SB Nation - Hollis Thomas

New York Jets Run Offense vs. Carolina Panthers Run Defense

John B — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:13:24 -0000

The Panthers do not stop the run particularly well. They give up 130.7 per game on the ground, 26th in the league. Opponents are picking up 4.7 yards per carry against them. Ricky Williams went for 119 against the Panthers last week. Nose tackle Hollis Thomas is the best run defender on Carolina's line. Tyler Brayton is solid. It is a struggle for everybody else. Under tackle Damione Lewis has been nursing a shoulder injury but had full participation in practice on Friday. It hasn't been great for Lewis or backups Tank Tyler and Nick Hayden this year. The same goes for ends Julius Peppers and Everette Brown. The pair rotates at right end. They are both very athletic and good pass rushers. That athleticism doesn't help them play the run well.

Jon Beason is very good in the middle for the Panthers at linebacker, but the situation outside is in flux. Carolina has three outside linebackers on injured reserve. That will leave a lot of inexperience at outside linebacker in Dan Connor and James Anderson. They could really use injured Thomas Davis in this one.

I think the Jets do what they do best, try and pound the power right side of the line, attacking Lewis and Connor, staying away from Thomas if possible. The Jets can very easily avoid asking Mark Sanchez to do too much. They have a big edge in this department. Defensive coordinator Ron Meeks does not have anybody in the secondary great in run support. He surely misses Bob Sanders.

How To Hand Jake Delhomme His First Defeat in the Dome: Run, Baby, Run

saints-nation — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:00:22 -0000

by Bill Feig - AP

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You'll have to forgive me for stealing Sheryl Crow's song title as part of the story headline but in this case it is quite apropos. After all, few things are as synonymous with football as a female singer/songwriter approaching her fifties, right? The Saints host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday and they'll have an opportunity to go 8-0 for the first time in Saints history. If there was ever a game where I would want the Saints the throw the ball less than 30 times, despite it being what they do best, this game would be it.

Panthers vs Saints coverage

Don't mistake me for saying I want the Saints to change the way they run their offense, or ignore what they do best. The Saints' bread and butter is when Brees runs a play fake and he's looking downfield for his crop of dangerous receivers. What I'm saying is I want the Saints to run the football in this game more than they ever have. That does not equate with don't pass, it equates with pass less and make the passes you do throw hurt more.

Some things to consider when coming up with a gameplan this weekend vs. the Panthers:

1. The Panthers' primary run stopper, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, is on injured reserve and is out for the season.

2. Two other defensive tackles (Louis Leonard and Corvey Irvin) are on injured reserve and out for the season.

3. The Panthers had to resurrect a corpulent 35 year old former Saint with asthma in Hollis Thomas to anchor their run stopping efforts.

4. The Panthers rank #1 in the league against the pass and #24 against the run. The Saints are 4th in the league in rushing (6th in passing).

5. The Saints average 4.5 yards per run, 10th best in the league, and the Panthers yield an average per run of 4.5 (good for 7th worst).

Plain and simple, if the Saints are getting 4.5 a pop per carry and the Panthers are giving up 4.5 per pop - the numbers work out pretty well. That's a first down after two downs of rushing if you're familiar with simple addition. I realize things don't always work out or unfold the way the stats would lead you to believe, but it's still a pretty simple formula. The Panthers can't stop the run and we're very good at it. For the last 3 years the Saints have been labelled as a "finesse team" or "soft", while Panthers football for as long as John Fox has been around has been predicated on running both the football and the clock whilst playing great defense. The beauty of this gameplan is we can give the Panthers a taste of their own medicine and beat them the way they've beat us consistently in recent years.

Oh, and one last thing. I hate Jake Delhomme. There, I said it. I hate that he comes back to Louisiana, hands us our tail, and runs his mouth up and down the sideline being as demonstrative as a buffoon. It's almost like he wants ME to know that he beat the Saints yet again in the Dome (and Tiger Stadium during the Katrina season). In case you didn't know, Jake Delhomme has never lost to the Saints in Louisiana as the QB for the Panthers. Sure, he says it's just another game in the media and seems passive enough... but I see him on the sidelines and I know better. Back when he was in New Orleans, I wanted him subbed in for Aaron Brooks when Brooks was injured. No need to rehash that, but the fact that the previous Saints' regime made an eggregious error and the fact that the current regime is still paying for it makes me sick. It makes me sick more than words can describe. I am sick of losing to Jake Delhomme at home. To be honest, I really don't even care how we do it, just beat Jake Delhomme. And you can believe that if we do, I'll be barking at him from where I'm sitting like a demonstrative buffoon. I'm pretty sure buffoons bark.

So let me ask you guys:

1. Will you be able to forgive me for the Sheryl Crow reference?

2. How effective will the Saints be running the ball against Carolina?

A little chat with Cat Scratch Reader- Buc'em style!

