2006 St. Louis Rams

The 2006 St. Louis Rams had another tough season that was marked by continued struggles on defense and a shift at the head coach position. Despite having a talented offense, the team was once again unable to put everything together and failed to perform consistently enough to make the playoffs.

Regular Season:

• Record: The Rams finished the season with a 8-8 record, the same as in 2005. They showed some promise at times but remained inconsistent, particularly on defense, which ultimately held them back.

Offense:

• Marc Bulger: Bulger remained the Rams’ starting quarterback for the 2006 season. He had a solid year, throwing for 3,954 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He continued to show that he could be a capable quarterback in the league but struggled with inconsistency at times, which was part of the Rams’ offensive issues.

• Steven Jackson: Jackson had a breakout year and emerged as one of the top running backs in the NFL. He rushed for 1,528 yards and 13 touchdowns, establishing himself as a dominant force in the backfield. Jackson also contributed in the passing game with 90 receptions for 806 yards, giving the Rams a dynamic weapon in both the running and passing games.

• Isaac Bruce: The veteran wide receiver continued to produce, finishing with 1,066 yards and 6 touchdowns. Although he was in the latter stages of his career, Bruce remained a reliable target for Bulger.

• Torry Holt: Holt, another top receiver, posted another solid season with 1,135 yards and 10 touchdowns, continuing to be a key part of the Rams’ passing attack.

• Offensive Line: The Rams’ offensive line had a few injuries throughout the season but still managed to give Bulger and Jackson enough support for the offense to be productive at times.

Defense:

• Struggles on Defense: The Rams’ defense continued to be a major issue in 2006. They finished ranked 28th in total defense and allowed 23.7 points per game. The defense was consistently unable to stop opposing offenses, especially in critical situations.

• Pass Rush Problems: The Rams struggled to generate a consistent pass rush and couldn’t pressure opposing quarterbacks effectively. The team recorded just 33 sacks on the season, which ranked near the bottom of the league.

• Secondary Issues: The Rams also had problems in the secondary. Aeneas Williams, a key player in the secondary, was no longer the dominant force he had once been. The team lacked a true shutdown cornerback and struggled to contain top receivers.

• Linebackers: While the Rams had some good individual performances from linebackers like Will Witherspoon, the defense as a whole lacked the cohesion to be effective week in and week out.

Coaching:

• Scott Linehan: 2006 was the first year under new head coach Scott Linehan, who took over after Mike Martz was fired following the 2005 season. Linehan, a former offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings, brought in a more balanced offensive approach. His offensive scheme focused more on the running game with Steven Jackson, but the team continued to struggle with defensive issues.

• Defensive Changes: Linehan’s biggest challenge was improving the defense. Despite having some talented players, the Rams’ defense remained a liability. The team made some changes on the coaching staff to try and address these issues, but the defense never became a strength.

Special Teams:

• Jeff Wilkins, the Rams’ kicker, continued to be a consistent and reliable part of the team, finishing the season 28-of-33 on field goals.

Key Players:

• Marc Bulger: Bulger had a steady season but continued to struggle with consistency. He showed that he could be a productive quarterback but was unable to lead the team to the next level.

• Steven Jackson: Jackson emerged as one of the best all-around running backs in the NFL, with impressive yardage and touchdown numbers on both the ground and through the air.

• Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt: Both receivers had productive seasons and continued to be reliable options in the passing game.

• Aeneas Williams: The veteran cornerback was still a key figure in the secondary, but the defense as a whole had difficulty covering and defending consistently.

Summary:

The 2006 St. Louis Rams showed flashes of being competitive, particularly on offense, but were ultimately hampered by their continued defensive struggles. The 8-8 record showed that while the team had talent, they were unable to put together a full, complete season in both phases of the game.

Steven Jackson’s breakout year was a positive, and Marc Bulger was solid as the quarterback, but the Rams were ultimately undone by a defense that couldn’t stop opposing offenses and allowed too many big plays.

The Rams’ defense was one of the worst in the league, which made it difficult for them to stay competitive in many of their games. Head coach Scott Linehan, in his first year, had a solid offensive approach, but his inability to fix the defense kept the team from making the playoffs.

In 2006, the Rams were still in a transition period after their peak years earlier in the decade. The season showed promise on offense, but without significant improvement on defense, they remained a team stuck in mediocrity.

Head Coach: Scott Linehan

• To be listed, a player must have played at least one game for the team during this season.
• * Hall of Fame
• + Primary starter

