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These are selected questions and answers only. To read the whole chat click the link below.
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http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/NFL_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_35?Page=0
Jim Thomas - NFL Chat
Is Kroenke even more devious than we thought?
He keeps Fisher around for one year to take the heat in Los Angeles and then brings
out the new coach and quarterback to provide hope and salvation to the fans of Los
Angeles and buy him time until he can open his new palace.
I think it probably has more to do with the fact that 1.) Kroenke wanted Fisher to guide the Rams through the transition to LA because of his past experience moving the Houston Oilers to Tennessee, and 2.) He didn't want to pay Fisher's $7 million salary if he fired him this year while also having to pay for a new head coach at the same time.
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Memo to LA: Your football team has moved 4 times - STL has never had a franchise that originated here move. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
They are in fact the Cleveland/Los Angeles/Anaheim/St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. Which is why this whole "welcome home" stuff is such a crock. Which home?
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It just seems that the Rams can't evaluate offensive players. The OL is rated very low, there is no #1 WR, and for years QB play has been mediocre to terrible. Fisher has whiffed on more OL, RB;s, WR,s than I can count. How can this be solved other than firing Fisher?
They certainly have had a tough time doing so under Fisher-Snead. There's no doubt about that. And don't let the GM off the hook.
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What's your opinion on the Oakland move to Las Vegas? If Jerry Jones and Kraft are behind it, what's going to stop it?
I don't think anything will stop it unless somehow the financing plan falls through in Vegas. The league attitude towards gambling/Vegas has changed dramatically in the past decade.
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I don't care that we finished 3rd in ratings behind the Steelers/Ravens and Raiders/Broncos game. Rams are home and flyover country can just move on.
And I don't care how many times you say it, LA is not the "home" of the Rams.
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50 years in LA says its home. Move on Jimmy.
Apparently, you flunked both geography and math in school. Ten years in Cleveland, 33 years in LA, 16 years in Anaheim, 21 years in St. Louis. Please move on, you are done here.
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The decline in Gurley's performance is stunning. The O line is about the same as last year. Carries are down but is that the problem or is it the offensive play-calling?
Rams Rewind: Once again, team shows little interest in running Gurley
stltoday.com/Gurley had only 2 carries in second half of tight game against Carolina.
The Rams have gotten totally out of whack in terms of pass-run ratio these past two games. Gurley has had only 27 carries total and had only two carries in the second half Sunday vs. Carolina. He's clearly the team's best offensive player. Just because he's struggling, it doesn't mean you quit using him. You keep working on the problem until it's solved.
As I mentioned in the story, try more stretch plays, sprinkle in a little more Wildcat, give the defense more looks with Austin in motion threatening the jet sweep, etc. The worst thing you can do is just quit trying.
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Do Bradford and Foles really look better or is the talent just better around them?
I think a lot of it has to do with the talent around them, and also the fit. In Andy Reid, Foles is back with the coach who brought him into the league. And Bradford now is back with the OC (Pat Shurmur) who helped him win offensive rookie of the year honors in 2010 in StL and post career-best numbers last year in Philly.
Foles just looks like he has more confidence than he did for much of his time with the Rams in St. Louis. And unfortunately for Bradford, the Vikings' pass-blocking issues make it look more and more like the worst of his time in StL.
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Your comment about Foles and Bradford brings up an interesting question. Is Fisher and his staff able to adapt what they want to do to the available talent?
I'd say to a degree. They certainly did in 2013, when they re-dedicated to running the football with Zac Stacy as the feature back 4 games into the season. Used a lot of 2_ and 3-TE formations, etc. But for the most part, it seems like the Fisher Rams have lacked an identity on offense.
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I watched the Rams game Sunday and Lynch was all over Gurley.. "not hitting the right hole, "not running really hard like last year" and more. What I saw was not many holes and a lot of Carolina people always at the line.
When you rarely throw deep there are more people around the line. It think we need a new coach and offensive thinkers and see what parts really fit and what doesn't. Tough to watch each week.
Yeah, but there were the exact same issues last season, yet Gurley found a way to top 1,000 yards. I would even say that the Rams are throwing the ball better down field this season than they did a year ago.
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I expected a longer honeymoon period in LA. First quarter of the third game in the Coliseum and the Rams are booed. Did you see that coming? I guess it says a lot about the product this team puts out there week after week.
I heard, jeers directed at Goff from fans during the very first weekend of training camp in Irvine. It's a different market. Winning isn't enough. You've also got to entertain. The Rams aren't really doing either at this point.
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Despite all the public happy talk, do you think there's some growing tension in the locker room between the defense and the pathetic offense? Can Fisher lose the team?
