(My Sportsbook) - Tangibly, the No. 1 thing the Rams can accomplish in the offseason is to improve their defensive line. Intangibly, what their 8-8 season proved more than anything else is that they need to learn to play tougher within their own division.

A 41-21 win over Minnesota on Sunday proved some things we already knew: that the Rams have a capable offense -- they ranked fifth in the NFC in scoring -- and that they play toughest outside the NFC West, where they were 6-4 this season against teams not named the Seahawks, 49ers or Cardinals.

The Rams missed the playoffs for the second straight season, and their 2-4 divisional record is largely to blame.

A Week 2 loss to the 49ers hurt, as did a late-season beating by the Cardinals. But what really killed St. Louis' playoff chances were a pair of heartbreaking two-point losses to Seattle, both on last-second Josh Brown field goals.

"We definitely have an uphill climb from here on out...[but] I know the leadership on this team is not going to hang it up right now," Rams guard Adam Timmerman said after the second loss -- and he was right.

Three weeks later, following a 34-20 loss to the Cardinals, quarterback Marc Bulger called out some of his teammates: "There's more than one guy in this locker room who could care less that we're losing, or thinks it's OK to make mistakes."

Normally reserved, Bulger garnered mostly support from the team and coaches, and the Rams went 3-1 over their remaining four games.

But it was a tough stretch during the meat of their schedule, when the Rams went 1-7, that turned the team from a surprising NFC front-runner into a troubled, languishing disappointment. During that span, they were 1-3 in division games.

We said before the season that if the Rams could win early and gain some momentum, they could challenge the Seahawks in an otherwise shaky division.

Turned out, they may have been the shakiest thing about it.

"JUST A COUPLE OF POSITIONS AWAY"

Not that it's all gloom and doom for next year. Although the Rams are aging, they have legitimate stars at key positions with only a few serious talent gaps to address.

"I do think we have the core guys here," Bulger said after Sunday's win. "I think we have a back, a Super Bowl back, one that can run the ball and win games for you.

"To get to the Super Bowl in this league, I think you need that. We have the receivers. I think our line's starting to jell. I think we're just a couple positions away. I'm excited about next year already."

Bulger, of course, was talking about Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson, who had a career year, and still-first-rate wideouts Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce.

The line jelling? That may have something to do with Bulger's December 3 outburst: Much of it, reportedly, was directed at his linemen.

SO, WHICH POSITIIONS?

No. 1 on the Rams' offseason wish list should be defensive line help. They need it at all positions, but especially inside, where some talent could help the Rams escape the NFC cellar as the conference's worst team against the rush.

St. Louis surrendered 145.4 yards per game on the ground, eight yards more than the next-worse team in the NFC and second-worst in the NFL behind only the Indianapolis Colts.

The Rams ranked third in the NFC in pass defense, probably because their opponents attempted a league-low 28.2 passes per game against them. Teams knew they could run on St. Louis, and so that's what they did.

HIGHER UP THE LADDER

The Rams played their first season under new head coach Scott Linehan, who was a surprising and inexperienced replacement for Mike Martz last offseason. Former NFL head coach Jim Haslett was the new defensive coordinator.

At least one of his players praised Linehan's level-headedness during a tumultuous season.

"When we were 4-1, he came in and preached the same things. When we lost five straight, he was preaching the same things," Bulger said. "And after [Sunday's] game, he was preaching the same things.

"We're going in the right direction. I think that's a testament to him that he got everyone in here to (believe)."

SHINING STAR

If nothing else, this season proved Steven Jackson is a rising star in the NFL.

On Sunday, the third-year back finished his season with a flourish by carrying 25 times for 142 yards and three touchdowns. He punctuated the performance with a 59-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Jackson finished the season with 1,528 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, as well as 90 receptions for 806 yards and three scores. Though the Rams may need to find a younger replacement for backup Stephen Davis, it's clear they already have their replacement for Marshall Faulk.

Said Jackson: "This organization is known for having talented backs that are in the Hall of Fame or going there, so that is a lot of pressure right there to be a back that can stand on his own two feet and say, "I can carry this torch."

More than just carrying it, Jackson is running away with the torch.