Frank BB,Ca: Hey Jim,
Dont you think the Rams Players lacked the fire that is required to compete in the NFL? I think Coach Linehan made the wrong decision to not play them in pre season...... You have got to feel the game time hits.... The play callin was terrible, makes you miss Martz, We need to take chances....
Frank BB. Ca

Jim Thomas: Watching the SF-Arizona game Monday night, I couldn't help thinking how intense and how energetic the two defenses were. I don't think I saw that from the Rams. I think that goes beyond playing in the preseason. I've been told that to a large degree, players in the locker room during the work week don't spend much time talking about football. To me that's not a good sign. Now, this was before the final cuts, so it might have been because there were 22 guys in the room who wouldn't be there in a few days. And I'm not saying that players such as Bruce, Holt, Bulger, Glover, Little, etc., don't care. But I just wonder some times about the sense of urgency.

Jeff Rabenort: Did anyone watch the Cowboys/Giants game last night? They have tight ends, why can't we? And, training camp is over, you can really tackle now!!

Jim Thomas: It seemed kind of silly to dress four TEs and only throw two completions their way (Both at garbage time to McMichael). What's particularly frustrating is that Linehan's M.O. in Miami and Minnesota as offensive coordinator was to throw a lot to the TEs. After Pace got hurt, the Rams had McMichael blocking next to Goldberg on almost every play. I'm not saying it wasn't a good idea to give Goldberg help. But why not have McMichael chip block and then leak out on a pattern from time to time? Doesn't seem that complicated to me?

James Arnold: Hey Jim,
I am totally frustrated with Lineham's coaching performance. first off what was this pre-season hype about practicing in the 100 degree heat to prepare for the hot weather in the early away games? then he blames the defense was winded in the second half? Can you explain to me the play-calling? Finally, do you believe lineham's job is on the line? if so, at what point (record) makes it imminent? What is Bill Cowher's availability? his he under contract still with pittsburg? could we go after him seriously this season or off-season?
Thanks in advance for the insight

Jim Thomas: The defense was winded because they were on the field for 20 of the 30 minutes in the second half. You can blame the offense, because they went more than 1 1/2 quarters in the second half without a first down. But here's what the defense can do: Get a three-and-out, plain and simple. In just the second year of his contract, Linehan's job isn't on the line. The only thing that might cause John Shaw to re-think that would be something along the lines of 1-15. Or Linehan accusing management of not wanting to win. (No, wait. That would be Mike Martz.)

John Thrasher: Dear Jim, You've got a tough job this year trying to put the polish on a rust bucket. It is a good thing the schedulers put Atlanta and Cleveland on the docket this year, or the Rams could be looking at an o-fer season. The injured offensive line already forecasts one of the worst seasons in Ram history, and pre-season foretold that virtually no improvement had been made on the weakest defense in the League. When opening at home the Rams could not beat a weak Carolina team with only one real weapon to defense it means the Linehan experiment is at an end.

This was a bad team last year that finished the season by winning three straight over the worst in the league who all played the Rams without a quarterback. The same team seems to have shown up again this year donning Ram gear, and will be equally invisible on the national football stage as they were a year ago. The only team with a lower profile in the League this year will be the Falcons, who just want this year to be over. My guess is for a two win season this year. What is your guesstimate on how many games the Rams will win?

Jim Thomas: Carolina is not a weak team. I don't think they're an NFC title contender. But they're certainly a playoff contender. I know it looks gloomy for the offensive line at the moment. But you know what? The Rams were 5-3 with Pace out of the lineup a year ago; and 3-5 with him in the lineup. It can be done. The Rams did it last year, moving the ball very well most of the final six games without Pace in '06.

Curt: Hey Jim,
Maybe, just maybe, its time to move Witherspoon, either to an outside position or to another team for a draft pick. Too, too many overruns on his fills, leaving cutback lanes for the RB's. I watched, intensely, the KC pre-season game while McGarigle played MLB. This kid knows how to fill; inside-out! No cutback lanes there. Maybe its time to try McGarigle and see where that leads. It can't be any worse, can it?

Jim Thomas: It wasn't a stellar day for the LBs, but Witherspoon is a good player. He could play better, but he's not the problem on defense. As to what exactly is the problem, I'm not sure yet. And for all the talk about moving him to weakside, what then do you do with Pisa. McGarigle looked good against Kansas City. But he was playing primarily against backups. And yes. . .it can get worse.