CaliforniaCheez
12-12-2007, 08:08 PM
From Jeff Gordon of St Louis Post-Dispatch
Talk about a tale of two quarterback situations . . .
The 3-10 Rams are preparing to face the 11-2 Packers with great uncertainly at the position. Marc Bulger practiced Wednesday, but made no promises about playing Sunday.
He still is recovering from the concussion that knocked him out of last week’s game.
“I thought he looked fine,” Rams coach Scott Linehan said during his Wednesday news conference. “More important is how he gets through the week. For a Wednesday, it was a good day. I won’t be ready to announce who will play quarterback until at least Friday.
“He looks good. We’re hopeful.”
Bulger was hopeful, too. “I felt good today,” he said. “I just don’t want to get into a guessing game these next couple of days. If everything goes as it should, we’ll be fine.”
Marc has also missed time with broken ribs, which won’t heal until the offseason. He has also played with a bad knee. This has not been Marc’s all-time favorite year.
(Also, Rams back-up Gus Frerotte is recovering from a partially torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. Maybe he could play Sunday, or maybe not. Brock Berlin worked with the scout team Wednesday, but he is still on call.)
The Packers, by contrast, are led by ironman Brett Favre. He shrugged off an elbow injury to start his 250th straight regular season game last Sunday. The man is a freak of nature. His teammates can always count on him to play.
“It’s unbelievable to me, for him to be able to play so many games without missing a football game,” Linehan said.
Nobody can appreciate this man’s toughness and durability more than Bulger.
“I’m sure there are lots of times he’s played when he shouldn’t have,” Bulger said. “I think as fans, you appreciate it, as coaches -– but as a fellow quarterback in the NFL, that’s one of those records . . . I’m not a huge sports junkie, but I admire that record more than any in all of sports because it hits home to me.
“A lot of toughness. That is one of those records that will never be broken.”
Bulger has been a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback when healthy. But Favre, he has been a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback when at his best.
And he has played at that level this season while leading the Packers back into the playoff hunt. “I don't know if too many people gave us a shot to be at this position,” Favre said after the Packers clinched their division title. “It says a lot about this team. I'm feeling good about my decision to come back, obviously.”
Sports Illustrated just honored him as its Sportsman of the Year.
“He looks as good as ever,” Linehan said. “He is one of those guys that has a way to make plays nobody else can make. The difference this year is he really limited the turnovers. This year he has been great with the ball and the football team has been great with the ball.”
Rams defensive coordinator Jim Haslett raves about Favre, for obvious reasons.
“He doesn’t change much,” Haslett said. “I always think he is the greatest quarterback that ever played. That’s my assessment from playing against him all those years. I know that’s saying a lot because there are a lot of great quarterbacks.
“He is the best competitor I’ve ever seen. He has the strongest arm, the guy still doesn’t get sacked. He makes unbelievable throws. I admire the guy just watching him.”
Talk about a tale of two quarterback situations . . .
The 3-10 Rams are preparing to face the 11-2 Packers with great uncertainly at the position. Marc Bulger practiced Wednesday, but made no promises about playing Sunday.
He still is recovering from the concussion that knocked him out of last week’s game.
“I thought he looked fine,” Rams coach Scott Linehan said during his Wednesday news conference. “More important is how he gets through the week. For a Wednesday, it was a good day. I won’t be ready to announce who will play quarterback until at least Friday.
“He looks good. We’re hopeful.”
Bulger was hopeful, too. “I felt good today,” he said. “I just don’t want to get into a guessing game these next couple of days. If everything goes as it should, we’ll be fine.”
Marc has also missed time with broken ribs, which won’t heal until the offseason. He has also played with a bad knee. This has not been Marc’s all-time favorite year.
(Also, Rams back-up Gus Frerotte is recovering from a partially torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. Maybe he could play Sunday, or maybe not. Brock Berlin worked with the scout team Wednesday, but he is still on call.)
The Packers, by contrast, are led by ironman Brett Favre. He shrugged off an elbow injury to start his 250th straight regular season game last Sunday. The man is a freak of nature. His teammates can always count on him to play.
“It’s unbelievable to me, for him to be able to play so many games without missing a football game,” Linehan said.
Nobody can appreciate this man’s toughness and durability more than Bulger.
“I’m sure there are lots of times he’s played when he shouldn’t have,” Bulger said. “I think as fans, you appreciate it, as coaches -– but as a fellow quarterback in the NFL, that’s one of those records . . . I’m not a huge sports junkie, but I admire that record more than any in all of sports because it hits home to me.
“A lot of toughness. That is one of those records that will never be broken.”
Bulger has been a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback when healthy. But Favre, he has been a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback when at his best.
And he has played at that level this season while leading the Packers back into the playoff hunt. “I don't know if too many people gave us a shot to be at this position,” Favre said after the Packers clinched their division title. “It says a lot about this team. I'm feeling good about my decision to come back, obviously.”
Sports Illustrated just honored him as its Sportsman of the Year.
“He looks as good as ever,” Linehan said. “He is one of those guys that has a way to make plays nobody else can make. The difference this year is he really limited the turnovers. This year he has been great with the ball and the football team has been great with the ball.”
Rams defensive coordinator Jim Haslett raves about Favre, for obvious reasons.
“He doesn’t change much,” Haslett said. “I always think he is the greatest quarterback that ever played. That’s my assessment from playing against him all those years. I know that’s saying a lot because there are a lot of great quarterbacks.
“He is the best competitor I’ve ever seen. He has the strongest arm, the guy still doesn’t get sacked. He makes unbelievable throws. I admire the guy just watching him.”