This has been going on for years with the Rams: lousy offense vs. good defense. I think it's some sort of karmic (sp?) payback for the Greatest Show on Turf. It's nothing new. If such a fracture was going to develop, I think we would've seen it already.
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You have alluded to the fact that Demoff received his job not through his own merrits but for some other reasons. Understandably you have kept a tight lid on that rumor saying only that you wont go further into details that have already emerged. Will there be a time when you will disclose how Demoff got his job? Is it as sinister as we believe it to be?
I find it humorous, in a good way, that you remember that and are bringing this up. What I and others have heard is more "urban legend" than fact based. It would be next to impossible to prove. So I'll leave it at that. Sorry. . . .
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Maybe some of Gurley's problems are due to him only carrying the ball 3 times in the preseason? It certainly didn't look like the team was ready to play on opening night!
Perhaps. I understand doing that with a veteran, like Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson in their prime. But it seemed a little odd for a player with 13 games of NFL experience. And I'm not saying you necessarily want to give Gurley 50 carries in the preseason. But maybe 20-25.
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George Boone certainly made some odd draft day selections during his time with the Big Red. The Rams have chosen poorly over the years. Is it really that hard to identify players who can succeed in the NFL? New England seems to always find the right players. Do the Rams over-value potential versus actual college success?
It's harder for some teams more than others. Part of it is "fit" _ having a scouting department that knows how to find and identify the type of players that fit the philosophy of your head coach. Too often, the Rams under Fisher-Snead have paid too much attention to the stopwatch, measurable, and potential as opposed to actual production, football IQ, and intangibles.
Too often they've become enamored with players based on private workouts (See: Brian Quick) rather than their body of work and how a player's skill set might translate to the NFL.
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Yeah, the LA "fans" boo in the third game at the Coliseum. The STL fans tried to tell the LA idiots what they were getting, but we were accused of being sour grapes because they were moving. I don't care if they had been playing games on the moon, they absolutely stunk the last 12 years.
Well all I can say is if LA Rams are booing after 3 home games, try 12 years of this stuff.
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while watching Hardknocks, I was thinking Jeff Fisher is much too soft to be an NFL coach, I thought there was not enough discipline and accountability. You know him better than I do, what do you think?
I think you're onto something regarding Fisher. Players really like playing for Fisher, but when you're the head coach you can't be everyone's best friend. I don't think there is enough accountability on Fisher's teams. I think that's a legitimate knock against him.
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Is there a point at which the NFL office asks Stan "What's the plan Stan?" It just seems they put the "Shield" out there when they agreed to move the Rams to LA and now they look like fools, no surprise here.
LA will not wait for the palace to be finished to watch good football, heck it seems they are already turning on the team after week 8. Surely there must have been some requirements made of Stan by the league for such an embarrassing result to date.
A consistent theme I heard throughout the relocation process was that the league wanted the NFL to be a success in LA when a team moved back there. But in the end, greed trumped all as it almost always does for the NFL. The league gets a shiny new stadium, the owners get a relocation fee, and a bigger visiting check, and that's that.
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Do you see Goff starting this season? If he does not and the Rams continue to struggle will Fisher get his extension?
I'm surprised Fisher's back after 4 consecutive losing seasons. The Rams operate on a different wavelength on these things. I do think we'll see Goff start at some point before the end of the season. . . .Then again, you're talking to someone who thought the NFL put some stock in their relocation guidelines.
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Do you think the obvious missed calls by refs all year, are impacting the ratings? I know the NFL has said the election coverage has hampered it, but some of the blatant missed calls are frustrating (such as the obvious roughing the kicker missed call last night).
Don't get me wrong, the refs totally botched that field sequence and it could've cost Buffalo a chance to at least send the game into overtime. But there have been bad calls going on for years. It seems like the refrain is heard year after year: "I can't believe how bad the officiating is this year." So I myself don't think bad officiating is affecting the ratings.
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The officiating at the end of the first half last night was beyond atrocious. How do these referees not have any accountability for blatantly butchering their jobs?
Usually, the NFL waits until after the season and then quietly either reassigns, demotes, or "retires" bad officials. But shouldn't someone in the league office at least have corrected the crew on the delay of game call?
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Further to what you said, I have to wonder if Fisher and Kroenke have an understanding whereas Fisher was told to ride out the transition, "develop" Goff in year 1, that is, don't throw him to the wolves with a bad Oline and no go-to receivers in a desperate attempt to save his job, then Fisher will be paid to ride off into the California sunset in the off-season. Maybe even Fisher is tired of losing. Far fetched I know, but nothing makes sense right now.
