THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Hindsight is always 20/20 … but perhaps not so much with the 2009 NFL draft class. If you could go back in time and reselect the Rams No. 2 overall pick, who would you have selected based on the first-half performance of the rookies this season?

JIM THOMAS
I was intrigued by the prospect of LB Aaron Curry, but have no problem with OT Jason Smith. But James Laurinaitis has worked out fine at LB as a second-round pick. And I wonder if Sanchez truly is a franchise-type quarterback.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Well, I’ll be consistent and stay with what I said at the time: QB Mark Sanchez. I didn’t have a problem with the choice of OT Jason Smith. I believe Smith will be a terrific offensive tackle in the NFL and anchor the offensive line for a long time. But Billy Devaney and Steve Spagnuolo can’t fully implement their program until they install a quarterback who will be their long-term starter. Sanchez was the ideal fit for a West Coast offense. He’s certainly had some struggles during his rookie season, but that doesn’t mean much if you pay attention to history. Many Hall of Fame quarterbacks came out of the gate slowly as young NFL starters. The Rams could have used this season as a way to slowly ease a rookie QB into the offense to get him some work and experience. Instead, if they draft a QB in 2010, which is something we can expect, 2010 will be a developmental season for the rookie QB. In other words, the Rams will have wasted a year in beginning the inevitable process. And for those pining for Keith Null: internally he is not viewed as a long-term answer at QB for the Rams. Sorry.

JEFF GORDON
If the Rams had taken LB Aaron Curry, they probably wouldn’t have taken James Laurinaitis. But Curry’s early returns for Seattle were awesome. He looks like a home-run hitter on the defensive side, a game-changer. The Rams could have landed a tackle in the second round and possibly come out ahead. Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford have promise at QB, but both would be losing game after game here — and perhaps developing bad habits.

KATHLEEN NELSON
“Based on first-half performance?” Percy Harvin looks like a good pick. He’s made an immediate impact in the offense and on special teams with the Vikings; two kickoff returns for TDs, 369 receiving yards, 3 TD catches. Maybe it helps to have Brett Favre throwing to you, though. I’m not dissing Jason Smith, though. I think he could grow into an anchor on the offensive line. He just hasn’t been as fast out of the blocks or as visible as Harvin.

THE WATERCOOLER:
Through eight weeks of the season, the NFL has one winless team (Tampa Bay) and five with just one win (St. Louis, Detroit, Kansas City, Tennessee and Cleveland). Plus a couple of hard-to-watch two-win teams (Washington and Oakland). In that context, do the Rams have a better future than some of these teams?

JIM THOMAS:
In terms of Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Detroit, the Rams are on a similar track, with rookie first-year head coaches and rebuilding teams that have purposely gotten younger. The Lions, however, already have their quarterback of the future in Matthew Stafford getting on-the-job training. That may be the Rams’ fate next season. Is Tennessee in for a coaching change? And Cleveland, well, they’re just Cleveland. The second version of Paul Brown’s team just can’t seem to get it going An added element of uncertainty for St. Louis — an ownership change looming on the horizon that could change a lot of things.

BERNIE MIKLASZ:
The Rams are for sale, which is an issue, but for now it hasn’t impacted the operation. They have good harmony and stability in the front office. GM Billy Devaney and head coach Steve Spagnuolo are working well together. The personnel department, the scouts, are being treated as an important part of the operation. You just don’t see the glaring dysfunction that greatly damaged the Rams during the latter years of the previous regime. And in this context the Rams are in better shape than many of the other woeful NFL losers these days.

BILL COATS:
I like the Rams’ future, because I think they’re going about things the right way. That is, they’re not pulling off desperate moves now to try to win a relatively meaningless game or two but hamstringing themselves down the road. They’re being patient and prudent, and I believe that approach will pay off in the long run.

