JT chat … selections

NFL chat with Jim Thomas

http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/NFL_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_30?Page=0

WR Austin is as fast as anyone in the NFL, yet the team mostly gives him the ball near the scrimmage line. Why don’t they try to get him more deep passes?
by bfulton 2:23 PM

Yes, it would be nice to get Austin the ball more on downfield routes. But he’s never been a very good route runner. And at his size, he can get jammed at the line and bumped off his route pretty easily _ assuming opponents can get their hands on him.
by jthomas 2:24 PM

Is G Robinson going to be a bust?
by Tom 2:24 PM

So far, from what I’ve seen he’s playing better than last year. Now, he’s a long way from being the next Orlando Pace, but he’s getting better. I think you can put the “bust” word back on the shelf for a while.
by jthomas 2:25 PM

Carolina has looked completely lost this year. Were they a one-year wonder or are there just a few minor issues preventing them from recreating last year’s success?
by 31 football teams 2:31 PM

If memory serves me right, they win the opener in Denver if they make a field goal. Their real problem came in Week 3 against Minnesota. I think playing that defense can put just about any offense in a funk. Without oversimplifying, there are two obvious factors at work here. Despite all the talent on that Carolina defense, it’s clear they miss Josh Norman at cornerback. Their lack of experience at this position becomes a bigger issue against an elite receiver like Julio Jones. This was a case of the Panthers being penny-wise but pound foolish. And let’s not forget _ much of the Carolina offense is predicated on a strong running game, and they’ve been without Jonathan Stewart the past two games.
by jthomas 2:36 PM

Do you think Carroll saying that this year’s Seahawks team has a chance to be the best has any real truth to it? They have had some pretty dominant teams the last few years.
by Jeezy 2:37 PM

Carroll’s always a positive thinker.. I chalk it up more to coach-speak. They’ve yet to display the kind of running game they featured with Marshawn Lynch.
by jthomas 2:37 PM

Jim, do you think the current Rams’ winning streak is an anomaly or evidence of a trend? I am hoping for anomaly. Thanks.
by Roy Earl 2:41 PM

The Tampa Bay win was fluky because of the Bucs’ bizarre late-game clock management coupled with Jameis Winton’s wandering through the desert on the last play. But there was nothing fluky about the Arizona game. The Rams’ defense put a physical beating on the Big Red. If the defense continues to play like that _ and recent history has told us the Rams won’t be able to sustain that level of play _ then the Rams will be in every game. But based on the way the offense has been playing _ yeah, it’s has improved, but far from good enough _ it’s a fine line to victory. Turnovers are helping a lot. The Rams were plus-4 against Arizona. And those kinds of games usually don’t happen that often.
by jthomas 2:45 PM

What is holding Gurley back? Stacking the box? o-line? Obvious play calls? They really ought to get him involved coming out of the backfield more…..that was an excellent catch he made last week and great move to gain a couple more after the catch.
by AzRamsFan 2:45 PM

Yeah, I’ve long thought the Rams should throw the ball more to Gurley out of the backfield. He showed what he could do in the passing game in a big way on the couple of plays he got the ball in the air vs. Arizona. Teams are loading the box, three’s no doubt. They’re putting a lot of emphasis on stopping the run _ that’s very clear. More success in the passing game could help open things up for Gurley, but I still have doubts this group is capable of doing that consistently with Keenum at quarterback and the current group of receivers.
by jthomas 2:49 PM

After one-quarter of the season, the best teams in each conference are . . .?
by Andy 2:52 PM

I think you have to go with Minnesota in the NFC. Talented defense, talented coaching. Making a bold trade like the Vikings did for Bradford shows a confidence in the team by the front office and ownership. A confidence that this is a contending team. In the AFC it’s either New England or Denver. but I’ll give a slight edge to the Pats. Given what they went through at the QB position it’s somewhat amazing the team is 3-1. And let’s not forget either, that they have gotten next to nothing so far from Gronk due to injury.
by jthomas 2:56 PM

Jim, I have not been able to see all of the games, but from what I have seen, it appears that Davis and Alexander are doing a pretty good job replacing McLeod. What is your take on their play so far?
by Todd 3:18 PM

When I was at Irvine for the first weekend of training camp, some of the coaches were telling me how far they thought Alexander had come over the past year. They were also encouraged by the improvement from Davis. I think what we’ve seen in the first four games, for the most part, bears that out. And that’s not to take anything away from McLeod. He’s playing very well in Philly.
by jthomas 3:20 PM

What is your theory on why Gurley hasn’t gotten much traction yet. Take away the 2nd half of the Tampa Bay game…
by Jeff 3:30 PM

Yeah, it’s hard to put a finger on any one thing. We can all see that opponents are stacking the box. We all know that it’s a young line still feeling it’s way. But similar things were at play last year, and Gurley was able to break his share of long runs. We haven’t seen those long runs in a while now. And that, I’d say, is the most puzzling thing.
by jthomas 3:32 PM

Is there something physically wrong still with J. Brown or has Wichmann just out played him? I thought members of the Rams were saying last year that Brown had Pro-Bowl potential?
by Todd 3:34 PM

The head coach was saying that about Brown. But you know the old saying in the NFL. . .Not For Long. While Brown was sidelined with injury, Wichmann was improving. It must have been close coming out of the presason, because they alternated in the opener _ which is very rare.
by jthomas 3:35 PM

It’s still four years out (CBA expires in 2020, I think), but what do you see are the BIG issues that will be contentiously negotiated in the next CBA?
by Andy 3:42 PM

The biggest issue remains the fact that Roger Goodell is both judge and jury on issues of discipline. I’ll be interested to see how hard the NFLPA fights this on the next go-around.
by jthomas 3:43 PM

Do you know if James Laurinitis and Chris Long are doing well with the Saints and Pats? I look at the number of points the Saints have given up this year and think that he hasn’t made much of a contribution. Which makes me think the Rams did the right thing in releasing him. Your thoughts?
by Jeff 3:43 PM

Glad you asked that. Hopefully, it will be posted tonight. And if not tonight then tomorrow on stltoday.com But we will have updates on all 28 ex-St. Louis Rams that are with other NFL teams this season. The short answer is that Long is playing well and has fit in quickly in New England. I watched the Atlanta-New Orleans game a week ago Monday with a particular eye on Laurinaitis. He started out quickly, but as the game progressed didn’t seem to be running that well. I don’t know if that was a product of the quad injury that kept him out of the San Diego game or what. As much as I admire Laurinaitis and respect what he did in St. Louis for many years, at this point it doesn’t look like the Rams miss him.
by jthomas 3:48 PM

When, if ever, will this Rams team add some power to their offensive lineup to score in bunches like the Cardinals did this last year? With Fisher and Snead evaluating talent, I do not see it happening soon. Your thoughts?
by Todd 3:55 PM

They’ve drafted a lot of wide receivers during their tenure but none of them have clicked. So you wonder about that, even factoring in that there is some luck involved. Maybe Goff turns out to be the next Joe Montana.
by jthomas 3:57 PM

Nobody expected the Rams to start 3-1, but here we are. Has parity in the NFL evolved to the point that the games really just depend on luck and the way an oddly shaped ball bounces?
by Dilbert 3:59 PM

Sure, there’s some luck involved. And it truly is a fourth-quarter league. But the best teams find a way to close out games more often than not. The Broncos of last season are a great example.
by jthomas 4:00 PM

Perhaps Fisher is worried that playing Goff might cost him his job?
by Tom 4:07 PM

Unless they’re told otherwise from above, coaches always go with the players they think give them the best chance to win.
by jthomas 4:07 PM