There's another factor at work as well. Coaches always want to play the players who they think give them the best chance to win. There's no doubt in my mind that Fisher feels Keenum gives him the best chance to win. (Call him delusional if you will. . . .)
But there's some self-preservation at work here. If Fisher can scrape out a 9-7 or 8-8 with Keenum _ or even make the playoffs _ maybe he feels that saves his job. Go with Goff, and you're starting from scratch. Goff probably takes some lumps, and Fisher's almost assured of another losing season and he's out the door.
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Just curious - who were some lousy Rams to (try to) interview over the years? Was anyone mean or nasty?
Very, very few I'd put in the mean or nasty category. Marshall Faulk could be very moody. Robert Jones, the former Dallas LB, was way too arrogant for his status as a player. Lawrence Phillips had no respect for reporters. But 99 percent of them were good to deal with.
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How does Fisher not intervene during the game when he sees his RB get two carries in 2nd half? It's not like he has Norv Turner calling the plays, oh, wait
Good point. All you have to say is 4 words: "Give Gurley the ball." But maybe Fisher lacks confidence in Gurley as well and didn't mind throwing it as much.
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Norv Turner resigned from the Vikes because he said he was "holding them back." But shouldn't a veteran coach like him be able to figure out how to get the most out of the team? Troy Aikman thinks Norv is one of the all-time great play-callers. Sounds more like philosophical differences. Can you provide any more insight?
I don't have any inside info there. As you know it's rare for a head coach or coordinator to resign on his own in the middle of the season. There was some talk that Turner might retire at the end of this season anyway. Maybe he simply grew so frustrated that he decided to do it now.
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All of these "winnable" games left for the Rams that might get them in the playoffs are also losable games because, after all, we're talking about the losingest NFL franchise since 2007 - yes, lost more games in that time frame than the Browns
No doubt. The Rams won three games by a total of 15 points earlier in the season; now they've lost their last three by a total of 13 points. Usually, close games _ or winnable games _ have a way of evening themselves out over the course of a season.
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Is it possible Kroenke can sack Fisher while keeping the defensive coaches?
Possible, but not likely. Usually an incoming head coach wants to bring in his own people.
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The Rams troika of Demoff, Snead, and Fisher have had 72 games to shape a winning product. Thus far, they have failed to do it. At what point does Kroenke or his closest advisers realize that these guys are essentially clueless as to how to compete and win in the modern NFL and clean house?
How much more regression instead of improvement can be tolerated? Does the StanK recognize that the "new" LA fan base is already turning on the team? How can he risk alienating them further?
I give Fisher-Snead a lot of credit for taking the Rams from the 15-65 nightmare that was 2007 through 2011. And at least getting the team back to respectability. Trouble is, they've been stuck on that same 7-9 treadmill ever since. They've had tons of draft picks. The team has basically spent to the cap every year. But no breakout year. I don't know what's in Stan Kroenke's head. But now that the team has moved, you'd think he'd have figured it out.
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Re Goff: Is Fisher not playing him because he doesn't believe he is good enough (yet), or because he doesn't think Goff significantly improves their chances of winning, or because he believes it's better to protect him for a season whilst the o-line (and offence in general) is so awful?
I truly believe Fisher thinks Keenum gives them the best chance to win. Which doesn't reflect very well on Goff, now does it?
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So how do you rate the Barron contract?
It was more than I thought he'd get simply because I don't think there was much of a market for what Barron does (the undersized linebacker) elsewhere. But it also means you have to pay Ogletree more than $9 million a year to keep him. Significantly more, I would think. But Barron is playing well. He's an aggressive, productive player.
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Seen anything obvious about Keenum's recent interceptions? The one last weekend and the previous couple game ending ones seem like they all came out of nowhere and almost right to defenders. Is he not seeing them, just bad throws, trying to squeeze the ball into space that isnt there?
A couple of things. Like most QBs, Keenum doesn't seem to respond well when under pressure by the pass rush. And several of his INTs have come in those situations. And because he's short in stature, I just wonder if he's seeing the field well as he should at times. Yes, I know shorter QBs like Drew Brees and Russell Wilson see the field just fine, but I wonder about Keenum in those situations.
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Am I a bad person for absolutely reveling in the dysfunction and the continuation of the incompetence of the Rams? It's so great to see the comedy show continue.
No, you're not. You must be a St. Louis Rams fan.
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I think Fisher and Snead absolutely suck as talent evaluators and talent acquirers but I have to admit they still won the RG3 trade. ( 3 starters with team and 1 more in league). I can only think about that blind pig rule applies here. I am glad I no longer live and die each Sunday with these dudes at the helm.
