St. Louis Rams: Time to Bench Marc Bulger
SAN FRANCISCO — Quarterback Marc Bulger is not the Rams’ only problem.
They have too many flaws to mention, too many areas that require an overhaul.
The Rams’ awful 2-8 record isn’t all of Bulger’s fault; few Rams are making positive contributions on a consistent basis. And many players are doing poor jobs. This team is 5-21 since the start of the 2007 season and that’s the result of a thorough breakdown.
That said, let me be blunt:
Bulger is a really, really, bad quarterback these days.
In his last three games, Bulger has thrown five interceptions and lost three fumbles for eight turnovers.
But these turnovers have been absolutely toxic, leading directly to 45 points for opponents. Bulger is an ATM for the other team’s defense; they push his buttons and he spits out money in the form of those football giveaways.
* In the second quarter of the 34-13 loss to Arizona, Bulger had an INT returned for a touchdown, and lost a fumble that set up a field goal. The Rams’ 7-0 lead disappeared. The team was quickly overrun, never recovering from Bulger’s meltdown.
* In the 47-3 loss at the NY Jets, Bulger had a fumble returned for a TD, and his INT set up another TD for the home team. That was part of the humiliating 40-0 first-half onslaught that buried the Rams.
* In Sunday’s 35-16 loss to the 49ers, Bulger fumbled away a snap and threw two INTs … and the 49ers took the three turnovers and converted them into three touchdowns while rolling to a 35-3 lead at the half.
* And if you go back to the 23-16 setback at New England — the first in a sequence of a four consecutive defeats — Bulger was intercepted late in the fourth quarter to douse the comeback. He completed only eight of 20 passes in the second half of that one.
Bulger played fine in the second half at San Francisco, but that was garbage time. The 49ers, exploiting Bulger’s three giveaways, already had the game in the bag.
I went back and took Bulger’s numbers beginning in the second half at New England and continuing through the first half at San Francisco.
And those stats are cry for intervention:
Bulger has completed 42 of 85 passes (49.4 percent) with two TDs, six INTs, and three lost fumbles. His QB rating in this stretch is 45.9.
That’s right … 45.9.
I mean, seriously .. what is the point of continuing down this dead-end street?
Bulger’s confidence is shot. He has little pocket awareness and rarely senses the rush. He frequently locks onto one receiver and forces passes. He routinely underthrows receivers. He doesn’t attack the middle of the field. The pass-rush pressure freaks him out. His mechanics are a mess.
I do not understand why coach Jim Haslett is allowing this to continue.
Bulger’s turnover outbreak has completely demoralized a shorthanded team. As I’ve said many times before, backup Trent Green isn’t the long-term solution at quarterback. But right now Bulger is a mere whisper of what he used to be, and he’s destroying any chance this team has of competing (let alone winning).
The Rams gave Green a 3-year deal worth $8.9 million deal last spring. It included a $2.1 million signing bonus.
What was the point of shelling out that money for an expensive backup if the backup isn’t good enough to displace Bulger? If Green isn’t a better option than Bulger right now, then Green is burnt pie. And his contract is yet another remarkable waste of owner Chip Rosenbloom’s money.
Haslett’s stubborness is especially baffling considering what happened in his previous head-coaching gig in New Orleans. Haslett has said that one of his biggest mistakes was standing by Aaron Brooks, his struggling and ineffective quarterback. So why is coach Haslett repeating the same mistake?
With the Rams losing another ugly game, Haslett’s grip on the head-coaching job for 2009 is growing weaker.
If Haslett is going to go down, then why would he take the sack by staying with Bulger?
It’s simply incomprehensible.
-B
Gotta admit, I was one of those Bulger apologists, just thinking he needed time to get it turned around and that with Linehan gone, it would be the spark he needed. And though I still loathe the Warnerites taking pleasure in Bulger’s downfall (like one thing had anything to do with another), the time has come for him to sit on the sidelines, unfortunately.
Another precise article, Bernie. Where do we go from here with this team?The top-down overhaul has to begin ASAP. Terrible, awful, vomiting football is still better than no team. At least the players are playing with pride (yeah, right).
