Jim Thomas chat, 10/28

I edited this a bit, subtracting repeat questions/answers

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Rams chat with Jim Thomas

http://live.stltoday.com/Event/Rams_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_61?Page=3

Looks like the defense regressed after greg Williams took over. As i don’t remember Ogletree and the db’s being that bad. What do you think?
by jeff 2:02 PM

I think it’s safe to say that so far things haven’t clicked with Williams. The injury to Chris Long didn’t help. The secondary was too inexperienced to begin with, although the injuries there haven’t helped. I do think Ogletree at this point has regressed, and DTs Kendall Langford and Michael Brockers aren’t playing very well.
by jthomas 2:05 PM

Any movement before the trade deadline? Should there be, in your opinion?
by c_good 2:05 PM

Unlike baseball, trade deadline time is usually pretty quiet in the NFL overall. I don’t anticipate anything happening with the Rams. Although they do look overstocked at RB. But even if the Rams traded, say, Zac Stacy how much would they get for him? RBs are undervalued anyway.
by jthomas 2:08 PM

I realize we still have half of a season, but is it too early to start thinking about what holes we’ll need to fill on the roster next year?
by SqueezePlay 2:08 PM

I guess it’s never too early for fans. As for me, I like to see the season play out. There are some obvious areas, though. QB. You have to wonder about OT with Long hurt and Barksdale scheduled for free agency. The secondary as a whole. What do you do there?
by jthomas 2:11 PM

Do you think Austin Davis will bounce back after his rough outing? I’m always impressed with how he carries himself.
by Phil 2:12 PM

We’ll see. He’s minus his most productive receiver in Quick, and his LT in Long. We all know how tough the San Francisco defense is and the 49ers are coming off a bye. But mentally, Davis will be fine. He seems mentally tough, and does carry himself well.
by jthomas 2:14 PM

Any update on Chris Long?
by Cousin Vinny 2:14 PM

Don’t know how close he is to practicing. We’ll try to get an update this week. He is eligible to begin practicing _ if healthy _ under the IR/designated for return rules.
by jthomas 2:16 PM

The recent spin on the new stadium, was it real? Could actually be someone working on it?
by Ron 2:16 PM

If you’re talking about the possible site north of Lumiere and south of the Stan Musial bridge, it’s real.
by jthomas 2:17 PM

My buddy mike and I had a disagreement on Sunday, he says the offense is not the problem. I disagree? I think shottenmeimer is as boring as one could get..Your thoughts?
by Cousin Vinny 2:18 PM

I think the defense has been the biggest problem this year.
by jthomas 2:18 PM

Jim, if St. Louis made a reasonable proposal, and Kroenke still left, what kind of political fallout/backlash could we expect to see?
by ihtnep 2:18 PM

I don’t think the league would let Kroenke leave if St. Louis made a reasonable offer.
by jthomas 2:19 PM

Agreed on the D. but, how many times can you run austin up the middle?
by Cousin Vinny 2:19 PM

They’re doing it a couple times a game with Austin, not a dozen times.
by jthomas 2:19 PM

hey Jim is it just me or does it seem like Zeurline has regressed the last two years, I remember makeable kicks he missed last year and he’s doing it again this year with the Dallas game and again at KC, is this just me being frustrated or am I right
by kwaggg 2:20 PM

Zuerlein went 26 of 28 on FGs last year. That’s not too shabby. That 38-yard miss was disturbing, but he’s 8-for-10 for the season.
by jthomas 2:22 PM

We hear a lot about the increase in value, if the Rams moved to LA. Would a new stadium here add value to the Rams?
by Wayne 2:22 PM

Of course, and so would winning.
by jthomas 2:22 PM

To the people complaining about running Tavon Austin, do they know he is averaging 4.3 yard per carry? That is more than Zac Stacy or Benny Cunningham.
by Duh 2:23 PM

There you have it.
by jthomas 2:23 PM

Do you know who would have gone in if another Rams O-linemen had gone down on Sunday?
by bdefreitas20390 2:25 PM

Well that’s a good question. Because they were officially out of offensive line subs after Saffold, Wells, and Long went down. Maybe they would’ve had to line up one of their tight ends as a tackle.
by jthomas 2:27 PM

Can you tell me why tavon Austin is still playing running back?
by jeff 2:27 PM

Why shouldn’t he still be used at running back? He did it in college, and did it well. As one of our readers pointed it, he’s averaging 4.3 yards a carry _ actually it’s 4.5, which is better than Stacy, Cunningham, and Watts. So maybe you can make the case that they should be handing it off to him more. It’s an example of the Rams trying to get the ball to him more often. Do I wish they’d try more outside plays with him than runs up the middle? Sure. Do I wish they’d find more ways to use him in the receiving game? Sure. But he just hasn’t gotten going so far.
by jthomas 2:31 PM