I don't know if I'd get that carried away over Brockers, Ogletree, and Greg Robinson. Ogletree of course is very good. Brockers pretty good. But GRob is just a couple of steps removed from the bust label. So the trade hardly has been transformative for the Rams, especially when you consider they got 8 draft picks in the deal.
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what is your take on the NFL's declining television ratings? Do you think the league is less entertaining than when you first started covering it? This is probably one of those questions that doesn't have an easy answer, but interested in hearing your thoughts.
There's no one answer for the decline in ratings. I think a variety of factors are at play, and in no particular order: A.) Bad matchups and non-competitive games. B.) Compelling election year. C.) Once in a lifetime World Series matchup. D.) Too many interruptions in play for reviews, penalties, TV timeouts, etc. E.) Backlash over Kaepernick anthem protest. F.) Use of new technology to watch games on phones, etc., which isn't measured in ratings.
G.) General negative feelings towards league, whether it's from uprooting teams from markets, failure to be consistent on issues such as domestic violence, concerns over concussion issue. H.) Lack of star power minus Peyton Manning, with no Romo and Adrian Peterson because of injuries, and no Brady for 4 games because of suspension. Overall, I think the league is viewed as more arrogant and greedy than ever by many.
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I love reading your take on games like Sunday! More Rams stupidity please!
Thx. The day after every Rams game we have a Rams Rewind _ with my observations on that game _ posted online on stltoday.
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I can't help but think that this "Football is Family" BS is making a lot of viewers jaded, as in, "oh, yeah. Like the 'Family' in St. Louis? And now the 'Family" in Oakland and possibly San Diego?" If the family is loaded with money - like LA and/or Vegas, well, then everyone is suddenly kissin' cousins, I suppose. And how stupid does the NFL think the rest of the country really is?
How many people in how many other towns realize that their teams are just pawns in an ever-fluid chess game that entails moving pieces hither, thither and yon in a never-ending quest for the most gold. I think people realize the NFL has NO LOYALTY to fans, only to their own pocketbooks.
I think it came as a shock, as well, when fans found out that the NFL made the military PAY for all those spots on halftime shows -- and then didn't interfere -- and maybe didn't care (who knows?) with the obvious dissing of police officers by some players.
Add too many commercials, a bad flow to the game, poor officiating (NFL could afford to pay full-time professional officials), etc., etc., and no wonder ratings are tanking. I just hope they continue to slide down into the abyss. Yes, I am bitter.
Hey, you don't have 12 consecutive non-winning seasons by accident.
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Fisher is delusional. How can he roll out the same offense, with the same players, with the same game plan, week after week after week, expecting different results? At this point, even Fisher has to accept that Keenum is what he is, and that there are going to be turnovers.
Isn't that the definition of insanity?
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Does Fisher have the authority to replace Snead? That is, if Fisher survives. I mean someone has to be thrown under the proverbial bus, right?
Not in terms of anything contractually.
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How will it look for Fish if we lose the next 3 , he makes the switch and Goff wins 3 out of 5 to end season? The premise of we will play him once we are out of playoff race is madness right?
It will look bad. Very bad.
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The best thing Kroenke could do to rebuild the "buzz" in LA would be to hire Mike Martz as HC, don't you think?
Or Jon Gruden.
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As of November 1st, Rams LT Greg Robinson was the most penalized player in the entire NFL. Considering the overall flaccid performance of the Rams O-Line in 2016, is it now becoming abundantly clear to most observers that GRob is a flat out bust?
All I can say is I would've drafted Jake Matthews.
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Maybe Fisher should dress 3 QBs and that way he can at least put Mannion in when Case sucks this week
Mannion looked much-improved in the preseason.
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Four more losses will secure another losing season for the Rams. Here they are: Saints, Pats, Falcons, Seahawks.
Yes, but knowing the Fisher track record, they'll beat at least one of those four, but lose to a lesser team (such as the Jets, Miami, Arizona, or even San Fran).
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If San Diego doesn't get the vote to pass through today, what do you think will happen? Chargers move in with Kroenke? What other options do they have?
They can act on that LA option, sharing the stadium with Stan. Or just stay in San Diego and try to work something out there.
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As hard as it was to see the Ram's leave STL, it's been so much more enjoyable and fulfilling to root against them than it has been to cheer for them the last decade in the dome. Not too mention, I get an extra $1500 in my pocket by not having to purchase tickets to see the same sorry results. The NFL really did us STL fans a huge favor in hindsight.
So you're one of those hate-watchers? But what happens if, say in 5 years, the team somehow becomes good? Will that be tough for you?
