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- The Dude
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[textarea]Barf333: Jim,
I dont mean to go back to the Arizona game but I have to. Your comment last week to many that Spags going for it on 4th down late in the 4th instead of trying for a field goal was a mute point because they got the ball back is ridiculous in my opinion. A made FG puts them ahead and we now know would have won the game. How is that irrelevant? Yes we all get that if they would have made the 1st down they could have ran the clock out but passing on a makeable 51 yard FG with the score tied late in the game is quite questionable in my opinion. I usually agree with you but..............
Your thoughts on Spags calling the defensive time out with 28 seconds remaining in the 1st half on Sunday? Any chance he forgot about the penalty on 1st down to the Browns and thought it was 4th down when he called the TO?
As always Jim thanks for your time.
****
JIM THOMAS: How much plainer can I make it? It's irrelevant because the Rams had a chance to win the game with 4 seconds left from much closer range. (I'm referring to the FG that was blocked.) Do you really think a 51-yarder is such a chip shot? And a missed field goal from 51 would've given Arizona the ball on the 41 with about 1:40 seconds to play, plenty of time for them to move into field goal range.
As for the timeout, he wanted to get the ball back and hoping for a stop on 3rd-and-2.[/textarea]
[textarea]andy t: Jim,
I am still not seeing Dominique Curry lining up at wide receiver. Is he having trouble learning the schemes or just why is he not being used?
Thanks.
****
JIM THOMAS: He played at a small school (Div. II California, Pa.); he's been hurt much of the time he's been here (suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 of last season which was his rookie season), and there was no offseason program for him to hone his craft. So it's pretty simply, really. Curry is very raw.
He has played a handful of plays at wide receiver, but just a handful.[/textarea]
[textarea]docholliday4superiorsalestrainin:
Here's the hard truth. The Rams are awful, primarily because of incompetent coaching and horrific front office decisions. This has been true for almost the entire period of time since Vermeil left. For some inexplicable reason, ownership has refused to invest in a bona fide head coach, instead constantly choosing the more cost efficient route of hiring untested and inexperienced coordinators. Kronke is maintaining the status quo, but for an entirely different reason. He knows he is moving the team to LA within four or five years. Once the franchise is moved, he will adopt a much more aggressive investment strategy. But, until they relocate, the Rams will simply tread water. The bad news is they are moving. The good news is that they are so bad that, by the time they leave, the market will probably be relieved to see them go. But make no mistake, they are most certainly leaving.
****
JIM THOMAS: That's quite an Oliver Stone theory. And even if all that were true, how long do you think the fickle LA sports market would put up with this kind of football -- the kind that is 29-76 over the past 6 1/2 years, or since the Rams last playoff berth in 2004? And do you really think that all it takes is a "more aggressive investment strategy" to turn the team around? You mean, like the one Philadelphia took this past offseason?[/textarea]
[textarea]Joel C:
Jim, it's clear to me that the Ram offensive line is not very good on pass plays. Since you see the games in person, are you seeing a change in offensive philosophy--- like shorter pass routes being run, more 3 step drops by Bradford, etc. Do you see Josh McDaniels as a coach who willing to change based on the type of personnel the Rams have?
****
JIM THOMAS: I thought McDaniels went more to a quick game in Cleveland. Part of the problem is with Amendola and Salas now out for the season -- and with Alexander out three games and counting with a hamstring injury -- the Rams really don't have a reliable second receiving option beyond Brandon Lloyd.
Arizona (Patrick Peterson) and Cleveland (Joe Haden) both had one corner good enough to at least keep the lid on Lloyd. But Bradford needs to play better as well. He still hangs onto the ball too long on occasion and against Cleveland it was obvious he was locking onto receivers and not seeing the whole field.