Hi Jim, How much rope does “Greg the Leg” have left these days? Are the Rams to the point of auditioning kickers just in case?
by HardBeingARamsFan 2:31 PM

I think he’s got a lot more rope at this point.
by jthomas 2:32 PM

Who do you hold responsible for the Rams turnovers, special team mistakes and poor defensive outing? The players, coaches or GM?
by SpringfieldILRamsFan 2:32 PM

I’ll put most of the blame on players and coaches.
by jthomas 2:32 PM

Hey Jim, What are the chances Long and Bradford have played their last games with the Rams? Any chance they bring pettis back?
by SteveSPN 2:34 PM

Don’t see any way Pettis comes back. Tough calls on both Bradford and C. Long.
by jthomas 2:35 PM

The risks of going with so many oft-injured offensive linemen have now hit home. How can we effectively run or pass the ball over the rest of this season?
by Tom 2:36 PM

There’s a chance as we sit here now that Wells and Saffold will play vs. San Fran. If not, some of the backups will just have to step up _ Barrett Jones, Mike Person, Tim Barnes (if healthy).
by jthomas 2:38 PM

Has fisher been given a pass on being on the hot seat cause of Bradford being injured?
by jeff 2:38 PM

Although Bradford’s injury obviously was unfortunate, I don’t think it should be used as an excuse. The Rams had an entire offseason to address the QB situation.
by jthomas 2:39 PM

Hi Jim, Is it just awful luck…or is there something going on with the ACL “thing” at Rams Park? Are the surgeries not being done right? Is the rehab being rushed? Sam, then J. Long. Ever seen anything like that?
by HardBeingARamsFan 2:40 PM

Obviously, the fact that two high-profile players have had repeat injuries to the same knee is very unusual. Otherwise, you raise some very interesting questions and I’m looking into them.
by jthomas 2:41 PM

Momentarily putting aside the fact that everything about that game was bad, how did Robinson look at LT and Jones at C? If there’s any silver lining here, it seems to be that those guys will get reps this year.
by c_good 2:42 PM

Well, Robinson certainly will start the rest of the way. But there’s no guarantee at this point that B. Jones will get more reps either at center or guard, because the injuries to Wells and Saffold don’t appear serious.
by jthomas 2:43 PM

After the unfortunate injury to Brian Quick, which receiver picks up the bulk of the additional snaps?
by Tom_in_SF 2:43 PM

I’d say Bailey will get a lot more reps. And Givens will be involved as well.
by jthomas 2:44 PM

Are Fisher and Snead going to get another crack at this next year?
by c_good 2:44 PM

Let’s see what the rest of the year brings. But I don’t think Stan Kroenke is going to eat the final 2 years of Fisher’s contract which pays him in the neighborhood of $7 million per.
by jthomas 2:47 PM

As of right now there is NOT ONE position that has been solidified on the Rams. Maybe, just maybe the defensive front four, ONLY because we have 4 #1 draft choices on it when healthy.
by STL45Fan 2:48 PM

Did you feel the same way after the Seattle game?
by jthomas 2:49 PM

Hey Jim, rookies drafted that have shown progress have regressed in their following years. Tavon, Givens, Bailey, GZ, Stacy, DRich, Jenkins, Ogletree, Brockers. Any explanation for this? Thanks.
by STL45Fan 2:50 PM

I don’t think you can say that all of those players have regressed. But on the other hand, none of the group has really enjoyed a breakout year either. If that continues, you have to wonder if it’s coaching or if the team drafted the right players.
by jthomas 2:53 PM

While it looks like Aaron Donald is off to a promising start, I haven’t heard much about Michael Brockers. Is it safe to assume he is a bust so far or not?
by Aaron Johnson 2:55 PM

Brockers is far from a bust. But he certainly hasn’t had the kind of breakout year that everyone was hoping. I wonder if he lost too much weight in the offseason.
by jthomas 2:56 PM

Davis had a tough day. His fault or team (back-ups, really) breakdown?
by bfulton 2:58 PM

You’d have to say both. Davis threw an interception that shouldn’t have been thrown. And took a sack in the red zone that he didn’t have to take. But he certainly didn’t get much help in the way of pass protection.
by jthomas 3:00 PM

Rams aside, how does the NFL think that L.A. needs two teams? Of everything being batted around and rumored, that to me is the most ridiculous part. That city couldn’t support one team and now it needs two?
by Tackleberry 3:00 PM

Agreed.
by jthomas 3:01 PM

what’s up with the stadium idea north of the casino? can you go into more detail, other than, “its real”?
by KevAndre 3:01 PM

Cannot go into more detail at this point.
by jthomas 3:01 PM

Do you see Janoris Jenkins staying with the team after this contract? Baring a major increase in skill, he cannot seem to put together consistent performances
by Replacement 3:02 PM