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http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/NFL_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_35?Page=0
Jim Thomas - NFL Chat
Is Kroenke even more devious than we thought?
He keeps Fisher around for one year to take the heat in Los Angeles and then brings
out the new coach and quarterback to provide hope and salvation to the fans of Los
Angeles and buy him time until he can open his new palace.
I think it probably has more to do with the fact that 1.) Kroenke wanted Fisher to guide the Rams through the transition to LA because of his past experience moving the Houston Oilers to Tennessee, and 2.) He didn't want to pay Fisher's $7 million salary if he fired him this year while also having to pay for a new head coach at the same time.
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Memo to LA: Your football team has moved 4 times - STL has never had a franchise that originated here move. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
They are in fact the Cleveland/Los Angeles/Anaheim/St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. Which is why this whole "welcome home" stuff is such a crock. Which home?
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It just seems that the Rams can't evaluate offensive players. The OL is rated very low, there is no #1 WR, and for years QB play has been mediocre to terrible. Fisher has whiffed on more OL, RB;s, WR,s than I can count. How can this be solved other than firing Fisher?
They certainly have had a tough time doing so under Fisher-Snead. There's no doubt about that. And don't let the GM off the hook.
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What's your opinion on the Oakland move to Las Vegas? If Jerry Jones and Kraft are behind it, what's going to stop it?
I don't think anything will stop it unless somehow the financing plan falls through in Vegas. The league attitude towards gambling/Vegas has changed dramatically in the past decade.
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I don't care that we finished 3rd in ratings behind the Steelers/Ravens and Raiders/Broncos game. Rams are home and flyover country can just move on.
And I don't care how many times you say it, LA is not the "home" of the Rams.
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50 years in LA says its home. Move on Jimmy.
Apparently, you flunked both geography and math in school. Ten years in Cleveland, 33 years in LA, 16 years in Anaheim, 21 years in St. Louis. Please move on, you are done here.
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The decline in Gurley's performance is stunning. The O line is about the same as last year. Carries are down but is that the problem or is it the offensive play-calling?
Rams Rewind: Once again, team shows little interest in running Gurley
stltoday.com/Gurley had only 2 carries in second half of tight game against Carolina.
The Rams have gotten totally out of whack in terms of pass-run ratio these past two games. Gurley has had only 27 carries total and had only two carries in the second half Sunday vs. Carolina. He's clearly the team's best offensive player. Just because he's struggling, it doesn't mean you quit using him. You keep working on the problem until it's solved.
As I mentioned in the story, try more stretch plays, sprinkle in a little more Wildcat, give the defense more looks with Austin in motion threatening the jet sweep, etc. The worst thing you can do is just quit trying.
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Do Bradford and Foles really look better or is the talent just better around them?
I think a lot of it has to do with the talent around them, and also the fit. In Andy Reid, Foles is back with the coach who brought him into the league. And Bradford now is back with the OC (Pat Shurmur) who helped him win offensive rookie of the year honors in 2010 in StL and post career-best numbers last year in Philly.
Foles just looks like he has more confidence than he did for much of his time with the Rams in St. Louis. And unfortunately for Bradford, the Vikings' pass-blocking issues make it look more and more like the worst of his time in StL.
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Your comment about Foles and Bradford brings up an interesting question. Is Fisher and his staff able to adapt what they want to do to the available talent?
I'd say to a degree. They certainly did in 2013, when they re-dedicated to running the football with Zac Stacy as the feature back 4 games into the season. Used a lot of 2_ and 3-TE formations, etc. But for the most part, it seems like the Fisher Rams have lacked an identity on offense.
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I watched the Rams game Sunday and Lynch was all over Gurley.. "not hitting the right hole, "not running really hard like last year" and more. What I saw was not many holes and a lot of Carolina people always at the line.
When you rarely throw deep there are more people around the line. It think we need a new coach and offensive thinkers and see what parts really fit and what doesn't. Tough to watch each week.
Yeah, but there were the exact same issues last season, yet Gurley found a way to top 1,000 yards. I would even say that the Rams are throwing the ball better down field this season than they did a year ago.
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I expected a longer honeymoon period in LA. First quarter of the third game in the Coliseum and the Rams are booed. Did you see that coming? I guess it says a lot about the product this team puts out there week after week.
I heard, jeers directed at Goff from fans during the very first weekend of training camp in Irvine. It's a different market. Winning isn't enough. You've also got to entertain. The Rams aren't really doing either at this point.
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Despite all the public happy talk, do you think there's some growing tension in the locker room between the defense and the pathetic offense? Can Fisher lose the team?
