Thursday, October 12, 2006
By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer
Mass amounts of emotion go with the territory of being a special teams specialist. To do the job of breaking up the wedge or blocking an onrushing coverage unit, you have to be locked in at all times.
That’s why this week’s game against the Seahawks is only slightly more emotional for Rams linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski.
“Anytime I step on the field I’m ready to make a play,” Kacyvenski said. “I have a little more insight on how they run things. I’m an emotional guy anyway and I’m going to be jacked up. I don’t need any added incentive.”
Without coming out and saying it, Kacyvenski will almost certainly have the juices flowing a little faster than normal this week when he and the Rams take on the Seattle team that released him almost two weeks ago.
After spending six-plus seasons with the Seahawks, they suddenly released him to make room for a rookie free agent running back after the loss of starter Shaun Alexander. Seattle wanted to bring him back, but the damage had been done and Kacyvenski was left with a choice between the Rams and Carolina for his next destination.
Kacyvenski settled on the Rams knowing that it would probably not sit well with Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, but his decision to come to St. Louis had nothing to do with revenge and everything to do with finding a place where he fit in.
“I want to leave that in the past right now,” Kacyvenski said. “I’m a St. Louis Ram and I’m happy to be a St. Louis Ram and hopefully down the road I will be able to talk to Coach Holmgren about how everything transpired. Like I said, this is a big division game and I’m excited to be playing. This is the first time for me (to play) in St. Louis, but I’ll be ready to go.”
Being released on such short notice would seem to give the Rams an edge when it comes to figuring out what the Seahawks could do defensively or even on special teams.
With that in mind Rams coach Scott Linehan spoke with Kacyvenski earlier in the week.
“(We talked about) general things as far as how they saw our team,” Linehan said. “It’s different, though, because they haven’t played us this year. A lot of it was based on what he knows on how the Rams played before. That kind of changes it a little bit. A lot of it’s kind of the things that I wasn’t aware of as far as the history of the games he’s played in against the Rams. I think it’s valuable, to a point.”
In other words, the Rams won’t be constructing their entire game plan around anything Kacyvenski said and the Seahawks won’t be changing what they do based on what Kacyvenski might tell the Rams.
By the time Sunday’s game kicks off, none of what Seattle is doing will matter to the Rams and vice versa. As always, it will come down to what the Rams are doing or what the Seahawks are doing to determine a winner in the important NFC West Division matchup.
“I’m not worried about what they’re doing,” Kacyvenski said. “I know our coaches aren’t worried about what they do; it’s what we do (that matters). Someone’s not going to throw their game plan out or we’re not going to shape a whole game plan on what I say; if I say anything at all. It’s kind of a chess match in that aspect, but in the end it all comes down to making the plays; it’s as simple as that.”
PACE FINE: When left tackle
Orlando Pace attempted to come back to the Rams just a week after suffering a concussion on Sept. 17, he only made his situation worse. After the following week’s game against Arizona, he reported headaches that wouldn’t go away and lingering problems from post-concussion syndrome.
Pace sat out the next week’s game against Detroit before returning to practice and the team against Green Bay last week. Pace reported that the headaches have gone away and played extremely well against the Packers, even earning the team’s Offensive Player of the Week award.
“I feel pretty good,” Pace said. I came off of this last game pretty good with no headaches and no problems there.”
It seems as though the effects of the concussion are longer lingering and Pace is past the injury all together.
“Knock on wood, I think we’re past that,” Linehan said. “We certainly keep an eye on him, but he says he feels 100 percent normal now. Hopefully that stays that way.”
INJURY UPDATE: The Rams banged up secondary took another couple of steps forward Thursday as starting cornerbacks Travis Fisher and Fakhir Brown had a more involved role in the workout.
Fisher did only some conditioning on the sidelines in Wednesday’s practice, but was in pads and participating Thursday as he recovers from a strained groin. Brown, who has been battling an ankle sprain, was also in pads Thursday, but isn’t as advanced in his comeback as Fisher.
“I think Fisher looks ahead of Fakhir right now,” Linehan said. “Both did limited work, Travis did a little more today. It’s a daily thing.”
Both are still listed as questionable on the injury report.
RAM BITS: The Seahawks will be without running back Shaun Alexander, who is still recovering from a broken bone in his foot…Running back
Steven Jackson is tied for the league lead in rushing and continues to lead the league in yards from scrimmage…Should Brown not be able to play,
Tye Hill will likely start again and if Fisher can’t start, it appears that Jerametrius Butler would be the top candidate to fill that role with
Ron Bartell also in the mix…Kicker Jeff Wilkins is on a ridiculous pace that would shatter the NFL season field goal mark. Five games in, he is on pace for 58 field goals which would blow past the mark of 40 set by Neil Rackers.
GO RAMS 
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