Well, we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves here, but no, it doesn’t seem like it would make much sense to re-sign him at this point.
by jthomas 3:02 PM

Why can’t we blame GM Snead more? I look at the Arizona Cardinals, who have been decimated by injuries and suspensions, yet they continue to thrive.
by Aaron Johnson 3:02 PM

Sure we can blame Les Snead. But once the regular-season starts, he doesn’t have much to do with what happens on the field.
by jthomas 3:03 PM

Jim, What changes do you see after a 6-10 or 5-11 season?
by mark white 3:05 PM

Some might think 6-10 or 5-11 is optimistic after what we saw and the injuries that occurred in Kansas City. But the changes depend on how they get to 5-11 or 6-10. We’re not even at midseason yet. I try to avoid making “prisoner of the moment” assumptions. How will Austin Davis play over the remainder of the season? Will anyone take over at running back? Does Stedman Bailey pick up the slack at WR in the absence of Quick. Does Ogletree snap out of his funk? Will any of the young defensive backs level out their play and show more consistency?
by jthomas 3:10 PM

Any chance of seeing Harvey Dahl, Greg Reid, or Darren Woodard on the roster or practice squad this week? I think I remember Fisher saying they might bring Dahl back if he got healthy and I liked the other two.
by ultimatechad 3:10 PM

The Rams would have to talk Dahl out of retirement. As to a Reid and Woodard, the Rams under Fisher and Snead usually don’t go back to players once they have decided they’re not good enough to play for the team, although there have been exceptions
by jthomas 3:12 PM

Jim, how many losing season’s in St. Louis for Rams football? or is it easier to count the winning seasons?
by Ekern55 3:13 PM

Four winning seasons: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003;
by jthomas 3:14 PM

I din’t think the defense played that bad at all till they were left on the field all day long from the offense going 3 and out and the special teams giving up a quick six, Davis looked totally lost after the first series, woulda liked to see Hill get an opportunity cause he was like a deer in the headlights, any chance we go after Aaron Murray today?
by brian 3:16 PM

Time of possession as an issue in KC. Even so, I think we all thought this defense had the potential to carry the team through a game or two or three, if needed. We haven’t seen that happen. Not even close. As for Murray, if he joined the Rams today, it would take weeks just to have him ready to run this offense. SO he wouldn’t bring much help this season.
by jthomas 3:19 PM

Do you think Fisher is on the Hot seat?
by John 3:20 PM

It’s getting warmer.
by jthomas 3:20 PM

Any news on any signings to replace J. Long and Quick on the roster? Practice Squad guys bumped up?
by HardBeingARamsFan 3:21 PM

Nothing yet.
by jthomas 3:21 PM

Jim I don’t see the results being much different under Fischer compared to the other guys….with some noteable exceptions. Just the same old losing patterns. Is Fischer washed up?
by Brian 3:22 PM

I’m not mathematician, but I think 16-22-1 although not ideal is a little bit better than 10-38.
by jthomas 3:23 PM

True or false: the Rams, in their current, injury-depleted state, are the worst team in the NFL.
by c_good 3:24 PM

False.
by jthomas 3:24 PM

Miss me yet?
by Tim Walton 3:24 PM

You never returned my calls.
by jthomas 3:24 PM

Well JT, It looks like the future is now for the O-line, Jones, Robinson, Barnes will really have show what they can now! Man I guess Chris Long meant a lot more to this D than everyone gave him credit for! I told you last year what a head case Harvin is, he sure proved me right!
by T. Wood Ches., VA. 3:27 PM

Good to hear from you again. As I mentioned earlier, there’s a chance Saffold and Wells could play vs. San Fran. If that indeed turns out to be the case, we may not necessarily see massive line changes. Chris Long certainly means a lot to this defense but you know there’s more than that affecting the defense. And yes, it looks like you were right on Harvin.
by jthomas 3:31 PM

GZ has officially entered “unreliable” status. Any unemployed reliable kickers out there?
by Steve 3:31 PM

I guess that’s true if you consider making 34 of your last 38 FGs unreliable.
by jthomas 3:32 PM

I mad a bet with a friend that the Rams would have a 10-6 season within the next three years. Should I just pay up now?
by SqueezePlay 3:32 PM

No, just tell him the check is in the mail.
by jthomas 3:32 PM

JT, I am surely not a fan of Jerry Jones nor Arthur Blank but you have to at least give them kudos for talking to their fan base and the public. Where the hell is Stan?
by Cousin Vinny 3:32 PM

It certainly would be nice for all concerned to have a more engaging owner.
by jthomas 3:33 PM

I look at what Arians is doing in Arizona, what Philbin is doing in Miami, what Detroit did with 3 tight ends injured signing a player off the street because he had a passport and could get on the plane to London. The Rams don’t seem to find ways to win, just more excuses for losing?
by Greg, Rams Fan in Maryland 3:33 PM