JEFF GORDON:
It’s too soon to say that the Devaney/Spagnuolo combo will get it done in St. Louis. The next Rams owner will get to make that call. But at least the Rams aren’t a dysfunctional mess like the Browns, Raiders and Redskins. In all three of those cases,you wonder if the ownership will get a handle. In Cleveland, Randy Lerner needs to find a strong footman he trusts to show him the way. In Washington, Daniel Snyder to hire a stronger football man and stay out of his way. And in Oakland, Al Davis needs to sell. There is no hope for a turnaround otherwise.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Do you believe the Rams’ troubles are due simply to a talent deficiency, or would you have expected more progress from this group as they near the halfway point of coach Steve Spagnuolo’s first season?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Both. This is the worst roster in the NFL. But even where there is talent, the Rams don’t utilize it properly. One example: giving Steven Jackson only five touches in the second half of the Jacksonville game. (And ignoring Jackson at times in other games.) Another example: not playing No. 2 overall draft pick Jason Smith at left offensive tackle, where he belongs, from the time he checked into camp. And what’s up with this three-man rotation at OT? A third example: as a rookie DE, Chris Long was better in the pass rush than he’s been in this, his second season. Why has he regressed? Isn’t the pass rush supposed to be a Spagnuolo specialty?

JEFF GORDON
The Rams ARE horrible, make no mistake about it. But there are a lot of bad teams in the NFL this season and the others have found a way to win a game. If these coaches can’t find a way to win a game here or there while rebuilding, why would the next owner want any part of them? Everybody working at Rams Park today must realize that would-be owners are paying attention.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Few problems in life have simple solutions. The Rams’ talent at wide receiver has been depleted and not replenished over the last three years. Marc Bulger has yet to achieve the level of proficiency that led to two Pro Bowl appearances. Injuries also have set back the team’s progress. The players are learning a new system, and the coaching staff has endured growing pains. Five lopsided losses must be discouraging to fans, though.

BILL COATS
Obviously, the Rams’ talent pool is very shallow. Still, I did think that by this point, they’d have a couple of wins. I actually thought 7-9 was possible before the season began. That’s probably not going to happen.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Count me in the group that believes that it’s as simple as not having enough good players. The things Spags is trying to implement have worked extremely well in Philadelphia and New York so there’s no reason they wouldn’t work here if they can get the right players. 99 percent of the time it’s talent that wins in pro sports. Bill Belichick was known as “Beli-choke” when he was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns and he got run out of town. Since he took over in New England and had a team with some talent he’s now an NFL “genius” with his own family of coaching assistants who are now running their own teams at the college and pro level. I don’t know if Steve Spagnuolo will be a difference maker as head coach or not, but that’s because there’s no way to determine that until the talent on the squad is upgraded significantly.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: With Sunday’s opener now just days away, who is one player who you feel could really surprise Rams fans this year?

JIM THOMAS
There will be rough moments along the way, but CB Jonathan Wade has an agressive attitude, top-end speed, and decent size. Most of all, it looks like he has matured. Some take longer than others, but it looks like Wade now gets it — what it takes to be an NFL player. Coach Steve Spagnuolo has a lot of experience on his resume working with cornerbacks.

BRYAN BURWELL
Laurent Robinson could be the big surprise at wide receiver. He showed in the preseason that he can make plays and he will get plenty of opportunities on a team looking for WR’s to establish themselves.

BILL COATS
Because he seems to have so many detractors around town, I’ll go with Marc Bulger. The new Rams offense demands precision and accuracy from the QB, arguably Bulger’s greatest assets. If the line can protect him and he can adjust to the quick drops and throws — and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be able to — he has a chance to have a big year.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Randy McMichael is a guy who could surprise some people. With the team lacking name players at wide receiver, McMichael could be a big part of the passing attack if he can stay healthy. I’m not sure he’s as athletic as he used to be in his best days with the Dolphins, but he’s a big target who would be an asset especially in red zone situations. Laurent Robinson and Donnie Avery are speedy receivers who will make their share of plays but they’re not very big and McMichael has both the size and the hands to be Marc Bulger’s safety blanket. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention Daniel Fells, one of the backups to McMichael. Fells’ teammates rave about his athletic abilities so we’ll see if that translates into game action.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: With just two weeks remaining until the season opener, what are the tangible differences you see in the Rams under coach Steve Spagnuolo compared to the team during the Linehan era?

JIM THOMAS
The first thing you notice is the presence each coach brings to the job every day. Spagnuolo can play what the players call “the big room” — the team meeting room. Linehan couldn’t. Spagnuolo’s speeches are direct and to the point. Linehan’s weren’t. Even in the NFL, players need to be motivated, inspired, and given guidance. They didn’t always get that with Linehan.

BILL COATS
They appear to be more aggressive and tougher on the field. And this might not be a tangible difference, but it’s obvious that they’ve bought into what Spagnuolo has brought and have full trust in him.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
I’ll keep this one simple: the players respect this coach and want to play for him.