Niko Houllis — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:00:24 -0000

carolina

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We're gonna blow up this interview Buc'Em style! We talked to the guys over at Cat Scratch Reader and asked them some questions about their team. Curious to see what they wanted to know about us? Well you should head over to the Cat Scratch Reader and check it out!

BUCWILD: DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart aren't the dynamic duo they were last year. What has changed and will they get it back on track?

It’s our unprofessional opinion that the offensive line is not performing to the lofty standards that were heaped upon it last season. The left side and the middle of the line is getting beat in pass protection and the right side isn’t opening the holes for the running game. We are not to the point of wanting to bench anybody yet but if something doesn’t improve soon who knows?

UNFNOLE: Statistically speaking, the only quarterback worse than Jake Delhomme is JaMarcus Russell (out of players with 30 plus passes he is 36th out of 37 players. Is Matt Moore (the backup) that bad or does the coaching staff believe Jake Delhomme doesn't deserve the majority of the blame?

(Our Convo is continued after the jump...)

Delhomme is only ranked 36^th because the number doesn’t include 4^th quarter comebacks and leadership ability. His intangibles were on full display on the naked bootleg he ran to seal the victory over the Redskins. It has nothing to do with Matt Moore. We ignore the stats when it comes to Delhomme and simply look at Wins and Losses.

BUCWILD: Outside of Jon Beason, what defensive players should we be on the look out for?

That’s an easy question. In Ron Meeks Cover 2 defense the WLB is the play maker and Thomas Davis (#58) hasn’t disappointed. The guy is easily leading the team in tackles and is our most effective blitzer. In the matter of importance to the defense it was nice to get SS Chris Harris back after he missed the first three games with injury. He shut down Chris Cooley so he will be important in containing Winslow. We also seem to have found a replacement for DT Maake Kemoeatu in recently signed Hollis Thomas. He’s the wide body we’ve needed up front since game one.

UNFNOLE: Who would you guys consider the most underrated player on your team that Bucs fans (and NFL fans alike) should know about?

Probably the aforementioned Thomas Davis but we have another to mention. TE Dante Rosario has absolute mad receiving skills. If he could improve his blocking he would be a Pro Bowl TE but as it stands he is mainly a red zone receiving target. He leads the team in TD receptions with two (low I know), has great hands and is good at running the seem routes down the middle of the field. I recently heard a national pundit say the Panthers still lack a TE that can stretch the middle of the field. Sorry but he’s on the roster and his name is Dante Rosario.

NIKO: If you could, who on the Bucs would you take for your team?

I’m not sure how many other fans would agree with me but from the offense I would grab WR Antonio Bryant and on defense it would be DT Chris Hovan. Both are excellent players that would fill positions of need for the Panthers.

Panther Paw Prints: First Victory of 2009 Edition

Jaxon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:04:54 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

2 months ago: FILE -- This is an Oct. 11, 2009, file photo showing Carolina Panthers' Julius Peppers, foreground,gesturing during an NFL game against the Washington Redskins, in Charlotte, N.C. Days after being called out by teammate Jon Beason, the Pro Bowl defensive end helped the Carolina Panthers to their first victory. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)

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They say winning solves all of a teams' problems. For the Panthers that is true for at least a couple days as this edition of Paw Prints is saturated in the sweet taste of victory. The first four come courtesy of Darin Gannt and QB Jake Delhomme:

Panthers rally from dismal start to post first victory in 287 days | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC
"That is what it's about," Delhomme said. "It's about coming into the locker room after a game when it's just the coaches, players, trainers and equipment managers. It's been a month since the season started. We've got so many young guys, and you want that atmosphere to breed. That is what you want. That is the big thing. "That is why you do any and everything you can during the week; take care of your body to get ready, because this is what Sunday is about. You want it to feel like this on Sunday afternoon."

Jake isn't without his problems but demonstrating leadership isn't one of them.Along those lines, its not often he hear John Fox self-eviscerate:

Panthers' Peppers earns his pay with solid outing | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC
"It was real big," Panthers coach John Fox said of Peppers and Davis' play. "The dumb head coach for the Panthers went for it on fourth down and didn't get it. So, that was important to get field position."

WR Kenny Moore admits to not following his blocks on his first return, then gets it right with his game-changing return:

Moore gives special teams a boost with big return | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC
"Right before the play, I was big on just making a play," Moore said. "Just get something started. I just wanted to come out and do something big, because we looked flat. The play before, I had a chance to, but I didn't run my track right, so that time I was real focused on setting it up right and it was there. "The whole emotion of the game changed after that. That was big. We drove it in and scored on that drive, and the defense came out big and everyone was ready to play after that."