Pos	#		Player	GP	GS	Start Pos	Exp	DOB	Ht	Wt	College
DE	94		Victor Adeyanju	12	9	RDE+	R	02/11/1983	6′ 4″	268	Indiana
LB	57		Jon Alston	3	0		R	06/04/1983	6′ 0″	218	Stanford
S	21		Oshiomogho Atogwe	16	16	FS+	2	06/23/1981	5′ 11″	219	Stanford
T	70		Alex Barron	16	16	RT+	2	09/28/1982	6′ 8″	320	Florida State
CB	24		Ron Bartell	16	1	NB	2	02/22/1982	6′ 1″	211	Howard
LB	55		Jamal Brooks	7	0		2	11/09/1976	6′ 2″	238	Hampton (VA)
CB	34		Fakhir Brown	14	14	RCB+	7	09/21/1977	5′ 11″	192	Grambling State
WR	80		Isaac Bruce	16	14	WR+	13	11/10/1972	6′ 0″	188	Memphis State
QB	10		Marc Bulger	16	16	QB+	5	04/05/1977	6′ 3″	215	West Virginia
CB	23		Jerametrius Butler	6	0		5	11/28/1978	5′ 10″	181	Kansas State
TE	86		Dominique Byrd	5	0		R	02/07/1984	6′ 2″	260	Southern California
S	27		Dwaine Carpenter	9	0		4	11/04/1976	6′ 1″	203	North Carolina A&T
S	42		Jerome Carter	14	0		2	10/25/1982	6′ 0″	217	Florida State
S	25		Corey Chavous	16	16	SS+	9	01/15/1976	6′ 1″	205	Vanderbilt
LB	54		Brandon Chillar	16	14	SLB+	3	10/21/1982	6′ 2″	253	UCLA
LB	52		Dexter Coakley	16	5	WLB	10	10/20/1972	5′ 10″	231	Appalachian State
WR	83		Kevin Curtis	16	1	WR	4	07/17/1978	5′ 11″	186	Utah State
RB	48		Stephen Davis	15	0		11	03/01/1974	6′ 0″	230	Auburn
RB	30		Tony Fisher	8	0		5	10/12/1979	6′ 1″	222	Notre Dame
CB	22		Travis Fisher	9	9	LCB+	5	09/12/1979	5′ 10″	189	Central Florida
DT/NT	96		Jason Fisk	16	0		12	09/04/1972	6′ 3″	295	Stanford
QB	11		Ryan Fitzpatrick	1	0		2	11/24/1982	6′ 2″	221	Harvard
QB	12		Gus Frerotte	1	0		13	07/31/1971	6′ 3″	237	Tulsa
DT	97		La’Roi Glover	16	16	UT+	11	07/04/1974	6′ 2″	282	San Diego State
T/G	72		Adam Goldberg	15	2	LG/LT	3	08/12/1980	6′ 7″	310	Wyoming
DE	93		Brandon Green	13	5	RDE	3	09/05/1980	6′ 2″	264	Rice
DE/DT	95		Anthony Hargrove	4	2	RDE	3	07/20/1983	6′ 3″	269	Georgia Tech
RB	33		Kay-Jay Harris	7	0		1	03/27/1979	6′ 0″	235	West Virginia
FB/RB	44		Madison Hedgecock	16	9	FB+	2	08/27/1981	6′ 3″	259	North Carolina
CB	26		Tye Hill	16	10	LCB/RCB/NB	R	06/03/1982	5′ 10″	185	Clemson
WR	81		Torry Holt	16	16	WR+	8	06/05/1976	6′ 0″	190	North Carolina State
G/C	68		Richie Incognito	16	16	C+/RG/LG	1	07/05/1983	6′ 3″	305	Nebraska
RB	39		Steven Jackson	16	16	RB+	3	07/22/1983	6′ 2″	233	Oregon State
LB	58		Isaiah Kacyvenski	10	0		7	10/03/1977	6′ 1″	252	Harvard
DT/NT	73		Jimmy Kennedy	16	16	NT+	4	11/15/1979	6′ 4″	320	Penn State
TE	82		Joe Klopfenstein	16	16	TE+	R	11/09/1983	6′ 5″	255	Colorado
DE/LB	91		Leonard Little	16	16	LDE+	9	10/19/1974	6′ 3″	261	Tennessee
WR	89		Dane Looker	16	0		5	05/05/1976	6′ 0″	194	Washington
RB	45		Chris Massey	16	0		5	08/21/1979	6′ 0″	245	Marshall
C/G	67		Andy McCollum	1	1	C	12	06/02/1970	6′ 4″	300	Toledo
WR	84		Shaun McDonald	16	0		4	06/30/1981	5′ 10″	183	Arizona State
DE	92		Eric Moore	3	0		2	02/28/1981	6′ 4″	261	Florida State
T	76	*	Orlando Pace	8	8	LT+	10	11/04/1975	6′ 7″	325	Ohio State
T/G			Jeremy Parquet	0	0		2	04/11/1982	‘ “		Southern Mississippi
WR	88		Willie Ponder	6	0		4	02/14/1980	6′ 0″	205	Southeast Missouri State
S	32		J. R. Reed	6	0		2	02/11/1982	5′ 11″	202	South Florida
C	65		Brett Romberg	10	3	C	1	10/10/1979	6′ 2″	298	Miami (FL)
G	66		Mark Setterstrom	7	6	LG	R	03/03/1984	6′ 4″	314	Minnesota
FB/RB	31		Paul Smith	10	3	FB	6	01/31/1978	5′ 11″	234	Texas – El Paso
LB	56		Raonall Smith	16	0		4	10/22/1978	6′ 2″	241	Washington State
G/T	79		Todd Steussie	16	15	LG+/LT	13	12/01/1970	6′ 6″	320	California
G	62		Adam Timmerman	14	13	RG+	12	08/14/1971	6′ 4″	310	South Dakota State
LB	50		Pisa Tinoisamoa	11	11	WLB+	4	07/15/1981	6′ 1″	235	Hawaii
P	1		Matt Turk	16	0		11	06/16/1968	6′ 5″	235	Wisconsin – Whitewater
C	63		Larry Turner	1	0		3	03/08/1982	6′ 2″	290	Eastern Kentucky
TE	87		Aaron Walker	16	5	TE	3	03/14/1980	6′ 6″	252	Florida
K	14		Jeff Wilkins	16	0		13	04/19/1972	6′ 2″	205	Youngstown State
LB	51		Will Witherspoon	16	16	MLB+	5	08/19/1980	6′ 1″	231	Georgia
DT	99		Claude Wroten	15	0		R	09/16/1983	6′ 1″	292	Louisiana State