NFL: St. Louis Rams will be in the playoffs in 2014 if…

If: Running back Zac Stacy and the St. Louis’ ground attack can pick up where it left off. If quarterback Sam Bradford and his young receivers are to be more effective, especially when it comes to taking advantage of play-action, the Rams will have to do better than 19th in the NFL in rushing.

Stacy, a fifth-round pick from Vanderbilt in 2013, led the team with 250 carries, 973 yards on the ground and seven scores. However, most of that came in the final nine games, when the workhorse back totaled 200 attempts for 759 yards and all seven touchdowns. Stacy totaled 26 or more carries in five of those outings and 100 or more yards in the ground four times.

A solid running game can only aid Bradford and a pass-catching corps that includes free-agent pickup Kenny Britt, who played for Fisher with the Tennessee Titans, speedy Tavon Austin and fellow wideouts Austin Pettis, Chris Givens and Brian Quick. It’s also worth noting that second-year wideout Stedman Bailey will miss the first four games of the season due to a league suspension for violating the substance abuse policy.

Add in tight ends Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks, the former who led the team with 51 catches and five touchdowns, and there are some toys to play with here.