PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Knox Has Theory on Slow Starts

It was the same old story for the Rams Sunday night against New Orleans: Spend most of the game trying to get out from under a first-quarter deficit.

On the first possession of the game, the Saints went down the field, 12 plays, 84 yards, for a quick touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

The Rams have been outscored, 48-0, in first quarters. Over the final three, they are outscoring their opponents, 83-68.

Ram Coach Chuck Knox’s theory: His young defensive players hit the field over-excited and break into old, bad habits, then settle down.

“I think sometimes when you’re a young team and you put them out there, you have worked on the game plan for the week and sometimes they have the tendency, from the initial excitement, the adrenaline flowing, to fall back into some habits that they might’ve had,” Knox said.

“And then, once the game gets under way, once they have some difficulty, they realize that, ‘Hey, we’re going to have to play it this way.’ ”

The league trading deadline comes at 1 p.m. today, and Knox said the Rams don’t expect to make any deals. . . . Receiver Jeff Chadwick, who the Rams did not expect to return to action until after the Oct. 25 bye weekend because of a cracked rib cage bone, could be ready Sunday.