Rams-Cardinals Second Quarter
Marc Bulger opened the quarter with 14-yard completion to Torry Holt. Steven Jackson bulldozed for another first down on the ground. Holt caught still another pass, adding validity to his Pro Bowl selection.
On third down, Bulger failed to wedge the ball into a tightly covered Dane Looker. Coach Scott Linehan elected to gamble on fourth-and-4 and failed; the Gridbirds sat on Bulger’s quick out pass to Drew Bennett and the pass fell incomplete in the right flat.
And back came the Cardinals, with Kurt Warner picking on Rams rookie Jonathan Wade for a 25-yard pass to Larry Fitzgerald. Another completion to Fitzgerald led to another first down as Arizona rolled into scoring range.
Then Edgerrin James broke loose and rambled all the way to the Rams 5. James made a nice cutback - and safety Corey Chavous took a bad angle on the play and whiffed.
Fellow Rams safety O.J. Atogwe earned a pass defense in the end zone, swatting down a Warner pass, but James hammered the ball into the end zone with a 2-yard run on third down.
Now the Gridbirds led 10-3.
Then things got a big ugly. Cardinals cornerback Antrel Rolle picked off a tardy Bulger pass, then zig-zagged through the feckless Rams for a 47-yard TD return.
Just like that, the Gridbirds led 17-3.
How did the Rams respond? With an incomplete pass toward Drew Bennett. And a false-start penalty on Milford Brown. And a sacking of Bulger. And another sacking of Bulger.
This is pathetic.
How much did Warner want to win this game? After that defensive stop by Arizona, Kurt tried to go over the top of the Rams defense to Fitzgerald. This time, the Rams had the big fella covered.
But Warner went to Fitzgerald, again, for 26 yards on third down. Then he went to Fitzgerald, again, for another 16 yards to move the ball to the Rams 20.
After Atogwe got busted on a defensive holding call, the Gridbirds got another first down in the red zone. Warner went over the top of Fakhir Brown for a TD pass to the relentless Fitzgerald . . . and now the Gridbirds led 24-3.
Rams defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has had more pleasant afternoons. His blitzes aren’t working and his secondary can’t handle the Arizona receiving corps.
It’s just not a good scene.
Bulger moved the ball in the final minute, finally relocating Isaac Bruce for meaningful gains. A terrific throw to Holt on the left sideline moved the Rams back into scoring position.
Marc lofted a gorgeous pass to Bennett at the back of the end zone . . . but the bumbling Bennett failed to lock up the ball, so the Rams settled for a field goal and a 24-6 halftime deficit.
This play summed up Bennett’s lost season very, very well.
December 30th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Seriously…what is Bennett’s contract situation? I say we just drop him like he dropped that sure TD. Hey, at least he didn’t pop it up in the air for an INT like he usually does.
December 30th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
I think to spruce things up the nfl should make the rams and dolphins play a final game and dub it the “toilet bowl”. They should play at a neutral site at some high school field and fans should be lined around the field with sacks of rotten tomatoes and throw them at players and coaches…
December 30th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Story of the season. Rams kick fg’s in the red zone, and give up td’s to their opponents. Dropped td passes, stupid penalties, injuries,and the worst special teams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 30th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Hey JT where do you work? Maybe I can come throw things at you!!
LOL
December 30th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Funny stuff JT!
December 30th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Darren if I did as bad at work as the rams do at work, I DESERVE to have stuff thrown at me!!!
December 30th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Theory: Like Ray Milland’s head on Rosey Grier’s body in “The Thing with Two Heads” somebody has transplanted John Hadl’s lower extremities to Bulger…I’m just saying. Corey Chavous; great in the locker room, horrible on the field. Every time the ball is thrown near Drew Bennett, Jack Snow does a 5 and out in his grave.