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BY JIM THOMAS
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
11/05/2009
Bulger-bashers everywhere received more ammunition Sunday when the Rams quarterback went into a slide to avoid contact on a third-down scramble in Detroit.
In what was a 10-2 game in the Rams' favor at the time, Marc Bulger's slide ended a 5-yard gain to the St. Louis 46. Trouble was, the Rams needed 6 yards for a first down with 9 1/2 minutes to go in the third quarter.
On Wednesday, in his first comments about the controversial slide, Bulger offered no apologies or mea culpas for the play. "I was close (to a first down)," Bulger said. "There's been times this year I've gone in head first and it's hurt me for a couple weeks. So I thought I had it, but I didn't."
And then, cognizant of the criticism the play has come under from fans and some members of the media, Bulger paused and added, "I'm really not worried about it."
On one hand, Bulger did miss two games entirely and most of a third with a bruised rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. In addition, Detroit safety Louis Delmas, who had temporarily knocked tight end Randy McMichael out of the game with an earlier big hit, had Bulger in his sights for another "kill shot."
On the other hand, when contrasted with the fight-to-the-last-drop approach of running back Steven Jackson at Ford Field, the slide didn't come across well. Some have referred to it as Bulger's "Jim Everett moment," a reference to the play in which the former Los Angeles Rams quarterback hit the deck to avoid a sack in the 1989 NFC championship game.
When asked about the slide earlier this week, coach Steve Spagnuolo didn't seem to have a problem with it.
"Marc's usually pretty good at that," Spagnuolo said. "If any guy is going to make the first down on that ... he usually finds ways to get a first down."
In his own words prior to this season, Bulger termed 2009 a make-or-break year for him. But as he and his teammates began a four-day break to conclude their bye week, it was a topic Bulger didn't want to discuss Wednesday.
"During the season, I don't want to evaluate that," Bulger said. "We have to win games, I understand that. I think it'd be selfish to look at my own situation and put that on the team. We're all in this together, and we're just going to try to win as many as we can in the second half."
With a rebuilt offensive line and a revolving door at wide receiver, Bulger's numbers are way down for the third consecutive season. He ranks in the bottom fourth of the NFL in almost all the major statistical passing categories except for interceptions (he's thrown only four).
For his part, Spagnuolo remains unwavering in his public support of Bulger as his starting quarterback.
"I've said this before, it's not one position on (that) side of the ball, it's everybody," Spagnuolo said. "When the running back runs real well, Steven (Jackson) will tell you it's because the offensive line did well. When the quarterback does well, he gets help. When the quarterback doesn't do well, that doesn't mean it's just his fault. There's 11 guys that are involved with it.
"I think Marc has done exactly what we've needed. He's been a leader, manages the game, gets the ball to 39 (Jackson). There's pieces that he's working through, too. There's been a lot of guys we've thrown in there as wideouts because of injury and what-not. I think he's been a pro about everything."
Even so, wouldn't Spagnuolo like to see more production out of the passing game?
"Yeah, if you just look at stats," he said. "But we're moving the football. We're concentrating this bye week on the red zone — both sides of the ball. Both defensively and offensively. So if we can move it a little bit further in each one of those drives, we'll have a lot of points."
Bulger said he's trying to play consistent, manage the game, and put the team in the right situations. Sometimes it looks as if he's trying to minimize mistakes in this scheme, more than has been the case in the past.
"It's tough because there's been some games we've played from behind, and that's when you have to avoid mistakes," Bulger said.
Actually, with the exception of the Detroit and Jacksonville games, the Rams have played from behind all season.
"When you make one (mistake), it gets magnified because you're behind," Bulger said. "So if we can play maybe more with the lead in the second half (of the season), that lets us take more shots and be a little bit more risky. But it's tough to make any mistakes when you've got to play near-perfect to win right now."
After spending most of his time here with veteran Pro Bowlers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt at wide receiver, Bulger has had to make a radical adjustment to a younger, less experienced and less talented unit. In addition, injuries slowed Donnie Avery and ended Laurent Robinson's season just three games into '09.
"It's a learning curve," Bulger said. "We're real young at receiver. We've had a revolving door, so just getting on the same page takes time. I think we're starting to get there."
