PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Miller’s Debut Not a Thing of Beauty

Chris Miller described his regular-season debut as Ram quarterback in Sunday’s 14-12 victory over the Arizona Cardinals as “ugly.”

Coach Chuck Knox didn’t go quite that far on Monday, but he did criticize Miller, who will face his former team, the Falcons, Sunday in Atlanta.

The Cardinals sacked Miller five times for 29 yards in losses. He completed six of 16 passes for 131 yards and no touchdowns.

“We just have to keep working at it,” Knox said of the passing game. “We had a lot of things in there, and we didn’t hit some people.

“Sometimes he got some pressure, but I think that if he could do it over, there would be some passes he wouldn’t have thrown.”

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So how did the quarterbacks the Rams bypassed to sign Miller fare in their regular-season debuts Sunday?

Detroit’s Scott Mitchell, who the Rams courted as a free agent, completed 16 of 31 passes for 203 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the Lions’ 31-28 overtime victory over Atlanta.

Minnesota’s Warren Moon, whom the Rams tried to acquire in a trade with Houston, completed 20 of 37 for 166 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions in a 16-10 loss to the Packers.

Green Bay’s Brett Favre, whom the Rams showed brief interest in as a restricted free agent, was 22 for 36 for 185 yards and one touchdown.

And Tampa Bay’s Trent Dilfer, who the Rams could have taken with the fifth overall draft pick, held a clipboard in the Buccaneers’ 21-9 loss to the Chicago Bears.

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Arizona Coach Buddy Ryan responded angrily to the post-game comment of Ram assistant head coach Joe Vitt, whom he has known since coaching at the University of Buffalo. Vitt said the Rams would be undefeated if they could play a Ryan team each week.

“Your information is no better than your source,” Ryan said. “I remember he was a go-fer in Buffalo, going after coffee. I guess he’s really come up in the world.”

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After injuries hit the Rams hard last season and during the exhibition season, Knox said he was relieved the Rams had no major injuries against the Cardinals. Free safety Keith Lyle (sore shoulder) and tight end Troy Drayton (ankle) are both expected to practice Wednesday.

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Because of an error by the Rams’ publicity department, the team’s record fumble return was incorrectly reported Sunday. The correct record was 67 yards set by Jim Peterson in 1975. Cornerback Todd Lyght broke it Sunday with a 74-yard return. . . . Johnny Bailey’s 13-yard punt return against the Cardinals matched the team’s season best last year by Henry Ellard. The Rams averaged only 5.4 yards a return last season. . . . The Ram defense was awarded the game ball for its play Sunday, and linebacker Thomas Homco was the special teams player of the week.