Holt Is the Star of Show

It looks as if the Greatest Show on Turf is in high gear.

Torry Holt caught two long touchdown passes, and Adam Archuleta returned a fumble 93 yards Monday night, keying the St. Louis Rams’ 28-21 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One week after a late comeback in a victory over Seattle, the Rams (4-2) used several big plays, including forcing four turnovers.

“That’s something we wanted to establish as a defense,” Archuleta said. “We hadn’t been getting turnovers through the preseason and the first few games.”

St. Louis had only two take- aways in its first five games.

The victory gave St. Louis sole possession of the NFC West lead, half a game in front of the Seatle Seahawks. It also was Coach Mike Martz’s first win in four tries against Tampa Bay.

The Buccaneers (1-5) got to the St. Louis 15 on the final drive, but Aeneas Williams forced Tim Brown’s fumble and Jerametrius Butler recovered.

Holt beat double coverage to haul in a 36-yard pass from Marc Bulger with 10 minutes 46 seconds remaining for the winning touchdown. The Pro Bowl receiver had a 52-yard touchdown catch on the first series and finished with six catches for 124 yards.

“We put it together for some big plays,” Holt said. “I wish we could wind it back to ’99 and make it look easy. But now it’s a challenge to us as football players and as a team to get those big plays.”

Marshall Faulk had his 100th career rushing touchdown, a one-yard run in the second quarter that tied the score, 14-14.

Archuleta made his steal midway in the third quarter, one play after Ian Gold’s 31-yard interception return put the Tampa Bay at the St. Louis 15.

Michael Pittman ran left to the seven, where he was stripped by the Ram safety.

Coach Jon Gruden challenged the play to no avail.

“It’s very frustrating,” Pittman said. “I had one of the biggest turnovers, and I feel bad about it. I feel like I let my teammates down.

“Turnovers killed us.”

Brian Griese completed 27 of 40 passes for 286 yards for Tampa Bay, and Michael Clayton had eight receptions for 142 yards.