PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Gary Rests His Injured Hamstring

Ram running back Cleveland Gary didn’t practice in order to rest a sore hamstring. Rookie Jerome Bettis took most of the snaps in his place.

“We’ll see how he is (today), but I think he’s going to be OK for Sunday,” Coach Chuck Knox said of Gary. “He’ll start in a number of our packages, but Bettis is going to play a lot.”

Gary has been bothered by a sore right thigh, and he said he began to experience soreness in his right hamstring Thursday. He said he will be ready, however, to start against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

“My thigh is not 100%, but I’ve played in situations where I am not 100%,” Gary said. “I just wanted to monitor it (the hamstring) today. I didn’t want to go out and do something stupid with an important game coming Sunday.”

Gary has been limited to two yards per carry so far this season, but he said the Rams will be gaining a lot of yards on the ground before season’s end.

“I think we will put up big numbers as the season goes along,” Gary said. “I think it will be very hard to contain us in the running game. I know I will not be contained.”

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Wide receiver Todd Kinchen passed inspection and is expected to return punts Sunday.

Kinchen, who returned two punts for touchdowns in last season’s finale, has been sidelined since May because of a knee injury.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Kinchen said. “That was the big test, running out there in practice, and it felt great.”

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Knox said that the team has put tackle Darryl Ashmore, guard Keith Loneker, tight end Pat Carter and running back David Lang on the inactive list for Sunday’s game.