Sehorn just happy to finally be contributor for Rams

The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS -- Rather than bemoan his bad luck with injuries, Jason Sehorn prefers to capitalize on the time he's able to spend on the field.

The Rams' safety has begun to contribute on defense, even though the left foot he broke in training camp still hasn't fully healed. Coach Mike Martz said Sehorn is coming off his best game, also his first start of the year, in last week's overtime victory at Arizona.

"He looked like he was comfortable finally back there at safety," Martz said. "He's starting to get to that point where he doesn't have to think about things. It's seeing and reacting."

Sehorn isn't thinking about his foot, either. It's the latest in a string of injuries for the former New York Giants cornerback, who signed a one-year free-agent deal with the Rams after being released by his old team in a salary cap move.

Nearing the finish of his 10th season, Sehorn has played in 112 games -- 74 of them starts. He missed the entire 1998 season with a knee injury sustained on a kickoff return in an exhibiton game, missed the first two games of the '99 season with a hamstring injury, missed two games with a rib injury in 2000 and two games with a sprained ankle in 2001.

"If you play, you stand a chance of having somebody run into you and breaking your leg, having somebody step on you and break your foot, having someone tackle you and tear your ACL," Sehorn said. "It's a very physical game."

This year, he missed the first six games after teammate Pisa Tinoisamoa stepped on his left foot in the first week of training camp. To Sehorn, it's just the price of playing a violent game.

"I know when it's going to end -- when I'm done playing," Sehorn said. "It's risk to reward, that's the name of the game.

"You risk injury for the reward of getting to play a game for a living, and if you don't like it you don't have to play."

From time to time, Sehorn said the foot bothers him. But he said the injury has not slowed him down.

"Trying to analyze it is a waste of my time because it's going to be there until I don't have to play anymore," Sehorn said. "I don't have to play anymore in February."

Notes: DE Grant Wistrom is the Rams' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award that will be given at the Super Bowl. Martz praised Wistrom's charitable work. ... RB Marshall Faulk has consecutive 100-yard rushing games, giving him 21 in five seasons with the Rams and 35 overall. The Rams are 28-0 with a 100-yard rusher since moving to St. Louis in 1995. "He's not anywhere off where he's been in the past," Martz said. "He's terrific." Faulk needs one touchdown to tie Payton (126) for sixth on the career list. ... Rookie Arlen Harris backed up Faulk last week because Lamar Gordon aggravated a high ankle sprain that has hampered him much of the year. No word on who'll be the backup this week. "Sometimes I have good weeks and sometimes I have bad weeks, and it's more sore at times," Gordon said. "But I'm ready to go." ... Martz on his Thanksgiving dinner and on the feast prepared by his wife, Julie: "I skip past the salad and all the window dressing. She's a great cook. Can't you tell?" ... After playing four of five games on the road, and going 4-1, the Rams will play three of their last five at home, where they have an 11-game winning streak.