Big Stars Are Failing the St. Louis Rams
Considering the huge financial investments the Rams have made in their contracts, running back Steven Jackson and quarterback Marc Bulger continue to come up short with the game on the line.
They are supposed to be two of the Rams’ key franchises pieces, right?
Then again, maybe that explains why the team is 2-12 this season and has the league’s worst record (5-25) since the beginning of the 2007 season.
First, Bulger:
The Rams have suffered three close losses this season, going down by 7 points at New England, 4 points to Miami, and 3 points on Sunday to Seattle.
Obviously victories were there, waiting to be claimed. The winning QBs make plays to get that done. It’s not an easy job, but that’s why many veteran starting QBs make the big money. Bulger included.
And here’s what Bulger has done in the second half of the three narrow losses:
56 attempts
28 completions
298 yards
0 TDs
4 INTs
That computes to a quarterback rating of 36.1
In the fourth quarter of those losses, it’s even worse. Bulger has connected on only 17 of 37 passes (45.9 %) for 131 yards and three INTs with no TDs for a passer rating of 21.3.
That’s right: a QB rating of 21.3 when it’s late and close and tight.
That’s remarkably poor. I don’t know what else to say. Bulger hasn’t had the best protection or receivers or rushing attack or game plans, but the Rams had a chance to win all three games, and that usually comes down to your top guns making plays, making the save. And Bulger hasn’t delivered. (I should also point out that the pass rush wasn’t an issue in the Miami and Seattle losses; Bulger had time to deal).
Sunday against the Seahawks, the Rams were protecting a 20-13 lead and had two late possessions that could have sealed a victory. But the Rams offense couldn’t stay on the field. On the next-to-last drive, Bulger needed 9 yards on third down and threw a 7-yard pass to the tight end. What’s the point of that? After the punt the Seahawks drove for the tying (20-20) TD. Then on the final series, Bulger went back to pass three times, and all three throws failed to connect. After the punt, Seattle scooted downfield for the winning FG. With the game on the line, No. 2 Seattle QB Seneca Wallace made plays for his team. Wallace isn’t making Bulger money, but he made money plays late Sunday afternoon.
Now, onto Jackson…
A trend has emerged over the last two seasons, and especially this season:
When in the lineup, Jackson starts fast, but he isn’t a finisher.
Since the start of the 2007 season, Jackson has 1,170 yards rushing in the first half and 606 yards rushing in the second half of games. Now to be fair to Jackson, those numbers are misleading on the surface because the Rams have trailed in so many games. They must throw the ball in the second half. But that said, he’s averaging 4.6 yards per carry in the first half, and 3.4 yards per carry in the second half.
This season, Jackson has rushed 118 times for 502 yards in the first half (4.2 per rush). And he has 74 carries for 272 yards (3.6 per rush) in the second half.
It’s more glaring in the fourth quarter of games this season; Jackson has 75 yards on 27 rushes for an average of only 2.7 yards per carry. Wow.
The real conversation starter is this: will Jackson ever be able to hold up as a feature back?
Can he go strong to the finish line?
Or will he continue to crawl to the finish line?
The Rams last two home losses were close. The 16-12 loss to the Dolphins and the 23-20 setback to the Seahawks were crying out for a Rams’ leader to take charge. Jackson is supposed to be a game-changing, franchise-altering back. A dominator. But against the Dolphins and Seahawks, Jackson faded in the fourth quarter.
Against Miami, though Jackson rushed for 94 yards overall, he had one fourth-quarter carry.
Against Seattle, though Jackson rushed for 91 yards overall, he had 4 carries for 5 yards in the fourth quarter.
In the Miami game, Jackson either pulled himself from the game (coach Jim Haslett’s original version) or was pulled from the game by the coaches (Jackson’s version) due to lingering stiffness from a thigh injury. To this day, the reason for Jackson being on the sideline still isn’t clear. No one will say whether he begged out, or if the coaches yanked him as a precautionary measure.
