Giants Might Get Taylor-Made Lift : Rams: Knox fears that the linebacker’s retirement announcement will inspire New York.

He is an inspiration now more than anything, a lion in the winter of his team’s discontent.

Today Anaheim Stadium, Southern California will get what could be its last look at linebacker Lawrence Taylor when the New York Giants play the Rams.

A week and a half ago, citing a diminishing passion for the game, Taylor told reporters that this would be his final season.

“I think he made the outside linebacker’s position a glamorous position,” said Ram counterpart Roman Phifer. “He brought a lot of attention to it, and I think he set the mode.”

In Taylor’s 12th season, the Giants are the ninth-worst defense in the league, have only eight sacks--two by Taylor--in six games and are dependent on tailback Rodney Hampton, the conference’s fourth-leading rusher.

In the Giants’ two victories this year, Hampton, in his third year out of Georgia, has gained a combined 261 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Last week, Hampton ran for a personal-best 167 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown run, leading New York to a 31-21 victory over the Phoenix Cardinals at Giants Stadium.

This week, Hampton will test a Ram rushing defense that is last in the league, surrendering 5.2 yards per carry.

“We just have to find a way to win,” Ram Coach Chuck Knox said. “We’ve been getting better, but we’d like to take that next step and win a football game.”

Knox said he plans no major personnel switches, but says he knows exactly what the Rams will be facing. “We haven’t been able to stop the run, so I think they’re going to come in here and do what they’ve been doing, and that’s run the football,” Knox said.

In addition to Hampton, who has 451 yards in 93 carries, an average of 4.8 yards, and scored five touchdowns, quarterback Jeff Hostetler is averaging 5.1 yards and 248-pound fullback Jarrod Bunch is averaging 5.6.

“You know, when you’re getting knocked around like we are,” said Ram middle linebacker Larry Kelm, “when you’re a defensive lineman or a linebacker, you don’t like to be last in the league against the run.

“And you don’t like to see guys running right through you.”

When the Rams are unable to stop the run, their opponents control the ball and the clock. The Ram offense has gotten 72 fewer plays than opponents, has held the ball for more than five fewer minutes and had 35 fewer first downs.

Giant Coach Ray Handley, who has not been able to win over the New York fans or media, has watched the films of the Rams’ close defeats to San Francisco and New Orleans in back-to-back weeks and says he has no illusions about an easy victory Sunday.

“They’re 2-4 and everybody says, ‘Well, that’s an automatic win,”’ Handley said of the Rams.

“But you look at the four losses, all on the road, and who the losses have been to, and the fact that they’re playing so much better, and could have beaten both San Francisco and New Orleans.”

Ram Notes

Coach Chuck Knox fears that Lawrence Taylor’s retirement announcement might spur the Giants to a continued emotional high. “They’re going to come in here ready to play, they had a very impressive win last week,” Knox said.