ST. LOUIS — The demise of the Rams is no mystery. The team's hideous 5-20 record since the start of the 2007 season is easy to explain. You don't have to bring in a team of forensic investigators to identify the problem.

As I wrote on a blog at STLtoday.com the other day, this roster is rotting at the core. The chance for success is being weighed down by a huge pile of deadwood. General manager Jay Zygmunt, de facto assistant GM Samir Suleiman and deposed head coaches Mike Martz and Scott Linehan destroyed any realistic hope of winning consistently by constructing a truly horrible roster.

Recent drafts have been a disaster. Stacks of money have been burned in appalling free-agent signings. And even when the Rams have drafted or located a few good players, they proceed to ruin it by overpaying.

Sure, some of this is bad luck.

Players get hurt unexpectedly or grow old overnight. You just can't predict some things.

But it's staggering to study this roster and see all of the money that's being squandered on a lengthy list of overpaid, underachieving core players.

The people who should be leading the team are doing just that.

Yeah, leading the team right into the ditch:

—Marc Bulger: Since signing a six-year, $65 million deal in the summer of 2007, he ranks 34th among NFL quarterbacks in passer rating and in completion percentage.

—Torry Holt: His salary cap figure for 2008 is $7.85 million. This season Holt is 48th in the NFL in receptions, 59th in receiving yards and 118th in average yards after the catch.

—Steven Jackson: He signed a $44.8 million deal (six years) before the season. But after missing all of training camp, Jackson is injured again and ranks only 17th in the NFL in yards rushing. Since the start of the 2007 season, Jackson is 35th in the NFL in average yards per carry, and 27 NFL backs have compiled more runs that gain 10 yards or more.

—Drew Bennett: After signing a six-year, $30 million free-agent deal, Bennett has started one game for the Rams. He has 34 catches and made one grab this year before going on injured reserve. And the Rams chased Isaac Bruce off for this?

—The offensive line: The Rams struggle to run the ball and protect the passer. The front office has invested heavily in this group. On the left side, tackle Orlando Pace received a seven-year, $53 million contract and guard Jacob Bell was lured to St. Louis with a six-year, $36 million contract. On the right side, tackle Alex Barron has allowed five sacks and has been flagged for five penalties this season. His cap figure for '08 is $2.15 million.

—Leonard Little: The defensive end gives his all, but he's older now, and the injuries are more frequent. His cap number for 2008 is $6.44 million.

—Will Witherspoon: The Rams gave him a free-agent deal of six years, $33.6 million before the 2006 season. A good player, but badly miscast as a middle linebacker. In nine games this season, Witherspoon has only 35 unassisted tackles, one sack and two pass defenses. No forced fumbles. No fumble recoveries.

—Pisa Tinoisamoa: There's no question that this outside linebacker is intense and feisty. But what were the Rams thinking, giving the undersized Tinoisamoa a five-year, $25 million contract extension in 2006? Since the start of the 2004 season, Tinoisamoa has forced only one fumble and has six sacks and four interceptions.

—Corey Chavous: Now in his third season as a Ram, the slow strong safety has one interception and one forced fumble in 39 starts. His cap figure for '08 is $3.8 million.

—La'Roi Glover: A good defensive tackle in his day, the aging Glover has a 2008 cap figure of $4.5 million. He has no sacks and 38 tackles in nine games.

—Randy McMichael: The tight end has a cap figure of $3.9 million for '08 and played in four games before going on IR.

—Tye Hill: The team's No. 1 draft pick in 2006 signed a five-year, $10 million deal as a rookie. Because of injuries and poor play, he's started only 21 of a possible 41 games and has made one interception since Nov. 26, 2006.

That's a lot of cash for five wins in the last 25 games. Rams owner Chip Rosenbloom is a filmmaker, so he will understand when I tell him that he's basically funding the NFL version of Ishtar, Heaven's Gate and Howard the Duck.