QUESTION: With most of the Patriots starters playing deep into the third quarter of last week’s exhibition game, it would seem to make the Rams victory all the more impressive. Given what you’ve seen from the team this preseason and throughout training camp, what do you think is a best-case scenario in terms of wins for the Rams this year?

JIM THOMAS

Although the play at New England was eye-opening and could be a confidence builder for young players, I’ll keep my “parade meter” at five games. Meaning, a parade should be held in the Rams’ honor if they win five games this season. As Spags suggested, let’s see if Sam Bradford can put strong games together, back-to-back.

BRYAN BURWELL

Putting  aside the giddiness from the New England victory and understanding it was the preseason, it is difficult to imagine any sort of miracle one-year turnaround for last year’s 1-15 team. So let’s expect baby steps and look for four victories at the bottom end of expectations and, if things go wildly successful, 6-10.

BILL COATS

The start of the season is vital for the Rams. Three of the first four games are at home – Arizona, Washington and Seattle – and the road game is at Oakland. All four of those games are winnable. If the Rams came out of the first month at, say, 3-1, then they could conceivably wind up with perhaps seven wins. But a poor start probably dooms them to a 3- or 4-win finish.

JEFF GORDON

Best case? Maybe six victories. All along I believed the team should shoot for .500 this season, but the franchise did little outside the draft to move in that direction. Once the injuries start to mount, this team will be in big trouble. If the offensive line takes a hit or two, the Rams will suffer. If Steven Jackson misses a game or two, the Rams will suffer. The Donnie Avery injury will have a big impact. Bradford put on a nice show at New England, but let’s see what he does against real-game defensive game-planning before we book his Pro Bowl flight.