By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer
The first time
Richie Incognito lined up at center in an NFL game was just over a month ago. Now, with five games under his belt, Incognito looks like he’s been playing center for years.
In fact, it took just a few moments for Incognito to settle in the middle. For his performance against the ***** on Sept. 17, just a week after replacing the injured Andy McCollum, Incognito was named the team’s offensive player of the week.
Despite his early success, Incognito is keeping a level head about his performance.
“I played very well in San Francisco,” Incognito said. “I don’t think I’ve been going up and down, I think I just kept an even track and I think it’s been going pretty good.”
Indeed it has. Incognito has made an almost seamless transition from guard to center. Incognito estimates that the last time he played center before this season was in fall camp before his second season at Nebraska. In that case, he was also replacing an injured ball snapper.
This year, Incognito got some opportunities to work in the middle during minicamps, but he hadn’t had a whole lot of experience. That’s why Incognito calls the transition one that will continue to take some time.
“It’s an ongoing thing,” Incognito said. “It’s tough because I wasn’t there in training camp and I wasn’t preparing for all of the defenses, so every week, each team has a different look, so it’s like I’m getting acquainted each week.”
Incognito will have to get acquainted quickly this week considering the challenge that is put before him. The Chargers boast the league’s top rated defense, allowing just 241.2 yards per contest.
Anchoring the defense is giant nose tackle Jamal Williams, a 6-3, 348 pound monster in the middle who went to the Pro Bowl last season. Williams is the key to San Diego’s 3-4 defensive scheme and will be the man who has to line up directly over Incognito. Incognito squared off against San Francisco’s Bryant Young and held his own.
Williams is a bit different, though.
“He’s a game wrecker,” Incognito said.
Incognito is the type of player that relishes one on one battles in the trenches. But center is a different deal than guard as far as lining up for those battles.
“Just the close proximity,” Incognito said. “I have a guy right, head-up over me. When I played guard, my toes were on his heels, so there was about two feet of space in there where I get two or three steps in before he makes contact. Now my feet always have to be on the ground and I can’t get really too far in bad position.”
SMITH RETURNS: After fullback Paul Smith’s horrendous collision with the Lions on special teams on Oct. 1, all indications were that he would be able to return after the bye week. But that was adjusted when it was learned that Smith would have to have surgery near his eyes.
According to Smith, that intricate surgery involved putting a titanium plate and a screw at the bottom of his eye and another plate near the nasal cavity that pushed all of the muscles near the eye back where they belong. After that, they let it heal up and removed the stitches.
Surprisingly, Smith returned to the practice field Wednesday after a CAT scan showed he had improved enough to play earlier in the week.
“I’m a little rusty, but it’s kind of like riding a bike,” Smith said. “You have got to do it the same way (as before the injury).”
BRYANT SETTLES IN: Defensive end Tony Bryant missed the first six weeks of this season while searching for another NFL job. After signing with the Rams last week, Bryant is starting to settle in and find his niche.
Bryant spent time with current Rams defensive coordinator
Jim Haslett in New Orleans where Haslett was the head coach so he understands the defense. In that regard he is adjusting quickly.
But don’t expect Bryant to get on the field right away. For now,
Leonard Little and Victor Adeyanju remain the starters and Brandon Green is the No. 3 end. Eventually, Bryant could factor in because of his size, but it won’t happen right away.
“Right now we’ll wait and see how fast he picks everything up,” Linehan said. “It is somewhat familiar to him since he played in the defensive system we’re running in New Orleans. We’ll have to evaluate him as we go. Right now he’s more for depth and giving us a look and catching up.”
RAM BITS: The first injury report for the week lists Smith (eye) and linebacker
Pisa Tinoisamoa (hand) as probable…Cornerback Fakhir Brown is not on the injury report…San Diego will be without defensive tackle Igor Olshansky who has a knee injury…Joining Olshansky on the injury report are receivers Malcolm Floyd and Vincent Jackson, safety Bhawoh Jue and linebacker Shaun Phillips as questionable and tight end Antonio Gates is probable.
GO RAMS 
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