Winless preseason not a worry for Martz, players

Rams forget about 0-4 showing, focus on Broncos.By R.B. Fallstrom

The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS -- Everywhere St. Louis Rams players go, the question hangs in the air: What's wrong with you guys?

Linebacker Don Davis hears it even when he's at church.

"A guy said 'I'm so worried,"' Davis said.

To this, Rams coach Mike Martz has a four-word reply: It's only the preseason. And starting Sunday when the team opens at Denver, the Rams' 0-4 showing will be history.

"I don't care about the record," Martz said after the Rams' 23-16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday. "I think we're further along this year than we were at this point last year."

Only one team in NFL history, the 1982 Washington Redskins, won the Super Bowl after going winless in the preseason -- and that was in a truncated, strike-torn regular season. Martz has no doubt the Rams, 14-2 in 2001 before getting upset by the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, are a prime candidate to join them now that they're finally about to play for real.

It's impossible to handicap the Rams in the preseason because everything is under wraps. The offense is purposely, deceptively, vanilla.

NFL MVP Kurt Warner never played more than a half. Marshall Faulk, the first player in league history with three straight 2,000-yard seasons rushing and receiving, barely played at all.

"I don't think anybody cares about how they finish up in preseason," Warner said. "The main thing is just getting a feel, getting into a rhythm.

"I couldn't tell you what our preseason record was any of the years I've been here and how that related to anything during the season, and this year is really no different."

The Rams' last winless preseason was 1994, their last year in Los Angeles, and this losing record was their first since they went 1-3 in 1995. For what it's worth, the Rams were 3-2 in the 2001 preseason, when Trung Canidate led them in rushing and third-stringer Marc Bulger threw the most passes. In 1999, the season that ended with their first Super Bowl victory, they were 2-2.

This preseason, Canidate and Bulger also were the statistical leaders on offense. Bulger threw nearly twice as many passes as Warner, 85-46, and Faulk carried the ball only 12 times for 61 yards.

The defense, third in the NFL last year, also was largely kept under wraps in the preseason. The Rams allowed 23 points in the first half, when the starters were in the game, and 78 in the second half, when the backups were getting the bulk of the playing time.

The Rams' starters were ahead at the half of two of the games, tied once and trailed the San Diego Chargers 3-0 in the other game.

The Rams' backups suffer by comparison, but then again how often in the regular season is the entire second string out there? Canidate lost three fumbles in the preseason, but still won the backup job behind Faulk over rookie Lamar Gordon.

"When you get the guys at the end, the guys that probably aren't going to make your roster, things happen," Martz said. "What I don't want to do is not let Marc Bulger throw the ball because I'm afraid he might throw an interception or lose the game."

The top priority was getting the players to the opener relatively healthy. Wide receiver Terrence Wilkins (ribs) and defensive end Leonard Little (thigh) have nagging injuries, but are expected to be ready.

Warner, hampered by a sprained ligament on his right thumb last year that limited his long-ball effectiveness, had no problems in the preseason.

"It doesn't bother me anymore," he said. "I don't have any problems at all in regards to the thumb and the strength, at all."

Faulk is as fresh as he'll ever be, along with the leaders of the speedy wideout corps, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt.

"This is the fourth season of the offense," Martz said. "How much does Marshall and those guys need to do to get in a rhythm? I felt like a real good solid half of football would be sufficient."

The biggest loss in the preseason was fullback James Hodgins' broken foot. The man whose specialty is opening holes for Faulk is not expected back until October. His replacement, for now, is Chris Hetherington, a better pass catcher although not nearly the blocker.

Offensive tackle John St. Clair, a glaring disappointment early in the preseason, made big strides the last two games.

On defense, players are expecting even more improvement in the second year under coordinator Lovie Smith. They improved from 21st to third and the only significant change is free agent pickup Jamie Duncan, who replaces the departed London Fletcher at middle linebacker.

Duncan is familiar with Smith's system, having played at Tampa Bay.

"The defense is definitely better," Davis said. "We're more disciplined, we're smarter and we know the calls that are supposed to be made.

"You're going to see a lot more plays being made."