PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Everett’s Stock Continues to Rise

After his three-touchdown, 342-yard, no-interception performance Sunday night in the Rams’ comeback victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jim Everett has raised his quarterback-rating to a season-high 87.4, placing him fifth among NFC quarterbacks. Last week, he was seventh.

But after the game Sunday night, Everett said that he was really bothered by Coach Chuck Knox’s pulling him from the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. And Everett credited his quarterback coach, Ted Tollner, for keeping his mind clear heading into Sunday night.

“It took me a while to deal with,” Everett said. “Took me a long time to deal with. It’s something it finally got settled.

“And thank God Ted Tollner’s there, because he’s walking me through a few things, the guy I can lean on every once in a while.”

Offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese, however, said Everett’s benching two weeks ago isn’t indicative of the way he has been playing for the past two months.

“Ever since the (first) San Francisco game, he’s been playing awfully, awfully good,” Zampese said.

Everett has 19 touchdown passes on the season--eight more than he finished with last year. He also has 11 interceptions, nine fewer than last season.

Sunday night was his first 300-yard game since November of last year.

“Jim Everett,” said Knox, “had a tremendous day.”

After three more sacks Sunday night, the Rams’ defense has 26, nine more than all of last season. . . . Cornerback Todd Lyght, who has struggled some lately, on Sunday had his best game since suffering a shoulder separation. Against Tampa Bay, Lyght had an interception, 39-yard return and two passes defensed. Is he back? “I think he is,” Knox said Monday. “He had an outstanding game. Made some big plays.”