NOTES : Greene Hopes Tackle on Safety Proves His Point

Kevin Greene, the once and possibly future outside linebacker, gave a nice little one-game audition for his defensive coaches Sunday.

Greene, moved from right defensive end to left outside linebacker partly to appease him and partly to match up better against the Chargers’ big-back attack, tallied a key safety and three solo tackles in his best game of the season. It was the Rams’ first safety since Greene sacked then-Raider quarterback Steve Beuerlein two years ago.

“It feels good to play linebacker again,” said Greene, who was moved to end this season in new defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher’s four-man line scheme. “I hope the coaches can keep me out there.”

Greene, a leftside linebacker his entire career, was playing on the right side when he dumped Marion Butts in the end zone for the safety, but emphasized that play, too, came when he was a linebacker, not a defensive end.

“It’s good to feel like I’m contributing to the game again,” Greene said. “I’ve been struggling so long and not really making the big plays I know I can make.”

In five games as a standup, undersized defensive end, Greene had just one sack and only seven total tackles, making it clear all the way he thought his numbers would be back to his usual big-time totals if he was back at linebacker.

“I feel that I can be a dominant outside linebacker in this league,” Greene said, “(but) I’ll be just another defensive end. I’m not a big, Reggie White-type of guy.

“I think the coaches are relying on my quickness at defensive end, and I just didn’t have that quickness. I’m more of a strength, power-rusher type guy from the outside.”

Never satisfied: Rams cornerback Jerry Gray had a career-high 10 solo tackles, but wasn’t exactly overjoyed by the game he played.

“I feel pretty good about it, but I’d feel better if I hadn’t given up two touchdown passes,” Gray said.

Gray got beat on two blitzes when he was left in man-to-man coverage, first when he stumbled on an Anthony Miller out-move for a 30-yard score, and later when he lost Nate Lewis over the middle for a 49-yard touchdown.