Super Bowl Match Up
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| ST. LOUIS (13-3) vs. TENNESSEE (13-3) Series record: Rams lead 5-3 (first postseason meeting) |
| The "Relocation Bowl" might not feature the NFL's most desired television markets, but it will pit the two teams most worthy of playing in Super Bowl XXXIV. The Titans are 5-0 against teams with the league's top three regular-season records (St. Louis, Indianapolis and three vs. Jacksonville), and fought their way from a wild-card berth to Atlanta. The past two weeks, the Rams defeated the NFC's two hottest teams and proved their defense is good enough to win on its own when their vaunted offense stumbles. In a season marked -- or marred -- by parity, it's only fitting a franchise will win its first Super Bowl. |
| WHEN THE TITANS HAVE THE BALL | |||||
| Tennessee Offense | St. Louis Defense | ||||
| The Bucs might have a little-league offense, but last week the Rams held them to six points, and three of those came after the Bucs intercepted Kurt Warner at the St. Louis 20-yard line. The Rams defense stuffed Tampa Bay at the 7 and went on to allow only 199 total yards for the game. The Titans, though, bring a more creative offense, as they showed in last week's 33-14 rout of Jacksonville. CB Todd Lyghis strong, but the burden will fall on the rest of the cornerbacks -- Taje Allen, Dexter McLeon and Dre Bly -- none of which is taller than 5-10. London Fletcher is becoming one of the league's top middle linebackers. | ||||
| WHEN THE RAMS HAVE THE BALL | |||||
| Tennessee Defense | St. Louis Offense | ||||
| The most important defensive player won't be Jevon Kearse. It will be safeties Blaine Bishop and Anthony Dorsett. How they perform against Rams running back Marshall Faulk -- while attempting to eliminate deep passes -- will set the tone of the game. QB Kurt Warner will try to test Dorsett, who is in the lineup only because Marcus Robertson is out with a broken ankle. Quick-but-undersized DE Kearse has become a marked man, and was limited to just two tackles (no sacks) in the AFC Championship Game. If the Rams spend their day scheming to stop Kearse, end Kenny Holmes or tackle Josh Evans can get the heat on Warner. In the 24-21 victory over the Rams in the regular season, the Titans sacked Warner six times, and forced two first-quarter fumbles that led to a big early lead. |
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| SPECIAL TEAMS | |
| Tennessee | St. Louis |
| The Titans hope their defense holds up well enough that they don't receive many kickoffs, but Derrick Mason changed the momentum against the Jaguars with an 80-yard touchdown return of a free kick following a safety. It wasn't a fluke; he averaged 31 yards on three other returns and plays a key role in the field-position battle. Kicker Al Del Greco will enjoy the indoor conditions, and punter Craig Hentrich is a weapon unto himself. In the AFC Championship Game, the Jaguars returned three punts for a total of two yards. | If the title comes down to a kick, better hope your money isn't on the Rams. Once again, the concern is with kicker Jeff Wilkins, who talked coach Dick Vermeil into letting him play despite a sore kicking (left) knee, and missed a 44-yard field goal. Tony Horne (two TDs this season) is the most explosive kickoff returner in the league, and might be the X-factor Sunday. His opportunities were limited against Tampa Bay only because the Bucs were never kicking off, but Fletcher lines up next to Horne at the goal line and lives to plow a running lane for him. |
| INTANGIBLES | |
| Tennessee | St. Louis |
| Last summer, owner Bud Adams was giving a tour of Tennessee's new Adelphia Stadium to a group of investors who asked if he believed the Titans could really make the playoffs after three consecutive 8-8 seasons. Adams said not only could his team make the playoffs, but he expected them to reach the Super Bowl. People laughed then, but that's the same attitude coach Jeff Fisher and his team have used all season: "Why not us?" They are still the underdogs with nothing to lose, and it might be their best weapon. | Even with last week's scare, the Rams improved to 10-0 in domes this season. The climate-controlled atmosphere plays into the hands of St. Louis' precision offense, and the Super Bowl will be played in an equally offensive-friendly Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Scoring 11 points last Sunday might be the best thing that could have happened to the Rams. Now they know they won't score 35 points for showing up, will re-focus in practice this week and the defense realizes it will play a vital role in the outcome. |
| THE BOTTOM LINE | |
| Consider that the 15 times an opponent had a game the week after playing Tampa Bay this season, they wena combined 3-12. In the 12 losses, the Bucs' opponent from the week before averaged just 17.8 points. Don't expect Tennessee to hold St. Louis to 11 points the way Tampa Bay did, but do expect the Titans coaching staff to hole up and try to find the secret to Tampa Bay's success against the Rams. Even in reaching the Super Bowl, Tennessee still isn't getting the respect it deserves and was immediately tagged as a touchdown underdog. No NFL team goes 5-0 against the league's elite by accident Â… and besides, the Titans have destiny on their side.
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