Martz on Monday: Nutten might be able to play

Compiled by Jeff Gordon
STLtoday.com Sports
Monday, Jan. 03 2005

Rams coach Mike Martz said his team may get left guard Tom Nutten back from his
sprained knee in time for Saturday’s playoff game at Seattle.

“We may have him, we may not, I don’t know,” Martz said at his Monday news
conference. “He’s much better today than we all anticipated, so there is a
chance to have him at left guard.”

Here are some other highlights of his address to the media:


On making the playoffs:

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of these coaches and this football team. To go
through and withstand what they have had to go through the last few weeks, with
all the distractions, then the ability to stay focused and continue to get
better as they did is a testimony to the type of character that is here. We’re
a very close family. We talk about this as being a second family and it really
is. They play for each other.

“At this point we’re kind of where I hoped we’d be at midseason. There were a
lot of factors -– losing the quarterback, the backs, the defensive line,
injuries to the safeties, the corners, all the things that happened throughout
the season have kind of settled down to an extent. I think they have obtained a
great deal of confidence and I’m excited about what lays ahead.

“I think we were a little unsure of ourselves for a while, particularly with a
new defense and trying to do different things offensively. I think things have
fallen in place.”


On his team’s struggles on kickoff coverage:

“It’s not a good statement when your kicker is your leading tackler on
kickoffs. That’s a very, very difficult issue, one that has to be resolved if
we are to continue with any success in the playoffs. We had some guys,
substitutions into positions they have not been in before, which shouldn’t
happen. That ain’t going to happen again.

“Some of it’s personnel, some of it’s coaching. I think we can solve both of
those. We had to take some (starters) off because they were tired. We’ll have
to put some new people in there. We’ll get Nick Burley up, I think, and a
couple of other people.”


On the play of quarterback Marc Bulger:

“To play like he did when it counted, three for three in the final drive. I
think six for eight in overtime. He’s a guy you want on your team when the game
is on the line. . . . This is probably as well as he’s played.

“His development from the beginning of the year to now is just remarkable, just
remarkable. His confidence level right now is sky high.”


On the comparison between Bulger and former Kurt Warner:

“Right now, Marc is intellectually close to where Kurt was. Kurt, I don’t know
if anybody is like Kurt. Kurt had such a tremendous ability to digest and
decipher exactly what was going on. It was like he could slow time down. Marc
is like that right now. The difference between the two, Marc has such a dynamic
delivery. The ball gets out of his hand so fast. He’s easily the most accurate
guy we’ve had.”


On the overall defensive improvement:

“When you look at the numbers from the last month or so, we’ve gone from about
28th to 17th in the league, which would indicate defensively that our players
are beginning to really, truly understand and execute what we want. It allows
our defensive coaches to be inventive and creative in defense with a lot of
different things. They do give offenses problems. Larry (Marmie) is the best at
it. I think he is a great coach. As time goes on, I believe we’ll see and
appreciate his role in our success.”


On the play of the defensive line:

“Our defensive players of the week are the entire defensive line. I’m not sure
we’ve ever had the defensive line, as a unit, play as well as they did with six
sacks and I think five hits on the quarterback and hurries and all the things
that they did. The enthusiasm that group brought to the game was contagious. I
think it’s a reflection of Bill Kollar and the job he has been able to do
throughout the year to get these guys to play.

“Ryan Pickett, I believe he had seven or eight tackles as a nose tackle. That’s
unheard of. Plus a sack. That just doesn’t happen. We have a lot of really
good, young defensive football players maturing right now. Everybody should be
excited about the potential, what that means for this organization.”


On the play of right defensive ends Bryce Fisher and Anthony Hargrove:

“The combination of the two on the right side I think has developed into
something pretty significant.”


On the play of the offensive line:

“I was very pleased, particularly with the inside three guys, the guards and
center. I felt that was the strength of (the Jets) defense. The two tackles
they have are so physical and so disruptive. I really felt like we protected
Marc very well.”


On the play of receiver Torry Holt:

“Isaac (Bruce) sets such a standard and Torry plays to that standard. To his
credit, his humility, he just goes about his business. All of sudden, we turn
around and he’s done some things people in the league haven’t done before.
There has never been, ‘Hey, look at me!’ He is a very unselfish guy, somebody
you want to use as a role model.

“I don’t know if people recognize or realize what an incredible athlete he is.
I’m not just talking about skill. To be able to play the game at the speed he
plays the game . . . he and Isaac, to have that type of conditioning, is so
unrealistic. To watch them run a pass route 40 yards deep in overtime and be as
fast as they are in the first quarter . . . That’s where it starts.”


On the play of linebacker Tommy Polley:

“He was injured. We never make a big deal about it. That did slow him down a
great deal. Then there was the issue of competing for the position and all
those things that happened early. Learning the defense, and now he’s taking on
a significant role as one of his leaders on defense, as well as one of the
productive players on defense.”


On finishing the regular season with a minus-24 turnover/takeaway ratio:

“I know we had a run there with Chris (Chandler) where we gave up quite a few
interceptions. I think you just kind of take that out. There were just a lot of
things that happened there. Obviously we need to take the ball away more
defensively. We lost a lot of fumbles with receivers this year, which is very
unusual. Some of those things you can’t explain, to be honest with you.”

Understood. :helmet:

Now, is Steven Jackson's knee no longer an issue? In other words, is he OK right now?

Quote:

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Larry (Marmie) is the best at it. I think he is a great coach. As time goes on, I believe we’ll see and appreciate his role in our success.”

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And now for the one and only downside to making the playoffs...we're not getting rid of Marmie this year. :(

There is talent on this defense, but they're playing well because we're seeing either 2nd stringers (Philly), 2nd tier offenses (Panthers), 2nd rate offensive schemes (Jets), or 2nd rate talent (niners). I still say the defense is playing well in spite of Marmie, not because of him.