PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Receiver Anderson Off to a Fast Start
After all but vanishing from the Rams’ offense last year, wide receiver Flipper Anderson has more receiving yards in two games than Green Bay’s Sterling Sharpe, Michael Haynes of New Orleans and Dallas’ Michael Irvin and Alvin Harper.
Anderson’s 154 yards on five catches Sunday against Atlanta gives him 198 yards for the season, third in the NFC behind Atlanta’s Andre Rison (316) and San Francisco’s Jerry Rice (247). Irvin has 174 yards, Haynes 158, Harper 146 and Sharpe 101.
“Flipper is running really well right now,” receivers coach Steve Moore said. “I remember working him out at the Senior Bowl, when he was coming out of UCLA, and he is quicker, faster and certainly more skilled than he ever was then.”
Anderson caught only one touchdown pass in his final 10 games last season, his lack of productivity coinciding with quarterback Jim Everett’s decline. But the Rams signed quarterback Chris Miller, one of the best deep throwers in the game, and hoped Anderson would return to his 1989 form, when he caught 44 passes for 1,146 yards and five touchdowns.
He is averaging 33 yards a catch this season, including a 54-yard bomb from Miller and a 41-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Chris Chandler.
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With San Francisco defensive end Richard Dent sidelined because of a torn knee ligament, the Rams might be lining up across from Charles Mann on Sunday. Mann, a former all-Pro with Washington, met with 49er coaches and officials Tuesday. The Rams worked out Mann during training camp, but didn’t offer him a contract.
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In seven seasons with Atlanta, Miller was 3-7 against San Francisco. In those 10 games, he completed 58.6% of his passes with nine touchdowns, but was intercepted 14 times. . . . The Rams have a three-game home winning streak dating to last season, but they haven’t beaten the 49ers in Anaheim Stadium since their 16-13 victory on Sept. 14, 1986. . . . First-round pick Bryant Young starts for the 49ers at defensive tackle and is among the team’s leading tacklers with seven. The 49ers selected him with the eighth pick, acquired in a trade with the Rams. . . . Right tackle Jackie Slater, a 19-year veteran who will start his 249th game Sunday, moved to guard for two series in the fourth quarter after starter Leo Goeas suffered a knee injury. “That was something I haven’t done in 15 years,” Slater said.