What do the Rams have to lose, with playing Berlin? The 49ers are using Hill who was holding the clipboard with the Lions. And let’s not forget Warner was zinging around NFL Europe and was cut by the Packers, prior to the Rams. Bulger reminds me every day of Everett towards the end of his days. Bench the Bum and lets see what Berlin has to offer. After all, he’s cheap and he can’t be any worse.
Comical that Linehan was ripped for turning to Green as a desperate move although many thought Bulger was done. Hopefully Bulger will get it back as Kurt has, but his underthrows of Avery today were pretty telling let alone all the other issues.
Well then if it’s time to bench Bulger then it’s time to bench the 11 guys who play on the other side of the ball that have given the other teams the free will to do as the please. In these last two games they have done nothing and have stopped nothing. 49ers 5-5 in the red zone on sunday. Yeah that’s real good.
So everyone is screaming to bench Bulger than you damn well better bench the 11 guys on D that can’t do crap to stop the teams we are playing.
Why keep starting Bulger? Two words… DRAFT PICK! Bulger will secure a nice, high, expensive draft pick which the Rams will waste.
Benching Bulger accomplishes absolutely NOTHING. Well, nothing except placating those fans and media members who like to believe the highest paid players on a team should take the lion’s share of the blame. Trent Green likely won’t be here beyond this season. Berlin is JAG (Just a Guy). If Bulger is the Rams QB for the immediate future, it makes NO sense to bench him if you expect him to build anything with the green WRs the Rams have. Also, since when does benching a QB help him regain confidence? In the football I watch, the only confidence builder for a struggling QB is on-the-field success. There is no reason to bench Bulger, unless 1) he’s not in the team’s future plans and 2) he’s at risk of long-term injury. I see nothing incomprehensible about sticking with Bulger. It’s pretty silly to think a QB change is gonna make the Rams offense more effective.
And Bernie to answer your question, the Rams paid Green to be a veteran backup and leader in a system he already knows. He wasn’t paid to play out the string in a disasterous season. The guy has started 9 games since 2006 and looked pretty bad doing it. He’s not gonna be effective with spare part RBs, young WRs, and an offensive line that hasn’t fielded a competent starting five unit in forever.
Correction: Green has started 13 games since 2006.
I am not an educated fan, but I saw Bulger through into double coverage, put it up and hope for the best, and miss on the short outs.
Bulger is being challenged, no doubt about that.
What’s the incentive for these guys to play better? They make hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars just to show up. Some of these guys may think that is just fine. Keeps their bank account flowing. There’s always the chance they’ll get cut or traded, but hey, they might end up on a winning team in the end, right? Getting paid is not dependent upon winning.
Bernie,
I agree with you that benching Bulger is the right move. Though never a Bulger fan, my thoughts to bench him have nothing to do with my status as a fan of his. Benching him could do something for the Rams. Accurate passes the last few games could have produced wins despite those 11 guys on D. Remember back in 99, the Rams gave up a bevy of points every game, but the accurate passes to either wide-open or tightly covered receivers made up for those points. Trent is not the answer, so I agree that it is time to put Brock Berlin in there. Can it get worse?
I don’t see how you play anyone OTHER than Bulger at this point. (Yes, he has a huge contract, just one of many that the Rams will have to eat in the near future.) But why force another QB to lead this horrible team, with no running game and no receivers, and get hit and sacked repeatedly? Bulger got you into this mess, make him be the guy that takes the punishment!
You can keep making excuses Bulger fans about how it’s everybody else’s fault. Or you can just see the writing on the wall. Bulger was an average quarterback on a great team. Now the pressure of being on a poor team has destroyed him. He was a horrible waste of money and the sooner the Rams move past him, the sooner this team can be competitive again.
Bernie, Your dead on with this one. I think that Bulger has lost the confidence of all of the other players as well as fans. The QB to football is like the pitcher to baseball. What MLB manager would leave a pitcher in just to loose games for them?? The fact is, you try someone else. That’s what Haslett needs to do. It can’t get much worse.
Bernie,
I have left a blog once today, but afterward I was hit by “the wit of the stair”, when we think of things to say after we have begun climbing the stairs to go to bed. Bulger gave us ample reason the other week to bench him. He said it best, “I don’t give a damn…” Now he said that in reference to fans thoughts and comments about him, but let’s put it into perspective.