Another player who had a 'big' impact that was maybe less noticeable to the average fan was new DT/NG Hollis Thomas:

Darin Gantt's Panthers Blog | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC
You know who made a big impact today without getting his name called? Hollis Thomas. This just in, it actually helps having a nose tackle to play nose tackle, rather than a narrow-pantsed Nick Hayden. Having a big body helped with the run defense, and helped clear some things for Damione Lewis and the ends. It's no accident it was their best pressure game of the year, and it's not just because of Julius Peppers.

Remember when we were complaining about the poor tackling by the Panthers? Not to exacerbate someone else misery but its nice to hear the other team making these complaints, in particular when they involve our skinny, old QB

Recap: Panthers Game Highlights Everything Wrong with the Washington Redskins - Hogs Haven
I'm still furious with the tackling. The most obvious is DeAngelo Hall's failure to contain on the final bootleg, then his inability to bring down a skinny, old QB in the open field. Did you notice that one run play where Jon Stewart carried the entire Redskins defense for 10 yards and a first down? Look at Hall on that play. He barely throws a shoulder. Pathetic.

It doesn't hurt that they are railing on DeAngelo Hall either. Though KevinE at Hogs Haven keeps it real about his teams tackling, this Chris Chase with Shutdown Corner gets it wrong when describing the Redskins muffed punt:

It's legal to block a guy into a returner who has called fair catch - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
With the Redskins holding a 17-12 lead early in the fourth quarter, the team was set to return a punt after forcing a three-and-out from the Panthers. Antwaan Randle El(notes) signaled for a fair catch but was run into by teammate Byron Westbrook(notes) who, while preparing to block, was pushed into Randle El by Panthers safety Quinton Teal(notes). The ball dropped into the resulting scrum, hit Westbrook in the foot and was eventually recovered by Carolina.

Sorry Chris but Westbrook was fully engaged and just got tooled by Quinton Teal. Speaking of getting tooled, Redskins RT Stephon Heyer

Redskins Return Home With Carolina Blues - washingtonpost.com
The Panthers cut the Redskins' lead to 7-2 in the second quarter when Portis was tackled in the end zone for a safety after Peppers pushed Heyer back into the end zone on a sweep play to the right. "Stephon got pushed back a little bit," Zorn said. "Clinton had no chance."

Pushed back a little? He "got trucked" would be a better description. I guess Zorn has got to be more politically correct when describing his own players but I can see why the 'Skins fans are concerned about their depth on the o-line.

Keeping an Eye on the Other Beasts in the East

Aaron Novinger — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:07:44 -0000

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

Donovan McNabb has been missing from the Eagles' lineup since Week 1.

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And round and round the NFC South we go! In Week Four, the Giants handled the Chiefs and will pass them on to host the Cowboys on Sunday. The Redskins squeezed past the Bucs and ship them off to face the Eagles.

Because of their bye week, the Panthers last played against the Cowboys and will now host the Redskins. And for those unbeaten Giants...they get to sit at home while the Jamarcus Russell-led Raiders pay a visit. 5-0 looks to be an expected reality for them.

The combined record of teams the Beast plays this week? 1-14.

More Beasts in the East after the jump.

Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)

Last game:Bye

Next up: Home vs. Tampa Bay (0-4)

The bye week allowed the Eagles to rest their injured starters, which included RB Brian Westbrook. With rookie LeSean McCoy productively available, the team has the option of rotating backs.

Mornhinweg was asked if the days of one feature back in the NFL are over. "This is a tough, physical game," Mornhinweg said. "It's become very specialized as well. Many teams have a normal-down back and then a third-down back and then a change-up guy. I think it's been over for quite some time with a few exceptions with those rare special players, which Brian was and is."

The question is whether Westbrook would benefit from less work at this stage of his career. "You don't know that," Mornhinweg said. "I would think that Brian, when he's healthy, could handle a big load."

Healthy offensive weapons and a new, but old familiar face will take the field against the Bucs.

Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook will start on offensive, with Michael Vick in the Wildcat as a bonus. Newly signed Jeremiah Trotter will rotate at middle linebacker with Omar Gaither. Kevin Curtis may be held out as a precaution, but the Eagles still have DeSean Jackson and Brent Celek to catch passes, along with rookies LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin.

Buccaneers quarterback, Josh Johnson, is a big fan of Donovan McNabb and is looking forward to playing against him.

"I've watched him his whole career," Johnson said. "He's a special player. I feel like it's an honor just to go out and finally see him live and be on the other side of the field."

After a rough first start last weekend at Washington, Johnson can benefit from a good example. He arguably played too timidly and lacked the sort of dynamic plays McNabb has made a career of — though that's probably expected given the difference in age (23 versus 32) and experience. Johnson finished 13 of 22 for 106 yards with one touchdown and one interception for a 67.6 passer rating.

