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Marshall Faulk Elsa/Getty Projected starting lineup Offense No. Player Pos. 81 Torry Holt WR 76 Orlando Pace LT 67 Andy McCollum LG 64 Dave Wohlabaugh C 62 Adam Timmerman RG 68 Kyle Turley RT 87 Cameron Cleeland TE 80 Isaac Bruce WR 10 Marc Bulger QB 44 Joey Goodspeed FB 28 Marshall Faulk RB 14 Jeff Wilkins K Defense No. Player Pos. 99 Sean Moran RE 92 Damione Lewis DT 79 Ryan Pickett DT 97 Tyoka Jackson LE 50 Pisa Tinoisamoa OLB 55 Robert Thomas MLB 52 Tommy Polley OLB 22 Travis Fisher CB 23 Jerametrius Butler CB 35 Aeneas Williams FS 31 Adam Archuleta SS 5 Sean Landeta P 2004 Draft Rd. Player Pos. School 1 Steven Jackson RB Oregon State 3 Tony Hargrove DE Georgia Tech 4 Brandon Chillar OLB UCLA 5 Jason Shivers S Arizona State 6 Jeff Smoker QB Michigan State 7 Eric Jensen TE Iowa 7 Larry Turner G Eastern Kentucky Outside the Huddle Kick and cover Placekicker Jeff Wilkins had six solo tackles last season, including two that saved touchdowns. Alive and kicking Entering his 20th season, punter Sean Landeta is one of only two players remaining in the NFL who played in the defunct USFL. The other is San Diego quarterback Doug Flutie. Landeta, 42, is the NFL record-holder in punting average (43.3 yards) for those with 1,000 or more career punts. Coming into the season, he already has punted an NFL-record 1,327 times in regular-season play. Cradle of quarterbacks Marc Bulger is from Western Pennsylvania, an area that has produced an inordinate number of standout quarterbacks. The list includes Hall of Famers John Unitas, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, Jim Kelly, George Blanda and future Hall of Famer Dan Marino. Bulger attended Pittsburgh Central Catholic, the same high school Marino attended. And Bulger's father, Jim Bulger, played quarterback at Notre Dame. Monday, Monday The Rams will play on Monday Night Football three times this season. They will be primetime on Oct. 18 when they play host to the Tampa Bay Bucs, Nov. 29 when they travel to Green Bay and Dec. 27 when they entertain the Philadelphia Eagles. 2003 Revisited The Prophecy: "The job is [Kurt] Warner's if he demonstrates a return to MVP form in training camp. If not, Marc Bulger becomes a significant part of an 'open competition.' " The Lie: "Marshall Faulk remains the best all-purpose back in football -- when healthy." --Athlon Sports Pro Football 2003

Seems hard to believe the Rams were 12–3 at one point late last season, steaming toward another Super Bowl appearance. Hard to believe, that is, given what has transpired since.

First, there was a season-ending loss to Detroit, followed by a one-and-out playoff loss to Carolina. Then came an offseason filled with changes and controversies. Defensive coordinator Lovie Smith left to become head coach of the Chicago Bears. Contract negotiations with All-Pro offensive tackle Orlando Pace got contentious. The Kurt Warner saga and related quarterback situations made regular headlines. All-Pro defensive end Leonard Little ran into off-the-field trouble that clouded his future. The drafting of a running back, Steven Jackson, in the first round caused some to scratch their heads.

Rams head coach Mike Martz must restore order, but can he restore the luster that has surrounded the "Greatest Show on Turf" during the past several seasons? Martz believes the important thing is to look ahead, not behind.

"You have to," says Martz. "You have to have a short memory about some of these things, and learn from it and move on. Otherwise, that stuff will eat you alive. You've got to regroup and get ready to go."

Marc Bulger has a quiet toughness and showed it in handling the hoopla over replacing Warner, a two-time MVP and fan favorite. Bulger also has bona fide NFL quarterback skills, demonstrated by 18 wins in 23 career starts. Therefore, the job is his this season, with no "ifs" "ands" or "Kurts" about it.

But Bulger still has some growing to do. He must be better at sensing pressure and moving in the pocket. He threw 25 interceptions in 17 games (including the postseason) and needs to improve his accuracy with the deep ball. The offense was not nearly as dangerous downfield as it has been in the past and not as efficient in the red zone.

Capable veteran Chris Chandler will be the backup and possible mentor for Bulger.

Marshall Faulk remains a fierce competitor and valuable asset. But at age 31, after multiple knee surgeries, he seems to have lost the explosive quickness that made him so dangerous. That was most evident in the passing game last season, where Faulk caught 45 passes, 23 of which were thrown behind the line of scrimmage and 39 of which were thrown no deeper than 10 yards downfield. Backup Lamar Gordon has outstanding quickness but has not displayed durability. Thus, the team traded up in the draft to get Jackson, who they considered the best back available.

