Rams Lose a Game, Find a Quarterback

Jim Everett has just three quarters of pro football experience, but veteran guard Dennis Harrah already is calling the new Ram quarterback “General Blade.”

“I gave him the nickname ‘Blade’ about four weeks ago ‘cause most of us around here got these big ol’ pie faces and he’s got that little thin one,” Harrah said. “But it’s taken on new meaning now and it’s gonna stick ‘cause the boy can slice up a defense.

“In fact, I’m gonna make it ‘General Blade’ ‘cause of the leadership . . . the dominance he has over the huddle.”

Never mind that the Patriots pulled the plug on Everett’s coming-out party with a last-second touchdown pass that beat the Rams, 30-28.

Sunday afternoon at Anaheim Stadium marked the beginning of a new era for the Rams’ offense.

It wasn’t just that Everett completed 12 of 19 passes for 193 yards and 3 touchdowns in slightly less than three quarters. It was the way he did it.

“When he came out,” Harrah said, “I said, ‘This is your huddle. Run it.’ And, man, did he.

“He was cool, calm and in control. And he has this way of pumping you up and making you want to try that much harder. It’s hard to explain, but I was thoroughly impressed. He’s a fantastic leader.”

It all worked out just the way Coach John Robinson had planned it . . . with the exception of the final score. Despite the Rams’ often-anemic aerial attack this year, Robinson waited until he felt Everett was assured of a good chance to succeed, or at worst, fail in front of a sympathetic crowd.

The fans have not been as patient. A banner hung near the end zone Sunday read: “Pop the Cork, It’s Wine Time,” in reference to Robinson’s quote about handling Everett the way one wine maker claims he handles his wine.

When Robinson finally decided to loosen the cork, the pop was mighty impressive. Only a victory could have made it any sweeter.

“Clearly, the play of Jim Everett was outstanding,” Robinson said. “He played with poise, confidence and aggressiveness. He has worked very hard to bridge an enormous (experience) gap and we waited until he had enough of a repertoire so he could perform.”

But this wasn’t just a nice debut for a rookie. This was an outing any quarterback in the league would take without a second thought. Everett threw both long and short passes with accuracy. He even scrambled when he had to.

But his teammates thought his field presence outweighed his physical talents. And that was evident from the minute he stepped on the field. The running backs ran harder, the receivers made sharper cuts and diving catches. And the offensive line protected him like a tigress protects her cubs.

“He came in and took command of things,” said receiver Henry Ellard, who caught seven Everett passes, including touchdown receptions of 34 and 20 yards. “Nobody knew for sure he could do it until he got in there.

“I guess it was just a case of a new person starting to make things happen and everyone getting riled up about it. Once he got in there, things started clicking and we got on a roll.”

Harrah (called “Pappy” by Everett) has seen a number of quarterbacks come and go in his 12 years with the Rams, but he’s never seen one step into the lineup and grab control like this.

“What he has, you can’t teach,” Harrah said. “The kid comes into the huddle and asks us to give him a little extra time on the next play. ‘I’m gonna hold it a little longer this time,’ he says, ‘and if nothing opens up, then I’m gonna run it.’

“He believes and makes you believe.”

Off the field, awash in a sea of television lights, Everett is considerably less self-assured. And he obviously felt uneasy with balancing his success and his team’s lack of it.

“The guys are feeling down because we lost,” he said. “But I think we can feel good about the offense. I’ve got mixed emotions. I’m happy with the chance to play and sad with the outcome. But that’s the way this game is played.”

Late in the first quarter, Everett took off his baseball cap, put on his helmet and started warming up. A few fans began to realize what was coming and started cheering. When he finally jogged onto the field a few minutes later, the stadium erupted in a huge ovation.

“It was exciting to hear the fans clapping and even more exciting to get out there and look up in the huddle and see the faces of those guys,” Everett said. “My confidence grew with each snap. I was just trying to be myself and have fun.”

The Rams, of course, can’t ask for much more. Jim Everett’s idea of fun suits them just fine. And while they may have lost a game, there’s little doubt they have found a quarterback.