St. Louis offense vs. San Francisco defense

	RAMS OFFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	Run	12
	Pass	2
	Tot. Yds.	1
	Scoring	1
	Int's allowed	6
	Sacks allowed	20
	49ERS DEFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	vs. Run	21
	vs. Pass	27
	Total yds. allowed	27
	# of Ints.	10
	# of Sacks	17
	Turnover differential	-10

The Rams rebounded nicely after two losses on the road by burying the Panthers 35-10, marking the sixth time they have scored 34 points or higher. Look for the Rams to come out with play-action early in the game, looking to get RB Marshall Faulk isolated on OLB Lee Woodall in the open field. Woodall, who struggled in coverage last week against the Saints' Rickey Williams, will be more vulnerable the further Faulk works down the field. Faulk, Robert Holcombe, Jeff Robinson, and Amp Lee made the Panthers pay for sagging in deep coverage by combining for six receptions for 137 yards (22.8 avg.).

St. Louis has found ways to make big plays regardless of how opponents defend them and last week's dump-off strategy worked extremely well. The Niners were scorched for 316 yards through the air the last time these two teams met but their secondary will have a much different look on Sunday, especially at the corners. Rookie Pierson Prioleau and R.W. McQuarters, who are now starting in place of Darnell Walker and departed Mark McMillian, are more physical players but their lack of experience will be exploited by the Rams' multiple-receiver sets.

WR Issac Bruce is playing with a slight thigh bruise but that won't stop him from attacking the deep middle of the field, where the Niners have sorely missed the range of Lance Schulters the past two weeks. Bruce had five receptions for 134 yards and four touchdowns in Week 5 and he will certainly have another big afternoon if San Francisco again fails to generate a pass rush.

San Francisco reached QB Kurt Warner only once earlier in the year and that sack came on a blitz by SS Tim McDonald, who the Niners need to hold back in coverage. Defensive coordinator Jim Mora Jr. is getting nothing out of outside pass rushers Gabe Wilkins and Charles Haley. Wilkins hasn't recorded a sack all season and will have a hard time getting his first against LOT Orlando Pace. Haley has been quiet since his two-sack performance in Week 3 against Arizona.

The Rams have struggled creating much running room for Faulk the past few weeks and they must get things on track against a Niners defense that is allowing 111.4 yards per game on the ground. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz always has the short passing game as an option but the Rams seem insistent upon solving their problems up front against the drained Niners defense.

St. Louis needs to simplify a lot of what they are trying to do in terms of blocking schemes and concentrate on playing more physical. Faulk is the type of back that gets stronger as the game wears on, which makes it very difficult for opponents to mount a comeback if they fall behind early. Faulk churned out 56 of his 73 yards in the fourth quarter against the Panthers.

San Francisco was successful moving the ball between the 20's but they stalled badly in the red-zone, settling for field goals instead of touchdowns. To that point, the Niners have failed to score an offensive touchdown in last 12 quarters of play.

Compounding matters for coach Steve Mariucci is the health of WR Terrell Owens, who sprained an ankle last week on the Superdome turf. If Owens can play on Sunday, look for the Niners to use a lot of formation variation to get favorable matchups against a suspect Rams secondary. Mariucci is confident that RDC Dexter McCleon and nickel back Dre Bly, who won the job from Taje Allen last week, can be beaten but it's Stenstrom's job to deliver the ball.

St. Louis' blitz packages have produced very little pressure the past few weeks so look for them to drop back into a lot of zone coverage, leaving the pass rush duties to LDE Kevin Carter. The Rams' pass rush specialist has racked up 6.5 sacks in the past three games and will face familiar foe ROT Derrick Deese. The Saints ran a couple of stunts at Deese last week and wound up getting good heat from the left side.

San Francisco can't afford to fall behind early because it forces them to stray from their game plan. RB Charlie Garner, who is averaging almost two more yards per carry in the second half (6.3) than the first (4.5), has been their best weapon all season but quick deficits minimize his role in the offense.

The Rams stingy defense is giving up only 74.8 yards per game on the ground and has yet to allow an opposing back to record a 100-yard game. Those statistics are misleading because opponents have rarely had the luxury of running the ball after halftime. The Niners will be forced to use FB's Fred Beasley and Tommy Vardell more this week in lieu of Lawrence Phillips' pending release.