Prisco says OJ Atogwe is the NFL's most underrated player.

[KoaKoi]

I don't want any pooches turning black and blue where the sun don't shine so I'll be very careful with how I phrase this.

Even the greatest of quarterbacks can fall apart and perform dismally if their faith in their O-line is shaken (See: Jim Everett). Hence I will not consider Bulger over rated, BUT, he's a big boy and he gets paid millions so I ain't gonna give him a free ride either. In this case, I believe his lack of faith in the O-line was justifiable and he had some injured ribs to show for it. But its a new season and his slate is clean in my book. He's had a great year and he's had a terrible year. so in my mind-
not overrated - not underrated - just expected to perform.

please don't hurt the dog!

[r8rh8rmike]

AW....now you've done it. Calling Bulger overrated is......well......absolutely....correct! Rex Grossman could have filled his shoes nicely last year. Maybe even Ryan Leaf. If i hear one more comment about it was all because of our weak offensive line I'm gonna kick my dog right in the Netherlands! And i love my pup so don't make me do it.

Maybe even Ryan Leaf? Wow, you really have a low opinion of Bulger don't you. Yikes!

Before you kick your dog, let me put things in perspective by adding that Bulger played most of the season with broken ribs, dealt with a concussion and had to try and execute with nearly EVERY starting player on offense missing time due to injury. It was most definitely not just a function of our weak offensive line giving him no time to throw.

[rammiser]

AW....now you've done it. Calling Bulger overrated is......well......absolutely....correct! Rex Grossman could have filled his shoes nicely last year. Maybe even Ryan Leaf. If i hear one more comment about it was all because of our weak offensive line I'm gonna kick my dog right in the Netherlands! And i love my pup so don't make me do it.

RAM ON!

Rediculous, you mean the guy goes from being a very good qb and I've posted the stats before to sucking in one year? So we cant blame the offensive line for Bulgers lack of success but we can call for the coaches head because of it??? Bulger went form having his best year to having his worst year consecutively. So what do we blame it on? You say he is over rated thats why he played badly, PLEASE. I suppose I cant bring stats into this arguement either because they dont mean anything right? We had a Leaf and Grossman guy play last year his name was Gus Frerrotte, how did he fair??? Tom Brady looked great in the Superbowl while being pummeled by the Giants d-line, imagine him with our crappy line last year. It wasnt all the line but it was about 75 % of it that caused the entire offense to stink. The other 25% was bad play calling. Bulger is fine be careful what you wish for there is always a Ryan Leaf around the corner.

[ramsbruce]

Bulger played most of the season with broken ribs, dealt with a concussion

Help me out here. Now I may be wrong, but didn't Bulger suffer two concussions last year? One in a game, and then the second one when he got hit in the head with a football?

[r8rh8rmike]

Help me out here. Now I may be wrong, but didn't Bulger suffer two concussions last year? One in a game, and then the second one when he got hit in the head with a football?

Good memory ramsbruce. After the original concussion against Seattle, he had a setback when a ball thrown 30-40 yards hit him in the head, causing him to miss more playing time.

Quarterback Marc Bulger was on the field last night in the Rams' loss to the Steelers, but he's missed four games this year.

One of those games was Dec. 9 against the Bengals, and it has now been revealed why: The concussion he had suffered on the field against the Seahawks was aggravated when he was standing around during practice, not wearing a helmet, and a football hit him in the head.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that unidentified team sources said Bulger was attending a practice but not practicing because of the concussion when a teammate -- not a quarterback -- decided to throw a long pass. The ball went 30 to 40 yards in the air and landed square on Bulger's noggin. That made the concussion worse. It's been that kind of season for the Rams.

[ramsbruce]

Good memory ramsbruce. After the original concussion against Seattle, he had a setback when a ball thrown 30-40 yards hit him in the head, causing him to miss more playing time.

Thanks for the info backup Mike.

I blame Bulger. Ryan Leaf wouldn't get hit in the head with a football at practice.