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
11/05/2009
Bulger-bashers everywhere received more ammunition Sunday when the Rams quarterback went into a slide to avoid contact on a third-down scramble in Detroit.
In what was a 10-2 game in the Rams' favor at the time, Marc Bulger's slide ended a 5-yard gain to the St. Louis 46. Trouble was, the Rams needed 6 yards for a first down with 9 1/2 minutes to go in the third quarter.
On Wednesday, in his first comments about the controversial slide, Bulger offered no apologies or mea culpas for the play. "I was close (to a first down)," Bulger said. "There's been times this year I've gone in head first and it's hurt me for a couple weeks. So I thought I had it, but I didn't."
And then, cognizant of the criticism the play has come under from fans and some members of the media, Bulger paused and added, "I'm really not worried about it."
On one hand, Bulger did miss two games entirely and most of a third with a bruised rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. In addition, Detroit safety Louis Delmas, who had temporarily knocked tight end Randy McMichael out of the game with an earlier big hit, had Bulger in his sights for another "kill shot."
On the other hand, when contrasted with the fight-to-the-last-drop approach of running back Steven Jackson at Ford Field, the slide didn't come across well. Some have referred to it as Bulger's "Jim Everett moment," a reference to the play in which the former Los Angeles Rams quarterback hit the deck to avoid a sack in the 1989 NFC championship game.
When asked about the slide earlier this week, coach Steve Spagnuolo didn't seem to have a problem with it.
"Marc's usually pretty good at that," Spagnuolo said. "If any guy is going to make the first down on that ... he usually finds ways to get a first down."
In his own words prior to this season, Bulger termed 2009 a make-or-break year for him. But as he and his teammates began a four-day break to conclude their bye week, it was a topic Bulger didn't want to discuss Wednesday.
"During the season, I don't want to evaluate that," Bulger said. "We have to win games, I understand that. I think it'd be selfish to look at my own situation and put that on the team. We're all in this together, and we're just going to try to win as many as we can in the second half."
With a rebuilt offensive line and a revolving door at wide receiver, Bulger's numbers are way down for the third consecutive season. He ranks in the bottom fourth of the NFL in almost all the major statistical passing categories except for interceptions (he's thrown only four).
For his part, Spagnuolo remains unwavering in his public support of Bulger as his starting quarterback.
"I've said this before, it's not one position on (that) side of the ball, it's everybody," Spagnuolo said. "When the running back runs real well, Steven (Jackson) will tell you it's because the offensive line did well. When the quarterback does well, he gets help. When the quarterback doesn't do well, that doesn't mean it's just his fault. There's 11 guys that are involved with it.
"I think Marc has done exactly what we've needed. He's been a leader, manages the game, gets the ball to 39 (Jackson). There's pieces that he's working through, too. There's been a lot of guys we've thrown in there as wideouts because of injury and what-not. I think he's been a pro about everything."
Even so, wouldn't Spagnuolo like to see more production out of the passing game?
"Yeah, if you just look at stats," he said. "But we're moving the football. We're concentrating this bye week on the red zone — both sides of the ball. Both defensively and offensively. So if we can move it a little bit further in each one of those drives, we'll have a lot of points."
Bulger said he's trying to play consistent, manage the game, and put the team in the right situations. Sometimes it looks as if he's trying to minimize mistakes in this scheme, more than has been the case in the past.
"It's tough because there's been some games we've played from behind, and that's when you have to avoid mistakes," Bulger said.
Actually, with the exception of the Detroit and Jacksonville games, the Rams have played from behind all season.
"When you make one (mistake), it gets magnified because you're behind," Bulger said. "So if we can play maybe more with the lead in the second half (of the season), that lets us take more shots and be a little bit more risky. But it's tough to make any mistakes when you've got to play near-perfect to win right now."
After spending most of his time here with veteran Pro Bowlers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt at wide receiver, Bulger has had to make a radical adjustment to a younger, less experienced and less talented unit. In addition, injuries slowed Donnie Avery and ended Laurent Robinson's season just three games into '09.
"It's a learning curve," Bulger said. "We're real young at receiver. We've had a revolving door, so just getting on the same page takes time. I think we're starting to get there."
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