Delpino Holds On for Some Playing Time

A strange tale of two tailbacks unfolded Sunday at Anaheim Stadium. It was clearly the worst of times for one; the other hopes it marks the beginning of the best of times.

Cleveland Gary, who was supposed to supply the punch in the Rams’ rejuvenated running game, left the football behind again as he powered into the future. Gary, who fumbled 12 times last season, dropped the ball on his third carry of the game and left early in the second quarter, finishing with 11 yards in four carries.

Robert Delpino, who was the forgotten man in a 1990 season the Rams would love to forget, carried the ball with him almost everywhere he went Sunday. Delpino, the No. 2 fullback, is at least the No. 1 tailback in the hearts of Ram fans after carrying 15 times for 81 yards, catching 10 passes for 110 yards, returning three kickoffs for 48 yards and scoring two touchdowns. And you can add the all-important no fumble statistic to the list.

Coach John Robinson, looking distraught after the Rams’ seven-turnover, 24-14 loss to Phoenix, said “Bobby played a great game,” but declined to say who will start at tailback next week.

Delpino doesn’t care. He just wants to play. After a 1989 season during which he rushed for 368 yards and caught 34 passes for 334 yards, it took all the self-control he could muster last year to keep from grabbing a pair of headphones and screaming, “What about me?” to offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese.

Last season, he played in 15 games but carried the ball only 13 times for 52 yards. He had 15 receptions for 172 yards.

He nearly matched those totals in one game Sunday.

“Bobby played his (butt) off,” quarterback Jim Everett said. “He’s got the biggest heart on this team and he had a great day that was totally overshadowed by the B.S. play of all the rest of us.”

Everett passed for 290 yards Sunday, but Delpino was the Rams’ running game, accounting for all but 18 off the team’s 99 rushing yards. He not only scored both touchdowns--on one-yard dives--but also set up both scores with tackle-breaking jaunts of 12 and 13 yards that ended inches from the goal line.

“It’s hard to put it into perspective,” Delpino said. “It’s an emotional thing. I can’t feel good for myself. I’m just as disappointed as anyone in this room.

“I had a pretty good game, but we let it get away. I’m angry, embarrassed and disappointed.”

Delpino couldn’t suppress a slight smile when he talked about playing tailback, though. With Marcus Dupree (toe injury) on injured reserve and Gary nursing a sore hamstring, Delpino had been working at tailback last week in practice. He never figured to play the entire game, however. And he never figured he would be in a place to be named the starter for next week’s game against the New York Giants. He still doesn’t.

“Cleve is one of the best backs in the league and I look for him to start next week,” Delpino said. “I’m just a role player. I’ll be wherever they need me. Today, my role happened to be tailback, but next week, it could easily be backup fullback again.”

If so, it was a blast while it lasted. After all those Sundays of commiserating with fellow fullback Buford McGee about how all those darned running backs couldn’t follow a block if you gave them a road map, he found himself tailgating McGee all day.

“It was like I was playing tailback and I was playing fullback,” he said. “I know (McGee’s) moves and he knows mine. It was a very comfortable situation. He made it easy.”

Delpino may be willing to spread around the credit--he also remembered to thank the offensive line, of course--but he was equally adamant that he didn’t want to be treated as if he had a contagious disease again.

“I think I’ve earned the right to play, not necessarily at tailback, but the right to be on the field a lot,” he said. “And I’m not saying this because of one game, I’m talking about earning that right during training camp.”

Delpino says his personal goal is to be remembered as one of the most versatile backs in the game. Sunday, he made a flashy one-handed catch in the flat and sprinted down the sideline out of a wide receiver position for a 41-yard reception.

“The Rams have given me the opportunities to run the ball, catch the ball and even split out wide,” he said. “I just want to do what I did today . . . and come away with a win.”

Robinson went into this season determined to bring back the days of the 1,000-yard tailback. Some said Gary could do it if he figured out how to hang onto the football. Others thought it might be the untested Dupree, if he remained healthy.

After Sunday, the best bet might be Delpino.

“This is the first time I’ve played a whole game since college,” he said. “I just want the chance to show what I can do.”

Tune in next Sunday morning. Robert Delpino might just get another shot.