PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Just Call Him Col. Sanders

How do you prepare to face tailback Barry Sanders? The Rams, who play Sanders and the Lions Sunday in Detroit, may have created a new football drill Thursday for just such an occasion. They actually brought in a live chicken to simulate Sanders’ quickness, and sent their defensive linemen after it.

“(Defensive line coach) John Teerlinck was talking about trying to simulate the quickness and the agility of Barry Sanders, then he recalled back when ‘Rocky’ came out. He remembered that they had Rocky chase the chicken around (to increase foot speed),” defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher said.

“So we thought it would be a good idea to get a chicken. Problem with the chicken was, as Al Wright told me, it’s not an Alabama chicken, it’s a laid-back California chicken, because when it got out of the box it just stood there.”

Starting tailback Robert Delpino missed practice again Thursday because of a sore hip, and Coach John Robinson said the team won’t know for sure how much action Delpino will see until game time.