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Baxter Bits: Rams (15-3) vs. Titans (16-3)
By Russell S. Baxter
Special to ESPN.com
The Rams (making only their second Super Bowl appearance and their first since Super Bowl XIV) and Titans (making their first Super Bowl appearance) head south to the Georgia Dome as these teams battle for the second time this season.
|  | | | Steve McNair leads the Titans against the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV. |
Back in Week 8 at Adelphia Coliseum and billed by some as an early Super Bowl preview, Titans QB Steve McNair threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for one score as Jeff Fisher's club jumped out to a 21-0 first-quarter advantage over Dick Vermeil's then-unbeaten squad (6-0). But Rams QB Kurt Warner, who was sacked a season-high 6 times on the afternoon, would finish the day with 328 yards and 3 touchdown passes and rallied his team in the second half, throwing a 15-yard TD toss to RB Amp Lee with just 2:14 to play which cut Tennessee's lead to 24-21. The Rams recovered the onside kick and with zero timeouts, Warner used nine plays to get St. Louis to the Titans' 20-yard line, but Rams' PK Jeff Wilkins missed a 38-yard field goal with just :07 remaining to give the Titans a hard-earned 24-21 victory.
Despite that loss, the Rams still own a 5-3 edge in the series standings that dates back to 1973.
Interesting to note that the Rams and Titans have played 4 previous games indoors (1973-93), with the then-L.A. Rams defeating the then-Houston Oilers in 3 of those 4 contests, all of those games at Houston's Astrodome.
Numbers: Including playoffs, Rams QB Kurt Warner has thrown 47 touchdown passes and just 17 interceptions in 18 games in '99 (15-3). In '98, since-departed Rams QBs Tony Banks and Steve Bono combined to throw just 12 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions in 16 games in '98 (4-12). Including playoffs, Warner has thrown 2 or more touchdown passes in 15-of-18 contests and 3 or more touchdown passes in 10-of-18 contests in '99. Including playoffs, in his last 34 games dating back to last season (16 with Colts in '98, 18 with Rams in '99), Rams RB Marshall Faulk has gained 4,806 yards from scrimmage and scored 24 touchdowns, rushing for 2,765 yards and 14 touchdowns, plus catching 181 passes for 2,041 yards and 10 touchdowns. Including playoffs, in 18 games in '99 (15-3), the Rams have outscored the opposition a combined 140-55 (plus-85) in the first quarter. In 16 games in '98 (4-12), Rams were outscored a combined 116-37 (minus-79) in the first quarter. Including playoffs, the Rams are 15-3 in 1999 and plus-301 in point differential (586-285). From 1990-98, the Rams were 45-99 and were an NFL-worst minus-886 (2,595-3,481) in point differential. Including playoffs, the Rams have scored 74 touchdowns (62 offensive, 12 returns) in 18 games in '99. Including playoffs, the Rams have scored 623 points in 19 wins, 248 points in 15 losses dating back to '98. Including playoffs, the Rams have forced two or more turnovers in 10 straight games. Including playoffs, WR Isaac Bruce has scored at least one touchdown in 10-of-18 contests in '99. Including playoffs, the Rams have forced 39 turnovers in 15 wins, two takeaways in three losses in '99. Including playoffs, the Rams have limited the opposition to fewer than 100 yards rushing in seven straight games. Including playoffs, the Rams have allowed 20 sacks in 15 wins, 15 sacks in three losses in '99.
Including playoffs, the Titans have totaled 63 sacks in 19 games in '99, this after totaling just 30 sacks in 16 games in '98. Including playoffs, the Titans have rushed for 130 or more yards in seven straight games.
The Coaches: Rams head coach Dick Vermeil is 5-4 in postseason play (3-4 with Eagles, 2-0 with Rams), while Titans' head coach Jeff Fisher is 3-0 in postseason play. Vermeil is 0-1 as a head coach in Super Bowls (losing Super Bowl XV with the Eagles to the wild card Oakland Raiders at the Superdome), while Fisher is making his Super Bowl debut as a head coach and, officially, a coach; Fisher was a defensive back for the Chicago Bears for five seasons (1981-85) and was a member of the Bears' Super Bowl XX championship team, spending the 1985 season on injured reserve with an ankle injury (which eventually ended his playing career), but serving as an "unofficial coach" for then-Bears' defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan. Including postseason, Vermeil owns an 81-77 record (.513) as a head coach (57-51 with the Eagles from 1976-82, 24-26 with the Rams from 1997-99), while Fisher owns a 48-41 record (.539) as a head coach (with the Oilers/Titans from 1994-99); Vermeil (Eagles and Rams) is just the 4th coach in NFL history to take two different teams to the Super Bowl (Don Shula: Colts and Dolphins; Bill Parcells: Giants and Patriots; Dan Reeves: Broncos and Falcons). Vermeil is 2-1 lifetime vs. the Oilers/Titans (2-0 with the Eagles, 0-1 with the Rams), while Fisher is 1-0 lifetime vs. the Rams. Vermeil is 0-1 lifetime vs. Fisher.
Postseason History: Rams are making their 23rd overall playoff appearance (15th since merger) and are just 15-20 in postseason play (12-14 since merger), while Titans are making their 16th overall playoff appearance (11th since merger) and are just 12-13 in postseason play (10-10 since merger).
Super Bowl Experience: The Rams are making their second Super Bowl appearance (0-1), losing Super Bowl XIV to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-19, at Pasadena's Rose Bowl, while Titans are making their first Super Bowl appearance. The Titans are the 22nd different NFL franchise to arrive at the Super Bowl, meaning 9 teams currently playing (Cardinals, Lions, Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints, Ravens, Browns, Jaguars and Seahawks) have yet to make a Super Bowl appearance.
Things To Look For: It's almost fitting that in arguably the league's most unpredictable season ever that a pair of Cinderella stories reach the Big Dance. Dick Vermeil's Rams have nearly completed the most amazing turnaround in NFL annals thanks to QB Kurt Warner, explosive RB Marshall Faulk and a very underrated defense. The Titans are led by athletic QB Steve McNair, workhorse RB Eddie George and an aggressive and sound defensive unit spearheaded by rookie Jevon Kearse and have earned their way to Atlanta with impressive road wins over the Colts and Titans. Simply put, Jeff Fisher's team edged out the Rams in October despite being outplayed in the second half. They will have to play a complete game this time around, especially on defense, if they are to beat Vermeil's team for a second time.
Etc.: Including playoffs, the Titans are 17-2 vs. AFC Central rivals, 5-9 vs. the rest of the NFL dating back to '98. Including playoffs, the Titans have won seven straight games. The Rams finished 4-12 in 1998 and have reached Super Bowl XXXIV, the worst record ever from the previous season to reach the Super Bowl the next year (Bengals were 4-11 during the strike-shortened season of 1987 and reached Super Bowl XXIII). Super Bowl XXXIV marks the fifth Super Bowl (along with IV, XVII, XXV and XXVIII) that there was no off-week between the Championship Games and the Super Bowl.
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