Tinoisamoa, the team's second-round draft choice in 2003, didn't miss a game during his first three NFL seasons out of the University of Hawaii. He led the Rams in tackles each of those years, averaging 133.3.

Then came the abrupt landslide of ailments - broken hands, sprained ankles, banged-up knees, dislocated shoulders. Tinoisamoa appeared in 11 games in '06 and then just nine last year. He finished both seasons on injured reserve.

"I was kidding him last week," defensive coordinator Rick Venturi said. "I went up to him before the game and I said, 'You've really been playing well lately. But you know what? I've never seen you (play) in December.' And we had a laugh about it."

It was no laughing matter, though, when Tinoisamoa was forced to the sideline those other seasons. "I was like, 'Man, this stinks,' " he said. "Even though we weren't winning, it was frustrating. I'd rather lose with the team than sit and watch and not be able to do anything."

He dedicated his offseason to improving his well-being by eating better and working out harder. Already a bit undersized at 6 feet 1 and 240 pounds, he thought he'd add some bulk in the process.

"The funny thing is that I ended up losing weight," said Tinoisamoa, who is now at 220 pounds. "So maybe it wasn't that I needed to put on more weight as much as I needed to get in shape. I'm a lot lighter and it's probably not ideal for a linebacker. But I'm comfortable, I'm healthy, and I think that's all that really matters."

Apparently so. Tinoisamoa, 27, has started all 15 games and again tops the team in tackles, with 131, heading into Sunday's finale at Atlanta. He's also picked up a career-high three sacks, including two last Sunday vs. San Francisco.

"If he stays healthy, he's a pretty good player," coach Jim Haslett said.

"That's been the obstacle," Venturi added. "He just fought through it. He worked like hell to become a more compact player, and it's really paid off for him. He's got a great motor, and he fights to the death no matter what."

More compact, Tinoisamoa explained, means that "I'm more controlled with my body, not flailing like last year, when I was trying to make one-armed tackles. I'm not the biggest guy out there, so everything I have, I've kind of got to bottle it up, or package it real tight, because when you hit, there's a lot more force to it."

Regaining his health, as well as his production level, has been "very gratifying," Tinoisamoa said. "I felt like I raised the bar early on and then I kind of fell underneath it these past two years. So to get back to where the bar was already set - and basically jump over it - it's a great feeling."

RAM-BLINGS

Guard Jacob Bell (hamstring and illness), defensive tackle La'Roi Glover (knee) and tight end Daniel Fells (knee) sat out practice Tuesday. Cornerback Fakhir Brown (ankle) was limited. ... The Pittsburgh Steelers signed tackle Jason Capizzi off the Rams' practice squad. Capizzi was a free agent when he joined the Rams on Oct. 28 and never was on the active roster. ... The team will practice again today, then take Christmas Day off.