Rubley Bounces Back From Fumble to Impress Coaches : Rams: Rookie quarterback from Tulsa recovers his poise for strong second-half showing against Raiders.

With the Rams’ emphasis shifting toward preparing the starters for the season opener, quarterback T.J. Rubley knew he couldn’t squander any opportunities to make a positive impression. So he took the field Saturday night against the Raiders with the attitude that every play might be his last.

And for a minute, he thought his second play might be his last.

Coach Chuck Knox had said that Rubley would run the offense for the entire second half but after the rookie from Tulsa fumbled, he wasn’t so sure Knox wouldn’t change his mind.

Rubley dropped back to pass, but Raider lineman Anthony Smith fought through a block and stripped the ball from his grasp and the Raiders recovered.

“I really thought I might not be back in,” Rubley said. “You never can tell. Each play might be my last to make an impression.”

Less than two minutes later, however, Rubley was back behind center and on his way to a poised performance that included orchestrating a game-winning drive in overtime during which he completed five of six passes for 57 yards.

He finished the evening completing 15 of 23 passes for 128 yards. He also rushed four times for 27 yards, picking up a first down three times on scrambles. But he didn’t exactly host a party on Sunday.

“I have mixed feelings,” he said. “I didn’t feel very good over the weekend because I knew I made some critical mistakes, some errors that disappointed me because I know I’m better than that. And when I do that, I don’t feel that good about myself.

“But I just want to start ironing those things out starting today and throughout the week. That’s one commitment I try to make to myself is to not make the same mistake twice.”

Someone pointed out that Smith may have simply made a great play, but Rubley was quick to note that there is still a lesson to be learned.

“Sure, it was a good play by the defense,” he said, “but it was a fundamental mistake, too. I let my hands separate. He made a great play, a play I didn’t think a lineman could make. But that’s playing in the NFL. And that’s a mistake I needed to make early in preseason. Now I know every lineman I go against can make those plays.”

Rubley insisted that he wasn’t trying to sprint his way onto the roster with those four scrambles Saturday night. In fact, the Ram staff is not in favor of their quarterbacks running amok among hostile safeties and linebackers.

“They don’t like it and I don’t either, but sometimes it just presents itself,” he said. “It’s not something I want to do nor do I like to do, but sometimes, in order to keep the chains moving and to stay on the field, you have to do it. It’s not premeditated at all.”

Ted Tollner, the quarterback coach, said the Rams have yet to decide whether they will keep three quarterbacks but added that “there is a strong possibility.”

“He’s got a strong arm,” Tollner said. “He’s got the aptitude and he loves the mental part of the game. A lot of it will come down to just how much he’s capable of doing at the time we have to make that decision.”

Rubley, whose first question after signing was: “Where are the keys to the film room?” is still making points with his dedication to detail, an attribute that won’t go unnoticed by a man such as Knox.

Asked if there had been any pleasant surprises in training camp, Knox said, “There have been some and T.J. Rubley is one of those.”

It was the only name he mentioned.

Rubley says he doesn’t know what it will take to make the team, but he’s a sure bet to be on the roster if he can accomplish his personal goal: perfection.

“There were positive things (Saturday), but when you believe in yourself, those are expected,” he said. “I don’t know what the evaluation criteria is, but I know I have work to do. I can still improve and improve and improve and ultimately, I would like to play without making a mistake.

“Whether or not that can be reality, you don’t know, but it’s enough to make you want to come out every Monday and work harder.”

Right now, Rubley’s emphasis is on finding a spot in the comfort zone, which will mean attaining a familiarity with the offense that allows him to make the right decisions.

“I need to be more consistent, more disciplined and more comfortable with the offense,” he said. “By comfortable, I mean communicating within the offense, both receiving communication and giving it.”

Rubley may not cut himself much slack in the performance department, but he’s willing to be patient when it comes to getting a chance to run the team.

“Jim (Everett) is still in the peak of his career and will continue to prosper,” Rubley said. “I would just like to compete with him, not against him but with him, so I can raise my performance up to his level. Then, five, six, seven years down the road, there will be two people here who can play.”