Watching Ron Bartell last week, I couldn’t help but wonder how Rams fans’ll react to an 0-16 start. Will they march to Scott Linehan’s home? Will they huddle under the Gateway to the West, wearing paper bags and chanting “Dick Vermeil”?

The ‘08/’09 Rams are every bit as bad as the ‘07/’08 Dolphins. And, you know what? They could be worse.

Already 32nd in the league in defense, here’s a team that’s surrendered 481.5 yards/game while creating exactly 0 turnovers, and muscling through for 2 sacks. Their pass defense is so bad that Tom Coughlin actually had to pull Amani Toomer from the game, fearing the bad karma of having Toomer break free for another first down in an ugly blowout of a “contest.” Not that Toomer’s bad, but should a guy really chalk up 10% of his annual receptions and yards totals in 24 minutes of a road game? No. He should not.

There’s really nothing that the Rams can do. Their offensive line, which has been a league-wide joke for the past five years, is actually getting worse. Marc Bulger was consumed by New York’s defensive line, being sacked 6 times for an average loss of 7 yards/sack. You’re not supposed to be sacked on a three-step drop, but Bulger’s getting driven after 4 or 5. And it’s not his fault: these guys aren’t playing. There was a time when Alex Barron was a raw rookie getting beaten on the strong side and racking up false start after false start. Now he’s invisible, letting ends and safeties tear through him and Richie Incognito at will.

Bulger’s looked confused this year. I dunno, maybe it’s the six concussions to which he’s been subjected over the past four seasons, courtesy of this devolving offensive line. And his shoulder’s about a winter away from forcing him to sleep standing up. He’s lost something on his throws, and he’s clearly tentative in the “pocket.” (Yes, I know that the Rams’s version of a pocket is something like a vacuum-packed black hole.) But they have nothing. Nothing!

And while the Rams aren’t scoring, their real problem is somewhere north of the defensive line. No, their pass rush isn’t even average, but there isn’t a linebacker on this team that can cover an end or back. And watching Ahmad Bradshaw run through them last week it was obvious that they couldn’t tackle anyone.

The Rams can’t cover a second-team offense. It’s the sad truth. Run draw play after draw play against them and you’re guaranteed a first down. Throw the ball over the middle and, barring a drop, you’ve got ten yards at will.

This won’t get better: this is a team that’s somehow accumulated an entire second team starting defense. Bad drafts and bad signings have left them with two options on offense, a line that can’t pass or run block, a secondary that can’t cover, and linebackers who can’t tackle. We’ll see how Chris Long works out, but that’s a pick that should’ve been dealt. Does this team really need a 263-pound defensive end? In 2007 they were 28th in the league in scoring, and 31st in the league in defense. Find a CB and a linebacker. This is a team in desperate need of a run-stopping tackle.

As they go into Seattle today, things can only get worse. A loss to the Bumpus-led Seahawks and people start banking on a winless season.