15 Jan 11 St. Louis Rams Week 1 Report Card Marc Bulger Leonard Little

The more things change, the more they stay the same. In Sunday's win at home versus the Denver Broncos, the St. Louis Rams' defense forced five turnovers but couldn't stop the run. The Rams' offense displayed a vastly improved rushing attack but was still unable to find the end zone. The Rams' special teams contained the Broncos' returners and proved that Jeff Wilkins can still kick, yet were anything but special returning the ball themselves. As a result, the Rams' grades are something of a mixed bag:Quarterback: Considered among the most accurate passers in the Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
league, Marc Bulger turned in a pedestrian effort on Sunday. Bulger's career passing percentage is an impressive 65 percent, yet he managed only 18-for-34 for 217 yards, barely over 50 percent. What may be considered a decent outing for other quarterbacks is extremely average for Bulger. Continuing the touchdown drought of the preseason, Bulger should get better in subsequent games after he has knocked the rust off. He missed a couple throws he normally makes, including a wide open Torry Holt in the end zone. Grade: B -Receivers: A decent, if unspectacular outing. Holt and Issac Bruce had solid games, catching seven balls for 80 yards and five for 64, respectively. However, the Rams saw virtually nothing from third and fourth receivers Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald. Head coach Scott Linehan's dedication to the run could come at the expense of opportunities for the Rams' talented backups. Note: Congratulations to Issac Bruce, who passed Shannon Sharpe and former Ram Henry Ellard for 11th place on the NFL all time list with 818 receptions. Grade: BRunning backs: It seems Linehan will afford Steven Jackson the opportunity he's been asking for; now he must literally take the ball and run with it. Jackson rushed for 121 yards on 22 attempts and generally looked strong throughout the game. Unfortunately, Jackson still shows a propensity for trying to juke the entire defense in the backfield, causing him to have multiple rushes for negative yardage (he led the league in this category last season). Although elusive at his size, Jackson is no Marshall Faulk and must learn to recognize when there are no holes and push the pile for a couple yards. Jackson can be downright scary when running north and south, evidenced by his dragging of defenders for first downs on Sunday. Tony Fisher was productive in his backup role, with two receptions for 54 yards. Grade: B +Offensive line: The line did a credible job opening up some holes for Jackson and generally looked strong early. Unfortunately, center Andy McCollum went down with what is being deemed a serious knee injury in the second quarter. Without McCollum, the Rams' linemen went on to give up three sacks and committed numerous penalties. Backup center Larry Turner watched Broncos' defensive end Kenard Lang blow byReebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
him and crush Bulger on a critical fourth-quarter drive. If McCollum is out for an extended period, look for some shuffling and veteran backup Todd Steussie to see some playing time. Grade: C +Defensive line: Leonard Little appeared unstoppable, racking up five tackles, two sacks and forcing a fumble. Little's constant harassment of Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer contributed to hurried throws and three interceptions. Anthony Hargrove contributed a sack and La'Roi Glover looked solid on the interior of the line. However, the Rams are still having trouble stopping the run, getting torched for a combined 161 yards on 25 attempts by the Denver running backs. Failing to stop the run could prove fatal in subsequent contests. Note: Jimmy Kennedy broke his hand but returned to the game with a cast. Grade: B (A - for Little's superior effort)Linebackers: Will Witherspoon earned every penny of his lucrative free agent deal, posting eight tackles and forcing a fumble to halt an early Denver drive. Witherspoon's tipped pass (and subsequent interception by Fakhir Brown) all but sealed the Broncos' fate. Pisa Tinoisamoa recovered a fumble and Brandon Chillar looked like he belongs with the first unit. Unfortunately, the Rams' linebackers must share the burden of not consistently holding up against the run and it keeps them from earning a higher grade. Grade: B +Secondary: Numerous penalties (including two pass-interference calls against Fakhir Brown) marred an otherwise stellar performance. The Rams' secondary was credited with three interceptions and a fumble recovery by O.J. Atogwe. Brown contributed a sack. They held Plummer to a mere 138 yards passing. The additions of Brown and Corey Chavous have shown immediate dividends. If the defense can continue to play at this level and the Rams' offense can return to form, St. Louis' opponents are in serious trouble. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett's arrival has brought not only sweeping changes in personnel, but also in attitude. The aforementioned penalties (including a ridiculous unsportsmanlike conduct call for "Excessive Celebration," that could have proved costly) keep the secondary from earning a perfect score. Grade: A - Special teams: Jeff Wilkins' reliable leg simply won the game for the Rams, setting a franchise record with six field goals. Matt Turk proved to be a valuable asset, averaging 50 yards on three punts. While the Rams did nothing noteworthy returning kicks, they broke with tradition and stymied the Denver return game, disallowing any kind of meaningful gains. IfReebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
the special teams units can continue to contribute in this manner it will erase a perennial glaring weakness in the Rams. Grade: A -Much like last year the St. Louis Rams are committing far too many penalties and continue to struggle stopping the run. However, unlike last season, the Rams' defenders played inspired football and the offense proved it can run the ball. Indeed, the more things change the more they stay the same. However, the biggest change this time is the Rams pulled out a game that last year they would have lost.Get more St. Louis Rams insights (0)