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By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
12/06/2004
No one had more fun Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome than quarterback Chris Chandler, who guided the Rams to a 16-6 victory over San Francisco in relief of the injured Marc Bulger.
"To a certain degree, I think it's more fun as the time runs out in someone's career," Chandler said. "As the sand runs through the hourglass, and you know that (retirement) is not 10 years away anymore."
At age 39, Chandler realizes his days in the NFL are numbered. But he'll get at least one more start - Sunday in Carolina. With Bulger still a week or two away from being ready to play, coach Mike Martz named Chandler the starter against the Panthers.
Bulger has a bone bruise on his throwing shoulder at the top of his collarbone. The good news is, it's not a shoulder separation.
"The AC (joint) separations that are so typical for quarterbacks was not there," Martz said. "There is a little bit of swelling in the joint, but there's no damage evidently to the ligaments that hold the joint together."
The bad news is, Bulger's in a lot of pain.
"He's awfully sore today," Martz said at his Monday news conference. "It's very tender. When you have a bone bruise like that, it can be very painful. So we'll just have to see how he deals with it."
Meanwhile, the outlook on rookie running back Steven Jackson's bruised right knee was more clouded Monday.
"I don't know if he'll be available this week or not," Martz said. "I suppose he will be, but who knows?"
Jackson apparently suffered the injury on the last of his 26 carries against the *****. He was replaced for the final two Rams offensive plays by Arlen Harris. If neither Jackson nor Marshall Faulk is able to play against the Panthers, Harris would get the start.
The Rams plan to hold Faulk out of practice most, if not all, of this week. As to Faulk's availability against Carolina, Martz said, "It's all based on Marshall, on his health and how he feels and how he's going. When he's healthy, he's feeling good, there's no reason to diminish what he does."
According to team officials, Jackson complained of soreness in the knee when he reported for treatment Monday - more soreness than expected. But Jackson has another day to rest the knee before the team's first practice of the work week on Wednesday.
The team will have a new backup quarterback on the field Wednesday in Jamie Martin.
That's right, Jamie Martin. The Rams are bringing in Martin, who has been out of football since October 2003, as quarterback insurance while Bulger is sidelined. Tight end and fullback Nick Burley, promoted to the active roster from the practice squad last week, will be released to free up a roster spot for Martin, 34.
"Of course, Jamie was in the system here and knows it well," Martz said. "I know Jamie. I'm very comfortable with Jamie. ... I would rather have him as the backup, because he's played. There's a lot to be said for that. We're still in the race. We're still in this thing pretty good, and I don't want to leave anything to chance."
Why not rookie Jeff Smoker at No. 2? Is he ready to assume that role?
"I don't want to find out," Martz said. "That's what I don't want to do. Rookie quarterbacks - that's a hard one to swallow.
"Now if we were out of this thing, if we were a bad team ... then maybe you go with a rookie. But we're not going with a rookie. I hope that Jamie can get himself ready."
Chandler proved himself ready against San Francisco, even though he hadn't taken a single practice repetition with the starters since the beginning of the regular season. He completed 18 of 27 passes against the ***** for 216 yards, with one touchdown pass and one interception. His passer rating was a respectable 87.9.
"As the game went on, I felt he got better and better," Martz said. "He settled down. Things were going a little bit quick for him early. But he really managed the game well all the way down to the end."
A full week of practice with the starting unit obviously will help entering the Carolina game.
"I'm excited about the potential of what he's going to do for us this week," Martz said.
Bulger's injury is in the same spot on the same shoulder as a bruise he suffered in the Rams' game Oct. 24 in Miami. Martz said Monday that Bulger didn't fully get over that injury until last week.
"He would not have been able to play that next week (after Miami) had we not had a bye," Martz said. "Hopefully we'll get Marc back in short order. But we'll have to see."
Martin last played for the Rams in 2002, starting two games when Bulger and Kurt Warner both were sidelined with injuries.
