Lang Finally Catching Fire in Backfield : Rams: Fullback who had a 71-yard run against the Packers has earned a chance at tailback next season, Knox says.

The Rams continued to stub their toes Sunday, but David Lang continued to put his best foot forward, even if it meant setting it ablaze.

Sunday, during the Rams’ frigid 28-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the second-year running back provided both the Rams’ highlight play, a 71-yard run, and a show-stopping comedy routine, unwittingly allowing his right shoe to catch fire when he put his foot too close to a sideline heater.

A day later, away from the frozen field and heaters, Lang got glowing reviews for both performances, and his burned shoe now hangs in a place of honor in the Rams Park locker room.

Coach Chuck Knox, who smiled and slowly shook his head in deadpan silence when asked about the scorched shoe, said Lang definitely deserves and will get a chance next season to win the starting tailback’s job held by Cleveland Gary.

Lang has been the starting fullback since the sixth game of the season, but Knox said the 5-foot-11, 201-pounder is more suited to tailback--and getting the football as much as possible.

“That is his natural spot,” Knox said Monday. “He gives you the speed that you need at that position. He’s got a great innate running ability, he’s a tough guy. . . .

”. . . You have to give him a shot there, because he certainly has earned it.”

Lang entered Sunday’s game with 78 yards rushing in only 21 carries, and also had what is now the team’s second-longest gain of the season, a 67-yard touchdown catch and run Nov. 1 against the Atlanta Falcons.

He leads the Rams with a rushing average of six yards and has racked up 251 yards receiving on 16 catches--a 15.7-yard average.

Knox has talked about Lang’s “burst” all season, Lang being the one Ram player who has been able to outrun defenders once he gets into an open field.

Asked about his 40-yard dash time, Lang said the standard NFL test for speed is irrelevant in his case.

“They never told me my 40 time,” Lang said. “It depends, because I’m a trackster and I run fast as long (as I am) running against somebody.

“I can’t do it how they do 40s here, running by myself.”

Lang, who returned 12 kickoffs but did not touch the ball from scrimmage last season, was not about to assume anything, even after being told of Knox’s comments.

“I don’t have a guaranteed contract, so they can let me go just like anybody else,” Lang said. “So, I’ve got to still do my job. If it happens, it happens.”

His teammates were still laughing Monday about the shoe fire.

Lang, by the way, had his 71-yard play after the foot burning--with a new shoe and a right foot considerably warmer than it had been.

“I was sitting on the bench and Dave was standing up,” said tight end Travis McNeal, credited with spotting the fire. “I happened to see him when he put his foot right there on the heater, and I went sniff, sniff, ‘Man, I smell something burning . . . ‘

“And his shoe was on fire.”

Lang’s nickname was “Mr. Fast,” which he might have lost anyway after he was caught from behind on his long run by Packer cornerback Terrell Buckley. In any event, he has a new one.

“His new nickname,” McNeal said, “is ‘Hot Foot.’ ”

Said Lang: “I just had my foot too close to the heater and ended up catching on fire. The flames, they noticed before I noticed it because my feet were frozen. I didn’t feel (anything) until they said something.”

“Now they got my shoe up there on the (locker room) Hall of Fame or something.”