JEFF GORDON
At the end of the Linehan/Haslett era, there wasn’t much life left. Guys were NOT flying around. This team clearly has more enthusiasm — but we haven’t seen a mind-blowing improvement to this point. The defense still gives up some big plays and the offense is still hit-or-miss. Since Bulger has been hurt, that huge question mark still hangs over the team. Can he regain his Pro Bowl form? To this point, we have no idea.

KATHLEEN NELSON
If you’re looking for tangibles, as in stats, the team’s takeaway total is encouraging. But yards per carry, yards after the catch, red zone efficiency, and all that stuff that counts in fantasy leagues prove meaningless because the first string isn’t always playing the first string, and a lot of the focus right now is on simply making the team, fighting for the final few spots at the bottom of the depth chart. The quality that’s most noticeable to me is intensity. Players seem to play with more emotion and focus more consistently than in the past. When the regular season begins, those intangibles could translate into measurable stats that could be better than last year. Not now, though.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
The team has more of an edge to it. They’re more aggressive, attack the opponent more and seem to enjoy the physical aspect to the game as opposed to getting pushed around like they did in the past. Some of that is the attitude of the Spagnuolo staff rubbing off on the players and some of it is simply feeling like there is hope. Players know when the end is near for a coaching staff and when that spiral of negativity begins to swirl it’s almost impossible to go against the stream and maintain intensity. Spags and Co. have given the team a shot of energy with their enthusiastic approach and because the players were just begging for some kind of change after the last couple of years.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: If you were Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo, after watching the first two preseason games what would be your biggest area(s) of concern?

JIM THOMAS
If you can’t stop the run, you will not win consistently in the NFL. As a defensive oriented coach, Spagnuolo had to be concerned about the run defense — or lack thereof — against Atlanta. Especially after all those live tackling drills and an entire preseason spent trying to establish an attitude.

BILL COATS
The first-team offense’s inability to score a touchdown so far. Even though that unit was missing several key players Friday vs. the Falcons, it still was in Atlanta territory four times and produced only a single field goal. The week before, the first unit delivered two field goals vs. the Jets. That’s a lot of wasted opportunity and certainly no recipe for success.

JEFF GORDON
Run defense. The offensive line wasn’t great in Week 2, either, but it was missing Jacob Bell and Alex Barron to start the game. The defense had the bulk of its front seven rotation healthy and it couldn’t even slow down the first-unit Atlanta running game. If this team doesn’t improve there, it is looking at double-digit losses again. A LOT of money has been spent on shoring up that D, so it’ll be interesting to watch what happens the next two weeks.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
My biggest concern would be the defensive line and cornerback. I can give the offense a little bit of a break from the last game because they were without their starting QB and two first-team offensive linemen, but the defense was shredded by the Falcons. It’s important to note that the Falcons are a very strong offensive team and they’re going to do that kind of stuff to other teams in the regular season, but without a stout run defense it’s hard for me to see the team improving much. That starts on the line. As for corner, well, it may be time to move on from Tye Hill. If he doesn’t show something Thursday in Cincy this armchair QB would have to bump him down the depth chart a couple of spots.

THE WATERCOOLER:
How much will we really be able to tell from the Rams pre-season opener against the Jets on Friday?

JIM THOMAS: Rule 1 of preseason football: Pay attention to the score when the starters are in; watch individuals when the reserves are on the field. Trends in August usually carry over to September and beyond. To wit, the Rams yielded 340 yards rushing in their exhibition opener against Tennessee last season. They surrendered a franchise-record 2,475 yards in the regular season.

BRYAN BURWELL:
I think this is the first true glance at what the “new” Rams can be. Of course it won’t be a definitive look, but we can surely see if the revamped offensive line can protect Marc Bulger and open holes for Steven Jackson. We get a glimpse at how Steve Spagnoulo’s defense will improve the unit that struggled mightily last season.
But these are only glimpses, not full portraits. But I think it is important from a fan base standpoint for the Rams to look good. Sports fans in St. Louis are preoccupied with the Cardinals now. If the Rams have any hopes of sharing any of that attention in the early fall, they have to show people that there is hope.

BILL COATS:
We’ll get an idea of what the Rams’ depth might be this year, and that’s a big issue for them. It’ll also be interesting to see if the units are relatively crisp and keep the mental errors down, as Spagnuolo has been preaching throughout camp.

