Season Still Is an Improvement, Knox Says : Rams: Despite a turnover-marred loss to the Saints, the coach notes that L.A. has two more victories than last season.

With only five victories in hand, and their slate of games down to two, the Rams on Monday warmed up their valedictories for 1992.

It has been a win-one, lose-two sort of season for the Rams--an up-and-down, stumble-around journey that Coach Chuck Knox says already has shown that the Rams have improved since going 3-13 last season.

In the wake of Sunday’s 37-14 defeat by the New Orleans Saints, Knox acknowledged that the Rams (5-9) are far from where he wants them to be.

It was a familiar litany Sunday: Too many turnovers, too many missed chances, too much defensive backpedaling against bigger, stronger, faster offenses.

But Knox also said that those who call the Rams’ season a failure after Sunday’s collapse--only two weeks after the Rams’ staged the greatest comeback victory in franchise history--ignore the big picture.

“I think most people would judge whatever success you have in relationship to the won-lost record last year,” he said.

“We have made some improvement, and we have played some good games. We did not play well (Sunday), obviously.

“But I don’t think you can take one game, just like you can’t take the Dallas game (a 27-23 upset by the Rams last month) and say that was the season.”

But with a game in Green Bay next up, followed by the season finale against the Atlanta Falcons, Knox acknowledged that the Rams might end up 5-11.

“I’m not satisfied with five wins,” Knox said. “I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied with that. But that is reality. That’s where we are.”

The Rams were 2-2 in September, 1-2 in October, 1-4 in November, and now, 1-1 in December.

Their six turnovers Sunday--including two more fumbles lost by Cleveland Gary--were the most they have given away this season, and the most since their seven-turnover performance while losing to the Phoenix Cardinals on Sept. 1, 1991.

“I’m always disappointed with the turnovers,” Knox said. “We just have to do a better job of protecting that football. When we’ve won, we’ve been able to force some turnovers, get some take-aways, and we have not turned it over.”

The Saints have won nine of their last 10 games. Knox said that he considers them a Super Bowl contender.

“I think they’re right there,” Knox said. “I think they’ve got all the ingredients.

“They’ve got the kicking game. They’ve got the defense, they’ve got an excellent offense. They’ve got the ability to hurt you with some weapons.”

Wide receiver Jeff Chadwick said Sunday’s defeat wouldn’t destroy the Rams’ feeling that they are moving in the right direction.

“I don’t think we’re going to dwell on this,” Chadwick said. “We all know why we didn’t win this game, we just didn’t play well.

“I don’t think it’s going to detract.”

Although some of the players in recent weeks have said that sweeping their December games to finish 8-8 was a goal, Knox said he never got that specific.

“I didn’t mention anything about 8-8,” Knox said. “I was talking about, ‘It’s a four-game season.’ We’re 1-1 right now. We’re going to go to Green Bay this week. We’ve got Atlanta coming in next week. So that’s where we are.

“We’re down to a two-week season.”