Rookie defensive end Jevon Kearse made a big impact for the Titans.

Those are cogent questions considering the checkered histories of Super Bowl XXXIV participants St. Louis and Tennessee.

When you go 4-12 the previous season and lose your starting quarterback to injury in the preseason, you're not pegged as a candidate for the NFL's annual season-ending bash.

Likewise, when most of America -- and even some of your own players -- don't know what city you play your home games in, you also aren't thought of as Super Bowl fodder.

But here we are. The Rams of St. Louis and Titans of Tennessee (specifically Nashville, for those still scratching their heads) tangle Sunday in the Georgia Dome for the NFL championship. And while both are surprise guests, similarities of how the two slipped into this torrid spotlight are entirely different.

The Rams' turnaround is easy to peg. Marshall Faulk, one of the league's premier running backs, was signed as a free agent and promptly set an NFL record for yards from scrimmage in a single season (2,429).

Kurt Warner, stepping in as starter after Trent Green was injured in an early preseason game, had one of the best years an NFL quarterback has ever had, throwing for 4,353 yards, 41 touchdowns and only 13 interceptions.

And last but not least, coach Dick Vermeil completed a personal transformation that allowed his players to finally relax and grow comfortable with each other in his system.

"The front office trading for Marshall was key," Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce said. "That was serious. Once we got him, I just wanted to see how the quarterbacks were going to throw the ball."

Why not? Faulk is known as much for catching passes out of the backfield as running, so with him joining a solid set of receivers in Bruce, Az-Zahir Hakim, rookie Torry Holt and veteran Ricky Proehl, the Rams offense was about to explode.

Luckily, Green's injury didn't blow up in their faces. Instead, Warner, the one-time third-teamer, stepped in and performed much better than expected. The result was that the quarterback St. Louis left unprotected in the 1999 expansion draft ended up winning the league's Most Valuable Player award less than a year later.

"A couple of years ago, Kurt was the scout-team quarterback," Rams defensive tackle D'Marco Farr said. "We were one of the best defenses in the league, and every week during practice he was doing to us what he did to the league all this year. He was moving the ball on us at will, making us feel like we weren't playing good football. We knew he could step in and do the job this year. It was just a question of how he'd react to the situation."

The Vermeil situation is one many Rams are not shy about addressing. In his first two seasons in St. Louis, coming off a 14-year absence from the sideline, Vermeil faced a near-mutiny because of the length and intensity of the practices he put his players through. But this season, he backed off and gave more day-to-day responsibility to his assistants, particularly offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

"He did a good job of conforming to today's athlete," cornerback Todd Lyght said of Vermeil. "I think it took him a while to learn that with a 53-man roster you need to keep your players fresh. He only wanted to do things his way (the first two years). It wore us down. Guys were sleeping in the locker room before games and practices."

"I was able to stay healthy this year because I wasn't so worn down," added Bruce, backed by a 77-catch, 1,165-yard, 12-touchdown Pro Bowl season. "I'm feeling fresher."

"The hard work we put in the past two years is paying off, and we're a more cohesive team because of it," defensive end Kevin Carter said. "We've been building and pulling for each other for a long time for this moment. We've got a strong, family atmosphere going here."

Atmosphere, something difficult to see and measure, is the key reason Tennessee is here.

Rookie defensive end Jevon Kearse deserves a lot of credit for improving an already-solid defense. But it's the intangibles that most Titans mention when discussing what catapulted them from three consecutive 8-8 seasons into what is being called The Team of Destiny.

And the biggest intangible was the franchise finally christening its new home stadium, formally ending a four-year transition from what was known as the Houston Oilers. No more team meetings in trailers. No more moving between temporary stadiums in Nashville and Memphis.

"I look at the stability in the organization," star running back Eddie George said of the Titans' breakout year. "The color scheme is different ... the name is different ... the stadium is filled. Once we had seen and touched and felt the dream of becoming a true NFL team, that's when it came together. Then, we just focused on playing football and focused on becoming not just a successful team but a dynasty."

"We knew we had a Super Bowl team when I first got here," fifth-year quarterback Steve McNair said. "Coach Fisher did a good job of patching up some positions with players who can get the job done. Then it was just a matter of time before we found that comfort zone. It means a lot to have 65,000 people cheering for us in Nashville."

Those 65,000 have been treated to a wild ride. Win or lose in Sunday's Super Bowl, this year's Titans will always be remembered for the Music City Miracle that beat Buffalo in the the first round of the playoffs. After receiving a short kickoff, Frank Wycheck threw a cross-field lateral pass to Kevin Dyson, who streaked 75 yards down the left sideline for a stunning touchdown and 22-16 victory.

"Two years ago, three years ago, things like that wouldn't have happened to this team," McNair said.

"All year we felt we were a team of destiny," added strong safety Blaine Bishop. "Especially after the Buffalo game, we felt The Man upstairs was looking over us."

Is that another explanation for how these two teams ended up in such an improbable Super Bowl matchup? Could The Man have had a hand in it?

"I've been in this league 17 years and I'm still learning things," said Titans veteran left guard Bruce Matthews, shaking his head. "This year I've been amazed at seeing just how fine a line there is between being an 8-8 team and being a team that gets into the big game.

"The only way I can explain it is that it's been a lot of ordinary guys doing extraordinary things together as a team."

Matthews said it's strange to actually be here after so many years of being on the outside looking in at other great teams.

"I used to look at teams like the Packers, 49ers, Cowboys -- are we capable of being one of those teams?" he asked. "It's strange to be here and be the team everyone else is looking at."

Carter, the Rams defensive end who led the league with 17 sacks, said basically the same thing ... but with a spin that fits this year.