Tuesday, Sep. 29, 2009

Bulger's status to be day-to-day; may not play Sunday against 49ers

Has bruised right rotator cuff

ST. LOUIS -- Quarterback Marc Bulger has a bruised rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder, and the St. Louis Rams don't know if he will be available for their game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

"He'll be a little bit day-to-day," Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said Monday. "We're not sure on this week. We'll see where he is at tomorrow and on Wednesday, and if he'll do anything at all. It's not torn. It's a bruised rotator cuff."

Spagnuolo said he didn't know if Bulger would be able to throw in practice on Wednesday.

"He's very sore today," Spagnuolo said. "Tomorrow when he comes in, we'll see where he is at. I know one thing about Marc Bulger, if there is a way for him to go and fight through pain, he'll do that."

Bulger injured his shoulder when he was hit by Green Bay's Aaron Kampman as he was cocking to throw in the second quarter of the Rams' 36-17 loss to the Packers on Sunday.

Bulger fumbled on the play.

Bulger went back out on the field for the Rams' next offensive series, but he aggravated the injury trying to recover a fumble by running back Steven Jackson.

Spagnuolo said he was worried that Bulger's injury might be more serious.

"Especially where it is his throwing arm," Spagnuolo said. "That's why we eventually pulled him out of there. We weren't going to take any chances. But, it is a bruise, and not a tear. My understanding is that it could be a lot worse."

If Bulger can't play, Kyle Boller will start in his place.

"We'll see how it goes," Boller said. "I'll be prepared just like I am every week. We'll see how Marc's shoulder feels on Wednesday, and kind of go from there."

Boller completed 16 of 31 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns with one interception against the Packers after replacing Bulger.

Boller misfired on his first four throws, but then completed eight of his next nine passes, including two touchdown tosses to tight end Daniel Fells.

"You guys can see it," Spagnuolo said. "Kyle is a fiery guy, very confident in what he does. He'd tell you that he'd like to have his first two throws back yesterday. You get thrown into that situation, but then you settle down."

Boller made an aggressive block on a run by Steven Jackson on the first of the Rams' two touchdown drives.

"I love doing that kind of stuff, to be able to spring Jackson out a little bit more," Boller said. "It gets me into the game."

Boller said he enjoys getting a hit on a defensive player every once in a while.

"I used to play linebacker when I was a kid, so it's my time to take it out on them," Boller said. "Instead of being hit all the time, you get to actually hit them."

Boller said he was reminded of the injury risk by third-string quarterback Keith Null when he went back to the sideline.

"He said, 'What are you doing?'" Boller said. "I said, 'I'm playing football, man.'"

Boller cooled off in the second half, as he completed only eight of 18 passes for 64 yards over the final two quarters.

Spagnuolo said an injury to leading receiver Laurent Robinson contributed to Boller's struggles in the second half.

"All of the sudden you're starting to have injuries, and it was on both sides of the ball," Spagnuolo said. "You've got guys in there that haven't had a lot of reps. Danny (Amendola) went in there and had some three wide receiver stuff, and he's only been here for three days. It got things out of sync a little bit. I think a week of working together, if Kyle is the guy and he is able to work with the wide receivers, will help."

Null, a sixth-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft out of West Texas A&M, will serve as the backup quarterback if Bulger is out.

Spagnuolo said he was confident in Null being able to run the Rams' offense.

"(Quarterbacks coach) Dick Curl has done a good job with Keith, and he has some skills," Spagnuolo said. "Like any other quarterback in this league, you need to be thrown into the fire and get some playing experience."