RAM NOTEBOOK / TIM KAWAKAMI : Dupree Getting Into Coach’s Good Graces

The climb was long and bumpy and his hard-boiled coach has, before Saturday night, not been altogether willing to buy into the warm comeback story.

But after his second consecutive impressive rushing performance, Saturday night in the Rams’ 16-13 overtime victory over the Green Bay Packers, Marcus Dupree just might have battled his way into the good graces of Chuck Knox.

Just might have.

Sunday, Knox said that on the merit of Dupree’s team-leading 141 yards in 31 carries during the exhibition season, Dupree would be given a chance to win the starting tailback job in the remaining days before the Sept. 6 regular-season opener.

“That’s what we were looking for, to see some consistency there,” Knox said of Dupree’s nine-carry, 41-yard effort against Green Bay. “Not just be a flash, but be able to go out there week in and week out and get it done. He’s definitely in contention. He’s going to continue to get ample opportunity to show what he can do.”

Last week, Dupree gained 100 yards in 22 carries in the Rams’ overtime victory over the Raiders.

No other contender for the Rams’ tailback job has more than 54 yards or is averaging close to Dupree’s 4.5-yard per carry total in the exhibition season. Dupree got the team’s only rushing touchdown during the exhibition season Saturday.

But Dupree, Knox emphasized, doesn’t have the job yet. He pointedly said the team is still looking for a back to emerge from the pack.

Knox also said that nominal starter Cleveland Gary, who had 16 yards in seven carries in his first exhibition action Saturday night, looked all right. Knox also did not seriously squelch speculation that the Rams are in the market for a dependable running back.

“I don’t know what the odds would be,” Knox said of a possible trade. “There’s certainly enough rumors going around. It would depend on what’s involved, what you’d have to give to get the running back that you want.”

The Rams apparently have been given opportunities to make offers for New England’s John Stephens, Phoenix’s Johnny Johnson, Kansas City’s Christian Okoye or Barry Word and Chicago’s Neal Anderson, but all are available at prices too steep to pursue--for now.

Knox also struck down reports that the Rams were considering trading a No. 1 pick and Flipper Anderson for Neal Anderson.

“We haven’t even talked,” Knox said. “That’s how far-fetched those things are.”

But asked if the performances of the team’s running backs Saturday night dampened the possibility of a trade, Knox said no. A trade, or picking up a runner through the waiver wire, is still a possibility.

“We are hoping that a running back that we have here will come to the forefront, that’s the No. 1 thing,” Knox said. “And then we’re always interested in talking with people about players in any position, if we can upgrade our football team.

“It wouldn’t make any difference whether it was a young guy or older guy if the guy could be productive.”

Either way, though, in these infancy stages of his new regime, it is highly unlikely that Knox would mortgage part of the Rams’ future by trading a premier draft pick (Nos. 1, 2 or 3) for a running back that might be a one- or two-year, short-term answer.

Knox said Gary, who started against the Packers, did not have much room to run in the game, but turned the corner well on an eight-yard gain when there was open space in front of him.

Why is the Ram running back picture still muddled? Knox said he hasn’t seen enough of Robert Delpino, who missed his second consecutive game Saturday because of a groin injury, or Gary, who missed the first two games because of a hamstring problem, to be sure on either.

“It’s going to have to be clear here in the next week, because we have to decide whether to keep four running backs or five running backs, then decide who those four or five people are going to be,” Knox said. “We have to do that.”

In the first NFL action for No. 1 pick Sean Gilbert, Knox said all went about as expected. Gilbert missed the first two exhibitions because of a sprained left ankle, but returned Saturday night and played most of the first half at right defensive tackle.

Gilbert was credited with two solo tackles and drew double-teams in most passing situations.

“I thought he did a good job,” Knox said. “He was tentative at times, but that’s to be expected because he hasn’t played. And I’m sure there was some uncertainty about how that ankle was going to hold up, but it held up fine. No swelling today.

“So I think he took a step forward.”

The team’s other promising rookie defensive tackle, third-round pick Marc Boutte, saw a lot of time on the left side, and had his best game of the exhibition season. Boutte had three solo tackles and was in the quarterback’s face at least twice Saturday night.

“Boutte played better than he did the week before, made some things happen,” Knox said. “He improved, and that’s what we’re looking for.”