Rams News

Rams announce plans at QB for Saturday

08/05/98

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

MACOMB, Ill. -- Quarterback Tony Banks will play the first half in Saturday's preseason opener against Denver at the Trans World Dome, with Will Furrer taking over in the third quarter and newcomer Kurt Warner playing the fourth quarter.
Which means Steve Bono will sit this one out. ``Bono will come back the next week,'' coach Dick Vermeil said.
Vermeil plans to use only three quarterbacks each preseason game. He still wants to look at Furrer in a starting situation, and says that start probably will be Aug. 22 against Dallas in the Rams' second preseason home game.
The basic plan is to play Banks about one half in each of the four preseason games, but Vermeil said, ``There might be a couple games where we only play him a quarter.''
In his first St. Louis appearance, Denver quarterback John Elway is expected to take only 10 to 15 snaps Saturday, encompassing two or three series. St. Louisan Steve Atwater, the Broncos' safety from Lutheran North High, will miss Saturday's game as he continues to rehabilitate from offseason shoulder surgery.
No local TV: About 2,300 tickets remained near the end of the business day Wednesday, meaning the Denver game would be blacked out on local television.
Even if it is the defending Super Bowl champions, Vermeil said, ``I don't how many people sell out their preseason games.''
Despite their string of 24 consecutive regular-season sellouts, the Rams have sold out only one of five preseason games since moving to St. Louis.
Injury update: The Rams are as healthy as they've been in more than a week. Only five players sat out Wednesday morning's practice at Western Illinois University.
``Whenever you get closer to a game, the wounds heal quicker,'' Vermeil joked.
Returning to the practice field Wednesday were tight end Aaron Laing (pinched nerve/shoulder), offensive lineman Jeremy McKinney (elbow), running back Jerald Moore (shoulder), and linebacker Roman Phifer (knee).
Switcheroo: Fearing afternoon thunderstorms, Vermeil made a last-second practice change Wednesday morning. Instead of having a light, one-hour special teams practice in the morning, and a full 2-hour practice in the afternoon, the order was reversed. Players had barely digested their breakfast when the change was announced at 8:45 a.m.
``We were told there were going to be thundershowers at 2 o'clock in the afternoon,'' Vermeil said. ``I didn't want to lose that (full) practice. If I lost anything, it would have been the special teams work, which we can make up easier.''
The Rams lost one full-gear practice Tuesday night when heavy rain forced the team indoors. As it turned out, the Wednesday afternoon storm never hit, and the special teams practice took place in 90-degree heat.

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