Rookie with an 'A' game

ST. LOUIS -- There's no question which one of the St. Louis Rams' three first-round draft picks is the favorite of coach Mike Martz.

It's not defensive tackle Damione Lewis, the 12th overall choice, who's been splitting time with Bryan Young, a fifth-rounder last year. It's not Ryan Pickett, another defensive tackle and the 29th player taken, who's playing sparingly after leaving Ohio State a year early.

The clear star of the Rams' draft class is strong safety Adam Archuleta, the 20th pick and the subject of weekly effusive praise from the coach.

"It's hard not to smile when you talk about him," Martz said. "He's not playing like a rookie, that's for sure. He's had a major, major impact on our defense."

Safety switch

Archuleta, a linebacker at Arizona State, has made a rapid transition to his new position. He has been a starter and an impact player since he arrived, recovering a fumble and making seven tackles in the season opener against the Eagles.

His biggest contribution was a potential-game saving pass breakup in the closing minutes against the Giants Oct. 14. With the Giants in field-goal range and trailing by a point, Archuleta popped the ball loose from Joe Jurevicius after a reception.

Teammate Grant Wistrom ended up with an interception that sealed the Rams' 15-14 victory.

Archuleta also had 12 tackles at San Francisco in September and got his first career sack against the Lions last month.

Oh yes, he's also played the last four games with a broken left thumb. And he's not at all satisfied with his recent play because the thumb is keeping him from being the John Lynch clone the Rams envisioned.

"I'm not the player I want to be right now. I'm not making the plays that I should, and I'm missing some tackles that I shouldn't miss," Archuleta said. "I just feel like there's so much more that I'm just not getting out of myself."

Archuleta said because he's been wearing a cast, he's been less physical.

"You can't be normal out there, you just can't, no matter what you say," he said. "Maurice Green isn't going to win the Olympic 100 meters with a cast on his arm. It changes everything."

A coach pleaser

Martz is pleased by that attitude, calling Archuleta a perfectionist and comparing him with Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk.

"I'm very pleased with his play," Martz said. "It's just like any outstanding player.

"That's one of the reasons why they play so well week-in and week-out."

For now, when Archuleta delivers a hard hit, it's going to hurt him, too.

"Obviously, there's still some pain," Archuleta said. "It's just something you've got to deal with."

Every week, as the injury improves, the cast gets smaller. This week against the Carolina Panthers he'll be wearing a removable cast. In the next few weeks, he could shed that too.

NOTES: LB Don Davis, who dislocated his right wrist in the Saints game Oct. 28, will be in a cast 4-5 weeks. The Rams had feared he'd require reconstructive surgery and miss the remainder of the year. Rookie Tommy Polley, who stepped in when inside LB Mark Fields had a rib-cage cartilage injury earlier this season, will start in Davis' place. ... The only other player on the injury report is WR Damon Griffin (hamstring), who has been inactive all five games since signing in mid-September. Griffin is listed as doubtful.