Coach hopeful that Pace may be ready for Arizona
Further tests needed to assess readiness
BY STEVE KORTE
News-Democrat
Posted on Tue, Sep. 19, 2006
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan is guardedly optimistic about Pro Bowl left tackle
Orlando Pace being available for the team's game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
There's also a chance that linebacker
Pisa Tinoisamoa, who has a dislocated left elbow, will play against the Cardinals with the aid of a brace.
Pace suffered a concussion after being knocked backwards on an extra-point attempt in the second quarter of the Rams' 20-13 loss to the San Francisco ***** on Sunday.
Pace was taken to a San Francisco-area hospital for a CAT scan, which turned out normal.
Pace checked out of the hospital in time to make the Rams' team flight back to St. Louis.
Linehan said Pace still must pass some psychological tests before he's cleared to play.
"There's some standard things that they do when you have a concussion of that magnitude to make sure he is OK," Linehan said. "He'll be limited at best until later in the week."
Linehan said concussions are considered serious injuries.
"You don't take these things lightly," Linehan said. "Back in the old days, they used to go back in after getting a little smelling salts. That doesn't happen anymore. They'll check him a couple of times this week, and again as we get closer to the game, to make sure he's 100 percent."
Linehan said the 6-foot-7, 325-pound Pace, lining up on the right side of the Rams' line on the extra-point, was bowled over by a wave of San Francisco players.
"You know how they do these PAT rushes, they usually send three or four guys through one gap, and they were overloading the right side," Linehan said. "They got underneath his pads. They had three or four guys underneath him -- it takes a lot of guys to get underneath him that way -- and he landed pretty hard on that turf."
Pace has missed only six games -- all during the 2002 season -- over the past eight seasons.
"He was feeling a lot better on the flight home and felt much better about it today," Linehan said. "We're just guarded and optimistic at the same time. We'll have to evaluate him at the end of the week."
If Pace can't play against the Cardinals, Todd Steussie will play left tackle and Adam Goldberg will play left guard.
Tinoisamoa has been the Rams' leading tackler for each of the past three seasons. Dexter Coakley will take Tinoisamoa's place at weak-side linebacker if he's unable to play against the Cardinals.
"Pisa is a pretty tough individual," Linehan said. "He never complains about anything, and he certainly wasn't complaining about his elbow today. He was talking about the game."
Tinoisamoa has never missed a game during his four seasons in the NFL. He played with a brace on his dislocated shoulder during the 2004 season.
"He has not shown any concern about it, and if anybody is going to go out and play this week, it's going to be him," Linehan said. "I'd be surprised if he's not able to get himself out there."
Linear Mode