JEFF GORDON:
Fans will want to see how well Marc Bulger is adapting to the new offense, because this is a big change for him. This will be a test because new Jets coach Rex Ryan will want to make a good first impression with his group. Rams fans will also want to see if rookie right tackle Jason Smith is making any progress as a pass blocker. And will any of the wide receivers or back-up running backs separate from the pack. Otherwise, this game is all about identifying the team’s depth — or lack thereof. Most of the lineup is set. The guys trying to win the last 8 to 10 spots on the roster must rise to the occasion.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: In 2006, Steven Jackson scored 16 touchdowns, rushed for 1,528 yards and caught 90 passes for 806 yards. Jackson missed four games in both 2007 and 2008 and his reception numbers dropped to half that level, to 38 and 40, respectively. With Pat Shurmur’s West Coast offense being installed, would you expect Jackson’s reception numbers to climb back near the level of 2006, or do you think he’ll be more efficient if the receptions settle somewhere in between as his workload between the tackles increases?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
First of all, SJ39 needs to stay healthy and prove that he can be a durable back who lasts, and thrives, over 16 games. But if he holds up, he should have terrific all-purpose production. The offensive line is better, the coaching will be better. For clues as to how many catches he will make, look no further than Eagles running back Brian Westbrook. In the Andy Reid offense, Westbrook has caught 50 or more passes in each of the previous five seasons. I don’t expect this to be a pure West Coast Offense; head coach Steve Spagnuolo wants a more physical approach. But Pat Shurmur worked for Reid in Philly and saw Wesbrook’s effectiveness as a receiver and what it did for the offense. The Rams would be silly not to take advantage of Jackson’s receiving skills. I’m marking him down for at least 60 catches.

JIM THOMAS
Ninety catches is a lot for any receiver, especially at the running back position. Even though the West Coast offense makes frequent use of the running back in the passing game, Jackson won’t get 90 catches this year. But he could get 60 or 70 if he stays healthy.

JEFF GORDON
Good question. This offense wants to run, run and run some more. This team doesn’t have a great second power-running option right now, so Jackson will stack up the carries. So it makes sense that he wouldn’t get as many touches in the passing game, despite his ability to get yards after the catch. Kenneth Darby’s strength is pass catching, so we wouldn’t be surprised if he got more work on that area.

BILL COATS
Steve Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur are determined to get the ball into Jackson’s hands as often as possible, and a fair amount of his action will come via the pass. Still, the West Coast offense — if it’s working properly — will emphasize the ground game. So, Jackson could get 60 or so catches, but probably not in the 90 range again.

KATHLEEN NELSON
This is the first year for Pat Shurmur’s version of the West Coast offense. Thus, the scheme probably will be a work in progress, which makes the question highly speculative. So, I’ll rely on stats from the past three seasons for Jackson and Brian Westbrook, the featured back in Philadelphia, where Shurmur spent the last seven seasons as quarterbacks coach, for a hint on how Jackson could be used.

Jackson’s reception numbers for the last three seasons:
2008 12 games,: 40 receptions, 379 yards
2007: 12 games, 38 receptions, 270 yards
2006: 16 games, 90 receptions, 806 yards

Now, Westbrook’s numbers:
2008: 14 games, 54 receptions, 402 yards
2007: 15 games, 90 receptions, 771 ards
2006: 15 games, 77 receptions, 699 yards

Their rushing totals for the three seasons are comparable. Jackson is three years younger, 26 versus 29, and has proven by the stats from 2006 that he can handle the increased workload when healthy. So don’t be surprised if his stats for 2009 more closely resemble his own from 2006 or Westbrook’s from ’06 and ’07. The unknown in this feeble analysis is how much of Philadelphia’s scheme Shurmur uses.

In addition, our colleague Jim Thomas noted that coach Steve Spagnuolo and the rest of the Rams seemed to have put a premium on improving the rushing game. Jackson can be a workhorse, but he can’t do everything.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: As training camp opens, eyes turn to embattled Rams QB Marc Bulger. What must he do during camp to not only get the entire offense clicking, but more specifically, to get the most out of a WR corps that lacks either experience (due to youth) or cohesiveness (due to free agent veterans)?

JIM THOMAS
Many fans and media members may think otherwise, but there is nothing “embattled” about Bulger when it comes to the new Rams’ coaching staff. He enters camp with the full support of coach Steve Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. Like everybody else on offense, a successful camp for Bulger will be getting the terminology down and becoming more familiarized with a new offense. The quicker he can establish chemistry and get in sync with receivers, the better.

