By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Thursday, Dec. 14 2006
Although no one at Rams Park has acknowledged as much, the phase-out of veteran
guard Adam Timmerman might have begun.
The broken ribs that Timmerman has been playing with for three weeks are
severely limiting his practice time, and he might be forced to sit out Sunday's
game at Oakland. If so, Timmerman's streak of 204 consecutive games — 184 in
the regular season, 20 in the playoffs — would came to an end.
"Definitely not the way I want it, but it happens," said Timmerman, 35. "It's
not really improving like we had hoped. That's one thing we can do, rest this
week and not bang around on Sunday and see how they are. I know that's what
(coach
Scott Linehan is) exploring right now."
While Timmerman watched, Linehan juggled the offensive live in practice
Wednesday. Right tackle
Alex Barron, left tackle Todd Steussie and left guard
Mark Setterstrom were in their usual spots. But center
Richie Incognito took
reps at right guard — Timmerman's spot in the lineup since joining the Rams in
1999 — and Brett Romberg was at center.
Romberg, signed off Jacksonville's practice squad Sept. 12, played down the
significance of the new assignments.
"They just wanted me to help out a little bit, fill a spot," he said. "They
said Adam wasn't feeling too good, just come in and help us out."
Still, Linehan has made it clear that the future of Incognito, who has been the
first-team center since Andy McCollum suffered a season-ending knee injury in
the opener, is at guard. And if Timmerman were to suit up vs. the Raiders, Adam
Goldberg probably would have been working at right guard, with Incognito
remaining at center.
Goldberg, who has been rotating with Timmerman recently, instead was with the
No. 2 unit.
Although Timmerman was listed as questionable Wednesday on the week's first
injury report, meaning by the NFL's definition that his chances of playing are
50-50, he seemed to sense that change was in the wind.
"If we do something different, it's whatever Coach Linehan thinks is best for
the team, and I'm OK with that," said Timmerman, a 12th-year pro. "I don't want
to do anything, either, to hurt the guys that are out there. I have a lot of
respect for them, and I don't want to put them in a bad situation ... put
myself ahead of the team or anything like that. ...
"I just want my fellow offensive linemen to know I'm not quitting on them, no
matter what the record is or how it's going."
Not that any of them would draw that conclusion; Timmerman hasn't missed a game
since his rookie season in Green Bay in 1995. "He's willing to give it all for
the team," said Setterstrom, a rookie. "Obviously, he's a warrior."
Timmerman was out for just one play Nov. 19 at Carolina after being kicked in
the left side. He acknowledged that his play deteriorated gradually over the
following three games, however.
"San Francisco, the first week back after (the injury), I thought it went well,
and Arizona (the next Sunday) went pretty good," he said. "I wasn't as happy
this past week," when the Rams lost to the Chicago Bears 42-27 on Monday night.
"It takes me till about the end of the week to feel good after the game. And
this week's shorter because of Monday night," Timmerman said. "It's hard to get
the feel of driving somebody and staying low when you haven't done anything all
week. ... So, we're thinking about a different approach."
It would be unwise to count out Timmerman just yet, though. Last season,
interim head coach Joe Vitt announced that a back injury would keep Timmerman
out vs. Arizona. But on Sunday, Timmerman was in the lineup.
"You never know," Timmerman said. "The body's kind of a weird thing. Hopefully,
we can just get back to 100 percent and headed in the right direction."
Ram-blings
Rookie cornerback Josh Lay, a sixth-round draft pick by New Orleans, has been
added to the practice squad. The 6-foot-1, 197-pound Lay, cut by the Saints on
Sept. 1, replaces defensive end Tyler King. ... Rams Hall of Famer Jackie
Slater is the Raiders' co-offensive line coach.
Linear Mode