He says he doesn’t give a damn (dgaD), he only cares what the coaches think. As an educator, one who supervises the staff who reach and teach 200+ per day, I give a damn (gaD). My bosses would not be happy if I didn’t care what the students thought of my job performance. As a boss, I gaD what kind of job my staff is doing. In fact because three last year didn’t seem to gaD, I replaced three of them.
Over the last five or so years I have had some health issues. I am certainly glad that my doctors, nurses and technicians gaD. The law enforcement officers in town are here to keep me safe; I am certainly glad that they gaD. As my four brothers and I were being raised, with little funds to do so, I was certainly glad that my parents gaD.
My students deserve my best and though I am not perfect, they are important and I am paid to give them my best. All those I mentioned above, except for my parents, were or are paid to give me their best. I’m glad that my parents cared enough to gaD.
As fans we have a hand in the salary Bulger is paid. If we all stop attending games or stop buying Rams merchandise the franchise will suffer. If they suffer, cuts must be made and one of those cuts would be Bulger. As a highly paid athlete, no matter our criticisms, Bulger should give a Damn, what we think. If he did, surely he would give better effort.
Bernie,
I have left a blog once today, but afterward I was hit by “the wit of the stair”, when we think of things to say after we have begun climbing the stairs to go to bed. Bulger gave us ample reason the other week to bench him. He said it best, “I don’t give a damn…” Now he said that in reference to fans thoughts and comments about him, but let’s put it into perspective.
He says he doesn’t give a damn (dgaD), he only cares what the coaches think. As an educator, one who supervises the staff who reach and teach 200+ per day, I give a damn (gaD). My bosses would not be happy if I didn’t care what the students thought of my job performance. As a boss, I gaD what kind of job my staff is doing. In fact because three last year didn’t seem to gaD, I replaced three of them.
Over the last five or so years I have had some health issues. I am certainly glad that my doctors, nurses and technicians gaD. The law enforcement officers in town are here to keep me safe; I am certainly glad that they gaD. As my four brothers and I were being raised, with little funds to do so, I was certainly glad that my parents gaD.
My students deserve my best and though I am not perfect, they are important and I am paid to give them my best. All those I mentioned above, except for my parents, were or are paid to give me their best. I’m glad that my parents cared enough to gaD.
As fans we have a hand in the salary Bulger is paid. If we all stop attending games or stop buying Rams merchandise the franchise will suffer. If they suffer, cuts must be made and one of those cuts would be Bulger. As a highly paid athlete, no matter our criticisms, Bulger should give a Damn, what we think. If he did, surely he would give better effort.
— rudi13
10:02 am November 17th, 2008
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Very good point Rudi. Why do those Bulger appologists think it is ok to have him in there when he (Bulger) DgaD about them either?? I also don’t understand a previous bloggers comment that leaving a struggling QB is the best way. You need to bench him so he can at least clear his head, possibly get a little healthier, and stop the bleeding before it kills him!!
You are on target with your comments. Bulger is no different now than when Warner left. He is beat up and worn out. He needs time to recover which may not be here.
Trent needs to start but at least give him the benefit of taking snaps all week with the first string. If given the opportunity, Trent can do for St. Louis what Warner is doing for Arizona. That said, he needs an offensive line to protect him.
Don’t know if Trent is the answer or not, but I do know that Bulger isn’t!
My comment is about Bulger on the sidelines. There is no sign of emotion on his face whether he throws an interception or it is 3 and out. He never looks disappointed, angry, frustrated, puzzled - he looks, well….content.
Like, “Well I tried. Just give me my money and we’ll call it even!”
He never comes off the field looking like it’s his fault. Does he think that it’s someone elses fault and not his?
I have said it before and I’ll say it again: a QB has to be also be a team leader; a motivator; a cheerleader; a chastiser (when someone really goofs up). I see none of these skills in drab Bulger.
I agree with Logic and Reason. Bulger makes 1 million dollars per game, that’s 1 MILLION dollars. Let him stay out there and get pummelled into the ground. Absolutely leave him in there the entire season, each game, all four quarters. Otherwise, arrest him for fraud. In the meantime, send some feelers out to Matt Cassel for next year and draft a future long term QB. As it is, Bulger can sit on his butt for the next 3 years doing nothing and still collect the second highest salary in the NFL. What a great front office, what a great organization. Oh, the Jackson contract is another waste. Can’t wait for Shaw and Zygmunt to shuffle off.
