bfulton: I haven't noticed Rams newest CB Manning on the field. Can't he play? If he can't play, why is he still on the team?

As always, thanks a million for your reporting and insight. It must be particularly tough to sit through this stuff this year, even though they pay you.

Jim Thomas: Good question. The Rams are paying Manning about $1.25 million this year, apparently just to sit.

Tony: Jim,

I asked Gordon on Sunday if he thought it had gotten to a point where it was literally unfair to Scott Linehan himself to keep him here. My point was that he's a stand up guy who will not quit, but the weekly humiliations have reached an absurd level where I think his future in football is in serious jeopardy, certainly his chances of being a head coach again are gone, and now I think his chances of ever again coordinating an offense are pretty nearly vanished, at least in the pro ranks. I realize Chip may want to honor his Mother's wishes that Linehan get a third season, but he has to understand that those wishes were based on a desire to be fair to a good man ... and in some cockeyed way this has gotten so bad it is now very close to unfair to NOT make a change. I am a dedicated Rams fan and I want to see things get better as much as anyone, and I do feel let down by this staff, including Linehan, but this is now so abjectly horrifying I just don't want to see a good man's career completely ruined. I would give him the Buffalo game and hope for a miracle. If we don't win or make a strong showing and management stands pat during the bye, I will officially decide that everyone at Rams Park has gone insane. Thoughts?

Jim Thomas: It doesn't look like things will get better. You make some very good points. There doesn't seem to be a way out.

Jake - Jefferson City: Jim,

Dante Hall is a mere shell of his former self. He is slower than molasses in January when returning kicks - or am I the only who sees this? Why on earth do they keep putting him back there, instead of giving the rooks a chance to provide a spark on returns?

Jim Thomas: Very good qeustion. Maybe we'll see Donnie Avery returning kickoffs this week.

Jim from West Virginia: As an alum of West Virginia University, I love the ability to watch Marc Bulger play in the NFL. Our other recent draft picks (Chris Henry and Adam Jones) have spent more time off the field than they have on it.

Due to the overall weakness and inability of the offensive line, do you think that Bulger's psyche is shot? After getting destroyed every game for the past three seasons, I feel like he likely has little confidence left. Even if they made massive improvements to the offensive line, do you think he could regain his once pro bowl form?

Jim Thomas: Sure he could. It took Kurt Warner a few years, but he seems to have gotten his mojo back. Maybe sitting for a while as will now take place with his benching, will help.

Rams Fan In China: JT,
Thanks as always for the chat. They're invaluable for those of us that live abroad. To be honest, I look forward to your weekly Rams chats more than the actual Rams football games! My question this week:

Would you care to revise your W-L prediction for the 2008 Rams after the first three games? I'll totally give you a mulligan, because Nostradamus couldn't have predicted this team being this bad. I've been looking at the schedule, and I just don't see where the win(s) come from, especially after the Miami-New England game this week. With the way this team is playing, can we even equal our win total from last year?

Do you receive hazard pay for covering this team? If not, you should.

Thanks as always,
Rams Fan In China

Jim Thomas: RFIC--It's hard to see them winning a single game _ any game _ the way they're playing right now.