Knox Enjoys Early Returns : Rams: Exhibition success doesn’t go to his head, but coach is encouraged by team’s progress.

Undefeated but not unrealistic about the long-term implications of a little winning streak, Chuck Knox was careful to keep everything on an even keel the day after the Rams ran their exhibition record to 2-0.

This is, after all, still August, and Saturday night’s 19-16 overtime victory over the Raiders wasn’t without flaws and guffaws.

But with a running game led by Marcus Dupree slowly aroused from its previous lethargy, a defense that is putting occasional pressure on the quarterback, and some young players emerging as playmakers, Knox was ready to say the Rams are rounding into shape after last season’s 3-13 record.

“I’m encouraged by the progress that we’re making,” Knox said Sunday. “I’m not ready to go out and say we’re going to go undefeated or anything like that. I mean, I’m realistic about the situation here. But I like the way they’re working.

“That’s the satisfaction that you get from coaching. You go out there, people work and try to do what they’re supposed to do the way they’re supposed to do it.

“I have this feeling . . . I like the way they’re working, but we need to get better. I know this is preseason, and we’ve got some real challenges during the regular season with that schedule we have.”

The Rams got the most satisfaction from Dupree, Saturday’s leading rusher with 100 yards in 22 carries, most of those coming in the fourth quarter and overtime with the outcome on the line.

His final carry might have been his best, an 11-yard rumble to the Raider 12-yard line that set up Tony Zendejas’ 29-yard game-winning field goal.

Dupree, the reclamation project who skipped most of the May mini-camp workouts and then missed a week of camp because of a toe injury, staked his claim for the starting job Saturday, by far his best performance as an NFL back.

“Certainly, Marcus Dupree, his statistics speak for themselves,” Knox said. “He ran hard, he got some yardage on his own, he protected the football.

“Certainly he helped himself, sure. The big thing is to be able to come out and do it again. He’s missed some practice time. But I’ll tell you, he got stronger as he went along (Saturday night). Shows you he’s in pretty good shape.”

How wide open is the starting tailback spot?

The pre-camp favorite, Cleveland Gary, has been nursing a tender hamstring throughout training camp and hasn’t yet seen action. No. 2 tailback Robert Delpino (who also is the starting fullback) missed practice last week and Saturday night’s game with a groin problem. David Lang had his shot with the first team Saturday, but his 34 yards in 10 carries wasn’t spectacular.

That left Dupree, who looks more spry now at about 227 pounds than he did last year, when the old staff encouraged him to bulk up to 240.

And now Knox says he will consider giving Dupree the chance to lead off the rotation Saturday against the Green Bay Packers--probably depending on Gary and Delpino’s health. “What is happening (are) two things: One, they’re not getting the work, so that has to hurt them,” Knox said when asked about Gary and Delpino’ shot at the starting spot. “And No. 2, somebody else is getting that work, and it gives those people an opportunity to show what they can do.”

Knox demurred when asked if Dupree’s sudden emergence might spur the injured front-liners back into action soon.

“I don’t know . . . I don’t think so,” Knox said. “Because if a guy’s hurt, he’s hurt. I’m not one to say that this guy isn’t hurt, that guy is hurt or what.”

Although Knox is clear that the best practice and game player during exhibition season will start, he added that proven players don’t necessarily lose jobs when they are hurt.

“We said from Day 1, performance on the practice field and in the games will determine who’s going to start,” Knox said. “Obviously, if a guy’s hurt, that diminishes his chances because he doesn’t get the work.

“Obviously, we’re not going to penalize a guy for getting hurt, either. We’ll try to give him every advantage and edge that we can give him, particularly if he’s a proven guy.”

Knox stopped short of saying rookie quarterback T.J. Rubley had earned a spot on the roster as the team’s third quarterback, but had ample praise for how Rubley led the Rams to victory.

“He’s got good awareness,” Knox said. “He threw the ball well and he was able to scramble, get out of trouble on a couple of occasions.”

After entering the game in the third quarter, Rubley, a ninth-round pick from Tulsa, ran the ball four times for 27 yards, completed 15 of 23 passes for 128 yards and shepherded three scoring drives.

On the winning field-goal drive, Rubley was five for six for 57 yards.

The Rams’ defense held the Raiders to 12 yards in 14 carries, including an un-Dickersonian performance from Eric Dickerson--five carries for one yard.

And although the Raiders weren’t exactly doing brilliant things, Knox said he was pleased with the way his defense played the run.