Cornerback strained ligaments in game
BY STEVE KORTE
News-Democrat
ST. LOUIS - What St. Louis Rams cornerback Corey Ivy lacks in size, he makes up in toughness.
The 5-foot-9, 188-pound Ivy didn't miss a single practice this week even though he suffered an injury that required a cast being placed on his right arm.
"I love to play football and I just don't want to be on the sideline watching my other teammates having fun out there," Ivy said.
Ivy suffered strained ligaments in his right arm after intercepting a pass in the Rams' 17-13 preseason win over the Chicago Bears on Aug. 12.
"I tried to brace myself when I fell, but my arm got folded up under my body," Ivy said.
Ivy kept his grip on the ball. "That's the most important thing," he said.
Rams coach Mike Martz said Ivy has been a ballhawk throughout training camp.
"He just makes plays, that's the best way I can describe Corey," Martz said. "His stature doesn't match what he does on the field. Boy, he makes a lot of plays."
A season-ending knee injury to starting cornerback Jerametrius Butler has created an opportunity for Ivy as he's battling for the job of nickel back behind starters Travis Fisher and DeJuan Groce.
"You hate to see anybody get hurt doing the job that they love to do," Ivy said of Butler's injury. "Hopefully, he'll have successful surgery and get back with us next year. That just opens the door for some younger players and some upcoming players."
Ivy is one of those upcoming players. He spent the last four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning a reputation as a top special teams player.
Ivy had 17 special teams tackles in both 2003 and 2004. He had three special teams tackles in the Buccaneers' win over the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Ivy said he's hoping to have a lighter, smaller plastic cast placed on his arm in time for the Rams' preseason game at the San Diego Charges on Sunday afternoon at Qualcomm Stadium, though the bigger, bulkier cast hasn't kept him from picking off several passes in practice.
"I haven't dropped any interceptions yet," Ivy said. "It hasn't been a hindrance."
Smoker's busy week
Second-year quarterback Jeff Smoker's workload in practice increased dramatically this week after spending much of last week watching rookie Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Smoker and Fitzpatrick are battling for the job of No. 3 quarterback behind
Marc Bulger and Jamie Martin.
Last week, Martz criticized Smoker for having a couple of bad practices. Then Smoker got only two offensive series behind center in the game against the Bears, while Fitzpatrick got more than a quarter of game action.
"I wouldn't say worried," Smoker said of how he felt about his job security after seeing Fitzpatrick taking so many snaps. "It's just a little frustrating sometimes having to stand and watch. It's something I'm not used to. It's harder to learn watching and not getting the reps. But, being the third quarterback, that's what you have to do when the season starts."
Smoker said he has a friendly rivalry with Fitzpatrick, a seventh-round draft pick out of Harvard University.
"He's a young guy who is easy to talk to, and he has a good personality," Smoker said. "We get along well. He's a good player. He wants to make this squad, too. Competition brings out the best, you know."
'Big C' back at work
Rookie left guard Claude "Big C" Terrell was back on the practice field on Friday after sitting out practice a day earlier due to a sore and swollen calf muscle.
The 343-pound Terrell had his calf, which was injured when he was leg-whipped during pass blocking drills, heavily taped.
"The leg was swollen, I guess," Martz said. "I don't how you could tell."
All jokes aside, Martz was pleased to see Terrell on the practice field.
" I know he is in a lot of pain after getting kicked like that in the shin bone," Martz said. "He took a pretty good whack there. I think he's a lot better. He had an awful lot of fluid there on the calf muscle. He moved around pretty good today. I was pleased that came back and did what he did."
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