Well I’ve never seen one athlete generate such undeserved loyalty. He had one good season when the Rams played weak opponents. I judge Bulger on his own merits and was willing to support him if he played like he did against Dallas and kept the attitude he had in that game. That being said, Kurt Warner had difficulties with turnovers, maybe a crisis of confidence but he never quit! I couldn’t believe some tv sports types gave him credit last year for calling out teammates in post-game interviews… a real man, a real QB calls out teammates in the huddle and sidelines, even if they’re not a so-called ra ra guy. I”ve never seen a guy’s personality rub off on a team like his did in the loss to New England. Oh, Trent Green had few reps in the preseason, he had a horrible supporting cast in Miami and is just a better qb than Bulger from a leadership perspective, knowing what his arm can do and not knowing the word quit.
I’m all about bringing in Cassell.. here’s a guy who got few snaps in college and few snaps in the pros until this year… and here he’s making big plays and getting in the face of veterans like Ben Watson after he coughed up the ball. Sign this guy!!!!! I wonder how many GM’s would have given Bulger that contract?
Hey Bernie, good article. Last week I wrote that the Rams decision on prioritizing their off-season agenda was extremely difficult. I now say that’s easy. They need to draft Matt Stafford with their first pick of the draft. They need to dump Bulger, who has officially entered the Linehan Zone, and is a salary dump waiting to happen anway. Why prolong it? Even if he’s a cap hit of 5 million, they out to just dump him and dump Green’s salary too to offset the cost of Bulger. No sense in paying for an expensive backup when this team is not a contender and needs a makeover badly. They need to move forward and the time is now, I say roll the dice on Stafford. So far it’s worked for Atlanta, I mean what do the Rams have to lose? They haven’t done too well drafting offensive lineman and defensive lineman in the 1rst round so what the heck. It’s time to move forward. I’ll be extremely disappointed if they don’t go after Stafford in the 1rst round, it’s time to move forward and at least give the fans a reason to watch next year. Right now, is this team worth watching? Thanks and have a great day!
may as well play berlin. a loss is a loss. if he steps up and plays well, that’s great. if not, well at least it avoids bulger’s destruction and green’s next concussion. berlin’s gotta be motivated to do well, he hasn’t made the really big bucks yet. haslett has inherited a massive mess and hasn’t improved it. too early to say whether he does or doesn’t deserve the job for 2009. 6 more games against ok-at-best opponents should paint the picture.
I love the folks who think that Bulger will bring a high draft pick in a trade. What are you smoking? Also, those who lobby for cutting him loose and taking the $5 Million cap hit…..easy to say when it’s not your money. Do you realize how significant that is to the Rams salary cap and their ability to acquire players? Like it or not, the Rams are probably stuck with Bulger and they need to surround him with better players. THAT will enhance his performance. Why would anyone think Green would do better with an offense that lacks a genuine #1 RB, a #1 TE and a #1 WR?
Why would Green do better? Well he’s tougher, if Bulger took the hits Green has taken I can’t even imagine how skittish he would be. Yep, Mark has taken some awful hits but Green’s had worse and he doesn’t go out there in fear… I believe they are better with Trent in there.. and if he was allowed to play 2 or 3 games in a row you’d found out what he’s capable of… he also bring out better things from the other players…
I have no words for the way this season is going. The entire organization has TANKED IT and right now Bulger couldnt throw a rock into the ocean. The whole team needs to be benched! They need some life, a spark of some sort. Zig Ziglar needs to come in and talk to these guys.
-Disappointed in St. Louis-
Pundits are banging on Donovan McNabb today…perhaps we should send Bulger back to pensylvannia in a trade for Mcnabb? they make about the same money. At least Mcnabb is mobile and can through a good deep ball. Who know, a change of scenery could be what they both need? maybe we could get curtis for bennett or holt while we are at it? Thoughts?
