PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : No Worries About Ellard

Though wide receiver Henry Ellard’s numbers are well below his usual pace of 70 catches and 1,000 yards, offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese says there is no reason to believe Ellard, 31, is slowing down.

Ellard, who has led the Rams in receptions for eight consecutive seasons and is the only receiver other than Jerry Rice to total 1,000 yards receiving in each of the past four years, has only 24 catches for 365 yards through 10 games.

He trails tailback Cleveland Gary by 13 catches for the team lead, and in Week 2 saw his team-record, 81-game reception streak end.

“I don’t think he’s any different,” Zampese said of Ellard. “I was telling Ted (Tollner, quarterback coach) the other day, I really believe if we wanted to feature Henry again and put him in the spots where we think the ball’s going to get to most of the time, I think he’d have a whole bunch of catches again.”

Zampese said the simple explanation for Ellard’s numbers is that quarterback Jim Everett is efficiently using all of his receivers, not looking only to Ellard for certain plays.

“It’s getting spread out and I think it’s good for us,” Zampese said.

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Starting left tackle Gerald Perry, whose mother remains seriously ill, returned to Rams Park from her bedside in Columbia, S.C. Coach Chuck Knox said Perry will start Sunday against the 49ers. . . . Starting left guard Tom Newberry returned to practice Friday after sitting two days out because of a sore groin. . . . Gary, who has been limited in practice this week because of a sore ankle, should be ready Sunday, according to Knox. “His ankle’s not 100%,” Knox said, “but we think it should be close to that by Sunday.”