This has been going on for years with the Rams: lousy offense vs. good defense. I think it's some sort of karmic (sp?) payback for the Greatest Show on Turf. It's nothing new. If such a fracture was going to develop, I think we would've seen it already.
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You have alluded to the fact that Demoff received his job not through his own merrits but for some other reasons. Understandably you have kept a tight lid on that rumor saying only that you wont go further into details that have already emerged. Will there be a time when you will disclose how Demoff got his job? Is it as sinister as we believe it to be?
I find it humorous, in a good way, that you remember that and are bringing this up. What I and others have heard is more "urban legend" than fact based. It would be next to impossible to prove. So I'll leave it at that. Sorry. . . .
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Maybe some of Gurley's problems are due to him only carrying the ball 3 times in the preseason? It certainly didn't look like the team was ready to play on opening night!
Perhaps. I understand doing that with a veteran, like Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson in their prime. But it seemed a little odd for a player with 13 games of NFL experience. And I'm not saying you necessarily want to give Gurley 50 carries in the preseason. But maybe 20-25.
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George Boone certainly made some odd draft day selections during his time with the Big Red. The Rams have chosen poorly over the years. Is it really that hard to identify players who can succeed in the NFL? New England seems to always find the right players. Do the Rams over-value potential versus actual college success?
It's harder for some teams more than others. Part of it is "fit" _ having a scouting department that knows how to find and identify the type of players that fit the philosophy of your head coach. Too often, the Rams under Fisher-Snead have paid too much attention to the stopwatch, measurable, and potential as opposed to actual production, football IQ, and intangibles.
Too often they've become enamored with players based on private workouts (See: Brian Quick) rather than their body of work and how a player's skill set might translate to the NFL.
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Yeah, the LA "fans" boo in the third game at the Coliseum. The STL fans tried to tell the LA idiots what they were getting, but we were accused of being sour grapes because they were moving. I don't care if they had been playing games on the moon, they absolutely stunk the last 12 years.
Well all I can say is if LA Rams are booing after 3 home games, try 12 years of this stuff.
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while watching Hardknocks, I was thinking Jeff Fisher is much too soft to be an NFL coach, I thought there was not enough discipline and accountability. You know him better than I do, what do you think?
I think you're onto something regarding Fisher. Players really like playing for Fisher, but when you're the head coach you can't be everyone's best friend. I don't think there is enough accountability on Fisher's teams. I think that's a legitimate knock against him.
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Is there a point at which the NFL office asks Stan "What's the plan Stan?" It just seems they put the "Shield" out there when they agreed to move the Rams to LA and now they look like fools, no surprise here.
LA will not wait for the palace to be finished to watch good football, heck it seems they are already turning on the team after week 8. Surely there must have been some requirements made of Stan by the league for such an embarrassing result to date.
A consistent theme I heard throughout the relocation process was that the league wanted the NFL to be a success in LA when a team moved back there. But in the end, greed trumped all as it almost always does for the NFL. The league gets a shiny new stadium, the owners get a relocation fee, and a bigger visiting check, and that's that.
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Do you see Goff starting this season? If he does not and the Rams continue to struggle will Fisher get his extension?
I'm surprised Fisher's back after 4 consecutive losing seasons. The Rams operate on a different wavelength on these things. I do think we'll see Goff start at some point before the end of the season. . . .Then again, you're talking to someone who thought the NFL put some stock in their relocation guidelines.
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Do you think the obvious missed calls by refs all year, are impacting the ratings? I know the NFL has said the election coverage has hampered it, but some of the blatant missed calls are frustrating (such as the obvious roughing the kicker missed call last night).
Don't get me wrong, the refs totally botched that field sequence and it could've cost Buffalo a chance to at least send the game into overtime. But there have been bad calls going on for years. It seems like the refrain is heard year after year: "I can't believe how bad the officiating is this year." So I myself don't think bad officiating is affecting the ratings.
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The officiating at the end of the first half last night was beyond atrocious. How do these referees not have any accountability for blatantly butchering their jobs?
Usually, the NFL waits until after the season and then quietly either reassigns, demotes, or "retires" bad officials. But shouldn't someone in the league office at least have corrected the crew on the delay of game call?
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Further to what you said, I have to wonder if Fisher and Kroenke have an understanding whereas Fisher was told to ride out the transition, "develop" Goff in year 1, that is, don't throw him to the wolves with a bad Oline and no go-to receivers in a desperate attempt to save his job, then Fisher will be paid to ride off into the California sunset in the off-season. Maybe even Fisher is tired of losing. Far fetched I know, but nothing makes sense right now.
