NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- This is exactly what Mike Ditka planned when he took over the dismal New Orleans Saints three years ago: a complete turnaround, big victories, a division title, a playoff berth, proof that a once-great coach still had what it takes.

He just planned on it being him, not his old buddy Dick Vermeil showing the whippersnappers he still had what it takes.

The St. Louis Rams (10-2), the NFC West champs, will be in New Orleans (2-10) Sunday intent on rubbing it in a bit more.

While Ditka is just trying to hold the Saints together, Vermeil, who like Ditka has been to the Super Bowl and spent time in the broadcast booth, could clinch a first-round playoff bye with a victory over New Orleans.

"I've been there before," Vermeil said. "I think Mike has probably been there before. You know as a coach how to handle it, you just don't know if everybody else around you knows how to handle it. Everybody in this business thinks it's instant gratification, but it's not."

Indeed, just last year the Rams were 4-12 and gratification around St. Louis was hard to come by. They were so bad they lost to New Orleans twice.

"It was really hard to go through," said Rams defensive end Kevin Carter. "We lost eight straight. We were trying hard, but we didn't really have any motivation as far as the future. At the time we were already out of the playoffs and our focus changed to gathering ourselves and being a respectable team."

But Vermeil found a running back in Marshall Faulk, who has already rushed for 1,026 yards and five touchdowns, and enough depth to cope with injuries. Quarterback Kurt Warner, for example, has gone from an Arena Football League player to a record-setter after stepping in for Trent Green.

Ditka, meanwhile, traded eight draft picks for Ricky Williams, who has limped to 816 yards and two touchdowns, and is not expected to play Sunday, sitting out the second straight week with turf toe. And covering for injured players has been tough.

Now Ditka has followed two 6-10 seasons with the worst start since the Saints went 1-15 in 1980.

"Turn it around?" Saints tackle William Roaf said. "We're just trying to win a football game. I mean we're not going to the playoffs."

As the losses mount, the Saints' confidence sags. New Orleans' humiliating 43-12 loss to the Rams on Nov. 28 is still weighing on the players' minds.

"Last year, if a team got a big play, we'd come right back and fight back," Saints linebacker Mark Fields said. "We're in such bad shape right now, if they get a big play, we lose that confidence. After a while, it starts to trickle down. We're a team that got blown out three weeks in a row, and you get that feeling that here we go again."

So while Vermeil is plotting playoff strategy, Ditka is listening to Saints owner Tom Benson vow postseason shakeups and worrying about how he'll get through the final four games of the season.

Even Ditka, a masterful motivator, admits that's hard.

"I think everybody has it on their minds, you know, `If we're not going anywhere, why should I get hurt? Why should I take a chance on getting hurt?"' Ditka said. "I don't say they think that way, but I think there could be a mentality that would say `Hey, I should be a little bit more careful.' And football is a game that's hard to be careful. You've got to be reckless, you've got to be instinctive."

ST. LOUIS Season schedule and results

NEW ORLEANS 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 1:00pm ET December 19 NY Giants 1:00pm ET December 26 Chicago 1:00pm ET January 2 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET

September 12 Carolina W 19-10 September 19 @San Francisco L 21-28 October 3 @Chicago L 10-14 October 10 Atlanta L 17-20 October 17 Tennessee L 21-24 October 24 @NY Giants L 3-31 October 31 Cleveland L 16-21 November 7 Tampa Bay L 16-31 November 14 San Francisco W 24-6 November 21 @Jacksonville L 23-41 November 28 @St. Louis L 12-43 December 5 @Atlanta L 12-35 December 12 St. Louis 1:00pm ET December 19 @Baltimore 1:00pm ET December 24 Dallas 3:05pm ET January 2 @Carolina 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

Copyright 1999 STATS, Inc. Commercial distribution without the express written consent of STATS is prohibited.