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Winning big Unbeaten Rams looking for respect against 49ers
Posted: Tuesday October 05, 1999 06:41 PM
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The St. Louis Rams, one of two unbeaten teams in the NFC, see no reason why they can't keep rolling. "People are going to have to stop taking us for granted and start preparing and getting ready to play a good team," quarterback Kurt Warner said Monday. Warner, former quarterback of the Iowa Barnstormers in the Arena Football League, is a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He's a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa. The Rams haven't had a winning season since 1989 and haven't had a 3-0 start since 1995, their first season in St. Louis. That year, they won their first four games thanks to a handful of trick plays that worked and the fact they had no turnovers. So far this season, they're plus-1 in turnover ratio with five takeaways and four giveaways. They're winning with solid plays, especially from the previously unknown Warner, not gimmicks. "I told the squad, because I knew about that year, that we weren't really interested in winning by accident," Vermeil said Monday. "If you're going to have a good team, you've got to win because you're fundamentally sound and have good players." They're not just winning, they're winning big. The Rams have outscored their opponents 100-27, with the Cincinnati Bengals (38-10 on Sunday) the latest victim. The two teams went into the game with an NFL-high 99 losses in the 1990s, so the Bengals became the first to 100. The Rams, however, are still waiting for respect. They'll be underdogs at home Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers (3-1), who have beaten the Rams 17 straight times. "If we can keep it going, great," Vermeil said. "I'd be a liar to say I don't think there'll be a little extra incentive because they are the 49ers and a division rival that's been dominating the Rams." Warner, a former star in the Arena League and NFL Europe, became the first quarterback in 50 years to throw three touchdown passes in his first three starts. He leads the NFL with a 125.0 efficiency rating, has completed 68.9 percent of his passes and was at fault for only one of his two interceptions. "He's doing it about as well as it can be done," Vermeil said. "It's almost scary." So is the rest of the Rams offense, rated fourth in the NFL and first in yards per play, for opposing teams. Isaac Bruce and Marshall Faulk are among the league leaders in receptions, with 17 and 15 catches, and Bruce is fifth in receiving yardage (312). Faulk figures to get his running game untracked soon, as well. The Rams also are fourth on total defense, and their special teams have excelled. Az-Zahir Hakim leads the league in punt returns after taking one 84 yards for a touchdown against the Bengals. Kicker Jeff Wilkins has been perfect since the preseason and punter Rick Tuten got off a career-best 70-yarder last year. It hasn't hurt that the Rams' first three opponents are a collective 2-10. The Rams, by virtue of their 4-12 season last year, have the NFL's third-easiest schedule. The Falcons, who lost 27-10 to the Rams in Game 2, went to the Super Bowl last year but were without Jamal Anderson. "You can say whatever you want about our schedule," Vermeil said. "I don't make the schedule, I just coach."
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