JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -The St. Louis Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars handled last weekend’s lopsided losses very differently.
The Rams (0-5) were upbeat, positive, maybe even a little energized after losing 38-10 to Minnesota. The Jaguars (2-3) were embarrassed, shellshocked and somewhat depressed after getting thumped 41-0 at Seattle. Both teams will try to bounce back Sunday in Jacksonville.
St. Louis looks as if it already has, hardly sounding like a team that has the longest losing streak in the NFL at 15 games.
“I know that good days are going to come because all the work that we’ve put in,” running back Steven Jackson said. “I know that we will reap those benefits sometime soon.”
Last week’s game may have given the Rams hope.
ator cuff, returned late in the game and completed all seven passes for 88 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Rams held Minnesota’s high-scoring offense to 17 points through three quarters and kept star running back Adrian Peterson somewhat in check most of the day.
Coach Steve Spagnuolo called morale “great.”
“We’ve got quality guys in this locker room, real character guys,” Spagnuolo said. “We’ve got some great leaders and I think that’s surfacing, and usually in adverse situations your leaders do surface and it’s good to see that. We’re hoping for it to turn and get a win, but we need to work hard to do that.”
The Jaguars might want to consider taking a similar approach.
So far, coach Jack Del Rio has been short and terse with the media, and he only took responsibility for the debacle in Seattle when specifically asked if he was accountable for it.
Star running back Maurice Jones-Drew, meanwhile, pointed fingers. He questioned the team’s play-calling, its lack of offensive identity and its constant shuffling of offensive linemen. Jones-Drew admitted he was bitter because of the team’s stagnant running game and was still steaming from the shutout in Seattle.
2 times for 34 yards, and added five receptions. There were dropped passes, poor throws and a season-high nine penalties for 73 yards.
“It’s all about the respect. It’s not even about anything else,” Jones-Drew said. “Do they respect us as an offense? That’s the question. And right now, no one respects us. We just got blown out. We didn’t put up no points. … Who respects that? What do you think St. Louis is going to come in here and do?
“We have to go back and gain the respect of everybody in this league this week.”
That might not be so easy.
Jacksonville’s defense has been downright porous, ranking 30th in the league.
The Jaguars have an NFL-low four sacks, so they aren’t getting to opposing quarterbacks, and the secondary is paying the price.
Peyton Manning (28 of 38, 301 yards, 1 TD), Kurt Warner (24 of 26, 243 yards, 2 TDs), Matt Schaub (26 of 35, 300 yards, 3 TDs) and Matt Hasselbeck (18 of 30, 241 yards, 4 TDs) have torched Jacksonville through the air. Warner and Hasselbeck did their damage in just three quarters.
Could Bulger be next?
He injured his shoulder in a loss to Green Bay last month and missed the last two starts. He came off the bench last week to replace Kyle Boller, who sustained a concussion against the Vikings, and was perfect in his return. He capped an 80-yard drive with a 27-yard TD pass to Donnie Avery.
ot going to hang my hat on that and say that we’re going to come out and do the same thing,” Bulger said. “Last week doesn’t impact this week, and next week won’t impact the following week. What’s done is done. Obviously, it was nice to get a drive, but it’s not going to help this week.”
Bulger said his arm strength is starting to return, but the bigger concern might be that first hit.
“It has to happen and I’m past it now,” Bulger said. “I think last week was the last week I was really worried about it. Hopefully nothing happens when I get hit. If you go into a game worried about getting hit at all, you’re going to struggle in the NFL.”
The Rams certainly have struggled, managing just four touchdowns and two field goals in five games and giving up 146 points. Only Detroit has allowed more.
Will the Rams end their losing streak in Jacksonville?
“They’re really not that bad of a football team,” said Jaguars receiver Torry Holt, who spent the previous 10 seasons in St. Louis. “We’re looking for them to come in with their ears pinned back and try to get a win.”
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