Covitz: Trent Green will get start against the Chiefs

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http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...ry/770408.html


Trent Green will get start against the Chiefs
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star


Quarterback Trent Green will start for the St. Louis Rams against his former team in tonight’s exhibition game at Arrowhead Stadium.

Rams coach Scott Linehan made the announcement after practice on Wednesday.

“Right now, my plan is to actually start Trent so that he can get prepared for a game as if he were the starter, which obviously means (I’m) not planning on playing Marc (Bulger),” Linehan said. “Marc has a lot of snaps in preseason, a lot more than he’s (Green) had at this point. Felt really comfortable with his 45 or, whatever, 42 snaps I guess he had last week. Trent has really had limited work and could use some time out there on the field.”

Green, who suffered a serious concussion with the Chiefs in 2006, suffered another in the fifth game of last season with the Miami Dolphins. He is experimenting with a helmet that might reduce the risk of a concussion.

“When I came back from the concussion a year ago, I wore the same helmet, I did everything the same,” Green said of his time with the Dolphins. “Unfortunately, I had another one. So this year I’ve had three different helmets I’m experimenting with, just to find one that is comfortable.”

Each one is a little different, Green said.

“There is air, there is liquid, some are bigger, some are smaller, some have more depth, some protect the jaw more,” Green said.

Does he worry about getting another concussion?

“As crazy as this sounds, no,” Green said.

Green, 38, played one series (six plays) against Tennessee, followed by half of one series (five plays) against San Diego. He did not play in the Rams’ last preseason game against Baltimore. Green has completed three of eight passes for 51 yards and has been sacked once.

“This gives him a chance in a game to go out and find his rhythm,” Linehan said. “So he’s not going in the season cold without reps if we ever called upon him.”

Green is in his 15th NFL season. It is his second stint with the Rams, and he’s back in an offense directed by coordinator Al Saunders, with whom he had some outstanding seasons with the Chiefs when he passed for 21,459 yards and 118 touchdowns from 2001 to 2006.

“You can’t assume that just because he’s a vet that knows the system, that he can just go out there and turn it on, although I would bet on him