PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Sure, Dick Vermeil's coming back to Philadelphia. Big deal, the Rams' coach says.

Vermeil went through the "back-in-Philadelphia" storyline last year, and it didn't have a nice ending. The Eagles beat the Rams 17-14 in a nationally televised Thursday night game. It was Vermeil's first appearance coaching at Veterans Stadium since departing in 1982.

Here's the real motivation for St. Louis in Sunday's otherwise meaningless season finale against the Eagles: a lot of records within reach for the Rams' offensive juggernaut. That just might leave Philadelphia's injury-depleted defense lying flat on the cold, hard turf.

Running back Marshall Faulk needs 36 yards to eclipse the single-season total yardage record of 2,358 set by Barry Sanders in 1997. Kurt Warner needs one touchdown pass to become only the second player (Dan Marino did it twice) in league history to throw for 40 touchdowns, and he needs 99 yards passing to break the team record of 4,310 set by Jim Everett in 1989.

And unfortunately for the Eagles defense, that's just the beginning.

"They have an awesome offense. I mean, look at what they've done this year. They're scoring points in bunches," Eagles free safety Brian Dawkins said. "You can hold them down for a series or two, or even a quarter, and then, bam, they put two or three real quick touchdowns on you."

That has pretty much been the theme of the Rams' storybook season. St. Louis is riding a seven-game winning streak, and has already clinched a bye as the top seed in the NFC playoffs. The Rams have scored 495 points -- the sixth-highest total in league history -- and have outscored opponents by a whopping 291 points; the NFL record is 261 set by the 1991 Washington Redskins.

Will Vermeil dare sit his star players to rest them for the team's first-ever playoff appearance in St. Louis in two weeks?

"I'd love to play the whole game. I don't know how they're going to play it. Once I get into a game, I never want to come out," Warner said.

Vermeil is a little more cautious.

"You always take some chances in terms of getting guys bumped and bruised and that kind of thing in the final game of the year, a game that is so-called `nothing' or a meaningless game," Vermeil said. "I told the players that our philosophy is that there is no such thing as a meaningless game for us."

Especially not in Philadelphia, where Vermeil is still fondly remembered as the fiery, controlling coach who led the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 1980. His smiling face is still plastered on billboards, and his voice can still be heard on radio advertisements pitching health insurance.

Vermeil and his wife, Carol, own 100 acres outside Philadelphia, and their two sons and 11 grandchildren live in the area. He will also be reunited with former Eagles owner Leonard Tose.

But if it were up to him, he'd rather not be spending the holidays so close to home.

"A lot of people want to make a little more of Dick Vermeil going back to Philadelphia then really need be. I would just as soon not go back," he said.

The Eagles, meanwhile, look at Sunday's game as the first of the 2000 preseason. Jobs are at stake, and younger players are itching to make their mark.

The Eagles will start five rookies Sunday. Most importantly, the team's top draft pick, quarterback Donovan McNabb, is listed as probable after hurting his left knee against Dallas on Dec. 12 and will likely start.

Philadelphia also comes in with some confidence after derailing the New England Patriots' playoff hopes two weeks ago.

"Closing out the season with a win would be a great way to head into the offseason," said Dawkins, the Eagles' lone Pro Bowl representative. "It's the first game of 2000 and it would leave a great taste in our mouths."

Philadelphia's secondary, the team's best unit, will play shorthanded with cornerback Bobby Taylor sidelined with a broken jaw. And the Eagles are already without their best pass-rusher, Hugh Douglas, out with a torn left biceps tendon.

Running back Duce Staley is fourth in the NFC in rushing with 1,221 yards.

"He has a great sense of when to cut," Vermeil said. "He should have been in the Pro Bowl."

The Eagles might be a long way from where the Rams are, but Vermeil said they aren't too far from turning it around.

"The Eagles look like my team looked three years ago," he said. "They've got some defensive players that are playing pretty good. They'll get better; you can see it."

ST. LOUIS Season schedule and results

PHILADELPHIA Season schedule and results

September 12 Baltimore W 27-10 September 26 Atlanta W 35-7 October 3 @Cincinnati W 38-10 October 10 San Francisco W 42-20 October 17 @Atlanta W 41-13 October 24 Cleveland W 34-3 October 31 @Tennessee L 21-24 November 7 @Detroit L 27-31 November 14 Carolina W 35-10 November 21 @San Francisco W 23-7 November 28 New Orleans W 43-12 December 5 @Carolina W 34-21 December 12 @New Orleans W 30-14 December 19 NY Giants W 31-10 December 26 Chicago W 34-12 January 2 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET

September 12 Arizona L 24-25 September 19 Tampa Bay L 5-19 September 26 @Buffalo L 0-26 October 3 @NY Giants L 15-16 October 10 Dallas W 13-10 October 17 @Chicago W 20-16 October 24 @Miami L 13-16 October 31 NY Giants L 17-23 November 7 @Carolina L 7-33 November 14 Washington W 35-28 November 21 Indianapolis L 17-44 November 28 @Washington L 17-20 December 5 @Arizona L 17-21 December 12 @Dallas L 10-20 December 19 New England W 24-9 January 2 St. Louis 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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