Unraveling resumes for Rams

[RamWraith]

They follow up win over ***** with dismal showing in loss to usually hapless Cardinals
BY STEVE KORTE
News-Democrat
ST. LOUIS - It's not surprising that the St. Louis Rams are doing some finger-pointing after seeing a once-promising season further unravel with a 34-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

But, it's downright shocking that the first finger doing the pointing was that of normally emotionless quarterback Marc Bulger.

Bulger said after the game that some of his teammates don't care enough about winning.

"I think you could see signs of it the past couple of months," Bulger said. "If someone makes a mistake once or twice, you get over that, blame it on youth or whatever. Everyone has excuses, but when you keep doing the same things, and there's a nonchalant attitude, that's what bugs me. I think it bugs some of the other guys."

Rams left tackle Todd Steussie agreed with Bulger.

"It has been evident to me all year," Steussie said. "I'm not talking everybody by any means, but there are guys, repeat offenders, whose dedication is during business hours, and business hours only.

"Unfortunately, we have guys who continue to make the same mistakes, and I feel like their understanding of the game plan isn't where it needs to be. I think some guys need a reality check to what dedication level that this game takes."

The loss drops the Rams to 5-7, and it just about snuffs out their already flickering playoff hopes. They've lost six of their last seven games after starting off the season 4-1.

Rams defensive end Leonard Little said he wished Bulger wouldn't have gone public with his comments.

"I know people are frustrated, but you still shouldn't let people know what is being said in our house," Little said. "We're family, and this is our house."

Little said Bulger should have taken his concerns directly to the offending parties.

"That's his opinion, and if he sees that, he's a leader on this team, he should approach that person, whoever it is, and get it squared away," Little said.

Wide receivers Issac Bruce and Torry Holt, two of the team's most influential leaders, weren't available for interviews after the game.

Rams coach Scott Linehan, who spoke prior to Bulger's comments, wasn't conceding the end of his team's playoff aspirations.

The Rams must win their last four games, including a home matchup against the Chicago Bears (10-2) on Dec. 11 on Monday Night Football, and then hope that all the rest of the dominoes fall the right way in the NFC for them to make the playoffs.

"I don't ever look at things like they are over and done," Linehan said. "I think we put ourselves in a worse position. By winning, we could have put ourselves in a very favorable position. Now it's an uphill battle. That is just reality, but we have to keep playing.

"We have a big game on Monday night. We're certainly going to be a heavy underdog at home against a team with the best record in the NFC. Anything can happen. If we play well in a game like that, you never really know."

Turnovers and penalties were the Rams' undoing against the Cardinals.

Bulger, who had thrown only four interceptions all season coming into the game, was intercepted three times by the Cardinals.

The Rams were penalized 10 times for 126 yards. The infractions included two key pass interference penalties on touchdown drives by the Cardinals and a defensive offsides penalty on Little that negated a Ron Bartell interception.

Bulger completed 27 of 45 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns, but the three interceptions caused him to have a quarterback rating of 68.2.

Jackson ran for 96 yards on 21 carries, giving him 1,028 yards for the season. He also had nine receptions for 69 yards.

The Cardinals (3-7) won on the road for the first time in six road contests this season.

Arizona, which had only eight rushing attempts in a 31-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week, had 37 rushing attempts on Sunday against a Rams run defense that ranks last among the NFL's 32 teams.

Edgerrin James ran for 115 yards-- his first 100-yard performance since signing with the Cardinals as a free agent during the offseason -- and Marcel Shipp ran for three rushing touchdowns -- his first rushing touchdowns since the 2002 season.

Cardinals rookie quarterback Matt Leinart completed 15 of 24 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. His quarterback rating was 100.3.

Arizona marched 90 yards with surgical-like precision for a touchdown on its opening drive.

The 13-play drive ate 7 minutes, 22 seconds off the clock. It was capped by a Shipp 1-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal.

The Rams answered with a 13-play, 64-yard drive that ended with a 27-yard field goal by Jeff Wilkins.

The Cardinals went for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the St. Louis 1 early in the second quarter, but Leinart fell down handing off the ball, and Shipp was tackled for a 1-yard loss.

After Holt dropped a potential touchdown pass on long pass from Bulger, the Cardinals then used a 34-yard pass interference penalty on Fahkir Brown covering Anquan Boldin to set up an 11-yard touchdown pass from Leinart to Larry Fitzgerald.

Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson then intercepted a pass intended for Torry Holt and returned the ball 35 yards to St. Louis 34.

The interception, Bulger's fifth of the season, led to a 23-yard field goal by Neil Rackers that put the Cardinals ahead 17-3 with 18 seconds left in the first half.

The Rams cut the deficit to 17-10 on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Bulger to Holt on their first possession of the second half.

