Who Needs Eric? : Despite Redden’s Gains, Robinson Says <i> He</i> Does

In the National Football League exhibition season, things aren’t always as they seem. It’s a time for research and development, not all-out war.

Consider:

--Without Eric Dickerson, the Rams have rolled up 451 yards rushing in two games.

--Barry Redden has gained 203 all by himself.

--The Rams netted 243 in Thursday night’s 39-7 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals, who had held the Chicago Bears--the best rushing team in the league last season--to only 74 yards five nights earlier.

So, who needs Dickerson?

The performance of Redden and the Rams in their first two practice games would not seem to help Dickerson’s cause as he holds out for a guaranteed contract extension.

But Ram Coach John Robinson said Friday: “Eric’s one of the great players in the game. Of course you need him.

“What it does is prove Barry Redden is also a good football player. It isn’t a case ever of one guy being the only thing you have. We recognize that Barry’s good, and he played in two games where the running lanes were certainly there for him, and he took advantage of them.

“We were efficient, certainly. Our offensive line played well again. It allowed us some holes when we ran and protection for (quarterback) Dieter (Brock).”

Last season, Dickerson rushed for 208 yards, his second-best game in two years, against the Cardinals, who ranked 14th in rushing defense.

“I don’t want to talk much about them,” Robinson said. “We’ve got to play ‘em again (Dec. 15). They’re one of the best pass-rush teams in the league. They’re not real good against the run. We’ll play some clubs that will stop the run pretty well.”

If Dickerson were to end his holdout before the opening game Sept. 8, Robinson said: “I think he can catch up. He’ll miss some things and make some errors, but we will devote a lot of time to him.”

Dickerson watched Thursday’s game from Sealy, Tex., picking up a St. Louis telecast on the satellite dish that Ram owner Georgia Frontiere gave his great aunt.

Robinson: “I doubt very seriously if something he sees is going to make him suddenly say, ‘Oh, my God, I’d better get in there or I’ll lose my job.’ ”

Robinson has done everything except state flatly that Brock is going to be his No. 1 quarterback, displacing Jeff Kemp.

“When I do (announce a decision), I’ll tell the quarterbacks first,” Robinson said.

But he liked the way Brock held together a touchdown drive despite three dropped passes and a holding penalty.

“He kept getting us back off. That’s a dimension we haven’t had.”

Passing, running, pass defense--it all came together against the Cardinals.

“It’s indicative that those are things we’re trying to improve,” Robinson said, “and in fact, we will be better. How much better, I think only a season is going to tell.

“We will be a better team when we get our two starting corners (LeRoy Irvin and Gary Green) in there, we get our tailback (Dickerson) in there, and (defensive end) Jack (Youngblood) can come back and help.”