Dane Looker said it best. All 11 players on offense stink. And all 11 players on defense stink, too. Bulger is a member of the offensive 11. The Rams look great in practice playing each other, but stink playing real games against, real talented people. It’s pretty obvious that the Rams are not a high risk, high reward, style team anymore. Other than Pace, Barron & Rhomberg, the Rams offensive line is awful. Other than “Actionless” Jackson & Darby (best blitz guy), get rid of the rest. The Rams need to try Berlin next week, maybe he can hit Avery or Burton in stride.
The entire Rams team have taken off for Georgia’s death. I guess they figure they don’t have to play good, because “Chip” will give them a free pass anyway. The time is now for cleaning house. Get rid of all the free loaders and can’ts. They got rid of Warner because all the talking heads said so, and he bit them back, but Bulger isn’t Warner, and he keeps showing us why, every sunday. Since Bulger has become the starter, The Rams will not be on prime time any time soon. I really think Bulger should not have gotten a new contract extension. He was never worth the money he was paid before that. Since when is 8-8 worth $25,000,000. guaranteed.
Never was never will be a Bulger fan. His big numbers in his short time as a high efficiency QB never involved deep throws, much movement in the pocket, and, ultimately not enough wins to justify a 60 million dollar contract. This ownership deserves what they are getting at the moment. We, fans, don’t. Green’s not the future, but he at least brings something competitive to the table. With this ownership, there is no future for the Rams.
It looks like Bulger is the victim of terrible pass protection by the offensive line. He has been hit so many times he has lost his effectiveness as a QB. It may be years, if ever, before he regains confidence. The same thing happened to Kurt Warner. Only this year has he regained his confidence. The Rams offensive line has been ignored since 2002 and this is why Warner and now Bulger lost their effectiveness.
Barron as a talented OL? Are you kidding me? The guy is awful. A horrible draft pick. Anytime there is an illegal procedure penalty you can predict his name will be called. Another person who you can always predict is Jason Craft - for pass interference - every game. Why do we keep these guys? How bad does the practice squad have to be? As for Bulger, yeah he went to the Pro Bowl - big deal. The reality is - Bulger for whatever reason, no longer has it. Yeah we will take a cap hit - and no we won’t get a top draft pick for him, maybe a 3rd or 4th rounder. But make a trade. He will not do anyone any good, sitting on the pine crying. As for Haslett, clearly he has admitted he is done - by picking Bulger. Best chance to win? Are you living in fantasy land, Jim? Apparently 45.9 is a high mark then. Does anyone have Jeff George’s phone number?
Bulger may have something left in the tank,BUT….. not as a Ram for sure.
He is gun shy, perhaps PTSD? let Green play,and if not let the third stringer play for experience and for evaluation purposes. Time to take a hard look at who you want on next’s years team, oh, and lose the high school uni, look like high schoolers ,play like high schoolers,perhaps worse. Bring back the blue and gold!
Ummmm….perhaps Haslet does not want the jod?
Something tells me Bulger is secretively playing his way out of St. Louis. If Warner can make a Pro-Bowl comeback after his Ram meltdown at 37-38 years old, and this season possibly landing him in Canton, I think Bulger wants out at 31 -32 years old where he still has a chance to play for a REAL NFL franchise instead of this joke of a once storied franchise!
I would like to ask Jim Haslett the following question…What would Bulger have to do to get benched?
-Throw 6 interceptions to be returned for a TD?
-Fumble 8 times?
-Incomplete 33 times in a row
-Yell at the coach?
Otherwise, Marc, remember the following
1. Do not OVERthrow short passes
2. Do not UNDERthrow long passes
3. Do not lock into one receiver…look around a little, even if you are pretending…
It’s funny that some people think that since many Ram’s fans still love Warner they want to see Bulger fail. So sorry for loving a QB that led this franchise to 2, count ‘em 2 Super Bowls. It would have been 3 if the defense hadn’t laid down in 2000. Bulger just rolls his eyes at his coach’s and throws off his back foot into double and triple coverage. Bulger got his contract and QUIT. Jackson is in love with himself and Holt is now NO GAME Torry Holt.
The offensive and defensive line are content to be treated like rag dolls by their opponents. The linebackers can’t tackle and the DB’s bite on every move the receivers give them. But hey, we do have 2 very good kickers. JUST BLOW IT UP and start over.