PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Rice’s Accusations Denied

Strong safety Michael Stewart denied accusations by San Francisco wide receiver Jerry Rice that Stewart and the rest of the Ram defense used rough tactics and taunted him in an attempt to intimidate him.

Rice said Stewart “messed with my leg” and taunted him on an 18-yard reception by Rice in the first quarter.

“That really (ticked) me off,” Rice told the San Jose Mercury News. “He (Stewart) tried to intimidate me on that play.”

Said Stewart: “My reply is that Jerry is a future Hall of Famer, and he will probably go to the Pro Bowl this year. He has done it year in and year out. He can’t be intimidated. It’s a situation where we tried to play as hard, or harder, than he was in hopes of containing him.”

Rice, who dropped the first two passes thrown to him, finished with six receptions for 63 yards.

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Backup quarterback Jim Everett sat out Monday’s light workout because of back spasms. . . . Knox said the Rams can use the bye week to heal several nagging injuries. Knox said the status of right tackle Jackie Slater (torn pectoral muscle) is still in doubt for the Nov. 14 game against Atlanta, but he expects defensive end Robert Young, sidelined for three games because of a knee injury, to return.