Rams harvest wins in month of October

ST. LOUIS -- Move over Reggie Jackson. Mike Martz is the NFL's version of Mr. October.

The St. Louis Rams' 28-21 win over Tampa Bay Monday night was their third straight since a 1-2 start. They're 3-0 in October this season, 3-0 last October and 18-4 in the month since 1999. Martz took over as offensive coordinator that Super Bowl-winning season and became head coach the following year.

This season's October rejuvenation has moved the Rams (4-2) into first place in the NFC West and facing a game Sunday at winless Miami (0-6). After a sluggish September that ended with a 28-25 overtime loss at home to New Orleans -- a game in which the St. Louis defense surrendered a three-point lead in the final 23 seconds -- the Rams suddenly look again like the team that has made the playoffs four of the past five seasons.

"We're getting some momentum going, and we're getting better every week," Martz said. "This is all you can ask for."

The Rams struggled early on both sides of the ball -- their Martz-declared "fast and furious" offense sputtering along averaging fewer than 20 points per game through September. On defense, the Rams gave up 34 points in a loss at Atlanta on Sept. 19, then forced just one punt in the loss to the Saints, and it was called back due to a roughing the kicker penalty.

The healing process began with a 24-14 win at San Francisco on Oct. 3. Then came the potential season-saving rally at Seattle a week later. The Seahawks, undefeated at the time, appeared on the verge of moving 2 1/2 games ahead of St. Louis, leading 27-10 midway through the fourth quarter.

But Rams quarterback Marc Bulger directed three scoring drives in the final six minutes, sending the game into overtime, when Bulger and Shaun McDonald connected on a 52-yard game-winning touchdown pass.

In the win over Tampa, the defense that allowed only three second-half points against Seattle stepped up again, intercepting one Brian Griese pass and forcing three fumbles, one that set up a score and another that Adam Archuleta returned 93 yards for a touchdown. The third fumble came in the game's waning seconds at the Rams 15 when Aeneas Williams stripped the ball from wide receiver Tim Brown as Tampa neared a potential game-tying score.

Offensively, Bulger was efficient against Tampa's fourth-ranked pass defense and connected with Torry Holt on a 52-yard touchdown pass on the Rams' first drive and again on a 36-yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter that broke a 21-21 tie.

It may be early, but it's good to be in first place, Archuleta said.

"It's very big," he said. "We've been in a situation where we've played two good teams and we've won the tight games."

Staying on top won't be easy. After Miami the Rams have a bye week, then host the Super Bowl champion Patriots and revenge-minded Seattle the first two Sundays in November.

NOTES: Kicker Jeff Wilkins sprained his left (non-kicking) ankle in the first quarter when he ran down Tampa kickoff returner Torrie Cox at the Rams 43, saving a touchdown. "I didn't realize he was that fast," Martz said. Wilkins stayed in the game, though he kicked one kickoff out of bounds and missed two field goals, including a 44-yarder in the final two minutes that would have iced the game. ... Sean Landetta, the Rams' 42-year-old punter, was named NFC special teams player of the week. Landetta averaged 50.2 yards on five punts, including punts of 56, 59 and 63 yards and another that was downed at the Tampa 4-yard line.