[2] Thanks to a strong offensive line of McCollum, guards Tom Nütten and Adam Timmerman, and tackles Orlando Pace and Ryan Tucker, the Rams won a wildcard playoff berth with a 10–6 won-lost record and 540 points scored (33.8 points per game, 1st in the NFL), but lost a wild card game of the 2000–01 NFL playoffs to the New Orleans Saints, despite Kurt Warner's 365 yards in the air, the offensive line allowing 2 sacks for 15 yards.
With Bulger as the new quarterback, and Warner in reserve, St. Louis came back strong in 2003 with a 12–4 record, 1st in the NFC West, and 447 points scored (27.9 points/game), 2nd in the NFL.
In that game, as well as throughout the year, McCollum played left guard in place of the injured Nütten, with Dave Wohlabaugh at center.
In 2004, with Bulger as the regular starter and McCollum back at center, the team was only 8–8, but still qualified for a wild card game in the 2004–05 NFL playoffs, beating the Seattle Seahawks with the same basic offensive line (McCollum at center, Nütten and Timmerman at guards, Pace and a new offensive right tackle, Blaine Saipaia.
McCollum ended his career in 2008, starting 4 games, playing in 12, for a Detroit Lions team that finished with a 0–16 record.