Round Two: Should The Rams Give Boller Or Null A Chance?

[r8rh8rmike]

11.03.2009 1:20 pm
Should Rams give Boller or Null a chance?
By Roger Hensley


QUESTION: Despite another rough outing Sunday, obviously the coaches still believe QB Marc Bulger gives the team its best chance to win or he wouldn’t be playing. Do you agree with that assessment or do you think it’s time to give Kyle Boller - or even Keith Null - a chance to run the offense?

JIM THOMAS

Even with the patchwork receiver corps, the results against Detroit - one of the worst pass defenses in the league - were underwhelming. But the problem with Boller is that he seems to be more mistake prone than Bulger, which leads to more turnovers. Null simply isn’t ready to start in the NFL, although it wouldn’t hurt to see him in mop-up situations.

BERNIE MIKLASZ

It’s time to get ready to draft a quarterback.

Unless the people running the Rams have lost their minds, Bulger’s time here is winding down. Boller is Boller: a more mobile Bulger, but not an accurate passer and prone to silly mistakes. I don’t understand the people who want to throw Null to the wolf pack and see the kid fail. Null came to the NFL from a small-college program that ran a spread offense, and he has received virtually no reps in practice. At this stage of his career, starting Null in a regular-season NFL game is crazily irresponsible. I wouldn’t mind it if the Rams worked Null into a fourth-quarter series here in there to get him acclimated, but nothing more than that.

As I wrote in today’s column, unless the Rams want to get RB Steven Jackson killed, they’d better get serious about drafting and developing a quarterback.

JEFF GORDON

Since the Rams just won a game, there is no reason to change quarterbacks. Had Bulger’s targeted receivers caught more of those balls within reach - like the would-be TD pass to Randy McMichael - his numbers would have looked better. The Rams need to throw more of those passes down the field. This is a check-down scheme, as it stands today, and Bulger is OK doing that. But how many more games can this team win checking down? When Bulger gets hurt again, Boller will get another chance. His mobility is a huge plus, but inaccuracy is a huge problem. As for Null, I would use him at the end of blowout losses to give him a taste of it.

BILL COATS

Boller isn’t a good fit for the offense, and Null simply isn’t ready to start - although I’d like to see him get some action in mop-up time. It’s become obvious that Bulger isn’t capable of reprising the kind of play he showed during his Pro Bowl seasons. Still, he’s the best option the Rams have right now.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)

It really doesn’t matter who takes snaps from center right now. Bulger isn’t getting it done, nothing in Boller’s track record suggests he would get it done and Null is too big a project to throw into the fire at this point. Boller would simply be a slightly different version of Bulger, a veteran whose future lies as a backup in the NFL. Null can’t possibly be ready for the NFL considering how little work he gets. Let’s also remember it took a while for him to win the 3rd QB job from Brock Berlin. That’s not exactly the sign of a player ready to jump into the fray. The entire 2009 Rams season is about one word - patience. Some things just aren’t going to get fixed this season and the QB position is one of them.

[eldfan]

BILL COATS

Boller isn’t a good fit for the offense, and Null simply isn’t ready to start - although I’d like to see him get some action in mop-up time. It’s become obvious that Bulger isn’t capable of reprising the kind of play he showed during his Pro Bowl seasons. Still, he’s the best option the Rams have right now.

I would agree with that assessment.

[RebelYell]

Start = no
play = yes

Null needs to get time on the field to see what he has to offer. I don't care if he isn't ready, GET him ready enough to run 10-20 passing plays.

[itsguud]

Just a question but with all this talk of Bulger being "on his way out" here, what exactly should we be getting in return for him? High draft pick? players....? I heard mention that we could be looking at Jason Campbell which made me yack. I would rather watch Brown take our snaps then him.

Any ideas?

[Nick]

Just a question but with all this talk of Bulger being "on his way out" here, what exactly should we be getting in return for him?

Accelerated dead money against the 2010 cap, if there is one. I'd be surprised if Bulger is traded; if he does leave after this season, it will be through release.

Anywho, I basically agree with Gordon's answer.

[BEER]

Accelerated dead money against the 2010 cap, if there is one. I'd be surprised if Bulger is traded; if he does leave after this season, it will be through release.

Anywho, I basically agree with Gordon's answer.

He will be traded to NE as back up. And we should not be selfish with jackson. We should trade him to a team with a chance. He will be the
next Barry Sanders if we dont. Lets build the future by trade and draft,
not by keep and hord.

[Varg6]

He will be traded to NE as back up. And we should not be selfish with jackson. We should trade him to a team with a chance. He will be the
next Barry Sanders if we dont. Lets build the future by trade and draft,
not by keep and hord.

Please.

If we had those intentions we would've traded Jackson to NE by the deadline and probably would've gotten Barron out of there somehow too.

Clearly we do not. We are building our new team around Steven Jackson. He's the only sure thing the organization has. I agree he's worthy of being entitled the "next Barry Sanders" and therefore has too much value. He also helps the Rams become the team Spagnuolo and Devaney wanted: A hard running football team on offense and having a smash mouth defense.

Don't get me wrong, I understand where your coming from but I think considering the rarity of Jackson's talent, it would be a shame to get rid of him and it'd also create yet another hole for this team. We do not have a legitimate #2RB at all. Getting picks to get a new RB in my opinion isn't worth it.

[BEER]

Please.

If we had those intentions we would've traded Jackson to NE by the deadline and probably would've gotten Barron out of there somehow too.

Clearly we do not. We are building our new team around Steven Jackson. He's the only sure thing the organization has. I agree he's worthy of being entitled the "next Barry Sanders" and therefore has too much value. He also helps the Rams become the team Spagnuolo and Devaney wanted: A hard running football team on offense and having a smash mouth defense.

Don't get me wrong, I understand where your coming from but I think considering the rarity of Jackson's talent, it would be a shame to get rid of him and it'd also create yet another hole for this team. We do not have a legitimate #2RB at all. Getting picks to get a new RB in my opinion isn't worth it.

I will agree with you if you tell me how many games we will win 3 years
from now.? I say 8n8, and Jackson will be 29 years old.