Jerome : Do u think jackson will miss the game next week cause I think it would be hard to win without him. Also I didn't catch see the game dat mutch but burton did get a lot of yards is because they ran the ball a lot or was it just that they covered him well

Jim Thomas: I think it's 50-50 at this point on Jackson. We'll know more by later in the week. Obviously, Jackson is a huge part of the offense, and it's unfortunate to see him get nicked up just at a time when he and the offense as a whole is finally getting on track.
Burton caught only one pass for four yards. He was on the field a fair amount of the time. Once the Rams took that quick lead, they took the air out of the football. Bulger's 19 passing attempts was the lowest total of his NFL career for a game that he started and finished.

Roberts: Jim,

What's up with Torry Holt? Why is he now little more than an after thought with this offense? I can't imagine that 6 weeks into the season and he still hasn't caught a TD or been a major factor in any game yet.

Thanks for sharing your excellent insight.

Jim Thomas: Holt did catch at TD, that miracle 45-yard catch (some wondered if it was a catch) that temporarily got the Rams back in the game against the Giants. I think his sagging numbers are an overall reflection of the offense's struggles. Even after their two victories, the Rams still rank 31st in total offense and 29th in passing offense in the league. They had only four offensive TDs _ total _ prior to the Cowboys game. Bulger has yet to pass for even 200 yards in his first five starts of the season. All that being said, Holt still has a lot to offer and needs to be involved more. If Avery continues to develop on the other side, I think that will help free up Holt for more catches on the other side. At the moment, he's still getting plenty of extra attention in the secondary.

Bill: Hey Jim, what kind of defenses did Venturi have in New Orleans? Do you see any difference in philosophy or tendencies between Venturi and Haslett or are they one in the same?

Jim Thomas: Venturi ran basically the same defense in New Orleans, that you're seeing here. Some early observations on Venturi. Some defensive players say he's more-detailed oriented than Haslett. I think he's simplified the defense some (less thinking, more reacting). And he's emphasized some time-honored basics like swarming to the ball. It was amazing to me how the turnovers suddenly picked up in practice by the defense once Venturi took over; and this has carried over into games. Then again, we can overanalyze things as well. For example, it sure helps to have Leonard Little rushing the passer at left end.

Gabriel 2 Snow: Hi Jim, the change in Bulger is obvious, he seems to have bought into Hasletts philosophy, taken the leadership role he appeared to avoid, and he is actually talking, and playing, like a QB who is regaining confidence and courage. It is great to see, and of course, I could go on and on and say similar things about almost every other part of the team. Can Linehan have been such a negative influence that we will now be competitive regularly? Is Haz really changing the mindset so quickly? Or, did we get a gift in Washington, and take advantage of a Dallas team in disarray? I think it is a little of both, but just in case, if Haz were to get "coach of the year", would he be the first to do so after being hired during the season? He'd be a lock if he went 7-5, don't you think?

Jim Thomas: I think it is a little of both. A lot of times, it's as much when you play teams as who you play. In my mind, the Rams caught Washington and Dallas at exactly the right time. Washington may have been a little fat-headed coming off its wins at Philly and Dallas, and the Rams were fresh off the bye week. Dallas, of course, was playing without Tony Romo.
There's no doubt Haslett has brought a command presence we didn't see fromm Linehan, and the players obviously are responding.
Let's see what happens this Sunday in Foxborough. If the Rams can walk into Gillette Stadium for the first time and leave with a victory, then it's on. Then a lot of things may be possible. The Patriots by the way are 23-4 against teams making their first appearance at Gillette, and have won 12 straight games (regardless of venue) against NFC teams.

fmc715: JT-

What is your take on Bulger? I think he is a great QB, however I feel that the fact that we had not had an O-Line for so many years has hurt him physically and mentally. He reminds of Jim Everett with his happy feet. I noticed that in Sunday’s game. He was ready to take a dive than he noticed it was one of his players.
Can someone recover from that “happy feet” syndrome or have you seen anyone recover?

Thanks
Frank
Richmond, VA

Jim Thomas: Sure. The best way to recover is from better pass blocking. I'd say three of those five sacks by Dallas were because Bulger held onto the ball too long. He needs to just throw it away in some instances. As for QBs who have recovered from happy feet, I'd say Kurt Warner is a great example _ but it took him several years to shake it off.