Rams creating own luck

ST. LOUIS — Marc Bulger knows luck is involved in his franchise-record string of 214 passes without an interception. Just like the St. Louis Rams know they’re fortunate to be 4-1 after clinching their second victory with a fumble recovery.

“But it’s like I tell our players, we create our own luck most of the time,” coach Scott Linehan said Monday.

Bulger’s streak dates to his final two games of last season before he sustained a shoulder injury. He’s the only NFL quarterback who has started every game without an interception, although Chiefs fill-in Damon Huard also is perfect after 104 passes.

“If you’re going to have that many in a row in the NFL, you are obviously going to have some breaks,” Bulger said. “I just try to protect the ball and play safe.”

The run nearly ended on his 206th pass, which tied the mark set by Roman Gabriel in 1968-69. Al Harris dropped what appeared to be an easy interception at the 5-yard line at the end of the third quarter of Sunday’s 23-20 victory over the Packers. Earlier, A.J. Hawk had a ball in his hands but couldn’t hold on.

“He admittedly will say he’s been fortunate a couple of times,” Linehan said. “A lot of it is the fact that he’s a darn smart quarterback and doesn’t give the defense too many opportunities.

“I think for the most part it’s been really good decision-making.”

Linehan said Bulger’s skill at avoiding mistakes doesn’t have much to do with being in a safer system. Bulger appeared to take more chances when the Rams were coached by Mike Martz.

“I’ve heard the term conservative, and I don’t think that’s really our approach at all,” Linehan said. “I think we have the ability to be as aggressive as anyone.

“The formula for success in this league is playing as mistake-free as you can, but you still have to have the ability to put up the points needed.”

Just enough. All five of the Rams’ games have been decided by eight or fewer points, and the losing team had a chance to tie or take lead at the end. That’s enough to keep Linehan humble.

“It would be a big mistake to get ahead of ourselves and start feeling too good at this point,” Linehan said.

There’s another important element in the Rams’ success. The defense leads the NFL with a plus-12 turnover margin.

“A lot of people are looking at us and saying, ‘How’d they get to 4-1?’” defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said. “The offense is doing a great job of protecting the football and we’re doing a good job getting the football.”

Leonard Little stripped Brett Favre on the St. Louis 13-yard line with 36 seconds to play to clinch the victory after Haslett challenged him on the sideline. Little was credited with his team-leading fifth sack.

“I told him, ‘Are you going to do something today?’” Haslett said. “You expect your good ones to step up.”

Jerametrius Butler recovered the ball to allow the Rams to survive their second close call. Kurt Warner fumbled a snap at the Rams 18-yard line with 1:46 to go to hand St. Louis a 16-14 victory two weeks ago.

Warner’s fumble was a gift after Bulger had fumbled it away three plays earlier. Little said causing Favre’s fumble was hard work.

“This team never stops fighting, that’s the difference between this team and teams of the past,” Little said. “This whole team is different, even though we have players here from the past.”

The defense held its own against Favre despite playing much of the game without both starting cornerbacks. Fakhir Brown was declared inactive with a sprained ankle and Travis Fisher left in the second quarter with a groin injury.

Rookie Tye Hill, the team’s first-round pick, got his first career start at cornerback. Hill was beaten on Favre’s 46-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings that cut the gap to 23-20 in the fourth quarter.