I don’t think the Rams are making excuses, but Arians was a heck of a hire by Arizona. And Caldwell is doing a great job in Detroit, especially with that defense. Not sure I’d throw Philbin in that group at this point.
by jthomas 3:35 PM

do you know who are our free agents for next season…it looks like there are too many holes to fill again this off-season
by CT Ram 3:35 PM

The Rams won’t have a ton of free agents this offseason. The main ones on the top half the roster are RT Joe Barksdale and TE Lance Kendricks.
by jthomas 3:37 PM

Why does Les Snead get a free pass from the media as well?? His drafts have stunk just like the previous regimes and his FA pickups aren’t any better. If this was New York or Philly he would be getting shredded and justifiably so!!! Would you not concur?
by Marty 3:37 PM

Marty, you seem pretty angry this afternoon. I wasn’t aware that Snead had been given any passes. I don’t have any passes in my possession. I’ve checked around my desk. Can’t find any passes. It usually takes about 3 seasons to make any kind of judgment on a draft class. The first Fisher-Snead draft class (2012) will complete it’s first draft class at the end of this season.
by jthomas 3:39 PM

JT, % Fisher is coach next season?
by Cousin Vinny 3:40 PM

I’d say 95%
by jthomas 3:40 PM

We hvae good young talent, I am more amazed by Grob every game. 40 yard int, Grob makes the tackle 36 yards down the field?? Unbelievable. We have a lot of young talent, Quinn 24, Brokers 23, donald, robinson, mason, tavon, bailey,rookie db’s, jenkins, McDonald… This is the year to get PROVEN VETS in free agency at positions of need, to lead these guys.
by Jeff In Utah 3:44 PM

I can’t really judge him to the other 31. But I agree with what you’re saying _ an upgrade over Devaney, but has made some solid picks. I don’t think Fisher and Snead are necessarily linked.
by jthomas 3:44 PM

Why won’t Austin Davis run when he has an opportunity for some big gains? He has showed the mobility before but doesn’t take advantage of it anymore. Are the coaches telling him not to run?
by Jman 3:45 PM

Have there been some plays were you’d like to see him takeoff? I think the feeling among the staff was that prior to this season, he was taking off and running too quickly. They wanted him to stay in the pocket more and take a longer look at what was happening down field.
by jthomas 3:47 PM

How will Sam Bradford’s salary affect the Rams next season?
by SpringfieldILRamsFan 3:48 PM

The Rams have to decide that. Kevin Demoff does his planning a couple of years out, so the $13 million base salary of Bradford already is in that planning But the Rams must decide. Do they want Bradford back for 2015, or can they use that money elsewhere?
by jthomas 3:50 PM

For the Rams to realistically stay in St. Louis, you would think attendance would have to stay at a reasonable level. How can the organization expect to do this by putting such a poor product on the field?
by Chrispoo 3:50 PM

That’s basically what Isaac Bruce was talking about a couple of weeks ago when he said the Rams fans have to keep coming out, no matter what.
by jthomas 3:51 PM

I think it’s safe to say the Rams will need a QB next year hopefully a rookie to groom. Agreed?
by Cousin Vinny 3:51 PM

Unless it’s a trade, not many skilled veteran QBs become available in free agency. So a rookie would seem more likely. I’d anticipate at least one new QB next season.
by jthomas 3:52 PM

Is Sunday’s terrible second half indicative of bad coaching? Or, at some point, do you have to hold the players accountable for their own performance?
by Phil 3:53 PM

Well, I think both. You’d think there would be something the coaches could do adjustment-wise to stop the bleeding. But you’re right, sooner or later the players have to be accountable for missed blocks, penalties, blown assignments, etc. It was a unique set of circumstances with the injuries in the second half as well on Sunday, and the timing of when those injuries were happening.
by jthomas 3:55 PM

Why did it take Fisher so long to insert Robinson, Mason?
by Cousin Vinny 3:56 PM

In two words: Pass blocking.
by jthomas 3:57 PM

Jim over/under 4 wins
by CT Ram 3:57 PM

Over.
by jthomas 3:57 PM

Please do not sugarcoat it for me…is this the most depressing Ram season of all?
by CT Ram 3:59 PM

Not yet.
by jthomas 3:59 PM

Is Davis going to be the Rams QB next year as well? Do you see the Rams cutting Long and Bradford?
by SqueezePlay 4:00 PM

He’ll be on the roster. But I don’t think we can say he’ll be the starter at this point. Hard to say on Long and Bradford.
by jthomas 4:01 PM

In your opinion, how closely is the Rams’ likelihood of moving to L.A. linked to the team’s on-field performance this season?
by c_good 4:01 PM

Rams have just traded for S Mark Barron. Time to go. Until next week.
by jthomas 4:05 PM