Vitt's influence creates optimism for second half

~ St. Louis, riding a two-game winning streak back to .500, should be close to full strength after the bye week.

ST. LOUIS -- Two weeks ago, when Torry Holt was sidelined with strained knee ligaments, he worried the St. Louis Rams' season was teetering on the brink.

Now, the Pro Bowl wide receiver's biggest concern is not disrupting the rejuvenated team's chemistry. Against the odds, minus their head coach and three other star players and with the front office feuding to boot, the Rams (4-4) have rallied to even their record at their midseason bye.

"Actually, a couple of fans made some comments that they don't need you any longer," Holt said. "They're doing a fantastic job, and it's very exciting and pleasing to see how they're responding."

Things couldn't have been any more depressing in interim coach Joe Vitt's first game after taking over for an ailing Mike Martz. The Rams squandered an early 17-point lead and lost quarterback Marc Bulger with a sprained shoulder in a 17-point loss at Indianapolis three weeks ago.

Vitt, a career assistant in his 27th NFL year, calmly told the team after that game, the Rams' third straight loss, "that this too shall pass."

"Let's take one practice at a time, let's take one quarter at a time, and let the chips fall," he said. "The guys the last two weeks -- their practice habits, their intent, their attention to detail, buying into what we're trying to talk about -- has been marvelous."

The last two weeks have been a resurgence for a team that not long ago was the class of the NFC West. First, they pulled away late to beat the Saints, and last week they got a career day from running back Steven Jackson, a strong finish by the defense and surprisingly strong special teams play in a victory over the Jaguars, seen as a team on the rise.

Now, the Rams' first game after the bye, at West-leading Seattle on Nov. 13, has meaning and Martz's beefs with president of football operations Jay Zygmunt and general manager Charlie Armey over control are on the back burner. The Seahawks are 5-2, but a victory by the Rams would put them in striking distance in the division.

"We said by being 4-4 at the bye, you get yourself in position to get in position," Vitt said. "And that's what we've done."

The schedule the rest of the way appears favorable for St. Louis, which last year made the playoffs despite an 8-8 record. Half of the Rams' remaining opponents are below .500 and the cumulative record is 25-32.

Plus, they should begin the second half basically at full strength. Although wide receiver Isaac Bruce may need more time to recover from troublesome turf toe, Bulger said he's "100 percent sure" he'll be back, Holt resumed running patterns without problems earlier this week and defensive end Leonard Little is expected back after grieving the shooting death of his younger brother the last two games.

"If we can get all four of us back after the bye, it'll be just a huge spark to get us going, because this is the point of the season where you're a little bit beat-up and you're looking for some adrenaline," Bulger said. "You hate to say you have a favorable schedule, but we can make a run.

"We've had such an injury bug lately, I don't see how it can get any worse."

All of the absences have allowed Jackson, the team's first-round pick last year, to blossom. In the last two weeks he's totaled 276 yards rushing and 40 receiving, and dragging tacklers all the way, he scored the winning touchdown on a 19-yard screen pass last week.

"I know it's a long season, and I knew my time would come," Jackson said. "We're always talking about opportunities, I just had to do my thing."

Vitt has pushed all the right buttons lately, emerging from a no-nonsense beginning to demonstrate some flair for the job he has inherited. Two weeks ago he inspired the players with a clip of former North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano's "never give up" speech, and last week it was the teamwork scene at the start of "Gladiator," when Russell Crowe implores his soldiers to work together in battle.

Holt couldn't wait to get on the field, until he remembered he was injured.

"It was great, great strategy," Holt said. "It's so football-related -- we're gladiators and we're performing in front of these people."

Vitt knows when to back off, too. Rookie Alex Barron, the team's first-round pick this year, had penalties on three consecutive plays on Sunday and the head coach let Barron's pride, along with positive reinforcement from his teammates, take care of the situation.

"There's nothing I can say to Alex that Orlando [Pace] hasn't already said to him, that Marshall [Faulk] hasn't already said to him, that the offensive line coaches haven't said to him," Vitt said. "This kid is going to make some mistakes, he's young.

"But he's athletic, he works hard, he wants to be a great player."

In the same vein, Vitt tells players the rest of the season is up to them, that November is when the "pretenders" are separated from the "contenders."

"This is when you have to establish yourself and what is your intent: Are you going to be for real or are you just waiting for the season to be over and run to the bus?" Vitt said. "I know what we'll do: We'll prepare hard, and we'll have great intent."