There's another factor at work as well. Coaches always want to play the players who they think give them the best chance to win. There's no doubt in my mind that Fisher feels Keenum gives him the best chance to win. (Call him delusional if you will. . . .)
But there's some self-preservation at work here. If Fisher can scrape out a 9-7 or 8-8 with Keenum _ or even make the playoffs _ maybe he feels that saves his job. Go with Goff, and you're starting from scratch. Goff probably takes some lumps, and Fisher's almost assured of another losing season and he's out the door.
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Just curious - who were some lousy Rams to (try to) interview over the years? Was anyone mean or nasty?
Very, very few I'd put in the mean or nasty category. Marshall Faulk could be very moody. Robert Jones, the former Dallas LB, was way too arrogant for his status as a player. Lawrence Phillips had no respect for reporters. But 99 percent of them were good to deal with.
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How does Fisher not intervene during the game when he sees his RB get two carries in 2nd half? It's not like he has Norv Turner calling the plays, oh, wait
Good point. All you have to say is 4 words: "Give Gurley the ball." But maybe Fisher lacks confidence in Gurley as well and didn't mind throwing it as much.
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Norv Turner resigned from the Vikes because he said he was "holding them back." But shouldn't a veteran coach like him be able to figure out how to get the most out of the team? Troy Aikman thinks Norv is one of the all-time great play-callers. Sounds more like philosophical differences. Can you provide any more insight?
I don't have any inside info there. As you know it's rare for a head coach or coordinator to resign on his own in the middle of the season. There was some talk that Turner might retire at the end of this season anyway. Maybe he simply grew so frustrated that he decided to do it now.
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All of these "winnable" games left for the Rams that might get them in the playoffs are also losable games because, after all, we're talking about the losingest NFL franchise since 2007 - yes, lost more games in that time frame than the Browns
No doubt. The Rams won three games by a total of 15 points earlier in the season; now they've lost their last three by a total of 13 points. Usually, close games _ or winnable games _ have a way of evening themselves out over the course of a season.
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Is it possible Kroenke can sack Fisher while keeping the defensive coaches?
Possible, but not likely. Usually an incoming head coach wants to bring in his own people.
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The Rams troika of Demoff, Snead, and Fisher have had 72 games to shape a winning product. Thus far, they have failed to do it. At what point does Kroenke or his closest advisers realize that these guys are essentially clueless as to how to compete and win in the modern NFL and clean house?
How much more regression instead of improvement can be tolerated? Does the StanK recognize that the "new" LA fan base is already turning on the team? How can he risk alienating them further?
I give Fisher-Snead a lot of credit for taking the Rams from the 15-65 nightmare that was 2007 through 2011. And at least getting the team back to respectability. Trouble is, they've been stuck on that same 7-9 treadmill ever since. They've had tons of draft picks. The team has basically spent to the cap every year. But no breakout year. I don't know what's in Stan Kroenke's head. But now that the team has moved, you'd think he'd have figured it out.
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Re Goff: Is Fisher not playing him because he doesn't believe he is good enough (yet), or because he doesn't think Goff significantly improves their chances of winning, or because he believes it's better to protect him for a season whilst the o-line (and offence in general) is so awful?
I truly believe Fisher thinks Keenum gives them the best chance to win. Which doesn't reflect very well on Goff, now does it?
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So how do you rate the Barron contract?
It was more than I thought he'd get simply because I don't think there was much of a market for what Barron does (the undersized linebacker) elsewhere. But it also means you have to pay Ogletree more than $9 million a year to keep him. Significantly more, I would think. But Barron is playing well. He's an aggressive, productive player.
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Seen anything obvious about Keenum's recent interceptions? The one last weekend and the previous couple game ending ones seem like they all came out of nowhere and almost right to defenders. Is he not seeing them, just bad throws, trying to squeeze the ball into space that isnt there?
A couple of things. Like most QBs, Keenum doesn't seem to respond well when under pressure by the pass rush. And several of his INTs have come in those situations. And because he's short in stature, I just wonder if he's seeing the field well as he should at times. Yes, I know shorter QBs like Drew Brees and Russell Wilson see the field just fine, but I wonder about Keenum in those situations.
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Am I a bad person for absolutely reveling in the dysfunction and the continuation of the incompetence of the Rams? It's so great to see the comedy show continue.
No, you're not. You must be a St. Louis Rams fan.
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I think Fisher and Snead absolutely suck as talent evaluators and talent acquirers but I have to admit they still won the RG3 trade. ( 3 starters with team and 1 more in league). I can only think about that blind pig rule applies here. I am glad I no longer live and die each Sunday with these dudes at the helm.