JEFF GORDON
Bulger needs to become a take-charge leader. With all these kids at WR, the offense has a lot of work to do. Marc can set the tempo. Since he isn’t a verbal leader by nature, he must guide by example. Everbody on the offensive side of the ball will look to Marc this year since he is the Big Question Mark. From Day One of camp, he needs to show he wants to make the most of this fresh start.

BRYAN BURWELL
Marc Bulger really only has to do two major things to help this team: stay upright and be accurate. One he can control (being accurate), the other depends on outside forces.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything Bulger can do in training camp that will convince me of pending success in either regard. Obviously he has to go through the reps, learn the tendencies of his receivers and fine tune his feel for the new offensive scheme, but only regular season performance will tell us anything of significance about Bulger.

In other words, he’s a veteran with some history of success and he SHOULD look good in training camp and/or preseason games. Only when the games count for real — when other teams are playing their “real” defenses and not the watered down preseason stuff — will we know whether he can be “the straw that stirs the drink” or if the Rams will need to go another direction in 2010.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: A rebuilt offensive line and a healthy Steven Jackson should take some pressure off of QB Marc Bulger this season. However, Bulger has been given a very young WR corps to work with. Taking all those factors into account, what would a successful season for Bulger look like this year?

JIM THOMAS
Bulger must work the ball more to his backs and tight ends as the young wide receivers develop. He must cut down on mistakes, and get back in the habit of throwing the ball away when nothing’s there. An incompletion is always better than a sack or an interception. Accuracy remains one of Bulger’s biggest assets, so he needs to make the Rams’ new West Coast scheme — which generally relies on timing and shorter passes — play to that strength.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
More touchdown passes than interceptions, a passer rating that gets him back up to around 80, 85. Those are the tangibles. He can do a lot better job of competing and not letting the adversity sap his spirit. It’s a bad example for young Rams players when Bulger is on the sideline rolling his eyes or smirking or laughing when the team is getting its backside kicked.

BRYAN BURWELL
Statistically, getting that completion percentage back up into the 60s is going to be the first indicator that things are on the right track for Bulger, who when given time is one of the most accurate passers in the NFL. But the ultimate statistical barometer will still come down to number of victories. If he looks strong and comfortable in the pocket and this team wins six or seven games, you’d have to judge that as a successful season.

BILL COATS
Something like the season he put together in 2006, when he threw for more than 4,000 yards and 24 TDs, with just eight interceptions. A healthy Randy McMichael at tight end should help in that regard. And, yes, the wideouts are young and largely inexperienced, but there’s some talent there. It’s not a bare cupboard.

JEFF GORDON
Successful year for Bulger: Take charge of the offense for a change. Recognize pass pressure. Step up into the pocket, step into throws. Make good decisions with the ball, especially in the red zone. Get the ball out quickly. I’m more interested in how he looks in the pocket than what sort of numbers he puts up. If his receivers run around confused and they drop passes, he can’t control that. But there is a lot he CAN control — and there is a lot he did wrong the last two years.

KATHLEEN NELSON
The picture of a successful season would be vertical, rather than horizontal: an upright Bulger, rather than Bulger sprawled on the ground. The TV commentators often use the phrase “managing the offense” with a negative tone in their voices, meaning that the quarterback isn’t responsible for big plays. Effective management is a positive, not a negative. So, for the Rams this season, an efficient performance from Bulger would be an improvement over last year.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Two statistical measures come to mind immediately — completion percentage and touchdown-to-interception ratio.

To have a “successful” season Bulger needs to get back above the 60 percent completion rate and turn the TD/INT ratio upside down from the past two seasons. If he doesn’t have more touchdown passes than picks then he’s not doing his job, great receivers or not.

One of Steve Spagnuolo’s former teams, the Eagles, went on a 46-18 run from 2000-2003 and did so without any impact receivers on the roster. In those four seasons only two wide receivers caught 60 or more passes (James Thrash had 63 in 2000; Todd Pinkston had 60 in ’02) yet they got it done because they ran the ball, they threw it to the running backs a ton and because Donovan McNabb threw twice as many touchdowns as interceptions during those years.

Bulger doesn’t need to win a lot of games or put up Pro Bowl numbers to have a “successful” season in ’09, in part because the team is in a rebuilding season. He just needs to look like he’s not overmatched. Minimizing turnovers and completing a high percentage would do a lot for him in that regard.