Rams need historical run to reach playoffs

ST. LOUIS -- When you're 0-5 after most expected a Super Bowl run, off to the worst start in club history in nearly four decades and days from hosting the undefeated, high-scoring Oakland Raiders, all that's left for the St. Louis Rams is to get upset.

"I hope they're angry, more than mentally beat down, I hope they're just flat angry," Rams coach Mike Martz said Monday, a day after a 37-13 loss at San Francisco brought an end to the club's six-game winning streak over their West Coast rivals.

"They need to be upset," Martz said. "They need to be real upset. That's the only way things are going to get better is if they get upset enough."

Things in St. Louis can't get much worse. With Sunday's loss, the Rams' hopes for a return to the Super Bowl are all but gone -- no team that's started 0-5 has finished its season in the playoffs.

Few bright spots

Martz talked of only two highlights: The play of second-year defensive tackle Ryan Pickett, and Terrence Wilkins' kick returns. Otherwise, the loss to the 49ers continued the kind of shocking start that's left Martz defending his team's effort, but admitting the obvious: "We're not playing well."

"We're running to the ball. They're trying to make plays," he said. "We're just out of position on some things, a little out of control. We'll continue to coach them hard and keep them uplifted and keep pounding on the rock, and eventually that rock is going to crack."

The Rams' problems, as Martz sees them, aren't nitpicks, including issues as simple and broad as tackling. Against San Francisco, he said, the Rams had "probably our worst day tackling in the last two years."

"It's fundamental football when it comes down to defense right now. They're getting there, but they're missing a tackle," Martz said. "Tackling you need to work on, but (it's) also being under enough control and all those kinds of things you've been doing your whole career as a defensive player."

The Rams will get some help on defense this week, with the expected return of linebacker Tommy Polley and cornerback Dexter McCleon. But Orlando Pace, the Rams' All-Pro offensive tackle who tore his left calf muscle last month, likely won't be around to help out quarterback Jamie Martin, who Martz generously said "missed a couple of throws" in his first start replacing the injured Kurt Warner.

Martin unimpressive

After throwing a pair of interceptions the 49ers converted into 10 points, Martin wasn't able to put Rams points on the board until the game was almost over, completing a 7-yard pass to Lamar Gordon with less than a minute left.

"He's still a little bit unfamiliar with some of the stuff, still a little hesitant with some things, and he'll only get better the more he plays," Martz said. "And we'll change some things, too, there are some things that we can do to help him."

Martin banged a knee against San Francisco, will probably have it drained Tuesday and play against Oakland, Martz said.

"He's a little gimpy today," Martz said. "There's no damage in there, it just got swollen."

The Rams also expect to get news Tuesday about cornerback Aeneas Williams's turf-toe injury, which kept him out against San Francisco, ending his streak of 177 consecutive starts.