Warner authors another chapter, with Rams' help
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
11/20/2005
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Granted, Kurt Warner was firing footballs against a poorly coached, unmotivated Rams team. What movie did Joe Vitt show to fire up the boys this time? The depressing Debra Winger death-bed scene from "Terms of Endearment"? Or maybe the baseball Cardinals' highlights from the 2004 World Series?
And it's true that Warner's eruption came against a soft and squishy Rams defense coordinated by the typically overmatched Larry Marmie. No question, the Rams made it easy for Warner. They declined to pressure a quarterback who has a recent history of getting rattled when rushed, and their cornerbacks inexplicably lined up so far from the Arizona receivers that the Rams DBs nearly backpedaled into the Mississippi River.
The difficulty factor for Warner in this game was low. The Rams all but rolled out a giant Hallmark greeting card for No. 13 on his return "home" to St. Louis. But does it matter? No. Quarterbacks either make plays in this league, or they fade away.
And in zapping the overwhelmed Rams for 285 yards and three touchdowns, Warner put on a revival show that summoned memories from 1999, 2000 and 2001, when he owned the hearts of St. Louis football fans.
"I don't think I had a lot to prove," Warner said. "But you want to show everybody you can still play this game. This great (Rams) organization, these fans, and the way it all kind of ended here - it was nice. I wanted to come back in and show people that I could still play. Not that I was trying to throw it in anybody's face, but it's just a nice feeling to be able to come back and perform at a high level."
Actually, Warner threw 27 completions in the Rams' face. And the crowd didn't seem offended. Warner received a warm ovation when he jogged onto the field to take command of the offense on Arizona's first possession.
Warner waved his appreciative acknowledgement to the crowd but didn't stop there. Kurt then waved off the Rams defense, accurately threading passes to seven receivers and completing 69 percent in his sharpest performance in years.
Warner hadn't produced three TD passes in the regular season since the 16th game of 2001.
And if Warner's 38-28 win over a hapless defense looked familiar, it was. Except that Warner was taking aim for the visitors now, turning the home team into stooges.
"It was the continuation of the Kurt Warner Story," Arizona coach Dennis Green said. "He's got a lot of football left in him."
Yes ... especially if Warner had the chance to go against the comically passive Rams defense each week. If Warner could square off against Marmie, he'd be back on track for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Warner clearly loves to throw footballs in the Edward Jones Dome's temperature-controlled environment. In 28 career starts at The Ed, he's 24-4 with 63 touchdown passes and a passer rating of 102.1. And only in St. Louis is Warner an icon, worthy of passionate support. This place always did bring out the best in him.
"I still feel the community here appreciates what we did, and we still have a loving relationship," Warner said. "And I didn't think that would ever change. But obviously that was nice, to be able to get a standing ovation and to have the crowd be with me. And even when I was running off the field at the end, the people stayed there to cheer for me. It was a special day."
The only thing missing from Warner's big comeback, big-payback day was his wife, Brenda. Back in the old days, Kurt would seal home wins in St. Louis with a kiss to Brenda at the railing by her seat. But on this occasion Brenda was at home in Arizona, resting in preparation for giving birth to twin girls.
"She wanted to be here so bad and be a part of this," Warner said. "There toward the end of the game, I was looking over for my chair in the corner and wondered if she maybe showed up for me so I could run over and give her a kiss."
Several ex-teammates made their way down the hall to greet and congratulate Warner, including Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Orlando Pace and Marc Bulger. Warner also had family members from Iowa waiting outside the locker room on a glorious reunion day.
Warner's return to The STL wasn't the only homecoming. As Warner disposed of the Rams late in the fourth quarter, Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill noted the large number of Rams fans evacuating to the exits.
"The parking lots are emptying early today," Bidwill said.
Bidwill couldn't have been happier. He graciously entertained more than 20 former members of the St. Louis football Cardinals in the visiting-owner's suite. And Bidwill's team won with our town's favorite-son quarterback having a spectacular day.
To come into St. Louis and win with Warner?
Bidwill should have done an end-zone dance in celebration.
