By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Saturday, Aug. 16 2008
Before a knee injury ended his 2007 season in mid-November,
Richie Incognito
was the Rams' first-team right guard. When training camp opened three weeks
ago, he was fighting for a starting job at center.
Now, with the Rams set to take on the San Diego Chargers tonight in preseason
action at the Edward Jones Dome, Incognito once again is the first-team right
guard.
"That's NFL football, man," Incognito said. "You've got to be ready to play
anywhere."
Incognito's circular journey is largely the result of two developments:
— The Rams are sold on Brett Romberg as their No. 1 center.
— A strained leg muscle cost guard-center
Mark Setterstrom valuable time in
camp.
"It's kind of the way things worked out," coach Scott Linehan said. "Richie's
moved back there and played well for the most part at right guard. He had a
really good week this last week there."
The 6-foot-3, 318-pound Incognito, a tackle at Nebraska, doesn't fret over
where he's playing; he just wants in on the fun.
"It's the best five, to have Brett in the lineup and me at the same time. So
they moved me to right guard," Incognito said. "And that's fine by me. I'm glad
that we did it this early in the preseason, as opposed to waiting till Week 1
or Week 2 (of the regular season), and then have to bounce over and not have
much work there.
"Now, I've got a couple of preseason games to work with and a lot of practice
time, so I'm really comfortable."
He'd feel even better if the Rams could get their offense perking tonight. The
first team hasn't scored a touchdown in a preseason game since 2005, including
last Saturday's 34-13 loss at Tennessee.
"Years past, we can't control what's been done; we can control what we do
(tonight) — hopefully put some points on the board," Incognito said. "We
definitely have to get clicking. We can't wait till the regular season to get
going. We have to be hitting on all cylinders come Week 1."
SETTERSTROM'S INJURY
The injury that has hampered Setterstrom is near his right knee. A torn
ligament in his left knee in the third game last season knocked him out for the
year after he'd won the starting job at left guard. For now, Setterstrom is in
a backup role.
"He's swinging at the guard spot. And he had those snaps at center (during the
spring), so we haven't eliminated where he would back up on game day," Linehan
said. "Just getting him through a week of practice feeling good has been our
goal this week, and then to see how he comes out of this game."
FINES HANDED OUT
The league fined linebacker Quinton Culberson $7,500 for a horse-collar tackle
of tight end Alge Crumpler on the Titans' first play from scrimmage. Culberson
was not penalized.
Also, Tennessee safety Calvin Lowry was fined the same amount for his
horse-collar tackle of wideout
Dane Looker on a 47-yard pass play in the second
quarter. Lowry was flagged for a personal foul.
STEVEN JACKSON WATCH
On Friday, Linehan reported that
Steven Jackson's agent and the Rams' front
office "have had some talks, and I know it's moving along. Whatever that means
... it sounds positive to me."
— Days out: 22
— Practices missed: 24
— Games missed: 1 (preseason)
— Fine total: $332,552 ($15,116 per day)
RAM-BLINGS
The Chargers could be without at least four starters: tight end Antonio Gates
(toe), linebacker Shawne Merriman (illness), center Nick Hardwick (foot) and
defensive back Antonio Cromartie (ankle). ... Because it isn't a sellout, the
game won't be televised live here. But KTVI (Ch. 2) will air it on tape delay,
beginning at about 10:30 p.m.
Linear Mode
