Simeon Rice says you have to crawl before you walk. So when he finally makes the Pro Bowl, and he plans to eventually, you''ll see some running.

   "I''d like to be the defensive player of the next millennium," Rice said. "I''m getting back to being a dominant player."

   The defensive end dominated on the college level at Illinois as a fierce pass rusher. During his rookie year with the Arizona Cardinals he tied the NFL''s

rookie sack record.

   Rice always shone brightly under the bright lights. So after notching just five sacks in a 4-12 season in 1997, his pride took a hit.

   Now he''s back on the big stage as his team-leading 10 sacks helped the Cardinals to the playoffs for the first time since 1982. Arizona faces Dallas today

in an NFC Wildcard game.

   "This is one of my career goals when I got drafted three years ago," Rice said. "Now it''s come to fruition. We want to make it last as long as we can."

   Rice did not make the Pro Bowl, but he has re-emerged as a force in the NFC. He wants to be mentioned with guys like Reggie White and Lawrence Taylor -- about football, of course.

   The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder from Chicago ranked 10th in the NFC and 17th overall in sacks, while recording 39 tackles and four fumble recoveries.

   "I played pretty consistent this year, Rice said. I did a lot of good

things out there and improved my total game. My sack total went up again. I would have recorded 13 or 14 except for penalties. It didn''t happen and I finished with 10, which is cool, too."

   Rice had help from fellow defensive linemen Mark Smith the tackle on Rice''s side Tony McCombs and rookie end Andre Wadsworth. The two ends were featured in Sports Illustrated as one of the top tandems in pro football.

   There has been another big factor since he arrived in the desert. Big as in defensive line coach Mean Joe Greene, the former Pittsburgh great who captured Rice''s respect and imagination.

   "Joe Greene has been a bright spot for me," Rice said. "Having a legend teaching myself, in terms of my ability, it''s great chemistry."

No longer a laughingstock

   Chemistry has been the key to reviving this historic, haunted franchise. The Cardinals are the oldest continuing franchise in pro football, and also perennially one of the worst.

   When they left St. Louis for Phoenix before the 1988 season, they didn''t exactly take Arizona by storm. Over their first 10 years, the Cardinals did

not have a winning season, finished last five times, compiled a 67-105 record and went through five coaches.

   "All I knew was that we hadn''t made it to the playoffs since I''ve been here," Rice said.

   "In terms of the years we''re here, we have to do the things we do to compete with the top echelon."

   Led by young players like Rice and second-year quarterback/multi-millionaire Jake Plummer, Arizona moved forward with a 9-7 record, winning its last three games to reach the postseason.

   The Cardiac Cardinals won those three by eight total points and won seven games by four points or less. They lost both to the Cowboys, but a noncall on a pass interference penalty kept Arizona out of the end zone in a 35-28 loss to Dallas in their second meeting.

   That kind of excitement brought the waning Arizona crowds back to the stadium.

   "This is so new for them," Rice said. "It''s a sea of red when we have a game. It''s starting to emerge. It''s nothing like Chicago, but it''s a totally different attitude from when I got here. Give them another year with this football team."

   Rice will be there through the 1999 season for sure. After that, his future is up in the air. For now, he''s happy building a career and a team.

   "It''s happening for us, but it won''t happen all at once," Rice said. "To get where we are didn''t take a day. It took a lot of years for these guys to be in

this position. This year was a big step getting into the playoffs. Then we get

more of a following and build on the positivity."

Ex-Illini of the week

   You''ve seen him calling big games on national TV for the better part of 23 years, but Illinois graduate Jerry Markbreit worked his final regular-season game last Sunday.

   His 457th NFL game -- 437th as a referee -- probably won''t be his last. The corporate consultant has worked a record four Super Bowls.

   Brian Dietz is a News-Gazette staff writer.