Bulger takes his seat, Warner takes over for Rams

ST. LOUIS -- Marc Bulger's finger injury takes care of the Rams' quarterback controversy, at least for this week.

Bulger, 5-0 as the starter to help revive the team while Kurt Warner was out, won't practice until at least Friday because of swelling in his sprained right index finger. It's conveniently timed for conspiracy theorists, considering Warner reclaims his starting job for Sunday's game at Washington as the Rams (5-5) begin a three-game road swing.

"This is all orchestrated," coach Mike Martz said Tuesday, tongue firmly in check. "I guess you probably ought to get photographs of the finger. Do you want me to get you the finger?"

Seriously, Martz maintained all last week that no matter what Bulger did, he was just filling in. As for any naysayers, he would simply remind them that Warner has been the NFL's MVP two of the last three years, is the highest-rated passer in the history of the league and led the team to a pair of Super Bowls since his surprising ascendancy in 1999.

Martz discounts Warner's mediocre numbers this year, considering the Rams' 0-4 start a team collapse as they struggled to come to grips with their Super Bowl upset loss to the Patriots. He had a lone touchdown pass and eight interceptions during the winless start, but opposing defenses were among some of the league's best (Broncos, Bucs, Giants) and the offensive line was banged up.

On the other hand, Bulger led the Rams to a comeback victory over the Chargers last week after Marshall Faulk left with ankle and foot injuries, and played without him in Monday's 21-16 victory over the Bears.

Martz said Faulk again would be questionable for the Redskins game with a high ankle sprain by far the more troublesome of the injuries.

"It's a very mild one, but it's one that's limited him a little bit, so we'll just have to see how he is," Martz said. "He plans to practice this week, but we'll just have to see."

Bulger is scheduled to be the backup at Washington, but Martz said he wouldn't consider him a relief pitcher while Warner works his way back into form. Warner was shaky in his only series Monday night, a three-and-out for the Rams.

"To me, it's like asking would you do that with Brett Favre?" Martz said. "Why is that any different? No, I don't see any reason to do that at this point."

Teammates have been expecting this move, and there have been no dissenters despite Bulger's league-leading 106 passer rating and his 1,496 yards passing -- an NFL record for the first five starts of a career.

"Kurt's been doing this for a long time and I don't think anything was ever in jeopardy," offensive guard Adam Timmerman said. "Marc got some great experience and who knows what happens down the line?

"But we know we've got a good quarterback who can come in and play."

Bulger wasn't overjoyed to head back to the bench. But both he and Warner have been saying all the right things throughout, and Martz said the quarterbacks' relationship has remained solid.

"I think it's hard to handle it any better," Martz said. "That goes back to the type of people they are. They're very humble, both guys, and yet they're very competitive and would like to be the guy."

Every week during his amazing run, Bulger downplayed his impressive numbers.

"There's always things you could have done," Bulger said. "Being a quarterback you touch the ball on every play, and I certainly didn't make every play I should have and every read I should have."

He's a lot prouder of the bottom line of getting the Rams are back to .500.

"No one wants to hear about quarterbacks who have all these stats and don't win," Bulger said. "I'm more proud of being 5-0 than all these yards."

Bulger was injured when he was stripped of the ball by the Bears' Rosevelt Colvin on a fumble in the first quarter. Warner played one series while Bulger was off for X-rays and two pain-killing injections, but Bulger was able to finish and was 21-for-35 for 347 yards.