Veterans feel duty to display fighting attitude to squad

~ Reeling from a damaging loss, the Rams hope to avoid a total breakdown.

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams' recent slide has been especially tough on their veteran team leaders, the players who are supposed to sound all of the optimistic notes.

Facing the reality of a 4-6 record that likely leaves them playing out the string, defensive lineman Tyoka Jackson said the time for talk passed a long time ago.

"At this point, words are not going to get it done," Jackson said. "The team needs action. Words are fleeting and you stop listening to people who aren't doing anything.

"The team needs doers, not talkers."

Jackson said it usually takes him until Wednesday, the first day of a typical practice week, to flush a difficult loss out of his system. The Cardinals' 22-point fourth quarter in a 38-28 victory last week still haunted him on that day this week.

He said anyone who takes pride in their work should be bothered by such a performance.

"We're all bothered right now and we don't need anybody else to tell us how bad we were to feel bad," Jackson said. "I don't need anybody to tell me I played bad, I can look at the film and figure that out myself.

"You don't need any extra incentive or words, we just need to play better, stop making mental mistakes, stop the stupid penalties, protect the ball, take it away."

Discouraged as he may be by the team's predicament, linebacker Dexter Coakley said it's even more important now to set an example for the younger players.

"With a young team you can have guys fall by the wayside and get caught up in all the rip-rap," Coakley said. "With the veteran leadership we have, it's going to be upon us to step up and bring those guys along.

"Yeah, we're dealing with some tough times; to cure that all we need to do is go out there and get a victory."

No doubt the season has been doubly discouraging for Coakley, a three-time Pro Bowl player, whose playing time has been diminished. Whenever the opposition goes to three or more wide receivers, Coakley and middle linebacker Chris Claiborne are replaced by a nickel package.

"It's very frustrating when you're not on the field and you feel as if you can help," Coakley said. "Obviously, when our numbers are called we want to be prepared and be ready, but when you're standing on the sideline that's not the place you want to be.

"If you have an ounce of competitiveness in your spirit and in your bones you want to be out there on the field."

That's the message Coakley would like to send.

"The younger guys are going to see how you approach tough times," Coakley said. "Hopefully, they'll feed off that and they won't get caught in the trap of thinking it's all over."

Perhaps buoyed by the veterans, the Rams returned to the field with a spirited workout. Even if they're playing for pride now.

"This is a tough, tough business and you're looking to get replaced every single day," Jackson said. "So if you don't show up ready to play and do your job to the highest level, you won't be doing it long anyway.

"You don't need any extra incentive, at least I don't."