The Rams hope to convert Arlen Harris into a reliable fullback, something they never had last season.

Torry Holt became Bulger's favorite target and had one of the best seasons ever by a wide receiver, catching 117 balls for 1,696 yards. Isaac Bruce runs superb routes and remains a top-notch pass catcher. Both Holt and Bruce averaged more than 14 yards per catch. The Rams got a pleasant surprise as Dane Looker developed into a trusty third-down receiver, catching 47 balls, many in critical situations. Mike Furrey also is in the mix and there is hope that 2003 draftees Shaun McDonald and Kevin Curtis can emerge as long-ball threats.

The Rams need more from the tight end spot. In his first year as a starter, Brandon Manumaleuna showed little running ability after the catch and was prone to blocking mistakes.

Many of the 43 sacks the Rams allowed could be blamed on the faulty blocking work of tight ends and running backs. Still, the Rams' rushing average of 3.6 yards per carry was fourth-worst in the league. The strength of this group is at tackle, where Pace is among the NFL elite and Kyle Turley is tough and athletic.

Guard Andy McCollum had trouble with speedy tackles last season. The other guard, Adam Timmerman, is solid and reliable. Veteran center Dave Wohlabaugh was hampered by a hand injury early last season, but improved as the season progressed. There's plenty of experience and talent on the line and a year of cohesion should make for better results in 2004.

Nowhere do the Rams have more questions than on the defensive line, particularly at defensive end. Relentless if unspectacular Grant Wistrom took his free-agent wares to Seattle, leaving an opening on one side. On the other side, Little was charged with a DUI in April that could affect his future with the team. Tyoka Jackson, who registered 5 1/2 sacks and 45 tackles, will gobble up some of those minutes. Sean Moran, a Wistrom-like player, and Bryce Fisher, an outstanding special teams performer, will also see more playing time this season. The Rams also signed veteran Bernard Holsey, who has played mostly at tackle, but can contribute at end.

On the interior, Ryan Pickett has to bounce back from a mediocre sophomore season. Damione Lewis, a No. 1 pick in 2001, has been an enigma, unable to stay healthy and unable to make a difference. The team hopes promising Jimmy Kennedy, their No. 1 pick in 2003, has matured and developed enough to make an impact this season.

The Rams are young and talented at linebacker, but they lack depth. Tommy Polley, an outside backer, is a playmaker and one of the most underrated players in the league. Pisa Tinoisamoa, on the other side, has good speed and intensity, but he must cut down on his mistakes.

Robert Thomas made the switch to the middle and played well when he was healthy last season. At 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, the undersized Thomas may have trouble staying healthy. Tony Newson was signed during the offseason and figures to be the fourth man in the rotation.

Future Hall of Fame corner Aeneas Williams made a successful switch to free safety last season, a move that might extend his career. Adam Archuleta has improved his pass coverage ability and remains a heat-seeking missile when it comes to run support and blitzing. The corners, Jerametrius Butler and Travis Fisher, are young and athletic. The biggest question is at nickelback, where the candidates are Rich Coady, DeJuan Groce, Kevin Garrett and Shane Walton.

New special teams coach Mike Stock will attempt to shore up what has been a perennial weakness for the Rams. The punt and kickoff coverage allowed four touchdowns last season. A fifth special teams touchdown allowed came on a muffed punt. In contrast, the Rams did not return a kick or punt for a score. Now for the good news -- Jeff Wilkins kicked 44 field goals in 17 games last season and is one of the best in the business. Wilkins also was among league leaders in touchbacks, and he excels at onside kicks. The ageless Sean Landeta, an 18-year veteran, is a reliable punter.

The Rams are entering a transitional period, and Martz will be challenged to make the crossover seamless. Now that he has committed to Bulger as his starter, Martz needs to commit to him emotionally, something he didn't do in the waning moments of the playoff loss to Carolina. At the same time, Bulger and the offense no longer can rely on Faulk as a game-breaking trump card.

New defensive coordinator Larry Marmie inherits a defense that is young, fast and athletic. But there are holes to fill and depth issues with which to contend. What's more, this team cannot keep shooting itself in the foot with awful special teams play.

Five of the Rams' 12 victories last season came by six points or less. There is character on this team, but there is not as much margin for error as in years past. "I feel so much more relaxed and excited about going into next season," says Martz. "We've found out a lot about what we have on offense. The defense has been more or less solidified. You look at this team going into next year, and we know a lot more about it and its capabilities than we did last year at this time."

Despite winning 12 games last season, the Rams have lost a bit of their swagger. This is still a playoff team, but a deep postseason run is unlikely.

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