Ram Notebook : Nerve Injury Could Sideline Jim Collins Until Late October
The Rams’ exhibition victory over the San Francisco 49ers Monday night was so much fun that it could almost make a coach forget reality for a while.
Steve Bartkowski looked so good at quarterback that there might never had been a controversy at all.
Ron Brown looked so fast at wide receiver that the continued absence of Henry Ellard was hardly noticeable.
But, as Coach John Robinson said, there was some pain in reviewing film of the 31-17 win.
There was a realization that a glittering offense can hide the inevitable concerns on defense for only so long.
There finally was admission Tuesday that the nerve injury to Pro Bowl linebacker Jim Collins could keep him out of the lineup until late October. That was another stinging blow to a once-solid defense that has already lost cornerback Gary Green for the season with a disc injury. The Rams were thought to be only a player or two away from the Super Bowl, but find themselves today with two of their best players away.
“We’re down from two Pro Bowl players to hopefully putting solid players in two spots,” Robinson said of the loss of Collins and Green. “The team either has to make up for it or not be as good a team.”
The news of Collins’ long-term loss was suspected all along. The nerve injury in his shoulder has rendered the deltoid muscle in his left arm useless. For weeks now, Collins has been only a spectator at practice.
“I’m shooting for late October, hopefully earlier,” Robinson said of his projected return date. “My hopes, every once in a while, they come true.”
Collins, contacted at home Tuesday, said he couldn’t predict when he might be back.
“I’m making a little bit of progress,” he said. “I’ll be back, I just don’t know when.”
Collins said the muscle in his shoulder is finally responding to treatment.
“I’m getting a little bit of a muscle contraction,” he said. “There’s something going on there. The doctors said this should be starting to happen about now.”
In the meantime, Robinson searches for answers. He’s thinking of moving either George Andrews, Norwood Vann or Kevin Greene to Collins’ inside linebacker spot or possibly trading for a linebacker.
“We might have the right ingredients to solve the problems,” Robinson said. Robinson, of course, would like to have had Howard Carson, former Los Angeles Express linebacker, but the Rams released his rights Monday, much to Robinson’s displeasure.
As for cornerback, Robinson said he is content with LeRoy Irvin, Jerry Gray, Mickey Sutton and Lucious Smith.
And Robinson will get Johnnie Johnson back today. Johnson, who can play safety or cornerback, has been recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Possibly the last word on Doug Flutie and the Rams this season: It’s not that Robinson doesn’t want Flutie, he tells us, it’s just that he doesn’t want him this season.
Robinson figured that bringing Flutie in now would cause a media scene that would be more a distraction than anything else. Besides, Flutie would have arrived too late to learn the system effectively to help this season.
Robinson said it might have been different had Flutie been available last March, when he could have been brought along slowly.
“On a long-range basis if Doug were free, we’d certainly be interested in talking with him,” Robinson said.
Flutie, of course, is expected to sit out the season and collect the $1.3 million he has coming from New Jersey General owner Donald Trump. Flutie, the former Boston College star, signed a guaranteed, personal services contract with Trump when he signed to play for the Generals in 1985.
The Rams drafted Flutie in 1985, and retained his rights when the USFL decided to postpone play for the 1986 season.
You’ve got to figure that Steve Bartkowski is the Rams’ No. 1 quarterback, right? He was a coach’s dream against the 49ers, completing 11 of 15 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns in just two quarters of work. He’s got to be the starter against the San Diego Chargers this Saturday night, right?
Maybe.
“I’m in no big hurry,” Robinson said when asked to name his starter. “I’ll play both Bartkowski and Steve Dils Saturday night.”
Dils completed 3 of 6 passes for 44 yards against San Francisco. Best hunch is that Bartkowski will start.
Ram Notes
Linebacker Mel Owens, who ended his 23-day holdout Monday, will practice today and play Saturday night against the Chargers. “He’ll also run laps at halftime.” Robinson said. “Then, he’ll show us film from his trip to Afghanistan.” . . . Is Steve Bartkowski having fun, or what? “There are more weapons here than I have ever been around before,” he said after Monday night’s win over the 49ers. . . . Does anyone remember a Ram running back named Eric Dickerson? Yes, he’s the one who has carried the ball just 6 times for 10 yards in two exhibition games.
