Well, so much for the talk of an undefeated season.

In 1999, the St. Louis Rams took their 6-0 record on the road to an AFC foe's outdoor/grass facility and lost. Twelve months it is deja' vu as the Rams returned to St. Louis with a 6-1 record after losing another AFC foe in their outdoor/grass facility.

This season, our Male Sheep traveled west on Interstate 70 to arguably the best venue in that entire rich and arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League: Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The Chiefs were not kind hosts as they scored the most points in a game in their franchise history in route to a 54-34 victory. It was also the most points Kansas City scored in a game since September 1985 (and seven weeks before the Royals defeated the Cardinals in the World Series). In so doing, the Rams defense allowed the most points in a game in the past forty-four years.

This was truly a rough week for Gateway City sports fans. First it's the New York Mets and now it's the Kansas City Chiefs. Quick spouses, hide the sharp objects.

But just like the Mets in the NLCS, the Chiefs were the better team in this match-up with their St. Louis counterpart. There was no doubt from the opening gun which team was going to win this football game.

The Chiefs were disciplined, solid, effective, and inspired on this October afternoon. KC was obviously not impressed by the local bandwagon media's spin on the "Super Bowl Champion St. Louis Rams". The Chiefs wanted to send to a strong message to their rivals on the eastern side of the state: in order to win in the National Football League, you have to be prepared and play mistake free football. It was clear that most people watching this blowout would respond: "message received".

Still, the Rams in general and their defense in particular simply didn't get it. St. Louis committed four turnovers: three led to Kansas City scores. Quarterback Elvis Grbac produced Kurt Warner-like numbers in the first three quarters in passing for 266 yards. This is particularly frightening because St. Louis held the edge in the time of possession.

Without a doubt, this was the worst performance of a St. Louis defense in many years. To be blunt, the defense was horrible. Regardless of how frequently your offense could score, you will not win many allowing 54 points: 34 of which were allowed in the first 31:30 of the game. The 21st rank defense will now sink like a rock in the weekly NFL ratings. For the fifth time in seven games this season, the St. Louis defense has allowed at least 28 points to their opponents. Yet some defense members need reminders.

Memo to London Fletcher, Dre' Bly, and Leonard Little: Gentlemen, don't you think it is about time you stop this immature amateurish poorly choreographed performances after you make a routine play (which incidentally is your job)? You and your defensive colleagues have no reason to dance when you allow a team, with a .500 record to score 54 points. If you would like to try out for the Muny Kids, please don't make an audition tape during the Sunday afternoons in the fall.

Can someone page Bud Carson and find him an earlier flight to St. Louis?

The Rams were also confronted in this game by a factor that was relatively non-existent in 1999: injuries. St. Louis opened this contest without starters Adam Timmerman, Ryan Tucker and Jeff Wilkins. Marshall Faulk injured his shoulder at Arrowhead and his status for the immediate future is not known and is concerning.

Quarterback Warner was unable to perform in the second half. A broken finger may keep him on the sidelines for several weeks. Despite a spirited effort by back-up quarterback Trent Green (205 second half passing yards and three touchdowns), the Rams could not muster enough offense to turn the tide. (Admit it you fantasy football folks and Football GM wannabes: wasn't it a good move NOT to trade Trent Green in the off-season?)

Our Navy and Gold heroes got to see again up close and personal a by-product of their Super Bowl Championship. When the opponents play the Rams, especially on the road, it becomes the opponent's most important game of the season.

Kansas City is a great football town with great football tradition and great football fans. From Hank Stram, to Len Dawson, to Mike Garrett, to Jan Stenerud to Christian Okoye, to Joe Montana to Derrick Thomas, the Chiefs history is well documented and respected. Still, when the Rams won that big January game with Roman Numerals, many of the KC football faithful felt jilted. Those KC football fans, much like the Cardinal Baseball Fans of 1985, felt the sting of being considered the most loyal in their sport only to see a team down Interstate 70 win the overall championship.

Hence, when the NFL schedule was released in April, the Chiefs and their faithful marked Sunday October 22, 2000 with a big red circle. The Rams coming to Arrowhead would be as big of an event as the Raiders coming to Arrowhead.

As the pre-season game with Tennessee did illustrate, hopefully the shellacking at Arrowhead reinforced, if you are the defending Super Bowl Champions, you might as well draw a big target on your helmet. The Rams are THE team that the remainder of the NFL is shooting at. The Rams must be prepared to play every game. On October 22, 2000, our Male Sheep were not.

Next Sunday, the Rams travel to Tony Bennett's City by the Bay. The Forty-Niners are another team that plays their games in an outdoor stadium with a grass field. San Francisco is another team that considers St. Louis a major rival.

When our Navy and Gold heroes reconvene this week at Rams Park, Mike Martz should do three things. First, he should introduce Bud Carson and make it crystal clear that Coach Carson is there for a reason: and explain that reason(s) in detail for all to hear.

Secondly, Martz should tell his team to simply forget about the loss to the Chiefs with respect to that media derived undefeated season. That KC game is now ancient history. There are not many teams starting 6-1 that do not make the playoffs. The NFL has not seen an undefeated team in 27+ seasons. The loss to Kansas City is not that critical as it only affects the Rams overall win/loss record: not the overall conference/division record.

Finally, Coach Martz should re-emphasize that although Game Seven should be forgotten in the win/loss column, the factors leading to that loss should be remembered.

A trip to Kansas City proves again that the Rams cannot just mail it in on reputation. There are many teams in the rich and arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League that resent and will do everything in their power to defeat a defending Super Bowl Champion.

And, that is the case whether you are undefeated or not.