Rams QB' Come Full Circle
By Rams Nation's Don Ackerman
Bulger started because starter Kurt Warner and backup Jamie Martin were injured.
The season was over at 0-5 and the Rams simply ran out of option.
However Bulger didn't see it that way. "If you know you can play, you
don't have to worry about it," Bulger said. "You'll get your chance."
Bulger made good on his opportunity and led the Rams to 5 straight wins.
After 5 games, Bulger was 5-0 and creating a quarterback controversy in Saint
Louis. For those who like conspiracies, it probably still seems fishy that Bulger
was injured just as Warner was healthy and ready to play. But unlike a conspiracy,
things did not get better under the two-time NFL and Super Bowl XXXIV MVP.
Flash forward to today. Two weeks and two losses after Warner takes over the
resurgent Rams, the Rams are desperate again. Just like in when the Rams were
0-5, the season is over, the playoffs all but mathematically impossible, and
the Rams are desperate to find a QB to take snaps for the struggling offense.
Oddly enough, the Rams have a quarterback controversy again.
But this time, the biggest controversy is the question of Jamie Martin's health.
He's starting because Warner and Bulger are injured. So why is Martin, who is
questionably injured, playing? Honestly, today, the Rams have only 3 QBs on
the roster. This is nothing newsworthy. I doubt any other NFL teams carry more
than 3 QBs. However, it is surprising when you consider that 2 of the 3 Saint
Louis QBs are hurt.
The Rams are making this move after Sunday's debacle. On Sunday, December 1st,
2002, Kurt Warner was the Rams' best option. Though he was obviously playing
injured (or he just plain sucked - let's go with injured), Marc Bulger was unavailable
due to injury as was Martin.
After Martin, Bulger is listed the emergency starter. Warner is out. So who's
behind Bulger, the emergency/break-glass-only-in-case-of-emergency quarterback?
Easy, no one! However, Rams fans may remember that on October 2, 2002, Saint
Louis signed quarterback Scott Covington who played college ball with Miami
of Florida (you've heard of that school, right?) and who played pro ball with
Cincinnati (completed a Bulger-esque 4 of 5 passing attempts).
Unfortunately for Scott & Saint Louis, he was released on November 28, 2002.
A mere 3 days before all hell broke loose in the Rams' Quarterback club. Happy
Thanksgiving, Scott! You probably never thought you'd see it but we miss you!
As I write this, I am hoping that Scott's phone is ringing. If not that, maybe
we can see if Eric Crouch is online and willing to chat? If Martin goes down
in Kansas City against a rabid and hungry Kansas City Chief D, you may hear
the following over the local intercoms:
"Paging Scott Covington. Paging Eric Crouch..."
Ram on,
Don