PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Chandler Hobbled by Ankle Sprain

Quarterback Chris Chandler will remain in the Rams’ starting quarterback this week, but only if his sprained left ankle allows him to play Sunday at San Francisco.

Chandler sprained his ankle in the second quarter of the Rams’ 20-17 loss to the Raiders Sunday when defensive tackle Chester McGlockton rolled across it on a sack. Chandler, who completed 10 of 11 passes for 171 yards before getting hurt, was replaced by Chris Miller.

Coach Chuck Knox said Monday that Chandler’s game status was still uncertain, but added, “if he’s ready to go, he’ll start.”

Knox hopes to have Chandler ready to practice at least by Thursday, but said he will give Miller more work in practice this week in case he needs to start.

“It will be fine but it’s just a matter of when,” Chandler said. “It doesn’t stop it from being real frustrating, though. It seems like I’ve had a lot of guys hit me low this year. Even in the New Orleans game, there were three or four times when a guy came in and just went low.

“Whether it’s on purpose or not, it seems like that they have to lunge at you at the last second to somehow let you know they are there, whether it’s low or high.”

So what happened with McGlockton’s hit?

“He was coming off a block, kind of crawling,” Chandler said. “He just made a jump and came right at my ankle.

“On film, it looked like the knee went. It was close.”

Chandler sprained the same ankle in the Rams’ 8-5 loss to Atlanta on Oct. 2 and wasn’t ready to play the next week. Chandler said it took about three weeks to get the ankle back to full-strength.

Chandler needed crutches to walk after he sprained his ankle the first time, but didn’t need them Monday. The ankle was heavily wrapped, and Chandler said he can’t run on it or twist it without feeling pain.

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Knox said game films showed that officials missed three calls in the Raider game: An apparent interception by Darryl Henley that was ruled a drop; a trapped ball by Raider receiver Tim Brown in the fourth quarter that was ruled a catch; and a non-call on Raider receiver Rocket Ismail, who hit Henley in the facemask as he broke open for a 10-yard touchdown catch.

Henley angrily protested the non-call after Sunday’s game, and Knox said Monday that a review of game films supported Henley’s charge.

“He was jammed but it wasn’t called,” Knox said. “We had the interception in the end zone that should have come out to the 20-yard line. Darryl definitely caught the ball and after he came down, the ball came out. One official ruled him down, but the other came over and (ruled incomplete).

“Same thing with the pass to Brown, you could see it on slow motion. It bounced right off the ground.”

Knox said the Rams will compile a video clip of the mistakes and send them to the league office, as they do every week.

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Jeff Fisher, fired as the Rams’ defensive coordinator when Knox took over in 1992, was named Houston’s head coach Monday after the Oilers fired Jack Pardee and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride.

Fisher spent the 1991 season with the Rams under John Robinson and was being groomed as a head coach since his days in Philadelphia under Buddy Ryan.

“That’s great for him,” said Ram free safety Anthony Newman, who played under Fisher. “He’s finally made it to the top. He knows the business.

“He’s a very aggressive coach. He always wanted his players to be on the attack. That’s what Buddy has taught for years.”

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Knox expects right tackle Jackie Slater (torn triceps) and right guard Leo Goeas (sore abdomen) to be ready for the San Francisco game. . . . Running back Johnny Bailey, who missed the Raider game because of a sore abdomen, is listed as doubtful. . . . Center Bern Brostek (broken right leg) is expected to be out another two to three weeks.