Knox Plans to Start Miller at Green Bay : Pro football: No. 1 quarterback still not 100%, but Chandler is out and he gets nod over Maddox.

Quarterback Chris Miller said Monday that his injured right shoulder still isn’t 100%, but that apparently won’t stop Ram Coach Chuck Knox from starting him over a sound Tommy Maddox at Green Bay on Sunday.

Knox normally doesn’t announce personnel decisions on Mondays, but with starter Chris Chandler sidelined for the rest of the week because of a sprained left ankle, he said he plans to turn the offense over to Miller.

“That’s what it looks like, although we don’t make those decisions at this point,” Knox said. “But if he’s well enough along, he will start.”

Miller has sat out the last two games because of sore ribs, a pinched nerve in his shoulder, and, as he revealed for the first time, a slightly separated right shoulder.

So is Knox saying that an injured Miller is better than an inexperienced Maddox, who was shaky in his Ram debut Sunday, an 8-5 loss to Atlanta at Anaheim Stadium?

“I didn’t say that,” Knox said. “What I’m saying is that we expect Chris Miller to be 100% this week and certainly he knows our system and has been through training camp. That’s what I’m saying.”

So Knox will start Miller, leaving Maddox as the backup. Meanwhile, the Rams are trying to re-sign Jamie Martin, whom they cut in August, as the emergency quarterback. Martin is expected to be at Rams Park today to meet with team officials.

Knox described Maddox, 23, as the Rams’ “quarterback of the future” when the team traded a fourth-round draft pick to Denver for him in August.

Maddox got little work in practice last week, splitting the backup snaps with Miller. When called upon to replace the injured Chandler in the second quarter Sunday, Maddox struggled, completing only seven of 15 passes for 86 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

“He’s in a learning process,” Knox said. “Every snap is new for him. Tommy didn’t get the reps in practice last week, and he was placed in a tough situation Sunday.”

Maddox’s ineffectiveness forced Knox to push Miller to the forefront this week. Miller lifted weights Monday and said his shoulder is getting stronger, but he said his ability to throw deep “is a concern.”

“It’s time to go,” said Miller, who has completed 24 of 55 passes for 404 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions this season. “(The shoulder) is not 100% right now, but with Chris Chandler banged up, I have to go.”

Miller said he suffered the separated shoulder when San Francisco’s Dana Stubblefield sacked him three weeks ago. He said he is regaining strength slowly.

“It’s a slight separation,” Knox said. “It’s painful when you throw, but you can still play with it, as long as you have the arm strength.”

Miller had warmed up on the sidelines in the second half Sunday after being given a shot in his shoulder at halftime. But he and Knox were reluctant to have him play on the Rams’ final drive.

“We had talked earlier if he would be available in the second half,” Knox said. “But you’re rolling the dice when you have a quarterback who’s not 100%.”

On Monday, Ram coaches gave Miller another reason for holding him out on the final drive: If Miller, the emergency quarterback, would have entered the game, Maddox would not have been allowed to return. As a result, Maddox, the holder on field goals, could not have re-entered the game to hold if Tony Zendejas would have attempted a game-tying field goal.

Chandler, who started the last two games, wore a walking cast on his injured ankle Monday and said doctors originally told him he would be sidelined at least two weeks. He said the ankle improved dramatically overnight and added that he might try to practice Wednesday.

“I’m going to try it,” said Chandler, who suffered the injury when Atlanta’s Ron George tackled him from behind on a flea-flicker play in the second quarter. “I might be proven wrong on Wednesday, but we will wait and see how it feels.”