Of the Post-Dispatch
12/06/2004
No one had more fun Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome than quarterback Chris Chandler, who guided the Rams to a 16-6 victory over San Francisco in relief of the injured Marc Bulger.
"To a certain degree, I think it's more fun as the time runs out in someone's career," Chandler said. "As the sand runs through the hourglass, and you know that (retirement) is not 10 years away anymore."
At age 39, Chandler realizes his days in the NFL are numbered. But he'll get at least one more start - Sunday in Carolina. With Bulger still a week or two away from being ready to play, coach Mike Martz named Chandler the starter against the Panthers.
Bulger has a bone bruise on his throwing shoulder at the top of his collarbone. The good news is, it's not a shoulder separation.
"The AC (joint) separations that are so typical for quarterbacks was not there," Martz said. "There is a little bit of swelling in the joint, but there's no damage evidently to the ligaments that hold the joint together."
The bad news is, Bulger's in a lot of pain.
"He's awfully sore today," Martz said at his Monday news conference. "It's very tender. When you have a bone bruise like that, it can be very painful. So we'll just have to see how he deals with it."
Meanwhile, the outlook on rookie running back Steven Jackson's bruised right knee was more clouded Monday.
"I don't know if he'll be available this week or not," Martz said. "I suppose he will be, but who knows?"
Jackson apparently suffered the injury on the last of his 26 carries against the *****. He was replaced for the final two Rams offensive plays by Arlen Harris. If neither Jackson nor Marshall Faulk is able to play against the Panthers, Harris would get the start.
The Rams plan to hold Faulk out of practice most, if not all, of this week. As to Faulk's availability against Carolina, Martz said, "It's all based on Marshall, on his health and how he feels and how he's going. When he's healthy, he's feeling good, there's no reason to diminish what he does."
According to team officials, Jackson complained of soreness in the knee when he reported for treatment Monday - more soreness than expected. But Jackson has another day to rest the knee before the team's first practice of the work week on Wednesday.
The team will have a new backup quarterback on the field Wednesday in Jamie Martin.
That's right, Jamie Martin. The Rams are bringing in Martin, who has been out of football since October 2003, as quarterback insurance while Bulger is sidelined. Tight end and fullback Nick Burley, promoted to the active roster from the practice squad last week, will be released to free up a roster spot for Martin, 34.
"Of course, Jamie was in the system here and knows it well," Martz said. "I know Jamie. I'm very comfortable with Jamie. ... I would rather have him as the backup, because he's played. There's a lot to be said for that. We're still in the race. We're still in this thing pretty good, and I don't want to leave anything to chance."
Why not rookie Jeff Smoker at No. 2? Is he ready to assume that role?
"I don't want to find out," Martz said. "That's what I don't want to do. Rookie quarterbacks - that's a hard one to swallow.
"Now if we were out of this thing, if we were a bad team ... then maybe you go with a rookie. But we're not going with a rookie. I hope that Jamie can get himself ready."
Chandler proved himself ready against San Francisco, even though he hadn't taken a single practice repetition with the starters since the beginning of the regular season. He completed 18 of 27 passes against the ***** for 216 yards, with one touchdown pass and one interception. His passer rating was a respectable 87.9.
"As the game went on, I felt he got better and better," Martz said. "He settled down. Things were going a little bit quick for him early. But he really managed the game well all the way down to the end."
A full week of practice with the starting unit obviously will help entering the Carolina game.
"I'm excited about the potential of what he's going to do for us this week," Martz said.
Bulger's injury is in the same spot on the same shoulder as a bruise he suffered in the Rams' game Oct. 24 in Miami. Martz said Monday that Bulger didn't fully get over that injury until last week.
"He would not have been able to play that next week (after Miami) had we not had a bye," Martz said. "Hopefully we'll get Marc back in short order. But we'll have to see."
Martin last played for the Rams in 2002, starting two games when Bulger and Kurt Warner both were sidelined with injuries.
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