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Rams still need to win the game
By Ron Jaworski
ESPN.com

NEW ORLEANS -- This year's St. Louis Rams team can't make its mark in NFL history until Sunday in Super Bowl XXXVI, but they are better than the Rams who hoisted the Lombardi Trophy two years ago in Atlanta.

What gives the Rams an edge this season is experience. They are more tournament-tested and are hungry because they fell short last season, when the defense imploded and they lost in the first round of the playoffs. Only 24 players are back from the '99 team, showing the incredible turnover in a two-year period. This season's group has several young players who weren't around in '99 and want to earn their first Super Bowl ring.

It's also Mike Martz's first Super Bowl experience as a head coach, and he wants to put his signature on the team. Nothing makes a greater imprint than a world championship. As the offensive coordinator, Martz had much to do with the Rams winning in '99, but Dick Vermeil was the head coach. This is Martz's team. He rebuilt the defense, retooled the offense and wants to be in the championship locker room Sunday.

The Rams enter Sunday's game as a hot team after defeating Philadelphia 29-24. While their offense isn't playing as explosively as it has in the past, the Rams don't need as much offense because the defense is much improved, playing solid, consistent football.

The only concern I have with the Rams' offense is its banged-up offensive line. Contrary to what we say about the skill-position players, if the offensive linemen aren't doing their jobs, no one else can either. Orlando Pace sprained a knee ligament last week, and Ryan Tucker has been hurt most of the season and won't start.

I don't think Kurt Warner has ever healed from the thumb injury he suffered in Week 1 against the Eagles. The thumb has been a chronic problem all season. When I saw him early this week, he still had his thumb taped. He also has had problems with his back and ribs. But Warner is such a warrior. He is still able to play and play well despite the injuries. He still had an MVP season, which goes to show his incredible talent. There was a stretch in the middle of the season when he didn't play well and was throwing too many interceptions, but he seems to have recovered.

Even though the Rams' defense has become one of the league's best units under Lovie Smith, I still believe it has weaknesses. People have overlooked how well the Eagles moved the ball against the Rams in the first half last week. Philadelphia, not the Rams, led the game at the half 17-13. The Eagles put together two outstanding drives, something the Patriots have studied closely. New England would love to replicate the Eagles' time-consuming drives.

The Rams gave up 110 yards on the ground and five yards a carry last week. They would have seen even more of the running game if Correll Buckhalter hadn't gotten hurt. Andy Reid's game plan was give the ball more to Buckhalter in the power running game. When he got hurt, the Eagles had to go with Duce Staley, a slower back.

People talk more about the Rams' potent offense, but the Rams' defense will need to play better Sunday, especially early in the game, if St. Louis hopes to join the '99 team as Super Bowl champions.

Five keys for the Rams
1. Protect Warner. It all starts with Warner. In the first matchup, the Patriots blitzed Warner 56 percent of the time, bringing five or more rushers. But he was sacked only one time on 42 designed pass plays and finished 30-of-41 passing for 401 yards. The Patriots did not get enough pressure on him. Belichick and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel are great designers of defense. They will go back to the mad-science laboratory to come up with something to get pressure on Warner. If they don't, it won't be a competitive game.

2. Make Faulk the focal point early. I think back to the Green Bay game, when Faulk touched the ball only seven times in the first half. That allows the defense to play more against the pass. If the Rams establish Faulk as someone to contend with early, it then opens up everything else. Last week the Rams gave the ball to him seven times in a row to start the second half. They established the running game, and it opened up the passing game.

3. Deep balls. The Rams will have opportunities to get big plays in the passing game and will be aggressive down the field. They have somewhat regressed into a shorter passing team. But I know Martz. If he feels he can protect Warner, he will attack with the deep ball. He will go beyond the short and intermediate areas. He will start throwing the ball more than 20 yards downfield to get those explosive plays.

4. Get Pats off the field. There is no doubt in my mind that Belichick will try to steal the game plan that his buddy Bill Parcells used against Buffalo in Super Bowl XXV. The Giants controlled the clock for more than 40 minutes to beat an explosive Bills team. On Sunday, the Rams' defense must get the Patriots off the field. Antowain Smith is a good power runner, but he lacks the explosiveness the Eagles had with Buckhalter. We may see more of J.R. Redmond, who is a much quicker back and gives a better chance for a huge gain.

5. Take Brown out. The Patriots' most explosive player is Troy Brown. The Rams need to make him the focus on defense and special teams. Special teams is a critical part of the game, as we saw last week in Pittsburgh when the Patriots' special teams accounted for 17 of their 24 points. Brown was tremendous, not only giving the Patriots good field position, but also getting into the end zone. The Rams must play well on their kickoff and punt coverage teams. I even expect to see Brown returning kickoffs.

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