I expect a tightly contested, low-scoring game Sunday at Edward Jones Dome. Both teams struggle to move the ball at times, the Rams' defense can be stingy and the Vikings' defense is starting to play at a pretty high level and at the right time of the year.

We will attempt to milk the clock with the running game and, hopefully, strike with the passing game when the opportunity emerges. CHRISTIAN will have to pass for a high percentage like he did in the Bears' game and convert on some key third downs. And this time if JARIUS shakes clear behind the safeties he cannot bleep it up and has to deliver the rock on time. This is December football, we are in the playoff hunt, the Rams are beatable and the running game, defense and special teams are performing well enough to help us win out. The proverbial elephant in the room is the passing game, and it has to hold up its end of the bargain to advance.

The game-calling depth chart is complete, and here are some things I hope to share:

-- Rams' HC JEFF FISHER is elite. This is his 17th season coaching and first with the Rams. He has 147 wins, which is fourth most amongst active coaches. He played with LESLIE FRAZIER with the Chicago Bears from 1981-1985.

-- The Rams are minus one in the take-give and are plus five in wins and minus five in losses.

-- The Rams' 39 sacks are second most in the league. They had five at Buffalo last week.

-- Rams' rush defense versus Our Beast: they allow 110 RYPG, which is 13th in the NFL. But against top-five rushing offenses faced (San Fran, twice, Washington and Seattle) St. Louis has allowed 171 RYPG and six TD's.

-- S CRAIG DAHL played 43 games for NDSU and during his final two seasons at Mankato East HS amassed 57 TD's rushing and passing.

-- MLB JAMES LAURINAITIS played at Wayzata HS and registered 193 tackles his senior season. He also was terrific at hockey and some say would have been drafted in the second or third round had he gone that direction.

-- Second-year DE ROBERT QUINN has 9 1/2 sacks.

-- OLB JO-LONN DUNBAR played with the cheatin Saints bounty team. He has 15 TFL's this year and picked off RYAN FITZPATRICK last week to seal the win at Buffalo.

-- DT MICHAEL BROCKERS is a stud. The rookie from LSU was the 14th overall pick in the most recent draft and at Buffalo last week had a sack and a FF.

-- St. Louis has won three consecutive and is 3-1-1 after its BYE. The Rams are 0-3 versus the NFCN this year and has lost by an average of nine PPG.

-- Rookie CB JANORIS JENKINS -- the kid kicked off the Florida squad, sending him to North Alabama -- has three picks this year and three defensive TD's.

-- TE KYLE RUDOLPH had zero catches versus the Bears.

-- WR DEVIN AROMASHODU has one reception the last six games. He has one TD in 29 games with the Vikings.

-- Adrian needs to average 133 RYPG the final three to run for 2000 yards. He needs to average 168 RYPG the final three to catch ERIC DICKERSON'S single-season rushing record of 2,105 set in 1984.

-- Adrian has run for 166 YPG the last three on the road with three TD's.

-- Christian has thrown six TD's and six interceptions on the road. He has been sacked 28 times and 16 have come on the road.

-- K BLAIR WALSH has missed two consecutive FG's. He is 5 of 5 from 50 and beyond and has scored 99 points this year. The team rookie record for points in a season is 106 set by RANDY MOSS in 1998.

-- TE JOHN CARLSON has zero receptions the last two games.

-- The Vikings have scored zero fourth-quarter points six of the last seven games.

-- Minnesota averages 172 PYPG, worst in the NFL.

-- The Rams average 18.2 PPG, 29th in the NFL. Since the BYE -- the last five games -- they have scored nearly 23 PPG.

-- Rookie K GREG ZUERLEIN is the only kicker in NFL lore to hit FG's of plus 50 and 60 yards in the same game. In week four against Seattle he nailed two from 58 and 60. He hit the first 15 kicks of his career. He has missed three of his last six and is 7 of 11 from 50 and beyond. He had zero attempts at Buffalo.

-- Rookie P JOHNNY HEKKER is 3 of 3 passing this year, and threw a TD to DANNY AMENDOLA. Sneaky.

-- QB SAM BRADFORD, the first overall selection in the 2010 draft, is a career 58 percent guy. He has been sacked 31 times this year and six times the last four games.

- RB STEVEN JACKSON is 71 rushing yards shy of 10,000 for his career.

-- PR MARCUS SHERELS had five FC's in the Bears' game.

-- Rams' C SCOTT WELLS, the former Packer, missed nine games this year with a foot injury and has played three consecutive.

-- WR BRANDON GIBSON has five receiving TD's, which leads the team.

-- Rookie WR CHRIS GIVENS had an amazing run weeks four through eight. During said quintet he became only the second player in NFL history to catch at least one pass for 50 yards or more each game.

-- WR Danny Amendola has missed the last two with a foot injury. He leads the Rams with 51 receptions.

-- MLB JASPER BRINKLEY has averaged 12 TPG the last three.

-- CB ANTOINE WINFIELD has 11 TFL's this year.

-- DE JARED ALLEN is making his 92nd consecutive start.