Rams Endorse Canidate

Trung Canidate quadrupled his rushing yardage for the season Sunday. The St. Louis Rams’ confidence in him increased immeasurably.

Canidate scored twice and accounted for 232 yards in his first start replacing the injured Marshall Faulk, helping the Rams remain the NFL’s only unbeaten team with a 34-14 victory over the New York Jets.

“We felt pretty good about him based on what we see of him in practice, and when he was finally put in a position to contribute, we were elated with how it turned out,” Coach Mike Martz said.

“I wish I could tell you I knew he would do this, but I’d be lying if I did.”

Canidate had just 14 carries for 47 yards this season after an injury-plagued rookie year in which he ran the ball just three times. He was filling in for Faulk, last season’s most valuable player who bruised his right knee a week ago and was inactive Sunday after saying he might be able to play against the Jets (3-3).

Canidate rushed for 195 yards in 23 carries and added three receptions for 37 yards. It was the most yards rushing for an NFL running back making his first start since Gerald Riggs had 202 for Atlanta in 1984, and Canidate clearly could have had more--he didn’t play the final 14 minutes.

“We just try to put points in the board as fast as we can,” Canidate said of the Rams’ philosophy with or without Faulk.

The quickest touchdown of the day came when Canidate broke a 7-7 tie with the second of St. Louis’ three second-quarter touchdowns.

He may never have an easier score in his career.

With the Rams (6-0) on their own 44, wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim, a former high school quarterback, took a handoff and was about to be tackled after a 12-yard gain when he pitched to Canidate near the sideline.

Canidate was in the clear for the final 44 yards and just trotted the last 10. He was going backward as he crossed the goal line, and because of the lateral, he wasn’t even officially credited with a rushing attempt on the play.

“It’s a normal option; you keep a relationship with the pitch man and stay behind him,” he said.

The option play capped one of two 80-yard touchdown drives in the second quarter, and the Rams scored again 55 seconds later when Aeneas Williams intercepted a pass from Vinny Testaverde and returned it 42 yards, making it 21-7 with 2:16 left.

It was the first interception this season for Testaverde.