Hookscenter (HC) took a beating last weekend in handicapping the games from week 15. HC looks to bounce back this week and it all starts Thursday with the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5) traveling to St. Louis (3-11) to take on the Rams.

One month ago the Steelers where in a battle with Indianapolis for a first round bye and the number 2 seed in the AFC playoffs. The Steelers are not only fighting to win the AFC North Division, they are battling just to make the playoffs.

The Steelers have been uncharacteristic on defense the last two week’s as they have surrendered 63 points in losing consecutive games to New England (34-13) and Jacksonville (29-22). If head coach Mike Tomlin’s defense continues to play the way they have in December, the Steelers might have a new nickname sometime soon. Instead of the Steel Curtain they might be referred to as the Wool Curtain.

The Steelers were 7-0 at home before losing 29-22 to Jacksonville on Sunday. They’ve dropped three of their last five overall, also falling to the three-win Jets in overtime, and barely avoided becoming the first team to lose to the Dolphins.

The Steelers can clinch the North with a victory and a Browns loss at Cincinnati on Sunday, and can secure a playoff berth with a Tennessee loss. But their slide has exposed a lack of quality victories, only two coming against teams with winning records.

As consolation, they won’t have to worry about a hostile road crowd this week. The Rams (3-11) are 1-6 at home and have had three games blacked out on local television amid rampant fan apathy.

On Sunday, they played before perhaps a 50-50 mix of Cheeseheads and hometowners in a 33-14 loss to the Packers. This week, for Pittsburgh’s first regular-season game in St. Louis since 1979, it’ll be the traveling Terrible Towels.

St. Louis has lost three of four, leaving a halftime ceremony to retire Marshall Faulk’s No. 28 jersey and wide receiver Isaac Bruce’s climb up the career list as highlights. Bruce, the last Ram remaining from the franchise’s move to the Midwest in 1995, passed injured Marvin Harrison for fourth on the career yards receiving list with 13,983, and needs 22 this week to pass James Lofton for third.

Steven Jackson is coming off a season-best 143 yards rushing and Bulger, who missed two games with a concussion, emerged with a clear head after absorbing four sacks.

The Rams have been in almost every game at halftime this year, but have been outscored 217-76 the rest of the way and in 10 games have not scored a touchdown after the break. They’ll need a rare sustained effort to succeed against the Steelers’ top-rated defense, paced by Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison and safety Troy Polamalu, that allows only 16.7 points per game.

The Steelers have gone two games without a sack. But they have two shutouts, and have limited six opponents to 10 or fewer points.

The loss to the Jaguars at Heinz Field was unacceptable. If you are considered a big and physical team and boast the number 1 defense in the league, you cannot let a warm weather team come into your home and thoroughly dominated in miserable conditions like Jacksonville did.

Pittsburgh will right the ship tonight against a Rams team that is absolutely horrible. Injuries have decimated St.Louis this season. St. Louis will hang tough the first half but they will eventually wear down in the second half.

Take the Steelers giving 7 1/2 points tonight right to the bank.

Prediction: Steelers win 31-17.