The last temptation of Goodell

So this is just how random the NFL is now: the previously winless St. Louis Rams, working on their second dead-end coach (Jim Haslett, previously a washout in New Orleans with Aaron Brooks, and a historically awful team in their first five games, to the point that any number of people thought they could go winless... and then, um, they take out the Redskins at home with a late drive.

Next week, they get the Cowboys at home... and according to reports over at Yahoo, they might have to do it without their best / only cover corner, given that he's also an infamous recidivist who's being, well, coddled by his increasingly desperate new team, since he's their best / only cover corner. Roger Goodell is said to want to exercise his lone superpower as NFL commish, which is to mess with people who fail to Toe The Line.

Is it too much to ask for the Rams to come up with another win next week at home against the 'Boys? Of course; the Rams are a terrible, terrible team with a terrible coach, and they can't cover anyone in the passing game. If Tony Romo doesn't go for 300+ yards and 3 touchdowns, it's only because Marion Barber is scoring from in tight. And it's not like Marc Bulger set the world on fire today; the Rams won on turnovers and a defensive touchdown before making the single big play downfield to get into field goal position.

But, well, a man can dream... and even if the 'Boys do get past the Rams next week, it's not like they were built for depth or team chemistry. There's also Terrell Owens doing the post-game sulk and the in-game freakout (justified, perhaps, but still tiresome) on Andre Gurode for not blocking or falling on a fumble in the first quarter.

Add it all up, and all we need now is a Browns upset over the Giants in tonight's game to get us to that magical land of the NFC East perhaps still being the best division in football, but one with a good number of bloody noses. It also points to the following inexorable truth about the NFL...

No one knows anything...