Position Switch Brings Greene Back to Ram Sack Attack : Defense: He haunts New England quarterback all day, has first three-sack game since Dec. 2, 1990.

ANAHEIM — The crowd behind the north end zone--you know, the guys with watermelons on their heads--were chanting “Greene, Greene, Greene” as Kevin Greene trotted off the Anaheim Stadium field Sunday. Like a victorious crusader returning home from battle, Greene raised his fist and bloodied forearm and jogged through the gantlet of well-wishers lining the tunnel.

Later, he walked out of the shower toward his locker, which was lost in a sea of microphones, television cameras and note pads. He stopped and shook his head as if to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

“I feel like I stepped out of the past,” he said. “I haven’t seen this many people at my locker in three or four years.”

Actually, it only seems that long. But Greene clearly took a quantum leap Sunday when he sacked Patriot quarterback Hugh Millen three times during the Rams’ 14-0 victory.

Greene had more sacks (46) than anyone in the NFL over a three-year span between 1988 and 1990. But then he was moved to right defensive end in former defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher’s system and disappeared from the sack-leader list, the Sunday night highlight films and the media spotlight.

After two games back at left linebacker--the spot he calls his natural position--Greene has four sacks on the year, one more than he totaled all last season.

When asked if he had been informed of that fact, Greene had to laugh.

“Nobody had to tell me that, I’ve been keeping up,” he said. “Last year was a miserable year and I’m just glad to put it behind me. It feels really good to be productive again and especially good to have a part in the outcome of the game.”

Greene had a bigger than usual role on this afternoon, and, to tell the truth, it didn’t really feel all that great after the game. After piling up three sacks and five tackles--three of which came while playing on punt-coverage teams--Greene was doubled over by cramps in his rib cage.

“They’ve got me playing punt coverage and that’s (difficult) because I’ve got to run all the way down the field and I’m all out of breath and then have to play defense,” he said in between gulps of Pedialyte, a fluid-replacement product used to combat dehydration. “So happens, the way they blocked, nobody blocked me and I had a free line.”

Greene, who also downed one punt at the Patriot seven-yard line, slammed into New England punt returner Michael Timpson three times, resulting in Patriot possessions that began on their nine-, 13- and seven-yard lines.

Greene’s first sack came with 55 seconds left in the first half, when he caught Millen for an eight-yard loss. He wrapped up the Patriot quarterback again early in the fourth quarter when Millen scrambled out of the pocket on a third-and-15 play, and then picked up sack No. 3 with 30 seconds left in the game.

It was the first time since Dec. 2, 1990, against Cleveland at the Big A that Greene had three sacks in a game.

“Two of my sacks came when the quarterback was scrambling and that’s because he couldn’t find a receiver open, so I’ve got to give credit where credit is due,” he said. “The defensive backs played a great game today. You can’t ever separate coverage and the pass rush.”

Coach Chuck Knox also said the secondary played a key role, but added that Greene’s play Sunday was the kind of performance he expected.

“Technically, Kevin Greene had an outstanding game,” Knox said. “He’s an outstanding player and he had an excellent game.”

Greene would rather not dredge up the foul memories of last year, when he went from one of the league’s most feared pass rushers to little more than a couple of arms and legs sticking out of the pile at the line of scrimmage. But he admits that the move from defensive end to linebacker is like having shackles removed. He’s footloose and free to wreak havoc again.

“Last year, of course, I was at a different position and that had a lot to do with it,” he said. “A different position, a different side of the ball . . . but that’s a closed case. I really don’t want to talk about it. It’s bad memories, another chapter and a long time ago.”

One victory against a team that no one is touting as a powerhouse hardly portends a trip to the Super Bowl for the Rams, but when you’ve lost 11 in a row, any victory seems sweet.

“Tell you what, it’s a good win and it’s definitely going to build some confidence on this team,” Greene said. “By no means are we where we want to be, but this was certainly a step in the right direction. We’re a young team. I’m an eight-year veteran and the oldest guy starting. We’re just developing and I expect us to keep improving.

“We just have to keep fighting. We’re like firemen. We come in whenever there’s a call and have to just keep fighting the fires.”

The Ram defense may not be able to douse all the firepower they’ll be facing this season, but Greene wants to thank all his buddies in the cheap seats for their support this time.

“The crowd does a lot for my energy,” he said. “They really motivate me. I can feel the emotion coming from them.

“You’re not only playing for yourself, you’re playing for all those guys who wish they could be out there with you.”

There probably weren’t many people who wanted to share the embarrassment of 1991 with the Rams, but with Greene chasing a quarterback around the field again, a spark of the good old days returned to Anaheim Stadium.

For one afternoon, anyway.