Rams Take Another Test Tonight
Fifteen days before the NFL season opener, the Rams still haven’t sorted out their starting backfield and still haven’t seen their No. 1 draft choice play.
Tonight’s Times/Rams Charity Game at Anaheim Stadium against the Green Bay Packers might help provide some answers.
The Rams are 2-0 under Coach Chuck Knox despite a long list of injured players. The Packers, coached by Mike Holmgren, the only other candidate the Rams interviewed during the off-season to replace John Robinson, are 1-1.
Tackle Sean Gilbert, whom the Rams drafted to spark the defense, sat out the first two exhibitions because of a sore ankle, but he appears ready to start tonight.
Gilbert said Friday he still wasn’t positive he would play but added: “It looked good.”
Besides looking forward to Gilbert’s debut, the Rams anticipate making several roster decisions--particularly at running back--that could hinge on performances tonight. The first roster cut, to 60 players, will be Tuesday.
Knox has said that the starting offensive and defensive units will play the first half, plus one or two series during the second half.
“It’s an important one, sure it is,” Knox said of this exhibition. “I’d be less than candid if I said that it wasn’t. Only thing we can go on is by what we’ve seen.”
So far, the Rams have not seen starting tailback Cleveland Gary at all and starting fullback Robert Delpino rarely.
Gary has a hamstring injury but is expected to play tonight. Delpino, who is also a candidate for the tailback spot, rushed three times for three yards in the first exhibition against the Seattle Seahawks and sat out last Saturday’s game against the Raiders because of a groin injury. He might play tonight.
Marcus Dupree has emerged as a tailback contender after gaining 100 yards in 22 carries against the Raiders, and swingman David Lang has shown ability as an all-purpose blocker-runner.
At fullback, Lang and rookie Tim Lester are the leading candidates to move into the rotation,and both are expected to play tonight.
Additionally, the Rams don’t deny that they have been listening to trade proposals from teams offering running backs.
And if there is still a major question mark at the position after tonight, they probably will listen more closely to proposals that would send New England’s John Stephens, Chicago’s Neal Anderson, Kansas City’s Barry Word or Christian Okoye or Phoenix’s Johnny Johnson west.
So far, any potential trade for an established running back has had a prohibitive price tag. The Bears, for example, are asking for a No. 1 draft pick, plus a veteran player, for Anderson.
Knox said he wasn’t sure in what order he was going to play his running backs tonight, only that he was going to play all of the contenders and see what happens.
“It’s hard to say what the situation is,” Lang said. “Everybody’s working hard, everybody’s good. It just really depends on how Chuck feels.
“He’s going to have a big decision to make because all the running backs are doing excellent.”
Although kicker Tony Zendejas and linebacker Kevin Greene might sit out this game because of leg injuries, other pieces are beginning to fit into the puzzle:
--Cornerback Todd Lyght , who certainly has no fear of being released, probably will make his exhibition debut after recovering from a hamstring injury.
--Linebacker Frank Stams, whose job might be in jeopardy, is still questionable for tonight because of a leg injury.
--Left tackle Gerald Perry, who has had recurring knee troubles, is expected to see his first significant exhibition action.
“They’re probably still evaluating everything,” Stams said. “Chemistry, talent, the whole she-bang.”
Knox implied that the cut from 79 players to 60 might be difficult, but for reasons other than the roster being loaded with talent.
“(The tough decisions) could be of two kinds,” Knox said. “One, because you’ve got a lot of great football players, or two, because you’re trying to sort out a lot of other things, and you’re hoping somebody’s going to come to the fore.
“In any event, it might be difficult for us because we’ve had some people (injured), and we haven’t had a chance to see them play.”
Ram Notes
With Tony Zendejas questionable because of a sore left leg and Jerry Kauric having been released, free agent punter Steven Domingos might have to handle the placekicking tonight. Domingos, who appears to have a slight edge at the wide-open punting position with a 45-yard average in exhibition play, did some placekicking two years ago at Cal State San Francisco and a little more last year as a semi-pro punter in Fresno. Domingos, who has put two of his three punts inside opponents’ 20-yard line and had a long punt of 51 yards, is competing with incumbent Barry Helton, who has been sidelined because of a leg injury; former Packer Don Bracken, who has averaged 33.5 yards on his two kicks, and Thomas Rouen, who has averaged 33.0. . . . John Math, former Ram player personnel director who resigned a week after this year’s draft, is the Packers’ new director of college scouting. . . . The last time the Rams won their first three exhibitions was in 1987.