RAM NOTEBOOK : Lyght to Have Surgery on His Left Knee Today

Ram cornerback Todd Lyght will undergo arthroscopic surgery today to repair cartilage damage in his left knee.

Lyght injured the knee Nov. 14 against Atlanta and missed a day of practice. It began bothering him during warm-ups before Sunday’s 10-6 victory over the Washington Redskins, and he left Anaheim Stadium to get an MRI exam.

He returned at halftime on crutches and watched the rest of the game from the sideline.

“They (doctors) are going to go in and look at it,” he said. “There’s no ligament damage or anything like that. I must have torn it slightly in the Atlanta game.”

The Rams also lost backup safety Pat Terrell (shoulder) and Todd Kinchen (knee). Kinchen, who underwent knee surgery last spring, will be examined further today, but team officials announced that he’s expected to undergo major surgery.

Quarterback T.J. Rubley replaced Kinchen as the holder for kicker Tony Zendejas. Wide receiver Henry Ellard replaced him on punt returns, finishing with three fair catches and one return for 13 yards. It was Ellard’s first appearance as a punt returner since 1990.

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Game plan changes: The week began with quarterback Jim Everett complaining about the play calling, and apparently somebody listened. After opening the first nine games with a run by either Cleveland Gary or Jerome Bettis, the Rams elected to start Game No. 10 with a pass.

Only one problem: It didn’t work. The Redskins sacked Everett for a five-yard loss.

Everett also appeared to change the play at the line of scrimmage on several occasions, and twice it backfired. The first time he called for a change, tackle Darryl Ashmore apparently didn’t get the message and was penalized for a false start. The second time, Everett switched from a running formation to a passing formation and then bounced a pass to Ellard.

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Who starts? It’s Coach Chuck Knox’s decision (whether T.J. Rubley or Everett will face the 49ers Sunday), but quarterback coach Ted Tollner was asked for his opinion.

“When you play a young guy there’s an unknown there that you know you have to grow through,” Tollner said. “You have to make that decision: Do you want to grow through an exciting young guy and see what he can or can’t do? Or, go with a guy who has proven he can do it, and in my opinion, still capable of doing it? Those are hard decisions.”

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Streaks: Zendejas’ NFL record of 11 consecutive field goals from 50 yards or more ended when his 50-yard attempt sailed wide right with 11:11 remaining in the second quarter.

Washington wide receiver Art Monk, the league’s all-time leading receiver with 874 receptions, barely kept alive his streak of consecutive games with a catch, getting a four-yard reception with 1:40 left. He has caught passes in 158 consecutive games, 19 shy of the NFL record set by Seattle’s Steve Largent.

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Advantage Bettis: Rookie running back Jerome Bettis gained one less yard on the ground than his former Notre Dame teammate, rookie Redskin running back Reggie Brooks, but Bettis gained three more yards receiving than Brooks.

Bettis ran 16 times for 86 yards, and Brooks picked up 87 yards in 22 rushes. Brooks caught five passes for 41 yards and Bettis hauled in four catches, as the Rams’ leading receiver, for 44 yards.

“I’m bummed we lost, but I’m glad to see that he’s doing well,” Brooks said of Bettis. “He’s playing hard, running hard and there’s no telling what he’s capable of doing.”

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What a relief: Linebacker Shane Conlan, maybe more than anyone else, was thrilled with the victory.

“The monkey’s off my back,” Conlan said. “This is the first time we’ve won and I’ve been in the lineup. I was beginning to wonder if it was me.”

Conlan missed the Rams’ 27-0 victory over Pittsburgh because of a groin injury and then was not a part of the Rams’ defensive strategy against the Houston Oilers’ run-and-shoot attack. The Rams beat Houston, 28-13.

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Mr. Versatility: Washington tailback Brian Mitchell was everywhere Sunday. He returned punts, kickoffs and had four carries for nine yards, including two where he lined up at quarterback in place of Rich Gannon in the first quarter. He gained a combined 11 yards in the two quarterback carries and lost a combined two as a running back.

It was nothing new for Mitchell. He gained 25 yards in a couple of carries as a quarterback last season against Phoenix. As a quarterback at Southwestern Louisiana, Mitchell became the first player in NCAA history to pass for more than 5,000 yards (5,447) and run for more than 3,000 (3,335).

Notes

One of the best duels wasn’t between quarterbacks and running backs, but the punters. Washington’s Reggie Roby averaged 46.8 yards in six punts, including a 57-yarder. The Rams’ Sean Landeta averaged 43.1 yards in seven punts, including a 56-yarder. . . . The Redskins are off to their worst start since 1963, when they started 2-8.

Times staff writer T.J. Simers contributed to this story.