Monday, October 27, 2003

By Dejan Kovacevic, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Marc Bulger was born and raised within Pittsburgh city limits. He grew up in a world that is football-shaped, where the Steelers are king, where tailgating is the pastime.

It logically follows, then, that he should have been nothing less than delirious after having starred in his first NFL game just across the river from the Point.

But that, apparently, would be to miss the point.

"No, it's not about me and where I'm from," Bulger said after starring in the St. Louis Rams' 33-21 victory against the Steelers yesterday at Heinz Field. "It's about our team and winning on the road. It's nice that we could beat a good team in a tough environment."

	Rams quarterback Marc Bulger scrambles away from Steelers linebacker Joey Porter yesterday. Click photo for larger image. (Peter Diana, Post-Gazette)

He completed 22 of 37 passes for 375 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, but such performances have become the norm for Bulger, who is 11-2 as a starter for the Rams and rapidly blossoming into a premier quarterback. What reporters craved after this one was not football analysis but any semblance of sentiment regarding his day beyond what it meant to the team.

All attempts failed ...

Was he nervous?

"I thought I might be, but I really wasn't. It was just the normal nerves."

His favorite memory?

"Hopefully, it's not the last time I'm here. I'm not planning on retiring at the end of the year."

Was this better than his first trip back, when he led West Virginia University past Pitt at Three Rivers Stadium in 1998?

"That just got rid of all the firsts, the first time I had to come out in front of a Pittsburgh crowd, the first time against a Pittsburgh team. But it's apples and oranges."

Bulger, a Greenfield native and Central Catholic High School graduate, did acknowledge that his parents made the drive from Squirrel Hill, as did other family members and friends in the area. He even confessed to making a slight detour from his usual preparation the evening before the game.

"I went to my parents' house for about an hour and a half. Had some pizza. Came back. Had our team meeting. Went to bed. Nothing special."

Nothing?

"Nope. Just getting ready for that extra hour of sleep. I loved it. I wish they would do that every month."

His teammates maintained his apparent ambivalence played a key role in helping him unravel the Steelers' defense.

"I thought he treated it just like any other game," wide receiver Torry Holt said. "Talking to Marc, he really didn't buy into this big hoo-hah and all that about coming home. He wanted to go on the road and win a ballgame."

"Marc's that kind of guy," center Dave Wohlabaugh said. "He's really kind of even-keel, kind of monotone, and I think that helps him. He never gets too up, too down. He just performs."

Bulger could not have performed much better yesterday. He showed poise in the pocket, scrambled when necessary, delivered the ball quickly and precisely and, his most striking attribute on this afternoon, was able to find open men deep downfield. Half of his 22 completions were for 20 yards or more, four for 30 or more, two for 40 or more.

"Marc was very good," Rams coach Mike Martz said. "He did a terrific job managing the team. He put the ball down and ran with it when he needed to, and he didn't make any dumb throws. Just his decision-making was impeccable."

Bulger said the key was finding a way to beat the Steelers' cover-2 defense aimed at shutting down the exceptional receiving tandem of Holt and Isaac Bruce. Holt finished with seven catches for 174 yards, Bruce three for 73 yards. Four others had three or more catches, meaning Bulger did more than simply seek out primary targets.

"It was more cover-2 than we expected," he said. "They mixed it up a lot in previous games, but they kind of stuck with 2 today, obviously because of Torry and Isaac. That gives you running lanes, but their run defense is so good, and the way the field was ... it was a good scheme. But when it's one-on-one and it's Torry, there's nothing you can do schematically to stop a guy making plays like that."

Bulger appeared most satisfied that the Rams, by going to 5-2, had moved into a tie with the Seattle Seahawks atop the NFC West Division. He also expressed pride in St. Louis shaking off a 1-9 run on the road.

But at least one teammate seemed convinced there might have been more to his day.

"I really think that, somewhere inside of him, it was a big game," Wohlabaugh said. "It's nice to come home and play in front of your fans, especially to do well. Believe me: It was a big day for him."

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