[Will51]

dont get me wrong , i love atogwa and what he did last year but when i start thinking about his play on the field there is a huge void he is missing, if you watch defensive backs such as ed reed, ronde barber, troy poloamalu and adrian wilson they have this ball hawk type attiude and when i say that i mean even if they are playing 10 yards off the line of scrimmage and the offense runs a handoff to the RB, those type of players shoot to the ball carrier like a jet, hit the legs and take the ball carrier out like yesterdays trash, rarely missing, i think that is the only thing atogwa lacks is that ball hawk tenacity and he some times comes up on the short end of the stick when it comes to one on one tackling. and until he puts fear into an opposing offnese he ill lack recognition

[YodaRam]

Rediculous, you mean the guy goes from being a very good qb and I've posted the stats before to sucking in one year? So we cant blame the offensive line for Bulgers lack of success but we can call for the coaches head because of it??? Bulger went form having his best year to having his worst year consecutively. So what do we blame it on? You say he is over rated thats why he played badly, PLEASE. I suppose I cant bring stats into this arguement either because they dont mean anything right? We had a Leaf and Grossman guy play last year his name was Gus Frerrotte, how did he fair??? Tom Brady looked great in the Superbowl while being pummeled by the Giants d-line, imagine him with our crappy line last year. It wasnt all the line but it was about 75 % of it that caused the entire offense to stink. The other 25% was bad play calling. Bulger is fine be careful what you wish for there is always a Ryan Leaf around the corner.

First, i want KoaKoi to know my dog is fine. The vet said he should be up and walking, gingerly, in 3 to 5 days. rammiser, i hear what you're saying. Please bring Bulger's stats for the last 3 years and include red-zone efficiency. True effectiveness is proven in points scored, not yards accumulated.
And as for Gus Frerrotten better off forgotten. If our 'O' line was 75% of the problem and play calling 25%, equaling 100%, then we can't even judge that turd can we? Even though we knew he was before he ever wore a Rams jersey. If i were Grossman or Leaf, i'd be offended by the comparison.

RAM ON!

[BrokenWing]

sigh.

Hey look, another good thread destroyed by the never ending Bulger debate. The only thing this thread is missing now is a Rams to LA debate.


I love Atogwe, he's one of my favorite Rams players because of how young he is (which means he can still develop quite alot) and because he's basically Mr. Interception. Our team could use a few people like that.

Oh and according to, I believe NFL Network, he has the second hardest name to pronounce in the entire NFL. Houshmanzedah (sp?) didn't even try pronouncing it when asked, he just called him "Mr. Atogwe."

[Dominating D]

Bulger is way over rated. He should have been alot more mobile and accurate with those broken ribs. Heck he had at least .5 to 1.0 seconds to get rid of the ball on each play I do not know what the heck he was doing back there with all that time.

When Bulger is surronded with some talent and has adequate time his numbers are one of the best in the league not sure how that makes him overrated? Even Marino, Ellway, Kelly, Young, and Aikman struggle in the pocket when they lacked skill players and time...

[r8rh8rmike]

Please bring Bulger's stats for the last 3 years and include red-zone efficiency. True effectiveness is proven in points scored, not yards accumulated.

If you're going to question Bulger, red-zone efficiency is not the area to do it. He's been stellar his entire career inside the opponents 20. Even last year with all the problems, he still managed to have great stats in the red-zone.

Here are his numbers the last 3 years:

2007 - 64.7 Comp % / 9 TD's / 2 INT's / 88.8 Rating

2006 - 59.5 Comp % / 21 TD's / 0 INT's / 108.1 Rating

2005 - 63.6 Comp % / 19 TD's / 6 INT's / 114.1 Rating

You can go to NFL.com and check out Bulger's situational stats and see that he's off the charts in every other year of his career in the red-zone.

[VegasRam]

Any comebacks? Counterpoints? Opinions? Retractions?

Didn't think so.

Man - of all the places on the Rams to point a finger at...
...people are still on Marc's case.

Un flippin' believable.

[txramsfan]

It's all because of one person, and that one person would not want such unnecessary criticism to go Marc's way because he didn't live like that.

[r8rh8rmike]

It's all because of one person, and that one person would not want such unnecessary criticism to go Marc's way because he didn't live like that.

As usual, things are put into unequivocal perspective by the master. Nice post Tx.

[shower beers]

Anyways....I like Atogwe. He's only going to improve these next years, especially with a solid core of young players around to develop with him.