Shipp had touchdown runs of 6 and 9 yards to give the Cardinals a 31-13 cushion with 8:14 left to play.

[laram0]

They follow up win over ***** with dismal showing in loss to usually hapless Cardinals
BY STEVE KORTE
News-Democrat
ST. LOUIS - It's not surprising that the St. Louis Rams are doing some finger-pointing after seeing a once-promising season further unravel with a 34-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

But, it's downright shocking that the first finger doing the pointing was that of normally emotionless quarterback Marc Bulger.

Bulger said after the game that some of his teammates don't care enough about winning.

"I think you could see signs of it the past couple of months," Bulger said. "If someone makes a mistake once or twice, you get over that, blame it on youth or whatever. Everyone has excuses, but when you keep doing the same things, and there's a nonchalant attitude, that's what bugs me. I think it bugs some of the other guys."

Rams left tackle Todd Steussie agreed with Bulger.

"It has been evident to me all year," Steussie said. "I'm not talking everybody by any means, but there are guys, repeat offenders, whose dedication is during business hours, and business hours only.

"Unfortunately, we have guys who continue to make the same mistakes, and I feel like their understanding of the game plan isn't where it needs to be. I think some guys need a reality check to what dedication level that this game takes."

The loss drops the Rams to 5-7, and it just about snuffs out their already flickering playoff hopes. They've lost six of their last seven games after starting off the season 4-1.

Rams defensive end Leonard Little said he wished Bulger wouldn't have gone public with his comments.

"I know people are frustrated, but you still shouldn't let people know what is being said in our house," Little said. "We're family, and this is our house."

Little said Bulger should have taken his concerns directly to the offending parties.

"That's his opinion, and if he sees that, he's a leader on this team, he should approach that person, whoever it is, and get it squared away," Little said.

Wide receivers Issac Bruce and Torry Holt, two of the team's most influential leaders, weren't available for interviews after the game.

I'm a bit confused by Little. He says that Bulger should have kept this in house and dealt with the players in question directly. Yet Little comes out with his opinion publicly and worst of all he doesn't agree with the way Bulger has handled the situation. House divided or what? Now maybe Little has spoken to Bulger directly before he came out with this? I hope so.

[Country]

Linehan has to get control of this right now because this teams laundry does not need to be on the line.

I do not agree iwth Bulger airing his feelings about teammates in the media, especially if he is calling out Richie and Barron. These are 2nd year guys they don't need you to get in their face they need you to lead them and show them the way.

Bad move on Bulgers part.+

[ramsbruce]

Linehan has to get control of this right now because this teams laundry does not need to be on the line.

I do not agree iwth Bulger airing his feelings about teammates in the media, especially if he is calling out Richie and Barron. These are 2nd year guys they don't need you to get in their face they need you to lead them and show them the way.

Bad move on Bulgers part.+

I disagree with you. Bulger already said they tried to take care of this in house, but it keeps happening. Bulger said it goes "in one ear out the other" so he was frustrated and took the next step. Bravo.

They aren't babies, Barron doesn't need to be shown the way to not false start, he needs to man up get his head in the game and get it done.

[Country]

Asking young players to man up can sometimes back fire with them.

And what problems has Richie had other then the penalty in the Seahawks game.

[ImJohnWayne]

Sorry LL it needed to be said and Bulger needed to be the one to say it. This isnt something that is confined to the locker rooms. Every Rams fan sitting at home or in that dome can see it.

Its good to know that our team leaders see it and are as upset about it as we are. It gives me hope to know that those key guys arent indifferent to our situation.

[Fat Pang]

As I've said somewhere else, I believe that what was said should have been said behind closed doors. The fact that there wasn't anyone specified by name has led to the media specualtion that has started to encompass more than Barron.

Names are being thrown out there like confetti and it cannot but help to de-stabalise the team for the next five games.

Interesting challenge for Linehan and co.

[ramsbruce]

Asking young players to man up can sometimes back fire with them.

And what problems has Richie had other then the penalty in the Seahawks game.

Sounds like they tried doing it the quiet way already. Bulger said they already tried to take care of this in house, it didn't work, it's not like this is the first thing they tried. No excuses for Barron, a second year player should be able to play at home with no noise and not false start. His head isn't in the game, and there is no reason for him to play like that. So either he wants to improve, or he just wants a paycheck. Right now it just looks like he wants a paycheck. He has no competition at RT, he knows that. He also knows that we are pretty much out of it and it shows in his play. He needs a kick in the pants.

Someone posted a quote about him here from the draft saying something like "Barron needs to be pushed because he can become lazy." It's obviously showing right now.

As for Cog he had another unecessary penalty that cost us 15 yesterday. I still think that most of Bulger's statement is directed at Barron, but Cog needs to control himself a bit more and eliminate the penalties. Klop's blocking (or lackthereof) is probably also an issue that Bulger is talking about.