving.
TOUGH DEBUT FOR NO. 2: Offensive tackle Tony Boselli, the second player selected in the draft and sidelined since the early days of his first training camp following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, is expected to play tonight when the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars play host to Green Bay.
Boselli's return has been anxiously awaited by the Jaguars, who have scored only 30 points while surrendering an NFL-high 17 sacks in three straight losses.
Much of the time he'll likely be lining up against the all-time NFL sack leader, Reggie White.
The Packers move White from side to side in an effort to avoid double- and triple-teaming.