St. Louis — The changes St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz promised for his .500 team featured a full-contact practice session and a second brisk-paced workout that stretched 15 minutes past the usual quitting time.
All of the tackling Wednesday, usually unheard of during game week in the NFL, was yet another sign that their coach knows their season is hanging in the balance.
The Rams (4-4) have lost their last two games -- to wounded New England on Sunday and previously winless Miami before that.
Sunday's stakes are big: defeat the Seahawks (5-3) and move into a tie for the NFC West lead, lose and be two games behind Seattle with seven to go.
Martz was pleased with the response to his unique method of preparation: No one notified the players' association or griped at all.
"There's not very many teams at this time of the season that you can take them out and basically scrimmage and tackle the ball carrier and not have somebody complain," Martz said Thursday. "These guys respond the way you want them to.
"They got excited, they had fun out there and we got better."
The Rams worked out in shoulder pads and shorts but with more contact and emphasis on running to the ball.
Also, Martz has been more fiery in his team addresses and in his news conferences, reflecting an urgency to turn things around now. His briefing Wednesday with reporters, which usually lasts 15 to 20 minutes, lasted only five minutes -- long enough for him to call players out for the second time in three days.
"He's been pretty aggressive for the last two days," wide receiver Isaac Bruce said. "There's a time and place for everything, and now's the time."
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