The St Louis Rams struggled for form in 2013, finishing bottom in the NFC West for the fifth time in seven seasons.
The team managed just one win against their divisional rivals during the campaign, which saw them finish the year with a 7-9 record.
Missing a place in the post-season this time around means that the side will have gone more than a decade without taking part in the playoffs.
Sports Mole recaps a difficult season for the Rams.
Pre-season expectations
Having finished the 2012 season with a strong record against their NFC West rivals, the Rams had been tipped as a side that could cause an upset in 2013. The franchise had two first-round Draft picks, using them to bring in highly-rated wide receiver Tavon Austin and promising linebacker Alec Ogletree.
Highlight of the season
The Rams recorded some surprising wins against several strong sides in 2013, including the Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears, but their week six thrashing of the Houston Texans was probably the pick of their performances. St Louis had made a 1-3 start to the campaign, but their 38-13 win in Houston gave them their first back-to-back wins of the year.
Biggest disappointment
While the Rams were disappointingly on the wrong side of several results throughout the season, the biggest blow of the year may have been the season-ending injury suffered by quarterback Sam Bradford in week seven. The former number one overall pick in the Draft has shown promise in the first three years of the his NFL career, but many had tipped 2013 to be his breakout season due to the team's off-season signings and Draft selections. However, his ACL tear leaves the side facing an uncertain future.
Player of the season
Defensive end Robert Quinn narrowly missed out on the league's Defensive Player of the Year award, and was a big part of the team's solid defensive unit. The 23-year-old had 57 tackles, 19 sacks and seven forced fumbles in 2013. Quinn's sacks total broke the franchise's previous record for most sacks by a Rams player in a single season.
Unsung hero
Rookie linebacker Alec Ogletree's first year with the Rams saw him lead the team in tackles with 117, as well as claiming 1.5 sacks and six forced fumbles. Tavon Austin may have taken the rookie plaudits for his explosive performances as kick returner, but Ogletree proved a valuable addition to the roster in 2013.
Off-season changes
It is uncertain who will be the team's starting quarterback for the 2014, with Bradford missing the second half of the 2013 season with his ACL tear. The team's general manager has indicated that Bradford will return next season, but the Rams may be tempted by the quarterback-rich Draft class. Because of their trade with the Washington Redskins in 2012 which saw the NFC East side acquire Robert Griffin III, the Rams will have two of the first 13 selections in May.
2014 prospects
Barring substantial changes to their roster in the off-season, 2014 is likely to be another year in the abyss for the Rams. The NFC West proved to be one of the strongest divisions in the league in 2013, producing the Super Bowl champions and both NFC championship game finalists.
Sian Cowper
