Rams going week to week with starting QB

ST. LOUIS -- Trent Green's hold on the St. Louis Rams' quarterback job is week to week. Pretty much the same as coach Scott Linehan's job status.

"We're just concerned about this game," Linehan said Wednesday in his first comments since benching Marc Bulger in favor of the 38-year-old Green a day earlier, a move announced in a two-paragraph release. "This is for Buffalo. It wouldn't make much sense to be looking further beyond this Sunday."

That's fine with Green, who signed in the offseason to be Bulger's backup and not to take his position while in his second stint with the Rams.

"He just said 'You're starting this week,' and away we go," Green said. "I didn't even ask. There's no reason to speculate as to what's going to happen in the next 13 games."

Linehan is unlikely to last the season the way this one is trending, and another dud against the Bills to match the first three stinkers could put him in immediate danger entering the Rams' bye week.

The coach is hoping a shakeup will ignite an offense that ranks at the bottom of the NFL. Bulger led the Rams (0-3) to only two touchdowns in the first three games, all blowout losses by an average score of 38-13.

Linehan and Green both acknowledged that the quarterback gets too much praise, or too much criticism. The Rams have been struggling across the board for some time, going 3-16 in their last 19 games.

"Marc gets the brunt of it," Linehan said. "Right now I'm looking for something to spark our team. Anything. Certainly, we can use it."

Bulger, the highest-paid player in Rams history in the second year of a six-year, $65 million contract, did not speak to reporters. Linehan said Bulger, 31, took the news as well as could be expected.

"I didn't expect him to be happy about it," Linehan said. "He's a great professional and a classy guy and a great quarterback and I have nothing but respect for him. We're going through a tough time right now."

Green said Bulger told him he'd help out however he can.

"He's obviously very disappointed," Green said. "I think everybody on offense is disappointed that we're not playing well. We're still friends, it's just one of those situations."

Green, a 15-year veteran, will be making his first start since Week 5 of last season with the Dolphins, and his first start with the Rams since Nov. 26, 2000, against the Giants, when he was replacing an injured Warner. He starred from 2001 to 2006 with the cross-state Kansas City Chiefs, and is that franchise's career leader in passer rating, average gain per attempt and number of completions of 20 or more yards.

Familiarity with new offensive coordinator Al Saunders and quarterbacks coach Terry Shea, who both worked with him in Kansas City, was a big factor in Green signing a three-year deal. Linehan is hoping that experience will translate to points Sunday from a player who didn't see much action in the preseason.

Green plans on getting the most out of a skill player group led by running back Steven Jackson and wide receiver Torry Holt.

"I think we have a lot of talent on this team, and for whatever reason, it hasn't all come together," Green said. "I know that may bring laughs or smiles or whatever around the country, or even the city.

"But we do have talent, and at some point in time, it's got to surface."

Green ended last season on injured reserve after his second severe concussion in 13 months, and enters an unstable situation given Bulger has absorbed 11 sacks thus far, although only one last week. Green said he wouldn't have signed with the Rams if he was worried about another concussion.

"I've played a long time and I've been blessed to have a long career," Green said. "If any of the medical advice I had gotten was wavering in the least bit, I've got three kids and a great family, great wife, I wouldn't risk all that.

"I'm going to play like I always play and see what happens. There's a risk every single snap in the NFL."