As small a consolation as it might be in a season rife with setbacks, team insiders are in agreement that at least the Rams' special-teams play has shown steady improvement under first-year coach Tom McMahon. Subpar special teams had become par for the course heading into this season, even though the Rams did have two of the strongest players in the league at their positions in PK Josh Brown and P Donnie Jones. They also now have one of the league's strongest kickoff returners in ex-Eagle Danny Amendola, who has set a franchise record for single-season kickoff return yards with two games still left to play. "It helps that (head coach Steve) Spagnuolo is so committed to special teams and sits in on meetings," said one team insider. McMahon has proven to be a good teacher and quite innovative, as evidenced by the fake field goal for a TD that provided the seven-point margin of victory in the Rams' lone win, against Detroit in Week Eight.

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