I don't know if I'd get that carried away over Brockers, Ogletree, and Greg Robinson. Ogletree of course is very good. Brockers pretty good. But GRob is just a couple of steps removed from the bust label. So the trade hardly has been transformative for the Rams, especially when you consider they got 8 draft picks in the deal.
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what is your take on the NFL's declining television ratings? Do you think the league is less entertaining than when you first started covering it? This is probably one of those questions that doesn't have an easy answer, but interested in hearing your thoughts.
There's no one answer for the decline in ratings. I think a variety of factors are at play, and in no particular order: A.) Bad matchups and non-competitive games. B.) Compelling election year. C.) Once in a lifetime World Series matchup. D.) Too many interruptions in play for reviews, penalties, TV timeouts, etc. E.) Backlash over Kaepernick anthem protest. F.) Use of new technology to watch games on phones, etc., which isn't measured in ratings.
G.) General negative feelings towards league, whether it's from uprooting teams from markets, failure to be consistent on issues such as domestic violence, concerns over concussion issue. H.) Lack of star power minus Peyton Manning, with no Romo and Adrian Peterson because of injuries, and no Brady for 4 games because of suspension. Overall, I think the league is viewed as more arrogant and greedy than ever by many.
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I love reading your take on games like Sunday! More Rams stupidity please!
Thx. The day after every Rams game we have a Rams Rewind _ with my observations on that game _ posted online on stltoday.
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I can't help but think that this "Football is Family" BS is making a lot of viewers jaded, as in, "oh, yeah. Like the 'Family' in St. Louis? And now the 'Family" in Oakland and possibly San Diego?" If the family is loaded with money - like LA and/or Vegas, well, then everyone is suddenly kissin' cousins, I suppose. And how stupid does the NFL think the rest of the country really is?
How many people in how many other towns realize that their teams are just pawns in an ever-fluid chess game that entails moving pieces hither, thither and yon in a never-ending quest for the most gold. I think people realize the NFL has NO LOYALTY to fans, only to their own pocketbooks.
I think it came as a shock, as well, when fans found out that the NFL made the military PAY for all those spots on halftime shows -- and then didn't interfere -- and maybe didn't care (who knows?) with the obvious dissing of police officers by some players.
Add too many commercials, a bad flow to the game, poor officiating (NFL could afford to pay full-time professional officials), etc., etc., and no wonder ratings are tanking. I just hope they continue to slide down into the abyss. Yes, I am bitter.
Hey, you don't have 12 consecutive non-winning seasons by accident.
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Fisher is delusional. How can he roll out the same offense, with the same players, with the same game plan, week after week after week, expecting different results? At this point, even Fisher has to accept that Keenum is what he is, and that there are going to be turnovers.
Isn't that the definition of insanity?
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Does Fisher have the authority to replace Snead? That is, if Fisher survives. I mean someone has to be thrown under the proverbial bus, right?
Not in terms of anything contractually.
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How will it look for Fish if we lose the next 3 , he makes the switch and Goff wins 3 out of 5 to end season? The premise of we will play him once we are out of playoff race is madness right?
It will look bad. Very bad.
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The best thing Kroenke could do to rebuild the "buzz" in LA would be to hire Mike Martz as HC, don't you think?
Or Jon Gruden.
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As of November 1st, Rams LT Greg Robinson was the most penalized player in the entire NFL. Considering the overall flaccid performance of the Rams O-Line in 2016, is it now becoming abundantly clear to most observers that GRob is a flat out bust?
All I can say is I would've drafted Jake Matthews.
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Maybe Fisher should dress 3 QBs and that way he can at least put Mannion in when Case sucks this week
Mannion looked much-improved in the preseason.
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Four more losses will secure another losing season for the Rams. Here they are: Saints, Pats, Falcons, Seahawks.
Yes, but knowing the Fisher track record, they'll beat at least one of those four, but lose to a lesser team (such as the Jets, Miami, Arizona, or even San Fran).
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If San Diego doesn't get the vote to pass through today, what do you think will happen? Chargers move in with Kroenke? What other options do they have?
They can act on that LA option, sharing the stadium with Stan. Or just stay in San Diego and try to work something out there.
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As hard as it was to see the Ram's leave STL, it's been so much more enjoyable and fulfilling to root against them than it has been to cheer for them the last decade in the dome. Not too mention, I get an extra $1500 in my pocket by not having to purchase tickets to see the same sorry results. The NFL really did us STL fans a huge favor in hindsight.
So you're one of those hate-watchers? But what happens if, say in 5 years, the team somehow becomes good? Will that be tough for you?
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