ANALYSIS : Injuries Turning Rams’ Super Bowl Vision Into Hard-Luck Story

ANAHEIM — Does this 1-2 start have you digging through the magazine stack in search of those preseason predictions putting the Rams in Super Bowl XXV?

Just what was it that was supposed to be so good about this team, anyway?

Of course, the Rams did fall just one defeat--albeit one very convincing defeat--shy of making it to the Super Bowl last season. And they’ve got a quarterback and two wideouts who make scoring touchdowns look easy.

You don’t make it to the Super Bowl without a semblance of a defense, however. So a lot of people--Coach John Robinson included--must have figured the Rams’ defensive youth movement would have a key role in their ascension to the “Team of the ‘90s” title.

Eight first-year players, seven of whom play defense, made contributions last season. Four were projected starters for 1990.

Last season, they were pleasant rookie surprises adjusting to life in the NFL. This year, however, they were supposed to settle in and make an impact.

As it turned out, most of them learned that life in the NFL hurts.

Only two of 1989’s rookies--linebackers Frank Stams and George Bethune--have not been sidelined, or at least seriously hampered, by injuries in 1990.

Here’s a closer look at the Mostly Sad Case of the Sophomore Class (in the order they were drafted):

Bill Hawkins: Hoping to beef up their inside pass rush, the Rams picked the 6-foot-6-inch tackle from Miami with their first of two first-round picks in ’89. He was steadily improving until he injured his left knee Dec. 11 against the San Francisco 49ers in his first pro start. He underwent arthroscopic surgery three days later and is still somewhat hobbled.

Used mostly on passing situations this year, Hawkins has made just one tackle.

“He’s playing with a leg and a half,” Robinson said.

Cleveland Gary: The Rams took the running back from Miami five picks after Hawkins. Gary played in only eight games last season but was impressive enough to become a clear favorite for the starting tailback spot coming into the 1990 season. But a slow-healing lower back injury kept him out of action the entire exhibition season and the regular-season opener.

And Gary says he still is not 100%. He had 42 yards in eight carries late in the game against Tampa Bay, but managed only five yards in four carries Sunday against Philadelphia.

“When he’s ready to handle all the responsibility, I think he’ll certainly see a lot of action,” Robinson said.

Frank Stams: He was an outside linebacker at Notre Dame, but the Rams’ first of three second-round selections in ’89 made the transition to an inside spot as a rookie. Injuries to Fred Strickland and Larry Kelm meant Stams got a lot of on-the-job training last year.

He played in all 16 regular-season games, starting twice, and finished the regular season with 27 tackles, three passes defensed and one interception, which he returned 20 yards.

Stams led the team in exhibition tackles with 22 (18 of which were unassisted) and he’s tied with Strickland for the regular-season lead with 16.

Brian Smith: Three picks after Stams, the Rams took the outside linebacker from Auburn with the intention of turning him into a quarterback-chasing tackle. He spent the first 10 weeks of his rookie season on injured reserve with a wrist injury and played in his first pro game on the same night Hawkins was injured.

The 6-6 Smith gained 20 pounds during the off-season and is now starting ahead of Hawkins. Smith injured his knee Aug. 15 and missed two exhibition games. He’s now suffering with sore ribs, but has started all three regular-season games. He has eight tackles and a sack.

“He’s making some progress,” Robinson said. “He’s getting a little bit better, but that’s a real concern for us. We have to get that position playing better.”

Darryl Henley: The third of the Rams’ ‘89 second-rounders, Henley, from UCLA, returned punts and played on special teams and nickel defense situations as a rookie. He made 21 tackles (18 solo), had one interception and four passes defensed. His performance was good enough to spur the Rams’ decision to move All-Pro corner Jerry Gray to safety.

The plan was scrapped when a hip injury kept Henley out of action from Aug. 1-29. Henley returned to practice long enough to re-injure the hip. He’s been on injured reserve since Sept. 1 and figures to miss at least half the season.

Mike Piel: A defensive tackle from El Toro High School and the University of Illinois, Piel was drafted in the third round in 1988. He didn’t play in ‘88, however, because of a neck injury suffered in training camp. But last season, Piel played in 13 regular-season games and started six times. He led the Ram defensive linemen in sacks with four.

Then he dislocated his left elbow Dec. 3 at Dallas. He returned to start in all three postseason games before reinjuring the elbow in the NFC championship game.

Piel, who has one sack this year, is still favoring the arm and has played sparingly.

Alfred Jackson: He was a wide receiver at San Diego State, but the Rams took Jackson in the fifth round in ’89 with the intention of converting him to cornerback. He played in seven games last year, mostly on special teams, but saw action in the defensive backfield on some passing situations.

He came on strong in the postseason with four unassisted tackles and one pass defensed in playoff games.

Jackson was injured in the collision with Gray during the exhibition finale, but returned in time to dislocate a finger in the regular-season opener. He’s playing in the nickel defense and has two tackles this year.

George Bethune: The outside linebacker from Alabama was the Rams’ seventh-round selection in ’89. He plays in Kevin Greene’s designated pass-rusher spot, which says plenty about his athleticism. Bethune played in all 16 regular-season games last year and was an asset on special teams.

Bethune saw considerable playing time in the 1990 season opener at Green Bay--Greene had just returned from a six-week holdout--and recorded two solo tackles and an eight-yard sack. He has only one tackle in the last two games, though.

Clearly, this is not the litany Robinson envisioned for his young warriors’ second season, but he still sees hope for the future.

“They will (make an impact) again,” Robinson said. “Those guys have a lot of time ahead of them.”