So, I went to my penultimate physical rehab session yesterday around 4:30pm. The owner/manager and senior therapist is a guy named Jeff. He is a big Steeler fan. He has Fatheads on the walls at this facility. He also has a 50 inch LCD which is constantly set on ESPN. Naturally, this is Monday night. Naturally, ESPN is prepping for Monday Night Football.
Toward the end of my session the announcement comes: Marc Bulger has a fractured Tibia. He is out for at least 3 weeks; maybe the season. Boomer cracked a wicked funny: "Well if Bulger is out, there goes the Rams' playoff spot." Of course, he is speaking of a 1-9 football team. I have never seen a 7-9 football team make the playoffs, so I am close to saying that is a mathematical impossibility.
I immediately asked Jeff, the owner/manager senior therapist, if he believed a man could come back from a fractured tibia in just 3 weeks. "Absolutely not", said Jeff, "I wouldn't let a guy run around or take a hit for at least 2 months after such an injury." You best believe Bulger is done for the season. I can do one better than that: Maybe Marc has thrown his last pass in a Ram uniform.
So why do I think Bulger is done? After about 26 injuries in 6 seasons, you have to say that the man simply does not have a body constructed for NFL football. It would have helped him a lot of he had an offensive line once upon a time, but he still does not have a body constructed for pro football. Bulger may have a nice throwing arm, but it never stays well for very long. Like Mr. Glass, he shatters at the slightest contact. At the end of the day, the Marc Bulger story makes us appreciate the importance of durability in assessing a QB prospect, or any NFL prospect. A similar story is currently unfolding with the Colts' own Bob Sanders. Hush your mouth, Dave, but something similar may also be unfolding with Troy Polamalu.
It should be noted that the 49er faithful are already scheming to acquire Bulger. He may have another job lined up soon. I wish him well, but I don't think it will work out. The Ram line has improved. The 49er line hasn't much improved. The prospects don't look good. He will have better weapons, but not better protection.
So here we go. The time has arrived. We now at the point where most Ram faithful expected us to be a little bit earlier. Bulger is out for the season. It is now Kyle Boller's watch. Show us what you've got kid. Do us proud. Let's win some games. Don't obsess about your performance. Just win baby. Remember what Al Davis told Jim Plunkett in 1980: It is not important whether you play well. It is important that we win games.
I know you don't have many weapons to work with, but we are going to fix that in the 2010 draft. Do your best, and we'll take it from there. Just be oportunistic. Look for chances to steal the game.