Haslett was 0-1 vs. Zorn as an NFL player
We don’t know yet how Jim Haslett will fare as the Rams’ head coach. But we learned Thursday that Haslett has a pretty good memory. Sunday’s opponent, the Redskins, are coached by former NFL quarterback Jim Zorn. When asked whether he’d gone against Zorn during his eight-year career as an NFL linebacker, Haslett said:
“I played Jim, I want to say, just one time,” Haslett said. “That’s when they had (Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve) Largent and they had a pretty good team.”
Haslett and Zorn did, indeed, meet once. On Oct. 14, 1984, in Buffalo, Zorn’s Seahawks edged Haslett’s Bills 31-28. However, Dave Krieg had replaced Zorn as the Seahawks starter, and his 51-yard TD pass to Largent with 5:08 to go was the game-winner.
Haslett, 52, was with the Bills from 1979-86, then completed his career with one season with the New York Jets. Zorn, 55, was in Seattle from 1976-84, Green Bay in ‘85 and finished up in the NFL with Tampa Bay in ‘87 after a season in the Canadian Football League.
Haslett was the Saints’ head coach from 2000-05; Zorn is in his first head-coaching post. The Redskins have won four games in a row since dropping their opener.
“He’ll be fine as a head coach, because players respect guys that have played in the league and understand what they go through,” Haslett said. “He’ll do a nice job there. He is right now, obviously.”
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Notes & quotes:
*TE Daniel Fells suffered severe cramps after practice Thursday, and an ambulance was summoned to Rams Park. Fells, signed Monday off Tampa Bay’s practice squad, had been ill this week and became dehydrated following the two-hour practice. He was fine after being given intravenous fluids, team sources reported.
*Rookie WR Keenan Burton suited up and ran a few routes off to the side while his teammates practiced. Burton underwent knee surgery after tearing cartilage in the season-opener. Haslett said he hopes to have Burton back for next week’s game vs. Dallas.
*WR Derek Stanley again took a number of snaps with the regulars, furthering speculation that he’ll soon be promoted from the practice squad.
*As of 5 p.m. Thursday, there was no word on the results of WR Dane Looker’s brain angiogram.
All for now . . .
Hasslett has made his first mistake as Head Coach. He inserted Bulger as starting QB. Now I wrestled with this but I realized Green played better than Bulger for one reason. He withstood the rush. With the Rams on a bye I flipped between games. I saw Joe Flacco withstand huge pressure from the Titans. I saw Campbell handle the Eagles relentless blitz. Kurt Warner stood in the pocket and took a wicked hit on the chin splitting it open, and blleeding he continued to drive the Cardinals on a early back breaking drive that the Bills couldn’t recover from. I witnessed ex Ram Gus Ferrotte get knocked out and come back on the next play and throw the go ahead touchdown pass. These guys have courage. Trent Green has courage. Bulger lacks that type of courage right now and it will be difficult to lead his team without it. Unless the O lIne protects him like the Secret Service protects the president.