But yes, I do see McDaniels as a coach willing to change based on the type of personnel he has.[/textarea]
[textarea]The Indian: Hi Jim,
Do you think Bradford has lost some confidence this year? He just doesn’t seem as decisive as last year. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with loss of confidence in the receiving corp and all the drops at the beginning of the year; and maybe the ankle and even the figure I suppose.
Are we looking at blackouts the rest of the season?
Thanks,
****
JIM THOMAS: I think all those factors are at play with Bradford, plus a new offense, plus a revolving door at receiver from Day 1. From Amendola to Mike Sims-Walker to Salas to Danario missing time. Brandon Gibson starts one week and is on the pregame inactive list the next. . . .Here comes Brandon Lloyd. Hoomanawanui's injurieis, Kendicks is out. Now here comes Clayton.
As for blackouts, I'll check on that. But I know there are lots of tickets left for these final four games.[/textarea]
[textarea]Markus: Jim- To the best of your knowledge, who has the final say on what players are released during the season? I recall Tony Softli writing that Avery would have made the team except
McDaniels did not want him.
People slam Devaney for poor drafting, yet players such as Fendi Onobun, Jabara Williams, Thad Lewis, Jermale Hines were never given a chance to be developed. Guys like John Greco were never given a legit opportunity to play.
While these players MAY NOT ever develop, it must be frustrating to the scouting dept. to watch them go to other teams in favor of PROVEN journymen like Hank Fraley, Stephen Spach, Craig Dahl, or overrated or aging players like Ben Leber, James Butler, among others.
Thanks - Markus
****
JIM THOMAS: The head coach has control over who is on the 53-man roster. That's how it traditionally works at almost every NFL team.
I doubt that Devaney wanted to get rid of all those draft picks.
But please keep John Greco out of the discussion. He can't get off the bench in Cleveland and the Browns started a rookie and a near rookie at their two guard spots against the Rams Sunday.[/textarea]
[textarea]chris:
What big moves do you see the Rams making this offseason?
****
JIM THOMAS: Well it could start with the head coach and/or the GM, couldn't it? We'll see.[/textarea]
[textarea]Barf333: Jim,
I dont mean to go back to the Arizona game but I have to. Your comment last week to many that Spags going for it on 4th down late in the 4th instead of trying for a field goal was a mute point because they got the ball back is ridiculous in my opinion. A made FG puts them ahead and we now know would have won the game. How is that irrelevant? Yes we all get that if they would have made the 1st down they could have ran the clock out but passing on a makeable 51 yard FG with the score tied late in the game is quite questionable in my opinion. I usually agree with you but..............
Your thoughts on Spags calling the defensive time out with 28 seconds remaining in the 1st half on Sunday? Any chance he forgot about the penalty on 1st down to the Browns and thought it was 4th down when he called the TO?
As always Jim thanks for your time.
****
JIM THOMAS: How much plainer can I make it? It's irrelevant because the Rams had a chance to win the game with 4 seconds left from much closer range. (I'm referring to the FG that was blocked.) Do you really think a 51-yarder is such a chip shot? And a missed field goal from 51 would've given Arizona the ball on the 41 with about 1:40 seconds to play, plenty of time for them to move into field goal range.
As for the timeout, he wanted to get the ball back and hoping for a stop on 3rd-and-2.[/textarea]
[textarea]andy t: Jim,
I am still not seeing Dominique Curry lining up at wide receiver. Is he having trouble learning the schemes or just why is he not being used?
Thanks.
****
JIM THOMAS: He played at a small school (Div. II California, Pa.); he's been hurt much of the time he's been here (suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 of last season which was his rookie season), and there was no offseason program for him to hone his craft. So it's pretty simply, really. Curry is very raw.
