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SAVOR THIS ONE
by 316 (Oct 10)

St. Louis Rams receiver Issac Bruce salutes the crowd Sunday, Oct. 10, 1999, as the final seconds tick off the clock during their 42-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in St. Louis, Mo. Bruce caught five passes for 134 yards and four touchdowns in the game. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

There's plenty of time for coming down from the high of this game to get ready for a trip to Atlanta next Sunday. Plenty of time.

Right now, though, it's time for all Ram fans...old and new...to savor the sweet taste of this one. None of us played a down today, but I'd venture a guess that all of us feel like it right now. It has been a long, looooong time on a lot of fronts. What a way to knock a monkey off their back!

A few thoughts...

* Although the Rams' offense is looking really good right now... it's not even at top strength. Not really sure what's going on with Faulk as a runner...but I love his ability to stretch the field vertically. The play he was injured on in the first quarter was huge. A courageous---and vital---play.

* Can't wait to see a five-wide, empty backfield look with Bruce, Holt, Hakim, Lee and Faulk. Pick yer' poison, fellas. One line---no waiting. Whereas Faulk is more of a vertical receiver, Lee's specialty is finding the soft area in a defense, getting open and creating after the catch.

* I was very, very impressed with a progression Warner went through today. After a red hot start, he underthrew Bruce (on what was almost sure to be another long TD) and was picked off. He then started to get a little more nervous and not nearly as fluid in the pocket, took a sack or two (can't remember) and finally---just before halftime--- he waited on an out route to develop too long (and ignored a shorter route developing much more quickly right in front of him, I think by Jeff Robinson), was sacked, fumbled. The 'Niners recovered in the end zone and the game went from another blowout at halftime to 28-17 lead.

I'm sure there were more than a couple of people in TV land thinking: "Okay, *THIS* is where the crystal slipper for the guy turns back into the army boot." But...much to his credit...and without a healthy backfield...Warner righted himself, figuratively got his feet back underneath him and finished STRONG. He shook off the hesitation, made some nice underneath throw to get his rythym going. And, the final TD to Bruce was thrown...let me hesitate once for effect... prrrrrrrrfectly. Simply said---that pass can't be made any better. It sounds crazy...but Warner seems to just now be settling into this offense.

* The defense's ability to stuff the run continues to be a pleasant, pleasant surprise. I tried to avoid the comparisons between London Fletcher and Sam Mills...but you've got to give it some validity. The little man is a train going to the football, smart as hell and athletic as can be. What a fireplug. What a special unit that defense is. Lots of gutty, hard-nosed, tough-as-nails competitors.

* Loved seeing Lyght ride Garner out of bounds. Probably should have been penalized, but I think it sent a key message to the 49ers---that even though they felt like they were getting "back on top of things," these are NOT the SOSA-Rams. They talked the smack afterward--- especially the ultra-talented, but A, No. 1 jackass Terrell Owens--- but seemed to wilt at that point. It was like a fastbreak oriented basketball team on a run, only to have a shot rejected and the player muscled on the way to the hoop.

* I was an off-season advocate of dumping Todd Lyght...along with all the other "bad eggs" who went elsewhere this past off-season. Damn glad he stayed. He's played spectacular, hard-nosed football. In many ways, he sets the tone for the Rams' defense. Steps up, plays smashmouth - and let's you know.

* It's amazing that this team, which had no Pro Bowl players last year, could well have 10 this season.

* Smart move by Martz to slow up play a little right before halftime and early into the third by establishing the run. Got the defense off the field, and slowed 49er momentum. Hopefully, anyone who questioned his ability to be a coordinator will now step up and admit the obvious.

* Consider these facts. The Rams' franchise has been in existance since 1937---its first season in Cleveland. Keeping that  in mind... . here are some numbers for you to think about. Everyone who's a Ram fan knows the last time the Rams won four games in a row---and started a season  4-0---was in 1995. That's all well and good, but, did you know...Before this season (with a 17-point win over Baltimore, back-to-back 28 point wins against Atlanta and Cincinnati and today's 22-point win against San Francisco)...no Ram team has *EVER*  won four games in a row by 17 points or better.

There's more. Before this season (with the back-to-back 28 point wins against Atlanta and Cincinnati and today's 22-point win against San Francisco)...no Ram team has *EVER* won three games in a row by       22 points or better.

And even more. The last time the Rams registered four wins in a season by 17 points or better in a season---in any order---was during the 1980 campaign (the year after the Rams' one and only Super Bowl appearance) when they won six games by that margin or better.

Think about those numbers for a few seconds. Sixty-three years the Rams have been in business. And what we've seen during the first four games of  the 1999 season...has been record-setting  stuff.

You wonder when they'll be "good enough" to get some attention from the Summerall/Madden team...