JT chat (selected) … 10/25

NFL chat with Jim Thomas … (selections)

http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/NFL_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_33?Page=0

Bleacher Report is reporting Goff is “a long way from playing”
by Earl 2:10 PM

Which makes you wonder what has he been doing since the draft, and what have the coaches been doing with him? In the last several weeks, from people I know around the league, I’ve heard these 2 things: 1.) Goff doesn’t appear to have much in the way of leadership skills. 2.) Behind closed doors in Thousand Oaks, the Rams aren’t as high on Goff as they are proclaiming publicly.
by jthomas 2:14 PM

So have you already decided that Goff is useless? A complete bust? Even Jamarcus Russell played before it was known he was a bust. Tim Couch. Just wondering what you know here.
by Steve 2:30 PM

No, I haven’t decided that at all. I’d just like to see the guy play.
by jthomas 2:32 PM*

Is Russell Wilson hurt? He is incapable of scrambling and that hurts Seattle big time
by Jimmy 2:40 PM

Yeah, from what I’ve heard, he wasn’t moving that well Sunday night, eh? Remember, he had the knee injury in one leg, and the high ankle sprain on the other. And apparently the bye week wasn’t enough to get him back closer to full health. His mobility certainly is a big factor in what he does.
by jthomas 2:42 PM

If Orlando Pace is a 10 and Jason Smith is a 1, how do you rate Greg Robinson? I get that you like to give players some time to develop before you write them off, but by the third year, it’s getting time to start making some conclusions, yes?
by Mel Gray 2:49 PM

No doubt. Usually, but not always, if you’re not seeing it by the third year in the NFL you’re simply not going to see it. Now I have to preface this by saying I’ve watched hardly any coaches’ film this season of the Rams (which gives you a much better indication of the quality of line play); I’ve been watching TV copy. But on your ranking scale, I’d give Robinson maybe a 4 or 5, which obviously isn’t good enough for a No. 2 overall pick. The penalties as much as anything continue to astound me. Shouldn’t he have been coached out of those bad techniques by now? Or is this simply one of those cases where no amount of coaching can fix it.
by jthomas 2:53 PM

The rams have had onlky two home games halfway thru the season. Has this hurt?
by Jim lewis 2:57 PM

It can’t help. And so far, the Coliseum has been a pretty good home-field advantage. But keep in mind, the London game was a Rams home game _ Kroenke’s attempt to make more money and keep demand up in LA. So only five of the Rams’ remaining nine games will be played in LA.
by jthomas 2:59 PM

Hi Jim. Lifelong resident of Sacto, loved the LA Rams as a kid, loved the St Louis Rams as a young adult now I love the LA Rams again in middle age, & so it goes. This year its once again poor OLine play, bad QB play, lack of productive WRs, weird mediocre coaching, dumb mistakes and penalties plus an owner who gives ugats about winning games…i.e, way way too much “7-9 bs” have followed the Rams from the 314 to the 213. Whats the biggest bye-week tweak you see them making or not making to beat/lose to the Panthers?
by Sacramento Ram 3:02 PM

Well, this would be the week I change QBs, but that’s not going to happen. But if I point to one thing: They simply have to get the run game going. Gurley showed signs that he was close to that breakout game against both Buffalo and Detroit, but then the running game took a step back against the NY Giants, and the Rams really didn’t give him a ton of work (15 carries) even though it was a close game throughout. Now, how exactly do you fix the running game, I’m not sure.
by jthomas 3:05 PM

Do you think Fisher and Snead will still get extensions on their contracts now?
by Leon Anton 3:05 PM

I believe that’s still in the works.
by jthomas 3:05 PM

I read a piece that the lower ratings are due in part to many younger fans watching on streaming devices, which are not monitored the same way as televisions…if at all. Even with lower ratings, the NFL is doing just fine and will only get bigger.
by mr 3:24 PM

That is a factor, but it cannot account for an 11 percent drop. And I think one of the problems is that the younger generation simply isn’t watching as much NFL as it did in the past.
by jthomas 3:25 PM

The Rams are not going anywhere this year no matter who plays QB, the Rams must have some idea what Goff. What happens if Goff gets hurt, What happens if Goff stinks, What Happens if Goff is ok, nothing good for Fish. If Goff goes in and lights it up, then Fish looks bad for waiting to play him. Or at best, Fish looks good for drafting him. However, the Rams wont be able to market the intrigue of Goff next year to sell tickets.
by Mark S 3:46 PM

I wouldn’t write off the schedule just yet. The Rams have a pretty soft schedule this year, particularly compared to some of their recent schedules in St Louis. Coming out of the bye, they get 1-5 Carolina, and still have games against San Fran 1-6, Miami 3-4, the New York Jets 2-5, and New Orleans 2-4. Those are all winnable games.
by jthomas 3:49 PM

Rams start the season 3-1 after playing 3 divisional opponents. They lose the next 3 against non-divisional opponents which makes them 3-4. The next 6 are against non-divisional opponents. Are we looking at 3-10? Haven’t we seen this non-divisional problem before?
by Tom R 3:52 PM

Yes we have. But the Rams 6 remaining non-divisional opponents are a combined 18-22 _ and 12-21 when you subtract New England _ so there should be a couple, three victories in there.
by jthomas 3:55 PM

Bradford took a pounding last week much like Brady did in the playoff loss to Denver last year. On some of the plays you could see the blitz coming on TV. I know it is much easier and different than standing behind the center. Just curious as to your opinion how good Bradford was diagnosing defenses pre-snap for the Rams and checking to a different play?
by Woody 4:15 PM

I’ve only seen a few TV highlights from the Minnesota-Philadelphia game. But I did see him throw that INT into triple coverage in the end zone and wondered what was he thinking. Overall, Bradford was pretty careful with the football in St. Louis. He certainly didn’t see the field as well as Warner or diagnose as well as Warner, but Warner was rare. Very rare.
by jthomas 4:18 PM

Why do you think that Greg Robinson is struggling so bad in the NFL?
by Boom or Bust 3:50 PM

Seems to lunge at approaching defenders instead of staying back and “catching” them. And I can’t explain the penalties _ he must have bad habits there that he can’t seem to break.
by jthomas 3:51 PM

..is Greg Robinson the new Alex Barron?
by BoPat from SoCal 4:36 PM

I think Robinson cares more than Barron did.
by jthomas 4:36 PM

Have defenses solved Gurley? one 100 yard game in 14 starts. Your Thoughts?
by Blue 4:37 PM

Here’s what I’ve noticed. They are almost always tackling him low these days, around the ankles. The few times Gurley has gotten in the open field, he doesn’t seem like he has his normal acceleration this year. And I don’t think you can over-estimate the fact that teams are ganging up against the run because the Rams don’t have a passing game that you have to fear. But if you notice on some pass plays _ and the Rams are starting to use him more in the passing game _ he remains very hard to bring down in the open field. I’d like to see a few more stretch plays with him, instead of these constant runs off right guard and left guard.
by jthomas 4:41 PM