Sunday against Seattle, Haslett described Jackson as “lightheaded” late in the game. Haslett said the doctors told him that Jackson wasn’t cleared to play. That’s why Jackson wasn’t on the field for the first two plays of the Rams’ final possession when the Rams had a chance to put the Seahawks away. He entered on third down, to serve as a decoy. But the Rams went 3-and-out and punted. Jackson hinted after the game that he wanted to be on the field but wasn’t allowed to enter the game.
I don’t doubt that Jackson wants to play.
But again, this comes down to durability and stamina.
The great backs are as strong, fresh and effective in the fourth quarter as they are in the first quarter. Some of the Hall of Fame RBs even seemed to get better as the game went on; Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith come to mind.
Jackson is a very talented back. But this is his fifth NFL season, and Jackson is already into his second big contract. The Rams are still waiting for him to be the kind of back who takes over games, and Jackson still isn’t close to making that happen.
-B
age? Bulger is 31. Not an issue. Any NFL QB playing with a high school JV O-Line such as the Rams this year is not going to play well. I’d like to see any other QB make plays with 1 second to pass. Build Bulger a real O-Line, and we’ll see the pro bowler he can be, and we’ll see holes for Jackson to run through, so he has no more excuses as to why the Rams aren’t getting their money’s worth.
It’s always good to know that Bulger apologists exist to make the Rams situation even more muddled than it already is.
Yes, the O Line is bad.
Yes the defense is sporadic and prone to dissappearing acts in the second half.
Yes, Bulger and Jackson can control only their individual turnover numbers.
That being said, they ARE responsible for thei numbers and actions. As Bernie pointed out both players have a knack of decreases production in the second half. Part of the MO for the Linehan era Rams (and you can still factor most of this season as part of that since its still his staff and players on the field if not his game plan) is to play well in the first half and disappear in the second. How many games has that happened in? That letdown is a product of BOTH defensive inabilities and the offenses lack of ball control and drive. On offense you have two high paid leaders from who the offense is supposed to flow. Bulger and Jackson. Bulger is supposed to get the ball to his supporting cast recieving corps and Jackson is supposed to kill clock and yardage with punishing rushes. Neither happens in the second half.
Yes, coaching and game plan factor in to this problem. But playmakers gotta make plays. The other great QBs, Favre and Manning and Brady, they make things happen in the fourth quarter when defenses have a good idea what the offense is going to do. If Bulger wants that money and that respect then he has to learn to create. Otherwise he’s only an over paid mediocre QB. Same goes for Jackson. Little Marshall Faulk used to be a master at closing out games here. If the Rams had a lead with 6 minutes to go they could hand him the ball for the rest of the game and he’d eat up field and yardage to protect that game. Jackson has been useless in the 2nd half. The line can play in as a factor, but at some point for Marshall he’d have the box stacked because they knew he was coming and the line made little difference.
We’ve unfortunately been fooled in two ways. Bulger ran Martzs system effectively and ran up his numbers that way. But he’s been hit now, and the system is no longer as mathematical as it used to be. He’s never been anything but a useful backup. He’s gun shy now, on top of having little ability to adjust and read the play as it develops. It’s no longer point and shoot anymore. We would have been better served to have traded him at the peak of his popularity and used those resources on the line in front of Kurt, who can read and adjust. That way when Martz left we would still have a fighting chance.
Jackson had his best days in Linehans first season. And those best days were at the end of the year when nothing was on the line and he ran over really bad d’s in Minnesota and Oakland (like those defenses wanted to be there). Thats where his best numbers are. He geeked up knowing he could put on a show to entice. Now, we’ve been fooled by his ability but have found that he has no heart and no top gear that changes close games. Oh he can run up 100 yards on a weak opponent. He can go crazy with a blow out lead. But with a tight score late in the game he just disappears. And he whines and makes excuses when he’s called out on it.
We’re tied financially to these guys for awhile now. Mainly because there are enough morons out there that think these two have the fire in the belly to be the next Manning or LT. And if you don’t think these two can be the next Manning or LT why are you defending them? They are getting paid to be just that. They are the focus on our offense.
