St. Louis puts Warner on injured list

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- There will be no last chance to make a good impression for Kurt Warner, placed on injured reserve Thursday by the St. Louis Rams.
The move came a day after coach Mike Martz suggested there will be an open quarterback competition next year if former third-stringer Marc Bulger, who led the Rams to five straight victories earlier in the season, picks up where he left off.
Warner, the NFL's MVP two of the last three seasons, admitted he was taken aback by Martz's comments. The coach has steadfastly been in Warner's corner all year, accusing those of backing Bulger earlier in the season after Warner recovered from a broken pinkie of being part of the "amnesia crowd."
"Yeah, it would surprise you just because he's always been my biggest advocate and I think he knows what I'm capable of doing," Warner said. "I think probably the issue here more than anything is Kurt getting 100 percent, and when he's 100 percent, then we go from there.
"If I'm not 100 percent, if I can't do what I've done in the past, then the best guy should have the job."
Warner finished with 11 interceptions and just three touchdown passes, a far cry from his 2001 statistics. Last year he threw for 4,830 yards, second most in league history, and 36 touchdowns in leading the Rams to a 14-2 record and their second Super Bowl berth in three seasons.