Victory Helps the Rams Clear Key Mental Hurdle

No solitary game is going to completely banish the demons of 1990 and ‘91, but Sunday’s 14-0 victory over the New England Patriots contradicted, silenced or turned upside down almost everything else both bad and glorious the Rams have come to signify.

Everything the Rams used to be, they weren’t, at least for a game.

During all the troubled times, receiver Henry Ellard was someone to depend on, catching at least one pass every game--until Sunday, when his 81-game reception streak was halted, mostly by a conservative offensive game plan that did not feature the wide receivers and an out-of-rhythm pass attack.

Through all of the Rams’ past breakdowns, kicker Tony Zendejas stayed perfect--until Sunday, when his streak of consecutive field goals ended at 23, one short of the NFL record, and his new streak of missed kicks stretched unbelievably to three.

Also, after years of awful punting by the Rams, Don Bracken kept the Patriots backpedaling with seven punts that averaged 47.9 yards, including five that were stopped inside the 20-yard line.

Defensively, the Rams have been the NFL’s least dangerous team, totaling 47 sacks and 23 interceptions the past two seasons and showing no signs of change--until Sunday. Against the Patriots, the Rams broke loose for seven sacks and four interceptions and registered their first shutout in 60 games.

And, most compellingly, after 11 consecutive losses, the brooding, frustrated team mood lasted until Sunday, when even Coach Chuck Knox got caught up in the uncorking of 11 months’ pent-up celebration.

“I was very pleased for those guys,” Knox said Monday, when asked if he liked seeing his players so excited. “You know, that’s a tough thing, losing that many games in a row.

“They have worked hard. And sooner or later you like to see the satisfaction of having . . . your efforts reach fruition, which is winning.”

It was, even Knox conceded, well beyond due. Especially after the previous week’s 33-point devastation in Buffalo to open Knox’s second tour with the Rams, and especially after two seasons that had shaken the confidence of an entire franchise and brought John Robinson’s tenure down in flames.

” . . . If we hadn’t won, it’d be, ‘Well, here they go again,’ ” Knox said. “And then the guys would be saying it. And sometimes it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

The Rams’ defense--starting two rookies, two second-year players and seven players overall who have never spent an entire season as starters--fulfilled everything anyone could expect of it and more Sunday, turning the new zone system into a sack-and-turnover monster.

“We were having fun out there and that’s going to be key for us,” said cornerback Todd Lyght, who intercepted two Hugh Millen passes Sunday. “We were playing out there, it wasn’t a job.

“At times, we weren’t having fun last year--that’s the difference. They’re letting the players play within themselves and they’re not making a player do what he can’t do, which I think is key for us.”

But Knox said the Rams certainly can’t expect anything close to a shutout every time out, including Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

“I think it’s a young defensive football team,” Knox said. “We started two rookies on the defensive line, and I think it has a chance to develop and we’ll get better.

“Since it is a young defensive football team, I don’t think you can put a tremendous amount of pressure on them to win the game by themselves. A shutout in itself doesn’t happen very often at this level.

“We’ll just have to work to improve our offensive production and get the running game going a little bit. We need to be able to throw it better and more consistently.”

But despite the defensive immaturity and an offense he agreed is out of sync, Knox seemed to suggest the Rams had cleared an important mental hurdle Sunday.

Traveling to Miami will be a lot easier at 1-1 than 0-12.

“When you don’t get a lift out of it, there’s something wrong, you’ve got to get into another business,” Knox said. “That doesn’t mean you go crazy, but it is nice to win.

“I’ve said many times, there’s two great things about professional football: One is winning, and two is getting paid.”

“RAM NUMBERS”

HIGHLIGHT

KEVIN GREENE

It might draw an argument from some, but one came away from the Rams’ 14-0 victory over the New England Patriots Sunday with the belief that Kevin Greene is the Rams’ best conditioned player. How else can you explain how this 30-year-old, 6 feet, 3 inch, 247-pounder did what he did in the 83 degree heat of Anaheim Stadium? In his role as his team’s left outside linebacker, he sacked Patriot quarterback Hugh Millen three times, had five tackles and, while not rushing the passer, was his athletic self defending against the pass. In his role as kamikaze on the kickoff team, Greene made three tackles. Any wonder, when he walked off the field with 1:36 to play, even Coach Chuck Knox, not known for showing his emotions, hugged Greene in appreciation.

SEASON TO DATE Two-Game Totals (Record: 1-1) First Downs RAMS: 28 OPP: 37 Rushing Yards RAMS: 187 OPP: 325 Passing Yards RAMS: 268 OPP: 265 Punts/Average RAMS: 13/45.6 OPP: 11/45.1 Rushing RAMS: ATT: 41 AVG: 3.8 TDs: 2 OPP: ATT: 60 AVG: 5.4 TDs: 3 Passing RAMS: ATT: 60 CP: 29 TDs: 1 OPP: ATT: 62 CP: 37 TDs: 2 Penalties/Yards RAMS: 12/100 OPP: 22/183 Fumbles/Lost RAMS: 3/0 OPP: 3/1 Interceptions RAMS: 5/78 OPP: 4/77 Possession Time RAMS: 28:49 OPP: 31:11 Scoring by Quarters

1 2 3 4 OT TOTAL RAMS 0 7 7 7 7 21 OPP 14 13 7 6 0 40