When the “Greatest Show on Turf” was at its peak and the Rams were winning a Super Bowl and two NFC Championships, the one facet of the production that often went unrecognized was the additional threats St. Louis possessed on special teams. WR/KR Tony Horne was the main piece of that unheralded unit, leading the league in return average in 1999. Horne averaged 29.7 yards per return that season with two touchdowns. He also had a 95-yard return for a score against Minnesota in the playoffs.>
Horne departed after the 2000 season, a year in which he averaged 24.2 yards and added a 103-yard touchdown return against Atlanta in game six. With Horne went the speed and fearless approach required to make a big play on every kickoff. Since his departure, the Rams have lacked that kind of weapon on special teams.
Rams’ coach Mike Martz said Horne had the type of traits he looks for in a kick returner.
“The ideal guy would be a guy like Tony Horne, who is a threat to take it the distance anytime,” Martz said. “We don’t have that right now.”
A number of players have tried, but none has lived up to Horne’s legacy. RB Arlen Harris has been St. Louis’ man the past couple years and, while serviceable, didn’t provide the sparks the Rams were searching for. In the opener against Arizona, Harris had one return for 14 yards before a new face appeared at the back of the return team.
During the preseason, RB Steven Jackson emerged as a potential big-play threat. He did it, though, in the offense, leading the NFL in rushing yards for the preseason. His approach to running, a perfect mix of power and speed, proved to be a perfect complement to RB Marshall Faulk in the running game. It also appeared to Martz to be the perfect cure for what has ailed the special teams in recent years.
Jackson had one return in Harris’ place against the Cardinals, taking it 20 yards. He got the nod as the returner again in St. Louis’ 34-17 loss to Atlanta on Sunday. He had three returns for 59 yards, with a long of 23. Those numbers aren’t exactly game-breaking, but Jackson has shown he can make big plays in the running game and Martz said he expects Jackson to do likewise on special teams.
“I just felt like he is such a good open field runner (and) he sees things so well that we’re going to get good field position out of it,” Martz said. “Steven is fearless, he absolutely is.”
MISSED OPPORTUNITY: There are probably a few plays the Rams could point to that could have changed to outcome of the game against Atlanta, but none more so than the third-and-inches with 3:29 left in the third quarter. After quarterback Marc Bulger hit WR Torry Holt for a 9-yard pickup on first down, Bulger threw deep to WR Isaac Bruce, but the pass fell incomplete.
The Rams had just pulled within 17-14 on Holt’s touchdown catch and momentum appeared to be swinging in their direction. Martz called for RB Marshall Faulk to take it on a counter. It was a play that has worked many times in the past, but not Sunday. Falcons’ defensive tackle Ed Jasper sniffed it out and stopped Faulk for a 2-yard loss.
St. Louis had to settle for a field goal to tie the game. Martz said that was a key play because the Rams had a good opportunity to take the lead and control of the game. “Really, had we not lost a yard or two on that play we probably would have gone for it on fourth down,” Martz said. “At that point, you have to tie it up. I was surprised (that it didn’t work).”
DRAMATIC TURNOVER: The Rams led the NFL in takeaways in 2003, but through their first two games, are the only team in the league without one.
St. Louis did have a turnover cancelled by a pair of penalties against Arizona, but other than that, have yet to make a big play.
Martz said there are myriad reasons for not having a takeaway yet, including the talent controlling the ball on the other side of the field.
“When you have a guy like Vick running around back there it is hard just to get to him to tackle him, let alone take the ball away from him,” Martz said. “I think in time that will come. You just keep working at it. We work on the strip drill all the time and the picks will come as people start throwing the ball down the field a little
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