PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Moderation Urged for Weekend Off

The Rams practiced lightly and relatively quickly Friday, then headed for their weekend off. After their bye this weekend, the Rams will return to practice Monday in preparation for their Nov. 1 game at Atlanta.

Coach Chuck Knox said he cautioned his players before their free weekend.

“We tell them, ‘Listen, let’s not be running all over the country, and let’s not overeat, because we’re going to have a weigh-in next week. We’ve got a big job to do on Monday.

“ ‘Get away from football for a little bit, but by the same token, take some of the football with you. . . . You know, in your mind, some of the preparation, some of the things we’ve done the last two days out there.’ ”

Knox, for his part, said that today would be a day off for him, but that he would be back to work Sunday morning in preparation for the week ahead.

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The biggest weekend decision Knox has is whether to sign one of three free-agent veteran safeties--former Redskin Alvin Walton among them--that the team took a look at Friday morning.

Knox said if the choice is to sign one of them to add depth to a safety position that has lost Michael Stewart for at least four weeks, the Rams would do it Sunday to make sure they get the player in for Monday’s practice.

Although Anthony Newman has been flourishing at free safety with a team-leading four interceptions, Knox said he no qualms about moving Newman to strong safety to replace Stewart with Pat Terrell stepping in at free safety.

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The Rams announced that the starting time for their Nov. 15 game in Dallas against the Cowboys has been moved from the originally scheduled 10 a.m. PST to 1 p.m. to accommodate CBS.