He has played a handful of plays at wide receiver, but just a handful.[/textarea]
[textarea]docholliday4superiorsalestrainin:
Here's the hard truth. The Rams are awful, primarily because of incompetent coaching and horrific front office decisions. This has been true for almost the entire period of time since Vermeil left. For some inexplicable reason, ownership has refused to invest in a bona fide head coach, instead constantly choosing the more cost efficient route of hiring untested and inexperienced coordinators. Kronke is maintaining the status quo, but for an entirely different reason. He knows he is moving the team to LA within four or five years. Once the franchise is moved, he will adopt a much more aggressive investment strategy. But, until they relocate, the Rams will simply tread water. The bad news is they are moving. The good news is that they are so bad that, by the time they leave, the market will probably be relieved to see them go. But make no mistake, they are most certainly leaving.
****
JIM THOMAS: That's quite an Oliver Stone theory. And even if all that were true, how long do you think the fickle LA sports market would put up with this kind of football -- the kind that is 29-76 over the past 6 1/2 years, or since the Rams last playoff berth in 2004? And do you really think that all it takes is a "more aggressive investment strategy" to turn the team around? You mean, like the one Philadelphia took this past offseason?[/textarea]
[textarea]Joel C:
Jim, it's clear to me that the Ram offensive line is not very good on pass plays. Since you see the games in person, are you seeing a change in offensive philosophy--- like shorter pass routes being run, more 3 step drops by Bradford, etc. Do you see Josh McDaniels as a coach who willing to change based on the type of personnel the Rams have?
****
JIM THOMAS: I thought McDaniels went more to a quick game in Cleveland. Part of the problem is with Amendola and Salas now out for the season -- and with Alexander out three games and counting with a hamstring injury -- the Rams really don't have a reliable second receiving option beyond Brandon Lloyd.
Arizona (Patrick Peterson) and Cleveland (Joe Haden) both had one corner good enough to at least keep the lid on Lloyd. But Bradford needs to play better as well. He still hangs onto the ball too long on occasion and against Cleveland it was obvious he was locking onto receivers and not seeing the whole field.
But yes, I do see McDaniels as a coach willing to change based on the type of personnel he has.[/textarea]
[textarea]The Indian: Hi Jim,
Do you think Bradford has lost some confidence this year? He just doesn’t seem as decisive as last year. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with loss of confidence in the receiving corp and all the drops at the beginning of the year; and maybe the ankle and even the figure I suppose.
Are we looking at blackouts the rest of the season?
Thanks,
****
JIM THOMAS: I think all those factors are at play with Bradford, plus a new offense, plus a revolving door at receiver from Day 1. From Amendola to Mike Sims-Walker to Salas to Danario missing time. Brandon Gibson starts one week and is on the pregame inactive list the next. . . .Here comes Brandon Lloyd. Hoomanawanui's injurieis, Kendicks is out. Now here comes Clayton.
As for blackouts, I'll check on that. But I know there are lots of tickets left for these final four games.[/textarea]
[textarea]Markus: Jim- To the best of your knowledge, who has the final say on what players are released during the season? I recall Tony Softli writing that Avery would have made the team except
McDaniels did not want him.
People slam Devaney for poor drafting, yet players such as Fendi Onobun, Jabara Williams, Thad Lewis, Jermale Hines were never given a chance to be developed. Guys like John Greco were never given a legit opportunity to play.
While these players MAY NOT ever develop, it must be frustrating to the scouting dept. to watch them go to other teams in favor of PROVEN journymen like Hank Fraley, Stephen Spach, Craig Dahl, or overrated or aging players like Ben Leber, James Butler, among others.
Thanks - Markus
****
JIM THOMAS: The head coach has control over who is on the 53-man roster. That's how it traditionally works at almost every NFL team.
I doubt that Devaney wanted to get rid of all those draft picks.
But please keep John Greco out of the discussion. He can't get off the bench in Cleveland and the Browns started a rookie and a near rookie at their two guard spots against the Rams Sunday.[/textarea]
[textarea]chris:
What big moves do you see the Rams making this offseason?
****
JIM THOMAS: Well it could start with the head coach and/or the GM, couldn't it? We'll see.[/textarea]