Martz defends his late calls during Rams' rout of Jets

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz has a large bag of trick plays, and the New York Jets saw so many their heads had to be spinning.

The Rams remained the NFL's lone unbeaten team with a 34-14 victory over the befuddled Jets Sunday with the help of a downfield lateral that produced a 56-yard touchdown, a direct snap to Trung Canidate with quarterback Kurt Warner split wide to the left and an onside kick that they recovered after taking a 31-7 third-quarter lead.

"We always try to throw some things in just to make teams look at it, because you just never know," Warner said. "I think that's part of coach Martz's approach.

"When we're in different parts of games he just starts running stuff to see if they work and see how we can better them, but also to make people look at them and use up a snap in practice trying to stop it."

Martz also had Warner pitch to Canidate and then serve as the lead blocker, a potentially dangerous play he's used a few times this season. Canidate, who had 195 yards rushing in place of the injured Marshall Faulk, lined up in five different spots. Offensive tackle Orlando Pace lined up outside right tackle Rod Jones on one play. Wide receiver Isaac Bruce ran a reverse.

Martz often calls the shovel pass to plant doubt in the minds of opposing defensive ends. He called the direct snap to Canidate a "once a year deal."

"You try to keep people off-balance, that's what the whole purpose is," Martz said Monday. "You don't want the defense to get comfortable, you want to take control, and that's why we do those things."

What will Martz, who has masterminded the NFL's best offense the last two-plus seasons, think of next?

"We'll figure something out," Martz said.

Actually, the sort of deception the Jets saw is rare for the coach, who may have been rankled by persistent criticism of the Rams as a finesse team. He likes to use multiple formations with a lot of shifting, but consistently gives credit for the Rams' prolific attack to the preponderance of available talent.

Warner was the NFL's MVP in 1999, the Rams' Super Bowl championship year, and Faulk was MVP last year. Bruce is a two-time Pro Bowl pick, Torry Holt has had two prolific years after being a first-round pick in 1999 and Canidate was the team's No. 1 pick in 2000.

That's not to mention Ricky Proehl, who specializes in keeping drives going, and the elusive Az-Zahir Hakim, who pitched the ball to Canidate on the 56-yard touchdown and also is a punt return threat.

"You don't get on teams like this very often," Warner said. "We know how fortunate we are."

Martz was accused by some of rubbing it in on the onside kick, which was recovered by Dre' Bly. He doesn't care.

"We don't have different speeds on how we play," Martz said. "We have full speed and that's it. You give them every chance to have success and that's it."

Warner didn't second-guess that call, reasoning that the Jets had rallied from a 17-point third-quarter deficit the previous week in a victory over the Dolphins. And it was still the third quarter.

"You can never let your guard down in this business," Warner said. "Although you don't have to agree with what other teams do, we're going to do what we have to do to win."

Martz said he called for the onside kick because special teams coach Bobby April complained that the Jets were peeling back early to set up returns. Craig Yeast had a 50-yarder in the second quarter.

"They did have and do have the best passer and best rusher in the AFC and I'm concerned about those guys, keeping them off the field," Martz said. "That's my approach."

ST. LOUIS -- Marshall Faulk might miss another game with a bruised right knee, and St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz said it has nothing to do with Trung Canidate's brilliant starting debut.

Canidate had 195 yards rushing and 37 yards receiving in a 34-14 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday. He missed most of his rookie season with injuries.

"I feel relieved, but it doesn't change whether or not Marshall would be up," Martz said. "You just can't do that.

"If Marshall's not fully ready to go, we've got so much of the season left we've got to do the right thing."

Just like last Monday, the Rams say Faulk will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. Martz said a decision would be made later in the week, but he doesn't expect Faulk, the NFL's MVP last year, to be ready.

"I wouldn't expect Marshall to be up for this game," he said.

Defensive tackle Jeff Zgonina, who has a broken thumb, also likely will be out. Zgonina has already missed three games.

But offensive tackle Ryan Tucker, who has a broken left hand and separated shoulder, could return to action.