Ram Secondary Faces Big Test Tonight

Tonight’s exhibition game between the Rams and the San Diego Chargers may not have a whole lot of intrinsic importance but it should at least provide some telling clues for the season ahead.

The 41st annual Times/Rams Charity Game, beginning at 7, will match the NFL’s most dynamic passing offense against a Ram secondary that is trying to shake the loss of cornerback Gary Green and safety Eric Harris to career-ending back injuries.

The Charger passing attack, showing no signs of aging, accumulated 598 yards in last week’s 45-38 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. And that, mind you, with quarterback Dan Fouts playing only a quarter.

The Ram defense, in the meantime, has spent the summer plugging one leak after another.

The loss of Green and Harris has forced second-year man Jerry Gray into the starting left-cornerback position a year or two ahead of schedule.

At linebacker, Mark Jerue will take over for the team’s leading tackler, Jim Collins, who is out until at least October with a shoulder injury.

Throw all this at the league’s most potent offense and what do you get?

Trouble, most likely. Or at least a pretty good test.

“If we do well, it is (a good test),” Ram Coach John Robinson said of facing the Charger offense. “If not, then it’s just another exhibition game.”

Of course, the Ram offense hopes to show the Chargers a thing or two itself. Breaking from their traditional plodding, run-oriented offense, the Rams have been showcasing this year’s attack, led by quarterback Steve Bartkowski.

The new format has included a wide-open, two-back offense in which almost everyone gets a chance to score.

It even seems that the Rams have almost forgotten star running back Eric Dickerson, who has run for only 10 yards in 6 carries in 2 exhibitions. Those numbers, of course, will change.

Still, in last week’s 31-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, Bartkowski was the attraction, completing 11 of 15 passes for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns.

And although Robinson has refused to name his No. 1 quarterback, the answer is becoming clearer by the day. With Dieter Brock still sidelined by a knee injury, Bartkowski will start tonight for the second time. He is expected to play the first half, and Steve Dils will take over in the second half. Dils, however, will get a chance to work with the first unit.

Friday, Bartkowski was already looking ahead to the season opener Sept. 7. “I’ve got some nagging things I’ve got to clear up but I can’t wait for St. Louis,” he said.

One of those nagging things is a strained stomach muscle, which almost kept him out of tonight’s game.

Bartkowski said he first pulled the muscle in a college all-star game 11 years ago. He aggravated it again while throwing a warmup pass before last Monday night’s game with the 49ers.

“I really can’t loosen up and throw the ball deep,” he said. “It’s just scar tissue that doesn’t stretch like a muscle anymore.”

Bartkowski will wear an elastic girdle to keep the area heated.

Ram Notes The Rams lead the exhibition series with the Chargers, 10-8, and the Chargers have not won an exhibition game in Los Angeles since 1978. . . . Dan Fouts has played only a quarter in each of the Chargers’ first two exhibition games but is expected to play more tonight. . . . Rams Tim Fox, Bobby Duckworth and Charles DeJurnett are all former Chargers. . . . Steve Bartkowski said he can’t wait to match throws with Fouts: “I think the guys are excited,” he said. “We’re going against one of the most stellar offenses in the history of the game. It’ll be nice to watch them operate and then see if we can do the same thing.” . . . Ram safety Johnnie Johnson, who has missed most of training camp with a knee injury, will return tonight and is expected to play about a half.