Ram Notebook : Bell Looking Forward to Playing Bills

Running back Greg Bell, who suffered a slight hamstring pull when he made a cut during a 29-yard romp in the second quarter Sunday, said he thought he would be ready for his return to Buffalo next Monday night.

“It’s a very minor strain,” he said. “I felt it pull, but I stayed in for a couple of plays. I couldn’t push off it too well, though, so we decided to play it safe.”

Bell, who played 3 1/2 seasons with the Bills before coming to the Rams in the deal that sent Eric Dickerson to Indianapolis, said it would be “special” going back to Buffalo. Especially if he returns as the top rusher in the National Football League.

“Part of the reason I came out (of Sunday’s game) is because I want to be healthy for Monday night,” he said. “And this is the type of (injury) where you could miss three or four weeks if you’re not careful.”

Bell, who spent much of his final season with the Bills in the doghouse, plans on showing the Buffalo faithful that he’s now the top dog.

An interception by LeRoy Irvin, playing in his second game after a 30-day suspension for substance abuse, probably kept the Falcons from grabbing a 14-10 lead late in the first quarter.

On first down at the Ram 32-yard line, Atlanta quarterback Chris Miller threw a pass over the middle intended for Shawn Collins. Irvin left the man he was covering, sprinted in front of Collins and snatched the ball at the 10-yard line.

“I took a chance,” Irvin said. “(Miller) was trying too hard to look me off, so I broke over in front of Collins. If I hadn’t gotten there, they would have had a TD.”

Irvin admitted that he took some chances later in the game that didn’t pay off, and he got burned more than once. But he wasn’t alone. Miller completed a personal-high 28 passes for a personal-best 340 yards.

Miller’s assessment of his best day as a pro:

“It wasn’t too bad as far as numbers go, but you want good results with good numbers. I think we used just about every pass play we have. All I did was get the ball off and watch ‘em fly.”

Maybe it’s because they all wear helmets, but the Rams and the Falcons had a different view of what the Rams were doing with their ears Sunday.

Atlanta’s Miller: “When you throw the ball this much, they just pin their ears back and come after you.”

Ram linebacker Kevin Greene: “They’re throwing a lot on us but you can’t start laying your ears back and going after the quarterback because they’ll just run a draw and gain 50 yards.”

So which is it? Do the ears have it?

Rookie tailback Cleveland Gary says he is learning more about the Ram offense every day, but admits he still has a long way to go.

“I’m not going to put a lot of pressure on myself,” he said. “It takes time.”

In the meantime, he’s going to sit back and enjoy the ride.

“It feels great to be undefeated,” he said. “There’s nothing in this world like walking off a football field after you’ve won a game.”

So, as other-worldly experiences go, the Rams are five for five.

Ram punter Dale Hatcher was reduced to a cameo appearance Sunday and he didn’t mind a bit. One game, one punt and no heavy lifting, either.

Not bad work if you can get it.

That’s what happens when your offense scores on nearly every possession. The Rams scored on six of their 10 drives, with one ended by an interception and two more by the clock--at the end of the first half and end of the game.

For the record, Hatcher’s only kick traveled 40 yards. And as best as he could remember, it was his first one-punt Ram game.

“I was just watching the game like everyone else,” he said. “Maybe the next time I’ll get a bag of peanuts and watch.”