(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

After such a positive start for the St. Louis Rams Sunday at Jacksonville, their offensive inconsistency, and timid coaching late, led to another loss.

Time to hand out the grades.

OFFENSE: C

Marc Bulger had a decent game, going 22-of-34 for 213 yards with a touchdown and interception. His TD toss to Donnie Avery in the first quarter was the first Rams score in the first quarter this season, but when Avery later went down with a hip injury, Bulger lost his best target.

The Jaguars piled nine guys in the box at times, and Bulger and the Rams could not find any consistency. The Rams scored a touchdown on their opening possession when Bulger hit Avery in the back of the end zone to cap an impressive drive.

Bulger did a nice job of spreading the ball around in the first half, but they need to do a better job of getting the ball to the tight ends to loosen up the defenses. Randy McMichael had two catches in the first half, but finished with just three receptions for 32 yards. Billy Bajema did not have a catch, and Daniel Fells caught two balls for only 11 yards.

Then there’s Steven Jackson.

Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur used screens to get the ball in his best player’s hands in the first half, but then kind of got away from that in the second half—until the very last drive. The two best screens came in the bookend drives. The last one set up the game-tying field goal when Jackson ran through and around the Jags defense.

The other came on the opening possession when Jackson got a great block from Richie Incognito to pick up a first down.

Jackson finished with just 16 carries for 50 yards. He did have six receptions for another 78, but 16 rushing attempts aren’t going to cut it.

DEFENSE: C-

While there were outstanding efforts from Leonard Little and Clifton Ryan, the Rams defense gave up too many big plays to Torry Holt and allowed Maurice Jones-Drew to run rampant in the second half.

A pair of Holt receptions led to a Jones-Drew touchdown on Jacksonville’s first possession, but the Jags had a botched snap on the extra point, and the Rams still led 7-6. Holt had a great day against his former ’mates. His 101-yard day included an incredible one-handed grab late in the second quarter.

Mike Sims-Walker led the Jags with nine catches for 120 yards, and David Garrard threw for 335 yards. He did not have a touchdown pass, and threw a pair of interceptions—one of which Little took back 36 yards for a score to regain the St. Louis lead at 17-13 midway through the fourth.

But both Ron Bartell and Craig Dahl dropped sure interceptions. The Rams were finally able to pick off Garrard in the third when Laurinaitis hauled in a ball tipped at the line by C.J. Ah You.

The Rams had an opportunity to put this game away, and led from their opening drive until Jacksonville took the lead with 8:05 remaining in the fourth. The offense’s inability to convert on third down led to Jacksonville dominating time of possession. The Jags held the ball for more than 42 minutes, and were able to wear down the Rams defense late, leading to a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns from Jones-Drew.

Ryan, Little and James Hall all recorded sacks, but they didn’t get much support from their defensive teammates.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C

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