Broncos do their homework on St. Louis

ST. LOUIS -- If the St. Louis Rams have anything going for them in their opener against the Denver Broncos, new coach Scott Linehan believes it's a sense of mystery.

This is his first season as a head coach at any level, so there's no track record. On the rebound after a dysfunctional 6-10 season at the end of the Mike Martz era, the Rams have eight new starters, five on defense.

Meanwhile, the Broncos can build on the momentum of last season's drive to the AFC title game.

"I think Denver's got every other advantage," Linehan said. "We have that advantage of the unknown."

Or so he thinks.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan doesn't think it's such a clean slate, noting that Linehan isn't exactly an NFL novice.

The Rams hired Linehan based on his revival of the Dolphins' offense last year, leading Miami on a season-ending six-game winning streak. The three previous seasons in Minnesota, he was offensive coordinator for a team that ranked at or near the top.

Rest assured, even though the Rams kept the play-calling vanilla during a 1-3 preseason, the Broncos have been studying the tendencies of the other teams on Linehan's resume. Shanahan said the challenge would be greater if Linehan was making the jump from college to the pros.

Shanahan also has a feel for what Rams defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, the former coach of the Saints, will do. Coincidentally, Shanahan was the opponent for Martz when the Rams won a 41-36 Monday night shootout in 2000.

"When you take people that have been in the NFL for a couple of years, you can take a look at what they have done offensively and defensively," Shanahan said. "Before you play the first game, you have a chance to go back and look at all of those connections."

One of those games is the season-opening loss last year in Miami. That's the Broncos' only opening loss in the last five years and only the third in Shanahan's 11 seasons in Denver.

, Shanahan was the opponent for Martz when the Rams won a 41-36 Monday night shootout in 2000.

"When you take people that have been in the NFL for a couple of years, you can take a look at what they have done offensively and defensively," Shanahan said. "Before you play the first game, you have a chance to go back and look at all of those connections."

One of those games is the season-opening loss last year in Miami. That's the Broncos' only opening loss in the last five years and only the third in Shanahan's 11 seasons in Denver.

"They took it to us, but it was sort of a wakeup call," Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer said. "It actually ended up being what we needed at the time as a team.

"We've got a few new faces and we'll go in there and not even think about what happened last year."

Linehan has had much of the summer to check out the Broncos' 13-3 season that concluded with a 17-point loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Steelers. The Rams will probably never be better prepared this season, not that they've found any glaring weaknesses in Denver.

The Broncos have familiarity going for them: the same systems on both sides of the ball and on special teams, and not much personnel turnover. Linehan said Champ Bailey is "arguably" the best cornerback in the NFL, and Al Wilson is the most underrated middle linebacker.

"I can go on and on about them," he said.

On offense, Plummer could be lining up with any of three capable running backs in the Broncos' seemingly inexhaustible supply. Shanahan isn't saying whether undrafted Mike Bell, Tatum Bell or Cedric Cobbs will get the start and claims it has nothing to do with gamesmanship.

He also said it doesn't look like he can go wrong, whoever he chooses.

"They will go with their gut, and we will go with our gut this week," Shanahan said. "The thing that has happened is I feel pretty good about all three of them, they've all proven they can run the football."

None of the Broncos' trio was particularly touted. Linehan thinks the success is a combination of executing a simple formula with intimidation, specifically what he feels is the Broncos' tendency on the offensive line to cut block.

"I noticed another team complaining about that style of running recently," Linehan said. "It's a little intimidating to play because of the style, they get up in their legs and I don't think people like that."

The secret, Rams defenders say, is not to think about it.

"It's been effective for them, and it is a legal block," Rams tackle La'Roi Glover said. "So, we have to prepare ourselves."

The Rams also are eager to start a new chapter on the right note. Quarterback Marc Bulger scoffs at the first-string offense's inability to score a touchdown in 11 preseason possessions, saying what counts begins on Sunday.

"We're all biased in here," Bulger said. "We all feel like we can get it done."