Ram kicker Mike Lansford, who felt a pop in his right leg while making Sunday's opening kickoff, had his kicking leg examined Monday and later said he thinks the injury probably isn't enough to prevent him from handling all the kicking duties this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Doctors found a partial tear in a muscle near the Achilles' tendon in Lansford's leg. After suffering the injury Sunday, Lansford kicked off only one more time but made five extra-point attempts, had one field-goal try tipped and another 49-yarder come up short.
"It was pretty good news," Lansford said after the examination. "It wasn't the Achilles. So (the doctor) says that I should be about 100% in two to three weeks."
With Lansford's uncertain situation in mind, the Rams are bringing in "four or five" kickers today for a quick look-see, just in case Lansford is deemed unable to make the kickoffs in Sunday's game, Coach John Robinson said. None of the kickers are expected to be familiar NFL names--just guys who can hook on for a week or two and kick off.
Lansford will probably still be on the roster even if another kicker is signed, though he won't kick off until he is fully healed.
Robinson said tight end Damone Johnson, who ended a contract holdout two practice days before Sunday's game, played well, but won't yet challenge Pat Carter for the starting job. "Pat Carter had a good game. I think the fact that D.J. came in might've motivated him a little," Robinson said. He also said that Johnson will gradually play more week by week. . . . About 6,000 tickets for Sunday's Ram home opener remain unsold, but the Rams are optimistic the game will be a sellout 72 hours before game time--enabling the TV black out to be lifted.