I’ll leave you with this. Over 2 minutes left to go in a tied game and the Rams have the ball. They run three straight pass plays that all fall incomplete. Bulger made nothing happen and Jackson wasn’t available to run, not that you might run in that situation. Seattle gets the ball back with about 40 seconds less than we had. They run three times in a row with I don’t even know who as their tailback. That sets up Seneca Wallace, Seneca Wallace?, to throw a 20-30 yard strike to put the Hawks in field goal range. And Wallace had to deal with a much more oppressive pass rush than BUlger had all day. We have Wr’s. Holt can still catch, Avery is quick and can catch. But we get nothing. The Hawks, full of injuries and patchwork players did in less time what we should have been able to do with our healthy starters, drie enough to get the FG.
The problem with this team isn’t all in the talent pool or even in the planning. Its starts with heart and that starts with your leaders. Right now our leaders are supposed to be Bulger and Jackson. I feel secure, don’t you?
Marshall, the line is questionable but not as bad as you and most of the Bulger apologists make it out to be. He’s had better time this year than last to throw. He’s indecisive when his first option is covered and he can’t create, never could. Part of the problem that the line gets whacked by you guys so much is that when Buler has his 3 to 4 seconds and he can’t throw he scrambles around and holds on to the ball until the defenders inevitably get to him.
Bulger is a poor mans Trent Green, a serviceable QB that can play caretaker with an offense built around a dynamic big bodied recieving target or a force of a running back.
Love him or hate him, Bulger will be back next year. If he doesn’t produce, there’s a guy named Tim Tebow comin out in the 2010 draft, maybe you’ve heard of him. He’ll take us back to the promised land!
Another great article, Bernie. I have been asking Gordo and Jim Thomas why they think Jackson is so great. I know he’s big and strong and fast. So was Ki Jana Carter. The point is… neither Jackson or Bulger has EVER led to Rams to a victory. They have never dominated an opponent, won a game in the fourth quarter, or brought the team from behind. Neither has shown any leadership qualities at all. Jackson will be the first to TELL you how great he is. And Bulger will never tell you anything. What a combo.
I understand the cap ramnifications, and why we can’t get rid of either one right now. All we can do is wait for someone else to “rise up”, start making some plays (that will inspire others), and become the de facto leader. Then Bulger and Jackson can assume their roles as “followers”. A role I believe they are best suited for.
Bulger and Jackson both need to be cut…period. If you can get a low round pick…do it but Rams would be lucky to get anything higher than a 6th or 7th round pick. Also…please spare me about potential cap hits…like the Rams could have a worse record without them? They’re both losers in every sense of the word and are rich boys today only because of the incompetence of Rams front office personnel.
I thought that Jackson ran harder yesterday than he has all year. Not nearly as much dancing and side-stepping, just hitting the hole. Maybe more of the blame for the lack of second half production from these key players and the team overall should go to the coaching staff. The Rams simply are not able to adjust, either to what the other teams are doing to them, or to anticipate how the opponents will adjust to what the Rams are doing.
For a team that lacks depth, I can’t understand why everyone wants this or that player cut. Not only does that hurt the team financially but how does that help the talent level on the team. How about just obtaining players that can, if talent dictates, make these players backups.
I do think in many cases the Ram’s play calling is suspect. How can you go away from a RB that is making good yardage in the first half? The one thing that Bernie doesn’t do is put Saunders on the hot seat for giving the ball to Jackson less in the second half. For those that watch regularly, you know that Jackson will be stopped a couple of times for little gain but then break off a 15 yard run. On average that would be a 5 yd. per carry average, but if you stop giving him the ball it will turn into a 2 yd. per carry average.
“To Mike Smith or whatever admin is reading this, can we please get Alann removed/banned from this board/page? No need/place for that kind of nonsense here.”
— brignatious
9:46 pm December 14th, 2008
brignatious, agree in total with your comment. Alann apparently just joined to post nearly the same comment in Bernie’s Press Box. Bernie doesn’t mind at all when folks disagree, but this person is waaaayyy out of line. Name calling isn’t the preferred method in these parts. I thought about asking for the poster to be banned as well.
The focus of my analysis was 4th quarter performances in close games, and how it has become a trend with Bulger and Jackson.
Jim Thomas writes the game story, if your desire was to read a general breakdown of the 23-20 loss to the Seahawks, Jim filled that role.
Again: I took an overview approach.
Thanks.
B