Repeat upset in the offing for Rams?

LANDOVER, Md. - It was an absurd play from an absurd game. An offensive lineman has a tipped pass land in his arms. He tries to run, but fumbles. A safety picks it up and runs 75 yards, the only touchdown scored by a 15-point underdog in one of the strangest upsets of 2008.

"Every time I see No. 21 from the Rams, I think of that play," Washington Redskins kick returner Rock Cartwright said. "I think about it all the time."

The St. Louis Rams are back in the nation's capital again today, and it's a familiar setting. The Rams (0-1) enter the game as contenders for worst team in the NFL.

Their 19-17 win in Washington last year featuring Oshiomogho Atogwe's runback was a well-timed pick-me-up - one of only two victories they had all year - and now it's pick-me-up time again under new coach Steve Spagnuolo.

"We won't take'em lightly," Washington receiver Antwaan Randle El said. "That's for sure."

Perhaps that's because the Redskins (0-1) already will be in deep trouble if they lose. They're the only team that didn't win their opener last week in the tough NFC East.

After the Redskins ran sprints Monday, the players gathered on the field and discussed last year's loss. Oddly, the team that won has tried to forget all about it.

Spagnuolo opened the week by saying "the 2009 Rams stand on their own" and apart from the miseries of years past. He's making no exceptions for rare victories.

"We can't say that we're not going to look back at last year - and then turn back and look at a win and say we can do it," quarterback Marc Bulger said. "It's a whole new year. They have new guys."

Actually, Spagnuolo will use the past quite a bit. He spent nearly a decade preparing to face the Redskins twice a year, first as an assistant coach with Philadelphia and the past two seasons as defensive coordinator with the New York Giants.

He also got a bit of insight into the inner workings of the Washington franchise 20 months ago when he was a finalist to succeed Joe Gibbs as Redskins coach, interviewing at owner Dan Snyder's house for some 16 hours before deciding to remain with the Giants.

As far as using his Redskins expertise to prepare for today, he noted that the Redskins also are experts on him.

"I think that's a 50-50 wash, to be honest with you," he said.

Maybe so. In fact, Washington got a bit of a warm-up last week against Spagnuolo's old team in a 23-17 loss to the Giants.

"It was kind of nice to play the Giants and prepare for [the Rams], and then see a few of the same things," Washington coach Jim Zorn said.