LONDON -- The Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos open their 1987 exhibition season Sunday, a long, long way from home.

But both teams are taking the American Bowl 1987 at England's Wembley Stadium -- its national soccer stadium -- seriously.


For the Rams, its a chance to implement their new offense, featuring the passing of second-year quarterback Jim Everett. For the Broncos, it's the first chance to see how the New York Giants-inflicted wounds from Super Bowl XXI have healed.

'We've had two good weeks of training camp and our players are now ready to start beating on somebody else,' Denver Coach Dan Reeves said Thursday. 'We see this game as a curtain raiser to a second straight Super Bowl. This is no backyard game.'

Reeves wants a solid performance Sunday to snap the players out of their six-month post Super Bowl depression. The Rams, coming off a fourth straight playoff appearance, want to loosen Everett's arm in preparation for his first full NFL season.

Before Everett took over at quarterback late last season, the Rams offense consisted of little more than Eric Dickerson running the ball.

'British fans will see us passing during the game. We will have a much more balanced offense this year,' Everett said.

British fans will be pleased about that. They were less than complimentary about the Rams' run-oriented attack in a major poll earlier this year. Still, they will be more than happy to watch Dickerson. More pleased to see him than he is to see them, it seems.

The Rams' perennial Pro Bowl back, mired in a paternity suit back home, was less than happy to be travelling halfway around the world for an exhibition game.

'There's a few of us who would rather have continued our pre-season preparations back in LA,' he said, 'but the decision was made by the club to play the game, so we're here.'

Denver quarterback John Elway has his doubts about the wisdom of the game, too.

'I hope to have a lot of fun here,' he said. 'But you get mentally prepared for the season, then all of a sudden, you break camp and take a week off.'

British fans like Elway, voting him No. 4 in a Player of the Year poll.

They are unlikely, however, to see too much of him Sunday, as Reeves plans to use him sparingly. With the Broncos still looking for a consistent rushing game, draft choices Warren Marshall and Tommy Neal will see plenty of action.

Both coaches promise to give their other draft picks ample playing time. Reeves is looking to test Michael Brooks, a second-round linebacker out of Louisiana State, against the powerful running game of the Rams. Brooks might challenge Ken Woodward for a starting outside linebacker job.

First-rounder Ricky Nattiel, the speedy receiver from Florida, will make his NFL debut against one of the league's best cornerback tandems of Lee Roy Irvin and Jerry Gray. Nattiel could hardly ask for a tougher initiation, as he begins his challenge to established receivers Steve Watson, Vance Johnson and Mark Jackson.

Donald Evans, a second-round choice who was the Rams' first pick in the draft, will try to add to a pass rush that registered 17 less sacks last year than in 1985.

Jack Youngblood, who has seen a few things in his time with the Rams, looks at American Bowl '87 as the first game in a season that will culminate in San Diego, Jan.31.

'We're really excited about this season. just watch us go,' he said.

At 1 p.m. EDT Sunday a sellout crowd of 80,000 beneath Wembley's famous twin towers that dominate the main grandstand, will do just that.