Can Bulger overcome one record to set another?

by VanRam on May 13, 2009 8:59 AM CDT in History Comment 10 comments

Marc Buler will soon have his name in the record books. Given the divided feelings among Rams fans about Marc Bulger, that statement will evoke a variety of ideas as to just what that record(s) might be. Fortunately, it's a record that will remind everyone of what a solid QB Marc Bulger has been for the Rams, his struggles over the last two seasons aside. This season, barring an extended absence, Rams QB Marc Bulger will become the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards.

Name	Games	Yards	Comp/Att	Comp %
Jim Everett	107	23758	1847/3277	56.4
Roman Gabriel	130	22223	1705/3313	51.5
Marc Bulger	87	21345	1829/2924	62.6

Bulger needs just 2413 more passing yards to become the team's all-time leader in that department. Last season, not exactly a memorable one, Bulger passed for 2720 yards in 15 games. In 12 games the season before, he passed for 2392 yards. Hopefully, Bulger's name being etched into the team record book coincides with a season where he regains his mojo, making the record a sweeter memory. A seriously reworked offensive helps in that regard.

I included completion percentage because I think it underscores the point that Bulger didn't just fluke his way into the team's record book because of longevity. His accuracy is his best weapon, and, of course, if he were a bad QB longevity wouldn't be a factor anyway. Bulger has the second best completion percentage of any regular (i.e. not a backup) Rams QB. Only Kurt Warner tops him in that department with a 66.4% line.

All of this is especially impressive when you consider that Bulger DOES hold another, more dubious team record: sacks. Marc Bulger has been sacked 240 times in his 87 games. The next closest is Everett, who was sacked 186 times. (Still, nothing compares to Tony Banks getting sacked 132 times in just 44 games with the Rams). The Rams are counting on Bulger to overcome that record.

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That's impressive

but I would say that the league has become more pass oriented and Bulger played in a pass first offense under Martz. Still, to be the all-time leader for the organization is impressive. Hopefully he has a good year. He should get sacked less with the improved line and the movement to the west coast offense.

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by Toddius on May 13, 2009 9:20 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

"The league has become more pass oriented?"

I’m not entirely sure especially when comparing Bulger to Everett. So, let’s look at passes per game.

Jim Everett – 3,277 passes in 107 games = 30.6 passes per game
Roman Gabriel – 3,313 passes in 130 games = 25.5 passes per game
Marc Bulger – 2,924 passes in 87 games = 33.6 passes per game

Bugler does have the highest amount of passes per game but is 3 passes per game more than Everett really that much of a difference? I wouldn’t think so.

Also, yards can be deceiving when talking about Quarterbacks. If a receiver takes a short 2 yard dump off for 90 yards then the QB gets credit for all of those yards when he really didn’t do anything. And from what I’ve noticed, we haven’t really had a lot of receivers who excelled in YAC (except for Jackson). Martz was big on teaching his receivers to hit the dirt after they caught the ball over the middle and Torry Holt was the best at it. Sure, they used to run those deep posts but that went away a long time ago plus those are yards that the QB has control over since he’s delivering the ball downfield in a way that can be taken for a longer gain after making the catch.

Either way, like Toddius said, it’s still an impressive record especially when taking his completion percentage in to account.

Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky and I went horseback riding, but there weren't any horses around? Anyway, Brasky throws a saddle on my back and rides me around Wyoming for three days. Well, wouldn't ya know it, my stamina increased with each day, and I develop tremendous leg muscles. So anyway, Brasky decides to enter me into the Breeders Cup under the name Turkish Delight. And Im running in second place, and I'm running, and I break my ankle. So anyway, they're about to shoot me. Then someone from the crowd yells out, God bless him, Dont shoot him, he's a human.

by Tackle Box on May 13, 2009 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good points

I guess I should have stated that based on my perception the league has become more pass oriented. Still 3 more passes per game over the course of 87 games would be 261 extra passes – enough to make a difference in stats. Assuming 5.32 yards per pass attempt, that gives him an extra 1,388 yards. Here are his average yards per attempt for his career, assuming that these are updated (I don’t know if they are or not). Whether it’s become a more pass oriented league or not, those extra attempts added a 1,000 yards to his stats. Not a crazy amount, but enough to put him in easy striking distance of the record this year rather than next.

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by Toddius on May 13, 2009 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The league definitely has become more pass oriented, it's just a question of when, and how

Year-by-year leaders in passing attempts:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_att_year_by_year.htm

The first major shift appears to occur in 1960, with the start of the AFL. The second, around 1986. The league hasn’t gotten significantly more pass-wacky since then, by this measure.

If you look at league-wide averages, the lines become much more blurred:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/NFL/passing.htm

Of course, you deal with such a mix of styles and success rates. One thing that is very interesting to see, though, is that while the average numbers of passing attempts per game barely deviates from 1986 (32.3) to 2008 (32.3), the completion percentage has steadily risen year after year, from 55% to 61%. Passing used to be much more inefficient, much more high risk. This is the progressive effect of the Bill Walsh offense.

"Attaway to stomp 'em. Stomp the piss out of 'em. Stomp 'em when they're down. Kick 'em and stomp 'em. Attaway to go boys. Pound that old Budweiser into you and go get them tomorrow." -- Joe Schultz

by taiko on May 13, 2009 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would take a Bret Farve over him any day

regardless of statistics

by james535 on May 13, 2009 10:25 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Bret Favre

I would have definitely taken Bret over Bulger if this was Bret from five years ago,but in another post (early spec about the ramsn) someone made the great point of saying, you draft Sanchez and you set back the rebuild another year. Same thing applies to Favre. The man just doesnt know anymore what he wants to do with his life. He isnt the same passer.But he has just done this for soo long he doesn’t know what else to do with himself anymore. If Favre gets brought to the Rams, not only are you seting back the team another year, you are getting an aging quarterback who can only play 12 games at .500 level at best. The Jets had a great running game and defense last year. Now, i fully believe our running game could be great, but I would be lying to myself if I thought the defense was going to be at that level.

So Favre, no.

Bulger have a resurgance, that would be great so we end up with maybe the 12th pick or slightly higher and pick up Dez Bryant in the draft and then trade up and get our QB of the future!

by kickasskeever on May 13, 2009 11:19 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ouch!

Roman Gabriel was my boyhood hero – and he only had a 51.5% pass completion ratio??? He was still able to shake-off would-be tacklers about as good as anybody I’ve ever seen…

by edpjr on May 13, 2009 9:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

My Favorite Ram QB

was Vince Ferragamo(sp?) and then Pat Haden a close second

I have proof TackleBox IS Jim Haslett

by JordansDad on May 14, 2009 1:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Vince Ferragamo is selling homes...

in Anaheim Hills now. Its weird to see his “Touchdown Real Estate” signs in front of houses. Oh, and former Ram Mark Jerue is selling commercial real estate now. What’s with Rams and real estate?

by BruinHalo on May 14, 2009 10:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lots of athletes go into real estate, or sales in general

You can buy something like a car or a house literally anywhere, but the people who make it big in real estate or auto sales develop a little cult of personality around themselves, so you will buy that car or that house from them. Being a former football star is a great head start toward that.

Not that it’s a fit for any former player. I expect to see Ricky Williams go into sales after he retires, behind the neighborhood 7-11.

"Attaway to stomp 'em. Stomp the piss out of 'em. Stomp 'em when they're down. Kick 'em and stomp 'em. Attaway to go boys. Pound that old Budweiser into you and go get them tomorrow." -- Joe Schultz

by taiko on May 15, 2009 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs