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Friday, January 25, 2002

By Shelly Anderson, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS -- A lot of Kim Herring's teammates with the St. Louis Rams know what it's like to win the Super Bowl. They won it two years ago.

	Eagles at Rams Sunday 4:15 p.m. Dome at America's Center WPGH-TV NFC Notebook Warner held out as a precaution

Herring, though, can tell them about winning the title last year, when he was with the Baltimore Ravens. He can even draw comparisons -- the kind the Rams probably like to hear.

"Last year's team was a lot different from this year's team because this year's team has an offense," Herring said yesterday before St. Louis practiced in preparation for the NFC championship game against Philadelphia at 4:14 p.m. Sunday.

Herring was a strong safety with the Ravens, but he moved to free safety after signing with St. Louis in March.

With the Rams, Herring is part of a team that, quite opposite from the Ravens a year ago, is recognized more for its high-powered offense than for its defense.

It's not as disparate with St. Louis, Herring argued.

"No disrespect to my last year's team, but basically last year's team was all defense," he said. "We were winning games, 10-7, 13-10. This year, it's more like, 'OK, guys, let's go out and win games with both things.' That's our mentality, and that's what we've had all year."

Herring and the defense underscored that idea Sunday, when it was at least equally responsible as the offense for a 45-17 drubbing of Green Bay.

St. Louis rattled Packers quarterback Brett Favre, getting six interceptions among its eight turnovers and sacking Favre twice.

Herring accounted for two of those turnovers, forcing a fumble in the first quarter and setting up a touchdown in the second quarter with an interception and a 45-yard return.

Herring, 6 feet and 200 pounds, had 13 interceptions at Penn State, fourth best in school history. After Baltimore selected him in the second round of the 1997 draft, he didn't lack optimism.

"My expectations have always been so high," he said, and then smiled. "I remember when I first came into the league, in '97, I thought, 'Man, if I can just pick off about 10 balls this year I'll have a real good season.' "

He ended up playing a fair amount and starting four games that season. He had 51 tackles and a sack but was off on his interception projection -- by 10.

By the time he left the Ravens, Herring had made 43 starts over four seasons, with 205 tackles, two sacks, 22 passes broken up, three forced fumbles and three interceptions, including one against the New York Giants in the Super Bowl last year.

With the Rams during the regular season, Herring had a career-best 75 tackles, a forced fumble -- against Philadelphia in a 20-17 victory in the season opener -- and a sack.

He's still not quite halfway to that 10-interception total he was looking for as a rookie.

Herring seems pretty comfortable with his lot, though. The only thing that would have made this playoff run a little better for him would be a possible matchup with his former team in the Super Bowl. The Ravens, though, were dispatched Sunday by the Steelers, 27-10.

"I've gotten some calls from some guys in Baltimore," Herring said.

Instead, it could very well be the Steelers against the Rams next week in New Orleans for Super Bowl XXXVI. Both are favored in the conference championship games.

Herring would welcome that scenario.

"I think we can match up in the Super Bowl," he said of the Steelers. "Having played them about eight times in my career, I have a pretty good handle on what they like to do, especially the quarterback [Kordell Stewart]."

Herring said winning the Super Bowl has been on the minds of the Rams since before the season, and that's another area where St. Louis differs from the Ravens of a year ago.

"We expected to get to this point this year with this team," he said. "Last year with Baltimore, we just wanted to get to the playoffs and let everything ride."