Archives for November 2004

‘I applauded Mularkey when he hired a solid, experienced staff. That’s what Williams didn’t do and it put him in a deep hole from the start. Mularkey served under two successful coaches, Bill Cowher and Sam Wyche. The expectation was that he learned plenty from them. There are seven games left. Maybe Mike will at least equal Williams’ goodbye record of 6-10 in 2003. That is if he doesn’t keep making bizarre decisions.’

‘"I am extremely proud of our son, prouder today than just about any time in his career because he has not wavered a bit in his character," Mac Bledsoe said by phone last week. "He’s never allowed a situation to make him do what I would have done, which is get mad and lose control. It takes 10 times more courage, more fortitude, to play on a team that’s not going well."’

‘Clements has seen fewer passes thrown his way this season as opponents size up the strengths of the Buffalo secondary and plot accordingly. It used to be that playing the Bills was picking your poison, challenging either Clements or Antoine Winfield, who after last season left for Minnesota in free agency.’

‘But before you start screaming, “Oh, no, not another Rob Johnson!” listen to some of the people who know Losman well. They’ll tell you that the Bills rookie quarterback and Johnson are about as similar as Desperate Housewives and Sponge Bob Square Pants. They’ll tell you to bag that SoCal, surfer dude stereotype. It doesn’t fit.’

‘What is something that annoys you?

“Being cut off in traffic, which is probably everyone’s pet peeve. It’s not too bad here, though, not compared to L.A.”‘

‘Buffalo, 0-4 on the road, lost the last two by an average of nearly 19 points. But after losing on the final snap against Jacksonville and playing defending Super Bowl champion New England tough, has won three straight at “The Ralph.”‘

‘It made no sense to expose Losman to that atmosphere.’

‘With a high degree of certainty, the Rams know what to expect Sunday from Buffalo at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills will line up in their “tank” formation, with two tight ends, two backs, and just one wide receiver … and run them right at the Rams’ defense behind their big offensive line.’

‘”There’s no question we miss London,” Martz said. “He’s my kind of football player. He always has been.”‘

‘Left guard has been another problem area for Buffalo. After starting the first seven games, Lawrence Smith has given way to Ross Tucker. Both entered the league as undrafted players.’

‘Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe has thrown 10 interceptions and been sacked 25 times despite playing behind one of the biggest offensive lines in the NFL with an average height of 6-foot-4 and average weight of 320 pounds.’

‘In retrospect, Fletcher was a player that the Rams couldn’t afford to lose.’

‘”Their whole defense is actually pretty good, not just the secondary,” Bulger said. “They have some good players up front, their linebackers, everybody knows about them, and the secondary (is good as well). (Their defense) was second or third last year in total defense, and this year they around fifth. That unit has been together, they know what they are doing, and they like to pressure. It will be a formidable challenge.”‘

Buffalo’s expected to tank it Sunday (St. Louis Post Dispatch)

Martz wishes he still had Buffalo’s Fletcher (St. Louis Post Dispatch)

Rams-Bills: 5 Things To Watch (St. Louis Post Dispatch)

Pisa’s Journe (St. Louis Post Dispatch)

Rams know they have to maintain their intensity (Belleville News Democrat)

Former defensive star is now leader for Bills (Belleville News Democrat)

2004 Jazzercise Rams Jam (StLouisRams.com)

Head Coach Mike Martz (StLouisRams.com)

Open Locker Room Quotes (StLouisRams.com)

Defense, Conditions Equal Tough Task for Rams (StLouisRams.com)