PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Play-Calling Draws More Criticism

Ram cornerback Todd Lyght joined in tight end Troy Drayton’s frustration about the Rams’ predictable play-calling at the Denver one-yard line Sunday. The Rams ran three consecutive running plays up the middle to tailback Jerome Bettis and failed to score.

“When we get down to the goal line we need to mix it up a little more,” Lyght said. “Everybody knows we’re going with Jerome. We have other guys on offense making money. Take the pressure off Jerome and use them. By using them, we can open it back up for Jerome.”

A pass had been called on second down, but Ram quarterback Chris Chandler, who said the helmet radio wasn’t working, misread the coaches’ hand signals from the sideline and called another running play to Bettis.

Chandler complained of problems with his helmet headset during an exhibition game. Knox said some NFL teams have chosen not to use the headsets, and that the Rams are considering not using them in the future.

“We’ll take a long, hard look at it,” Knox said.

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Ram linebacker Joe Kelly stays in touch with some of his former Raider teammates, but he still harbors some resentment toward the Raider front office for cutting him for salary cap reasons.

“To put it bluntly, I still think it was (messed) up,” Kelly said. “It was Al Davis’ decision, it’s his team. But I’m a good player, and I’m still out here making plays. It’s a decision Al made, and he has to live with it.”

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Linebacker Henry Rolling will undergo surgery to repair a fractured eye socket and will be out at least two to three weeks. . . . Chandler, cornerback Darryl Henley (10 solo tackles) and Lyght were awarded game balls.