"Bone-crusher" hit left impression on Bryce Fisher

***RamWraith*** · -01-06-2005

By Bill Coats
Of the Post-Dispatch
Wednesday, Jan. 05 2005

Rams defensive end Bryce Fisher, the reigning NFC defensive player of the
month, never saw the train that plowed over him Oct. 24 in Miami. At least, it
felt like a train.

"That was a bone-crusher ... the biggest hit I've ever seen in football," coach
Mike Martz said. "I mean, that was an ugly hit."

Fisher was sprinting downfield to cover a punt return when Dolphins rookie Tony
Bua barreled in from his left side. At 6 feet 3 and 272 pounds, Fisher had a
size advantage over the 5-11, 212-pound Bua, a linebacker by trade. But Bua had
the element of surprise going for him.

The full-speed, blind-side collision dropped the unsuspecting Fisher in his
tracks, and the effects lingered.

"I don't want to make excuses, but it shook me," Fisher said. "I couldn't
breathe right for a couple of weeks, and I was coughing up blood for another 10
days or so."

Fisher, who had earned a starting spot for the first time in his four-year NFL
career, stayed in the lineup. But after collecting 38 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks
in the first seven games, he mustered a mere eight tackles and no sacks in the
four outings after the Miami game.

In the five games since then, Fisher seems to have finally shrugged off the
residue of the Bua hit and regained his early-season form.

"You just don't recover (quickly) from something like that," Martz said. "He's
just kind of now picking up where he left off. Because he was going great guns
at that point."

Fisher received the league award after recording 31 tackles and five assists in
the stretch from Dec. 5 through Sunday.

Interestingly, Fisher had big games the past two weeks coming off the bench,
with rookie Tony Hargrove taking over the starting role on the right side.
Fisher had seven tackles and a sack against Philadelphia and 10 stops and two
sacks vs. the New York Jets.

He finished the regular season as the team leader in sacks, with 8 1/2. Left
defensive end Leonard Little, who had totaled 39 sacks over the previous three
seasons and played in the 2004 Pro Bowl, wound up second with seven.

But Fisher emphasized that if foes hadn't been concentrating on slowing Little,
the stats would've looked different.

"The way teams set their protections, it's to account for Little," Fisher said.
"I've been lucky that I've gotten some one-on-one matchups against running
backs and tight ends, and I've taken advantage of some of those opportunities."

Award for Bulger

Quarterback Marc Bulger also picked up a trophy Wednesday. He was named the NFC
offensive player of the week after hitting on 29 of 39 passes for 450 yards and
three touchdowns Sunday in the Rams' 32-29 overtime victory over the Jets.

Bruce is probable

Wide receiver Isaac Bruce, who missed most of the fourth quarter and overtime
Sunday after suffering a bruised hip while throwing a downfield block,
practiced Wednesday and was listed as probable on the week's first injury
report.

Bruce reported that his hip was "still sore, but it'll be fine" by Saturday.
Guard Tom Nutten (knee) and running back Arlen Harris (hamstring) were listed
as doubtful. Little (groin) and defensive lineman Tyoka Jackson (ankle) were
questionable, and linebacker Brandon Chillar (shoulder) and defensive end
Fisher (ankle) were probable.

***adarian_too*** · -01-06-2005

Originally Posted by By Bill Coats

Of the Post-Dispatch
Wednesday, Jan. 05 2005

"That was a bone-crusher ... the biggest hit I've ever seen in football," coach
Mike Martz said. "I mean, that was an ugly hit."

Word. It was a BooYeah hit alright. Coughing up blood, huh? What I hope it taught Bryce was that it is not the size of the dog in the fight that counts, but the size of the fight in the dog. It's SHOWTIME. Time to bring the fight.

**HUbison** · -01-06-2005

I don't want to make excuses, but it shook me," Fisher said.

Yea, not to make excuses, but in the 4 games after that hit, Fisher had a total of 8 tackles and no sacks. In the other 12 games he's combined for 44 tackles and 8.5 sacks. Without the 4 games of spitting up blood and not breathing right, that extrapolates to 59 tackles and 11 sacks. Not a bad season for someone "just trying to fill the vacuum left by Wistrom". With Fisher, Hargrove, & Little, I feel pretty good about our DEs.