...OUT: S Keith Lyle (shoulder). QUESTIONABLE: CB Taje Allen (neck); TE Ernie Conwell (knee). PROBABLE: DE Kevin Carter (knee); RB Amp Lee (knee). 49ers: OUT: LB Joe Wesley (knee); QB Steve Young (concussion). QUESTIONABLE...

...Kurt Warner, running back Marshall Faulk, offensive tackle Orlando Pace, wide receiver Isaac Bruce, defensive end Kevin Carter and cornerback Todd Lyght would represent the NFC West champions in the Feb. 6 game. ''I was emotional,'' Vermeil...

...with 13 interceptions. He joined Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks to throw 40 TD passes in a season. St. Louis' Kevin Carter led the NFL with 17 sacks. Washington's Stephen Davis led the NFC in rushing with 1,405 yards, 8 more than Dallas...

...considered formidable enough, if not overpowering. Fletcher is the middle man on a unit that includes All-Pro end Kevin Carter, who led the league in sacks, and cornerback Todd Lyght. ''I understand we have a very good defense that is overshadowed...

...linebacker Mike Jones and end Grant Wistrom with two apiece. --Such as get a league-high 17 sacks from All-Pro end Kevin Carter. In all, the Rams had 57 sacks, most in the conference and tied with Jacksonville for the NFL lead. --Such as...

...tackles, 3 assists and 1 sack. DB Dexter McCleon had 4 tackles, 1 INT and 4 passes defensed. LBs Charlie Clemons and Kevin Carter each had 1 sack. DB Todd Lyght and LB Mike A. Jones each had 6 tackles. DB Dre' Bly had 5 tackles. SPECIAL TEAMS...

...he doesn't want his learning process to hamper his team. The only blip so far seems to be All-Pro defensive end Kevin Carter's concern about a new contract, which was put on the back burner while Kurt Warner and Isaac Bruce got big bucks...

...left. And the defense, shredded all game by Brian Griese, finally asserted itself with sacks by D'Marco Farr and Kevin Carter. "Why are we always so dramatic?" asked Carter in a reference to last January's Super Bowl, when Mike Jones...

...Negatives: The defense that allowed 38 points to punchless Tampa was very good for three quarters in New Orleans, with Kevin Carter and Todd Lyght, no-shows all season, finally playing back to their 1999 form. But the Rams allowed 471 points this...

Kevin Carter, whose falloff at defensive end was a reason for the decline of the St. Louis defense last season, was designated as the Rams...