Monday, January 10, 2005
By Nick Wagoner
Staff Writer
SEATTLE - As Rams’ quarterback Marc Bulger strolled out of Rams Park last week; he carried with him more than just the team’s MVP award and captain’s trophy.
Resting squarely on Bulger’s shoulders, well, right shoulder to be exact, sat the weight of the pressure from St. Louis fans everywhere. Pressure to play well, pressure to throw well and, most of all, pressure to win. That stress has been there from the first day of Bulger’s reign as the team’s quarterback.
After leading the Rams to the playoffs for the second straight season, Bulger was now being asked to get his first win where it counts most; the playoffs.
So, how does Bulger handle the expectations? The same way he handles all pressure. With the cool, calm demeanor of a guy who has nothing to prove to anyone.
Bulger isn’t concerned with validating his career or his position among the league’s elite quarterbacks. He just wants to do what he always wants to do.
“I don’t care about one playoff win or just saying I get one,” Bulger said last week. “My goal is to win the Super Bowl and it is every year. That’s all I’ll ever play for. Just so I don’t have to deal with the question or whatever, I could care less about that. You’re going to deal with questions every year whether it’s postseason or whether you can stay healthy or whether you’re throwing too many interceptions. There is always going to be something, but I think everyone on our team, that’s why we play, to win the Super Bowl.”
The Rams took their first step toward reaching that goal Saturday when Bulger led them to a 27-20 win against Seattle at Qwest Field. In the process, Bulger might have eliminated any lingering demons and doubts from last year’s playoff loss to Carolina.
Bulger was as cool and collected as it gets, throwing for 313 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Seahawks. He was, as usual, at his best at the most important times. On the final two drives, Bulger was five-of-seven for 80 yards, resulting in 10 points.
Those 10 points won the game for St. Louis. Humble as usual after the game, Bulger’s tune had not changed.
"I don't care," Bulger said. "Like I told you, it's not about me winning a playoff game. As long as I played as well as good as I could have, then I wouldn't care. There’s so many factors that go into a quarterback winning games that it’s not him winning games. It’s not him losing games, but so be it. It’s not about that."
Growing up in Pittsburgh, where he attended the same high school as Hall of Famer Dan Marino, Bulger got to see his hero battle the same questions about validating a career by winning the big one.
As a quarterback, Bulger will indeed, always face questions about his playoff record. Some of the best quarterbacks in history...
-01-11-2005, 06:10 AM
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