PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : For Starters, They Performed Poorly

The starting quarterbacks for Sunday’s game between the Rams and Cincinnati Bengals combined to complete 14 of 38 passes for 136 yards last week with one interception and one touchdown.

Cincinnati’s David Klingler was nine of 25 for 89 yards.

T.J. Rubley got his first victory as a starter after three losses, but he has completed only 10 of 28 passes the past two weeks for 136 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Coach Chuck Knox said he expects teams to bring more players to the line of scrimmage to stop running back Jerome Bettis and force the Rams to pass.

“Teams have tried to do it already, and he has gotten his yards,” Knox said. “But, sure, they’re going to do that, and that’s what you expect. You can’t be one-handed in anything you do . . . you’ve got to be able to hit some passes and complement your running game.”

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No rookie running back has led the NFL in rushing since 1983, when Eric Dickerson gained 1,808 yards for the Rams.

Bettis is No. 2 in the league with 1,103 yards behind Detroit’s Barry Sanders, who gained 1,115 yards before suffering a knee injury. Sanders is not expected back until before the final regular-season game.