PRO FOOTBALL REPORT : WEEKDAY UPDATE : RAMS : Strickland, Out for Season, Needs Surgery

Inside linebacker Fred Strickland, who broke his left shinbone in Sunday night’s game against the Chicago Bears and is out for the season, checked into Centinela Hospital Medical Center Monday night and was scheduled to undergo surgery today.

Strickland’s place might be taken by Larry Kelm, who has been out since suffering a knee injury in the Rams’ last exhibition game. Kelm will practice this week and could be activated if he’s ready to play.

Backup tackle Rob Cox, who twisted his left knee during practice last week and was deactivated Sunday, will miss about three weeks, Coach John Robinson said.

Atlanta quarterback Chris Miller, who hurt his knee in Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers, has no ligament damage and should be able to play against the Rams this week.

Robinson said that although the Rams could make a deal by today’s trading deadline, he doesn’t expect anything major. “We’re trying to do some things, but I wouldn’t write a headline about it,” Robinson said. . . . Sunday’s nine-point Ram output marked the first time in quarterback Jim Everett’s career as a starter that the Rams failed to score in double figures, breaking a string of 52 games.