HOW A TEMPORARY STARTER HELPED HIT 49ERS ON THE NOSE : Slaton Was at the Center of Ram Victory

Tony Slaton was minding his own business last Sunday afternoon when Ram guard Dennis Harrah approached the second-year center and presented him with some unexpected news as they boarded a plane for San Francisco.

“Smitty won’t be making the trip,” Harrah said.

Now, for Slaton, whose business has consisted mainly of looking busy as a backup to Pro Bowl center Doug Smith, these were strange and wonderful words. Nothing against Smith, who still was suffering the after-effects of a head injury from a Dec. 1 game against the New Orleans Saints and whom Slaton admires and respects, but this meant a chance to do something other than run pregame drills. This meant national television exposure and an opportunity to play against 49er nose guard Michael Carter who, by most reports, was the greatest thing since the Ronco Kitchen Magician (slices, dices, mashes, bashes). Big game, too, what with the NFC West Division lead on the line and all that.

Slaton responded accordingly.

“I was very nervous,” he said. “Very nervous.”

The Ram coaches did their part to ease Slaton’s uneasiness by running a variety of plays at and away from Carter early in Monday night’s game. They tried traps and assorted tricks, only to watch each tactic fail quickly and resoundingly. Carter, 6-2 and at least 280 pounds, accounted for two of the first six tackles against the Rams. At that pace, Carter would be named an honorary member of the Ram backfield.

“We did not have successful plays against him,” said Ram Coach John Robinson Tuesday, recalling those several attempts.

But by game’s end, said Robinson, Carter had been neutralized, at least to the point where he wasn’t maiming anyone. Carter finished the game with five more tackles and no sacks. The “mismatch” between him and Slaton wasn’t much in evidence by the fourth period, at least not in terms of havoc.

“By the end of the game, I thought Tony was in control of him,” Robinson said.

This is welcome news for supporters of the Ram offensive line. As of Tuesday, Robinson said he still was unsure of Smith’s playing status but didn’t hesitate to suggest that Slaton could continue as a starter.

“My guess would be that Doug Smith will not play (against St. Louis Sunday),” Robinson said. “He’s not out of the game, but I think there’s still a kind of an uneasiness about it. And as long as there’s any possible threat, Doug will not play. If that goes on for the rest of the year, he won’t play until I’m convinced completely that he’s 100%. What we’re doing is not anywhere near important enough for us to take any chance on him.”

After Monday night’s 27-20 victory over the 49ers, Slaton, a quiet and unassuming sort, allowed that he had “survived.” Injured offensive lineman Russ Bolinger overheard the conversation and corrected Slaton and any listeners.

“He did more than survive,” Bolinger said, in a tone that allowed no room for disagreement.

True and in more ways than Bolinger may realize. Slaton, a former USC player, has managed to remain in the NFL and now prosper despite being released by the Buffalo Bills in 1984. The Rams signed Slaton, kept him on the regular-season roster for three games and then placed him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. This season, the Rams waived Slaton in August but found him available a month later when injuries threatened to jeopardize the Ram offensive line.

Now, 14 weeks into the season, Slaton finds himself a temporary starter. He hasn’t minded the wait but said he sometimes questioned his ability.

“It wasn’t, like, doubt, but you start to wonder,” Slaton said. “Coming out of college and having a little bit of a disappointing draft (sixth-round selection), then being released. You wonder somewhere along the line.”

When the Rams released him, Slaton said Robinson “told me I could play on this level.”

On Monday, against one of the better nose guards in the NFL, Slaton showed he was worth the trouble.

Asked what Carter might have thought of him--the last-minute replacement for Smith--Slaton replied, “Before or after (the game)?”

After, he was told.

“I think he may have walked away with some respect for this whole team,” Slaton said.

Ram Notes

John Robinson said wide receiver Bobby Duckworth, who was fined two game-day paychecks and suspended for one game for missing the recent New Orleans game, will be in uniform against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday at Anaheim Stadium . . . As for a 66-yard touchdown pass play from 49er quarterback Joe Montana to wide receiver Jerry Rice Monday, Robinson said Ram films show that Montana was “clearly” past the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball. Robinson also said that the official who should have noticed the alleged infraction, had left his position to follow the flight of the ball to Rice. . . . Said Robinson of the Ram special teams: “I think they’re the best special teams in football.” Ron Brown returned a kickoff for a Ram touchdown (his third this season), Mike Lansford kicked two field goals and Dale Hatcher averaged 42.6 yards for five punts, including three that went out of bounds within the 20-yard line.