By Bill Coats 09/23/2007 7:23 pm
TAMPA, Fla. — If it’s not one thing, it’s another for the Rams’ struggling offense. The first two weeks, the passing game was productive, but the ground game stalled. On Sunday vs. the Buccaneers, running back
Steven Jackson pounded out a season-high 115 yards, but quarterback
Marc Bulger tossed an uncharacteristic trio of interceptions, passed for just 116 yards and earned a woeful passer rating of 35.6.
The play-calling was highly conservative vs. the Bucs, as it’s been all season for the most part. But Bulger wasn’t going there.
“There’s no need to blame play-calling or (other) players,” Bulger said afterward. “If you want to blame someone, blame me, because as quarterback, it’s my job to get us in the end zone, and I’m not doing it.”
By adding wide receiver Drew Bennett and tight end Randy McMichael, to an offense that finished sixth in the league last year, the Rams figured to score points in bunches. Instead, they’re hardly scoring at all.
Thirty-two points in three games adds up to a meager 10.7 per outing. Only Buffalo (24), Kansas City (26) and Atlanta (30) have been less prolific.
“I know we have some guys that made the Pro Bowl last year (Bulger, Jackson and
Torry Holt), but we have to play good football as a team,” coach Scott Linehan said after the 24-3 loss dropped the Rams to 0-3 for the first time since 2002. “You can have the greatest football player in one position, but if we’re not doing things, all 11, it still doesn’t work.”
Linehan, too, defended offensive coordinator Greg Olson’s calls. “We have to change things, but the play-calling is fine,” Linehan said.
Something’s clearly not working, however, and the sense of urgency is mounting.
“We could sit here and complain about what’s going wrong, but there’s no time for that,” Bulger said. “We’re on our butt right now, and we’ve got to get up and get ready for Dallas. It’s simple as that.”
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Bulger said he’s ready for the howls from disgruntled Rams followers. But he promised that the players would steer clear of any whining.
“Sitting here and complaining . . . we can let the fans do that,” he said. “We’re going to get a lot of scrutiny, and it’s deserved. We’re not doing our job right now. We have to come together as a team and find a way to win.”
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Notes & quotes:
>>A heavy downpour drenched the field just before halftime and continued through the intermission. The grass at Raymond James Stadium held up well, though.
>>According to team sources, LG
Mark Setterstrom suffered a torn ACL in his left knee and is done for the season – just the latest blow to an already staggered o-line. Claude Terrell, who had been alternating with Milford Brown at RG, took over for Setterstrom after the injury, which occurred early in the fourth quarter.
>>New starter Adam Goldberg was solid at RT. “I felt comfortable the whole game,” he said.
>>After being sacked six times and clobbered on many other occasions last week, Bulger was sacked only once and was barely touched otherwise.
>>WR Isaac Bruce was a bit woozy after taking a hard hit following a catch across the middle in the second quarter. He was examined at halftime and cleared to play, but he had just one catch, for no gain, the rest of the way.
>>The Rams yielded a 36-yard kickoff return and a 35-yard punt return. Both preceded Tampa Bay touchdowns.
>>Conversely, Dante Hall mustered just 10 yards on one punt return and averaged 15.7 yards on three kickoff returns.
>>”It feels about as lousy as any loss, which is pretty lousy.” – Linehan.
>>”It’s like the bad-luck truck is in the neighborhood right now.” – Dante Hall.
All for now. . .
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