Saints Want to Be Just Like Rams

The New Orleans Saints know all about the St. Louis Rams’ magical rise last year. They’ve recited the phrase “worst to first” like a mantra.

Now they want to live it.

“Everybody in the NFL watched the way their season went last year and said, ‘If it can happen to them, it can happen to us,’ ” defensive lineman Joe Johnson said. “We believe in ourselves, that’s what matters.”

The Saints are among the few believers. They are 6 1/2-point underdogs to the Rams in today’s NFC wild-card game at New Orleans, despite an astounding turnaround from last year’s 3-13 record to a 10-6 mark and the NFC West title.

The Saints beat the Rams, also 10-6, in their first game this season but lost to them last week.

“I was surprised last week when we were home and we were still a three-point underdog, even though we beat them earlier,” quarterback Aaron Brooks said.

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Ram quarterback Kurt Warner continued to complain about being sensitive to light during Friday’s practice. It is a byproduct of the concussion he suffered last week.

“The biggest thing I notice is when I look at the snow or I go in where it’s really bright, I kind of have to squint,” Warner said. “My eyes are real sensitive to bright things, like sitting up in our meeting rooms where the boards are all white I notice I’m real sensitive to it and I think it kind of affects things a little bit.”

Team doctors told Warner that light sensitivity is common the week after a concussion. He passed a checkup.

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Norv Turner, fired earlier this month as head coach of the Washington Redskins, could land a job next season as offensive coordinator with the Rams and former protege Mike Martz.

Martz, now the Ram head coach, was quarterbacks coach under Turner in 1997 and ’98 at Washington before joining the Rams as offensive coordinator.

Martz emphasized that everything at this stage was just “speculation,” and added that he already has an offensive coordinator. Bobby Jackson holds that title, although Martz runs the offense and calls the plays on the field.

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CAPSULE

* The line: St. Louis by 6 1/2.

* Story line: This game has all the tell-tale signs of a grudge match, as the Saints weren’t too pleased at watching the Rams dance around the Superdome last Sunday. Despite barely getting into the playoffs, St. Louis is the one team nobody wants to face. This is the 10th time in NFL history that two clubs meet to end the season and then face each other in a playoff game the next week.

* Keys to the game: RB Marshall Faulk: The Saints tried to take away the pass last week and that plan backfired, as Faulk ran for 220 yards. If the Saints load up on the line of scrimmage on early downs, look for QB Kurt Warner to hit WRs Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt with quick slants, exploiting seams in the Saints’ zone coverage. If the Rams are able to run the ball again this week, they will be unstoppable. QB Aaron Brooks: In his first career playoff game, Brooks must battle nerves as well as a Ram defense that has been playing much better in recent weeks. Saint running game: For Brooks to have any breathing room, the Saints must do better than the paltry 33 yards rushing they gained last Sunday. New Orleans had the ball for only 22 minutes, 18 seconds last Sunday. Anything less than 30 minutes in this game and the Saints are finished.

* Injury report: STL--None. NO--WR Keith Poole (concussion, doubtful); RB Ricky Williams (leg, doubtful).

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THE MATCHUPS STL NO Points scored 33.8 (1) 22.1 (T10) Points allowed 29.4 (31) 19.1 (10) Passing Off. 327.0 (1) 208.1 (14) Rushing Off. 115.2 (17) 129.3 (8) Passing Def. 237.3 (27) 191.9 (10) Rushing Def. 106.1 (13) 104.5 (10) Time of Poss. 30:54 (13) 31:27 (10) Turnover Ratio -10 (T25) +9 (8) Red Zone TD% 62.8 (1) 50.0 (T13) 3rd Down Con. 47.5 (1) 42.7 (6) Opp. 3rd Down 38.5 (17) 39.2 (T20) 3 & Out 14.5 (2) 22.0 (10) Opp. 3 & Out 17.2 (27) 23.7 (19) Sacks 51 (T4) 66 (1) Sacks Allowed 44 (21) 39 (17)

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--Capsule by ROY JURGENS

* Robyn Norwood’s pick: St. Louis. Rams are looking for “road” to Super Bowl with no home games, but Saints might be a tough first leg.