Rams Finally Find Success--at Square One : Pro football: After the months of changes on offense and defense, team rediscovers what works.

Three victories and three defeats into 1991, the Rams find themselves with Kevin Greene at left outside linebacker, a tight end with a knack for making key receptions, and an offensive line built around Jackie Slater, Tom Newberry and Doug Smith.

Meet the new Rams, who are surprisingly like the old Rams.

It took six games and a reshuffling of the roster, but the re-evolution of the Rams took hold Sunday in their 30-24 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

The Rams suddenly look very similar to last season’s version. Here is how they got there:

--Greene’s switch from blitzing linebacker to an undersized but mobile right defensive end in new defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher’s four-man line was supposed to be a key element of the new Ram style.

But after five frustrating games, Greene was temporarily switched back to his old spot, left outside linebacker, and responded Sunday with a safety and three solo tackles. The bigger Gerald Robinson stepped in at right end and also played well.

Robinson suggested Monday that Greene, who had asked to move back to linebacker, where he has more room to roam, might be back there for good.

“I think this is the right move at the right time,” Robinson said Monday. “I feel like Kevin did a good job (at linebacker against San Diego), and I feel like he will do a better job. I don’t think (moving Greene to end) was a mistake, but I feel we’re moving in the right direction now.”

The trick now, Robinson concedes, is to work Greene’s blitzing into Fisher’s attack, which counts on linebackers to be both pass defenders and pass rushers. Fisher’s scheme will have to be altered to suit Greene as a linebacker.

“It’s a funny kind of problem Jeff has,” Robinson said. “Now he has to find ways for Kevin to rush, change the defense. Kevin has to be able to rush, which means, does (strong safety) Mike Stewart come up to take his man (in coverage) or does Larry Kelm? Or do you play different kinds of combinations so he can rush?”

--The Rams opened the season with grand plans of an offensive line heavier and hardier in the middle. Newberry was switched from left guard to center, Bern Brostek moved in at left guard and Joe Milinichik at right guard. Smith was benched.

There were breakdowns from the outset, problems of communication, and finally injuries took Milinichik and Brostek out of the equation.

With Duval Love replacing the injured Milinichik at right guard, Newberry already having had to move over to replace Brostek, and Smith stepping back in at center, the Rams Sunday had four of last year’s starting offensive five back in their familiar positions and had their best pass-blocking day of the year.

On Monday, Robinson indicated that, barring further injuries, this will be the way the line stays.

“Ultimately, for us, we would still move Tom (Newberry) back to center next year. . . . Now is he going back this year? I don’t know.”

This unit, Robinson suggests, is better at pass blocking, which was a major Ram problem early, although the revamped unit early in the season clearly was superior at run blocking. So Robinson’s plan for a power running game has to wait.

--After losing veteran tight end Pete Holohan to Plan B free agency, the Rams said first-year player Jim Price could fill his role. But when Price struggled, they said maybe there really wasn’t a need for a tight end to be so important in the new Ram offense.

But the Rams had their most productive offensive day of the season when their pass-catching tight end also had his, catching Jim Everett’s first two touchdown passes of the season.