Green could be money

The chaos has begun. \nThe team nobody could figure out is now scratching its head. Fans across the country have rediscovered hope that their team's championship chances have increased with what has recently occurred with the St. Louis Rams.\nWhat is the explanation for this newfound hope? Is it their defense, which allowed 54 points in Sunday's loss to Kansas City? No -- the defense has been poor all season. In the Rams' six victories, opponents have marched on them to the tune of 29 points-per-game, good enough to rank 27th in the NFL.\nIs it the injury to the multi-talented running back Marshall Faulk, whose absence would not only destroy the Rams' running game, but also take away a premiere pass option? No, his shoulder is healing quickly, and he expects to play next week against San Francisco.\nWhat has turned the football world upside-down is the loss of last year's league MVP Kurt Warner. He is out for 3 to 6 weeks with a broken pinkie finger from Sunday's game. While the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings are booking their Super Bowl flights, the Rams are still sitting comfortably, as they will soon release their secret weapon: the man who was supposed to be there all along.\nIU alumnus Trent Green has the ability to lead the St. Louis offense to the scoring heights it has become accustomed to with Warner. In just one half against Kansas City, Green threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns -- not much worse than what Warner has done this year.\nThe Rams can afford to remain comfortable with Green, not because he is more talented than Warner, but because the team has an outstanding offensive line, extraordinary talent in the skills positions (receivers and running backs) and a wonderful scheme on offense.\nSt. Louis is in the same spot now as the Dallas Cowboys found themselves during the first half of the 1990s. The worst player on the offense is indeed the quarterback. Dallas' fall from supremacy to mediocrity coincided with the break up of its stellar offensive line. Troy Aikman stayed in Dallas, but the team still lost. It has become obvious that he is not the pro-bowler people thought he was.\nWhile Warner's story has been amazing, it has been more a matter of chance and determination than skill. He finally found a place where he could fit in and succeed as a quarterback.\nThere is a reason, though, why Green was penciled in as the team's starter before his 1999 training camp injury. Green has been successful in the past, as he led the Hoosiers to two bowl games in the early 1990s, including a Copper Bowl victory in 1991. He started one season with the Washington Redskins. He threw 23 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions.\nAlthough it's unlikely he'll start, Green will succeed in the Rams offense.