Mike Martz

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

St. Louis head coach Mike Martz, long thought to be in a coma, suprised me today (yesterday?) by naming Bulger his starter for the Monday nighter against the Bears.

 

Now, part of me, the Bears fan part, says Martz thinks Dre Bly could go for 300 yards against the Bears, and will let Warner have an extra week to get ready. But is it possible that Martz will actually let Bulger play, seeing as he has gone undefeated after Warner went un-undefeated.

 

Um...discuss.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Warner will be the starter. I think he should get another shot. Play him against Chicago, if he struggles than think about puttng Bulger back has the starter.

 

The Rams started winning because *gasp* they let Marshall Faulk get 25 carries. If Martz hadn't gotten pass happy early in the season, they'd be in contention with the 49ers.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Marc Bulger will get another start for the St. Louis Rams, more because of concerns for Kurt Warner's broken pinkie than the backup's outstanding play.

 

Coach Mike Martz said Monday he'll stick with Bulger, but Warner will be the backup for the Monday night game against the Chicago Bears and will definitely return as the starter the following week. (Marvin's note: vs the Redskins!)

 

He said the decision was mostly based on doctors' opinions that Warner, the two-time NFL MVP, could possibly re-injure the finger. Martz also is concerned Warner is not yet back in football shape.

 

"After talking to the doctors, they were in agreement," Martz said. "It's just too risky to start him and not get that finger banged around. This will give him that extra week to heal."

 

Warner was apparently unaware of the decision about 10 minutes before Martz announced it during a news conference. Last week, Warner said several times that he planned to make his return against the Bears, but Monday he took a diplomatic approach.

 

"This is all about our team, it's not about two individuals," Warner said. "Everybody wants to make it, 'This is Marc, this is Kurt,' and so be it.

 

"But I think everybody that knows anything about football can see this is a team effort."

 

Bulger is the popular choice in St. Louis for the time being after leading the Rams to four straight victories, while Warner was 0-4. But the going has definitely been easier.

 

With Warner, the Rams lost to some of the better defenses in the NFL: the Broncos (2), Buccaneers (1), Giants (8) and Cowboys (5). During Bulger's run, the Rams have beaten the Raiders (23), Seahawks (26), Cardinals (25) and Chargers (21).

 

Martz said if Warner was healthy, he would start.

 

"If he's 100 percent, it's a real easy decision for me," Martz said. "Kurt's our quarterback, guys, I'll tell you that again."

 

The Rams (4-5) might not have Marshall Faulk, either, for next week's game. Martz said the All-Pro running back would be listed as questionable with a strained tendon on the bottom of his right foot.

 

"Will he be ready this week? Probably not," Martz said. "We'll be very pessimistic."

 

Warner, who has missed five games, resumed throwing last Thursday and tossed several 40-yarders before the Rams' game against San Diego on Sunday. On Monday, he said he threw as long as 55 yards.

 

Warner said his finger is feeling better every day, and he's scheduled to start taking snaps again this week. Martz said Bulger would get the bulk of the practice reps, but said Warner would run some of the scout-team offense.

 

Bulger had a team-record 36 completions for 453 yards - fourth-best in franchise history - in Sunday's 28-24 come-from-behind victory over the Chargers. Warner's best is 441 yards in the 2000 opener against the Broncos.

 

Bulger threw two of his four touchdown passes in the final 3:06, both to Isaac Bruce. This is the first week he's thrown enough passes to qualify among the league leaders and he's first with a 107.4 passing rating, well ahead of runner-up Brett Favre's 101.7.

 

Faulk was held to 72 total yards - 36 rushing and 36 receiving - before leaving in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game. He was optimistic after the game, and Martz said Faulk would have input into whether he would play.

 

"If he's not ready, he'll tell me he's not ready," Martz said. "I have complete trust in his judgment."

 

Lamar Gordon, a rookie, finished Sunday's game and had one carry for 9 yards and caught four passes for 27 yards. The Rams also have Trung Canidate, a first-round pick in 2000.

 

So Bulger gets one more start vs the hapless Bears without Marshall Faulk.

Then Kurt Warner gets the start vs the Redskins...and as a Redskins fan I cannot wait..

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

The bears are gonna make a turnaround, dammit! With no Marshall, they've got a chance.

[Guest DrTom]

IMO, in the NFL, a coach has to go with the hot hand. In other sports, you can allow a star player time to play himself back into form since the seasons are so much longer. Football is sixteen games, and the Rams don't have the luxury of taking on a loss or two while Warner gets back to form. I'd stick with Bulger the rest of the way. He passed for 450 yards against a very good San Diego defense, and won a game when facing a large deficit without Marshall Faulk in the backfield.

 

Besides, Warner should know what it's like to lose a job to injury. He only got the job when Trent Green got injured, and couldn't get back into the lineup because Warner was playing so well. Bulger deserves the same chance now, especially considering that he's 4-0.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

That's what I'm talking about Doc. If Warner comes back, I swear on my mother's grave that Martz will be throwing 50 passes again, and my Mom ain't even dead yet. The Rams can lose one game max if they want to stay ahead of the Falcons, they don't have time to fuck around while Martz has Superbowl flashbacks like the beggining of the year. Hell, I think the Bears would have a chance if Warner played Monday.

[Guest El Satanico]

If Warner was playing well before the injury then i'd say yes he should get his job back when he's 100%.

 

However the fact is that Warner looked like shit before getting injured. Unless Bulger starts struggling there is no reason for Warner to start just because he's healthy.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

If anything, Bulger just earned a starting job somewhere else in 2 years. I think hes signed through next year, but St. Louis won't resign him and he'll get a nice fat deal like Trent Green got in KC.

 

The offense has made 2 unknown QB's (Green and Bulger) look like greatest QB's in NFL history, and Bulger would likely demand a higher contract with the Reason that Warner has been hurt each of the last 3 seasons and they need a solid backup, but St. Louis would probably rather pay another unknown half as much because they feel that the offense will do the same thing again if Warner gets hurt again.

 

And I can't wait for when Warner starts in 2 weeks vs Washington. I just know he's going to end up stinking it up and Martz is gonna have him pass the ball more than he gives it to Faulk, and the Redskins should have a better chance defending the pass than Marshall Faulk.

[Guest El Satanico]

Trent Green wasn't an unknown QB when he went to Saint Louis. The "experts" were talking about his potential to be a good QB while he was still in Washington. He just never lived up to the hype while in Washington.

 

Hell i still don't think Trent Green has ever lived up to his hype.

[Guest redbaron51]

Kurt who?

[Guest ShooterJay]

Trent Green was a 3rd stringer in Washington, who stepped in for Frerotte and some other guy. He played pretty well under the circumstances, and signed with St. Louis right after. He got injured right away, Warner subbed in, the rest is history.

 

So KC is really his first real shot to make good.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

It's ok, because Urlacher's gonna eradicate Bulger if he starts.

 

the rams can't win if they've got no QBs! MUWAHAHAHA!

[Guest MD2020]

the rams can't win if they've got no QBs! MUWAHAHAHA!

Kind of like the Bears...