Mike: So hypothetically, the Rams are looking for a new coach at the end of the season. Is there any possibility Bill Cowher would have interest in the job and would the Rams FO be able to lure him here? Realistically, why would any coach with credentials want to come to this mess? Please humor me and tell me there is no way in hell Schottenheimer ends up coaching the Rams. I don't think I could take that kind of news after a season like this.

Jim Thomas: Cowher will have his pick of any jobs. And will demand top dollar. I'd say $5 million, plus, per year. Actually, the Rams traditionally have given their head coach say over personnel. Martz had it. Linehan had. Vermeil had it. But team management reserves veto power, which I cannot remember them actually using. (They should've used it several times with some of those Martz picks).
As for Schottenheimer, I don't know what Shaw thinks of him, or how he views him as a coach.
The trend across the league these days is to hire younger, unproven assistants for about $2 million a year. And that way, if they don't work out as head coaches, you're not stuck paying off millions as is the case with Detroit and Steve Mariucci.

Mike: Which players are the Rams likely to cut ties with at the end of this miserable season? I love Isaac Bruce but I think this could be the end of the line for him. Chavous hasn't wowed me with his play, either. For how long are we stuck with Bennett?

Jim Thomas: I'm wondering about Bruce and Chavous as well in '08. Don't get me wrong, they're both high quality, class individuals. And Bruce is an icon in this town. If Linehan indeed is back in '08, I think it's pretty clear he likes big receivers. Something to keep an eye on with Bruce: He's do $3 million in base salary, but $2 million in a roster bonus in March of '08 (the start of what's called the league year). Let's see what happens there.
Yes, you're "stuck" with Bennett for a while, due to the fact that he's in the first year of a contract. (Six years) The cap hit would be large if he were released or traded after this year.

Benjamin: Hey JT,

Thanks for listening to/answering everybody's questions, you're kind of like a Football Therapist for us.

After 22 games this is what we have: 8 wins against teams with a combined .356 win percentege. The "best" win from that span is last year's season opener against a Denver Broncos team that eventually went 9-7 (the only winning team the Rams have beaten during that span), and missed the playoffs. (we kicked 6 FGs to win, we did not score a TD)... that's the signature win of the Linehan era thus far.

It seems like last year's 8-8 was a bit of a mirage, a benefit of facing 5 of the 7 teams that picked first in this past year's draft. Can we start talking about a new HC yet? I don't necessarily think Linehan is a bad coach I just think management made a bad match, his system is not conducive to the talent on the roster. So along those lines, would management ever consider taking a look at someone like Al Saunders?

Jim Thomas: To me, your record is what it is. You have no control over who's on the schedule, or what happens to them over the course of the offseason or season to improve or decrease their chances of winning. Check out the Rams' quality of opponents in '99 _ the Super Bowl championship season. I'm not sure it was even .356. Should the Rams give back the Lombardi Trophy that sits in the lobby in Earth City because of that? I think not.
I would love to see Al Saunders get another chance as a head coach. He is a very bright offensive mind. Look at what he did with Kansas City's offenses after he left the Rams. For some reason, however, I don't think Rams management is interested. At least they weren't a couple of years ago during the hiring process that led to Scott Linehan.

William Watkins: Is there any credible evidence that Holt, Bruce, Pace, et al will ever contribute meaningful play in the future? Time to retool and draft smart. This team is old and ugly.

Jim Thomas: No doubt, the core of talent is aging. Bruce is nearing the end. I don't know what to say about Pace and his injuries the past two years. Holt is still an effective receiver, but he's not what he was even a year ago at this point because of the knee injury. And he says he will have to manage that knee for the rest of his career. The scary part about the immediate future is the Rams haven't done a good job of even lining up possible replacements for these guys. Here's what's left of the drafts of 2000, 2001, 2002: Long snapper Chris Massey. Sure, there's attrition as each year goes by. And yes the Rams were drafting at the end of every round following the Super Bowl seasons of '99 and '01. But there should be a half-dozen players left from those drafts who are nucleus players. And they're nowhere to be found in St. Louis.

Deja Vu: Yesterday's game reminded me of the glory years. Kennison snatching Banks' pinpoint passes from the air and racing towards the endzone. Phillips incredible heart and instincts willing him across the goal line. Ah, those were the days! And here I thought I could never relive that era again.

Jim Thomas: It reminded me more of the '98 Rams, a team that had a decent defense but was trying to win with Pretty Tony at QB, June Henley at RB, and J.T. Thomas at WR. And that team won four games!!!