PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Bettis Happy for Recuperative Bye Week

Running back Jerome Bettis, who has more carries than anyone this season, said his battered body needed the week’s rest.

“I’d go home and try to sit on the couch and I’d have to then lay down to try to get comfortable,” said Bettis, who has 200 rushes for 723 yards. “This hurt and that hurt and I hadn’t felt that way since college.

“Now I feel quicker and capable of making people miss me. I’m still going to wear the extra padding on my back for the next few weeks, but it will be smaller now. I’m just better.”

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The Rams fell 27,274 tickets shy of selling out Sunday’s game with Denver and lifting the local television blackout.

A team spokesman said a little more than 40,000 tickets have been distributed to date, although the Rams expect a final count closer to 45,000.

The Broncos have sold out 191 consecutive non-strike games in Mile High Stadium. The smallest crowd they have played in front of this year has been 61,626--a sellout in San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium.

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Defensive tackle Sean Gilbert has sound shoulders now, but he left practice early, concerned about his Achilles’ tendon.

Starting guard Leo Goeas did not practice because of an abdominal pull and wide receiver Isaac Bruce sat out a second consecutive workout because of a knee injury. Tackle Jackie Slater has returned, but Coach Chuck Knox said his arm lacks strength because of the injured triceps suffered earlier. Linebacker Henry Rolling was forced from practice after being poked in the eye.