PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Knox: Phifer Overlooked for Pro Bowl

Coach Chuck Knox suggested that outside linebacker Roman Phifer might have been overlooked by the fans, coaches and players voting for the NFC’s Pro Bowl team because the Rams were struggling at 4-11.

“I thought he had a great year,” Knox said. “Sometimes you don’t get the recognition you should, especially when you’re not winning as many games as we would like. The teams that had the most players on there (Dallas has an NFC-high 11) are the teams that were winning.”

Phifer leads the Rams in tackles with 112 but has no sacks or interceptions. He was rarely asked to rush the passer in the Ram defensive schemes, but often dropped into pass coverage.

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Guard Tom Newberry ran drills to see how his injured right knee would respond Wednesday but said he won’t be ready to play Sunday against the Chicago Bears at Anaheim Stadium. Jeff Pahukoa, who has been playing in place of Newberry, also has a sore knee but is expected to play.

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Chicago has scored only 228 points this season and needs 25 against the Rams on Sunday to avoid being the lowest-scoring Bear team since the 16-game format was adopted in 1978 (not including the 1982 strike year). The team record of 253 was set in 1978 and equaled in 1981.