Peete Says He Plans to Return by Fourth Game of Season

Former USC quarterback Rodney Peete, who injured his knee Saturday night during the Rams-Detroit Lions exhibition game at Anaheim, said Monday that he expects to return to the lineup for the third or fourth game of the season--if not sooner.

Peete, the Lions’ rookie quarterback, suffered a sprained knee.

“When it isn’t torn, they don’t know how far the ligaments were stretched,” Peete said. “We’ll just see how it feels every day. I could be back in a week or so.”

Peete, who said he is using a walking brace, had been the Lions’ No. 1 quarterback this summer. Before the Ram game, Detroit Coach Wayne Fontes named Peete the starter for the regular-season opener against the Phoenix Cardinals next Sunday.

“It’s disappointing,” said Peete, who led USC to the last two Rose Bowls. “I was looking forward to (Phoenix). But it’s only a temporary setback.”

Peete was injured on a pass play in which Ram linebacker Mike Wilcher, who had been knocked down, kept rushing the passer. Wilcher’s helmet hit Peete on the outside of the knee just after the ball had been thrown.

“I didn’t see (Wilcher) down there until I saw the tapes (later),” Peete said. “He kept crawling after me while I had my eyes downfield. It wasn’t a cheap shot. He was just trying to get a sack.”