Why to watch:
Well, we're not ready to call this a Super Bowl preview yet. But in this unpredictable 1999 season, this is about as good as a matchup can get. The Rams are the NFL's only unbeaten team, and the Titans are one of only three 5-1 teams -- the Dolphins and Jaguars are the other two. Still, both clubs have faced soft schedules, and the winner here might erase some doubts.

After Sunday, the Rams face only two more teams with winning records. So, if St. Louis can clear this hurdle in Nashville, Dick Vermeil's club might be undefeated for quite a while. The Titans are coming off their bye, so defensive-minded coach Jeff Fisher has had plenty of time to try to figure out how to slow down Kurt Warner and the "Warner Bros."

Who to watch:
Warner has been the MVP of the first half of the season, throwing for 18 touchdown passes and only three interceptions for an unbelievable quarterback rating of 131.5. Rams WR Isaac Bruce leads the NFC with eight receiving TDs -- seven more TDs than he had last season. Remember, St. Louis had just 12 passing TDs last year with Tony Banks and Steve Bono at the helm. Rams RB Marshall Faulk comes off consecutive 100-yard games, and he has accounted for 795 total yards (502 rushing, 293 receiving). Rams WRs Az-Zahir Hakim and rookie Torry Holt, the other "Warner Bros.," should see some single-coverage against Titans CBs Samari Rolle and Denard Walker. Rams OT Orlando Pace is playing like a No. 1 overall pick, and St. Louis' much-improved line will need to pick up the blitz from Fisher's "46" defense.

Titans QB Steve McNair has been cleared to return to practice, and he hopes to be back in the lineup after missing five starts with a back injury. If he can't go, the steady Neil O'Donnell will start again. McNair's mobility would give the Rams defense something else to worry about. O'Donnell has clicked well with WR Yancey Thigpen, who has 442 receiving yards and three TDs on his 23 catches. Titans WR Kevin Dyson is having an outstanding sophomore season with a team-leading 29 catches. Thigpen and Dyson will challenge veteran Rams CB Todd Lyght and third-year pro Dexter McCleon. Titans RB Eddie George is averaging 3.5 yards per carry, but he has done some damage with his 20 receptions. Still, the Rams' run defense ranks No. 2 in the NFL. Titans TE Frank Wycheck will draw plenty of attention from the Rams LBs.

	INJURY REPORT
	Rams: QUESTIONABLE: RB Robert Holcombe (hamstring); G Tom Nutten (back). PROBABLE: RB Amp Lee (knee); WR Az-Zahir Hakim (groin). Titans: QUESTIONABLE: LB Joe Bowden (leg); DE Kenny Holmes (ankle); S Steve Jackson (hamstring); DE Mike Jones (knee); QB Steve McNair (back); S Marcus Robertson (hamstring); WR Yancey Thigpen (hamstring).

Rams' numbers to know:
The five opponents St. Louis has beaten in 1999 have a combined record of 8-32. (The Rams have defeated the 1-6 Falcons twice this season.) Putting the soft schedule aside, however, St. Louis' stats are mind-boggling. The Rams have scored more points than anyone in the NFL (217) and allowed fewer points (63) than any team in the NFC. And they're putting teams away early, blitzing opponents at a clip of 143-36 in the first half.

Titans' numbers to know:
Tennessee's '99 opponents carry a record of 12-27 -- and five of those victories belong to the Jaguars. Tennessee has outscored its opponents by only 23 points (142-119), and that includes a one-point win at Jacksonville and three-point victories over both the lowly Ravens and Saints.

What it means:
Well, first of all, it will tell us if the Rams are really as good as they've looked. St. Louis, which is up 3½ games in the NFC West and threatening to clinch the division title before November, can silence most of its doubters with a big road win. If you want to look far ahead, this might be one of the Rams' big hurdles to a perfect season. After a Week 9 game in Detroit, St. Louis' only one contest against a winning team comes against the Giants on Dec. 19 at the Trans World Dome.

The Titans also can prove their mettle by ending the Rams' unbeaten string. Tennessee is tied with Jacksonville for first place in the AFC Central, and that division race could go down to the wire.

Sean Salisbury's breakdown
Rams' game plan:
The Rams have such good momentum, they shouldn't change a thing. The advantage they have more than any team in the NFL -- other than having a hot quarterback in Warner -- is they have so many weapons. St. Louis beats teams with a different player every week. When the Falcons decided to take away the passing game, Faulk had the biggest rushing day this season.

As long as they handle the Titans' blitzes and Warner makes good decisions under adverse conditions, the Rams have a chance. A defense can't use just one look against the Rams. They have to beat themselves and throw the ball to the other team. Everything has bounced their way. I'm eager to see how they deal with an early deficit or early turnovers.

Although Thigpen and Dyson have been good for the Titans, the Rams defense first needs to concentrate on George. St. Louis must control the line of scrimmage and not allow George to gain 100 yards. The Titans have won without George getting 100 because they have had an efficient passing game. But if you make the Titans throw more than they want to, time of possession won't be in their favor.

Titans' game plan:
Tennessee must control the ball with George and keep it out of the hands of the Rams' quick-strike offense. The Titans need to win time of possession to have a chance. Fisher is actually doing something different this year, pushing the ball downfield and attacking vertically. O'Donnell will take a sack before throwing an interception. He isn't a mobile quarterback, but he is a good decision-maker and knows where to throw the ball. If McNair is back in the lineup, he might come out and look fresh instead of rusty. He is a much better playmaker with his feet, plus he has a great arm. I felt he was becoming one of the league's most improved players when he was injured.

Warner is still inexperienced in the NFL. So the Titans defense will do everything it can to speed up his decision-making process. The St. Louis quarterback must be taken out of his rhythm. Tennessee should blitz him and bring people from a bunch of different directions -- off the corner, off the slot. The problem is the Rams have players good enough to catch the ball, break a tackle and run the distance.

The Titans have to hope they can win on first down, either by sacking Warner, forcing an incompletion on a blitz, or holding Faulk to short yardage. They have to blitz more on the early downs than the later downs because the Rams are so confident in their ability to convert on third-and-five, when they know the blitz is coming. The key is to keep them out of their rhythm early, blitz them and make them play in a catch-up mode, something they haven't had to do this year. The Titans can't expect to chase the Rams.

Pivotal Player:
George. It's important that he runs hard and gets his yards. If he's held in check, the Titans can't win the game. But if McNair plays, he will be the pivotal player because he hasn't seen any action since Week 1. It will depend on how much rust he has on his right arm.