Jeremiah Trotter, who has played for both Philly and Tampa, may only play on running downs.

Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, though, emphasized incumbent starter Omar Gaither still figures into the plans. "It's important to understand that Omar Gaither is a heck of a football player," he said. "And his impact on this defense will not change."

Asked about Trotter, signed during the bye, McDermott said, "It's important that he comes in and handles things one step at a time, doesn't look to try to do too much, just does what his role calls for."

The Eagles may be extending Andy Reid's contract soon.

Here's the pregame vid link for Tampa at Philadelphia.

Washington Redskins (2-2)

Last game:16-13 Home Win vs. Tampa Bay

Next up: @ Carolina (0-3)

Redskins owner, Daniel Snyder, hired offensive "consultant" Sherman Lewis to help out on that side of the ball. Hmmm...

At some point soon, however, Lewis is expected to make recommendations on how to improve an offense that ranks 27th in the league in scoring with an average of 14 points. Owner Daniel Snyder determined that Zorn, who had never been a coordinator or head coach in the NFL before Snyder gave him both jobs, needs outside help, and as Lewis watches tape, he will develop opinions about Zorn's schemes, Zorn's ability as a play-caller and the team's talent level.

Through all the Cutler-talk and the loss to the Lions, Jim Zorn stands by his QB, Jason Campbell.

"When there was speculation that we were going to get another guy to come on board and compete against him he worked hard," Redskins coach Jim Zorn said. "So that's just the way it was. He just worked hard, and worked extremely hard to get himself ready. There's never been another issue."

Well, other than the four-turnover game last week, the kind of sloppy effort (albeit in a 16-13 win over Tampa Bay) that had folks wishing the talk had turned into something tangible.

"Up until last game, I was having a pretty good season," Campbell said. "You couldn't tell, after we won against St. Louis, we still got beat up pretty good because we didn't win the way people thought we should have won. But our objective is just to win the game. It's not about how pretty it is. It's just about us winning the game."

Panthers' safety Chris Harris could be back this week to make things tough on Campbell.

"It’s always good to have all of your guys out there at one time and being on the same page," said linebacker Na’il Diggs. "Chris got all of the reps in camp and we kind of got accustomed to his style of play and just hearing his voice. So it’s big to get him back. It’s good to have somebody back there with a vast knowledge of this defense."

The Panthers have sorely lacked in creating turnovers and that’s an area Harris has excelled in in the past. He set a team record with eight forced fumbles two years ago.

Newly signed DT, Hollis Thomas, comes in ready to contribute to the Panthers' defense.

"I knew the head coach, Spags (Steve Spagnuolo), from when I was in Philadelphia, and he said he needed to get some young guys playing and see what they had, so I understood," Thomas said. "He said he wished I could have a three-week vacation and come back, but that's not the nature of the business. My agent called Carolina and the rest is history, one day old."

The Panthers knew well of Thomas' exploits, having faced him as a division rival during three seasons (2006-08) with the New Orleans Saints. Head coach John Fox also conferred with Thomas when he was a free agent on the open market.

SB's Cat Scratch Reader breaks down Carolina's offense vs Redskins defense.

Here's NFL Game Center for Washington @ Carolina.

New York Giants (4-0)

Last game: 27-16 Win @ Kansas City

Next up: Home vs. Oakland (1-3)

While some reports suggest that Eli Manning is a game-time decision, it sounds positive that he will play Sunday. If not, David Carr would get the start.

Manning, of course, practiced for the first time this week on Friday, taking about half the snaps with the first-team offense during the Giants' practice. If he had a setback overnight, the Giants probably wouldn't have allowed him to take the field Saturday morning. But, when Tom Coughlin addressed reporters on Friday, he said he would let Manning participate if he had "made some progress overnight."

If Eli's foot bothers him, the Giants will have to rely more on their running game. This is an area the Raiders could look to control.

[T]he Giants will be hard pressed to get off the edge because one of the Raiders’ few strengths is the play of their DEs: Richard Seymour and former Cowboy Greg Ellis. The Giants will have their work cut out for them to block those two, especially since starting TE Kevin Boss likely won’t play because of his ankle injury. TE Darcy Johnson will have to show off the blocking skills he’s developed over the past two years while rookie OT William Beatty will have to be a big force as a second TE.

Because of a torn meniscus, Giants' LB Michel Boley will miss the remainder of the season. Chase Blackburn and others are expected to take his place.

Blackburn technically will replace Boley in the starting lineup, but in reality it will take several people to replace what Boley was able to do. Losing him creates a chain reaction of change throughout the defense. Because Boley is such an athletic linebacker, he was able to stay on the field in sub packages and help with pass coverage.

Now the Giants likely will take the linebacker off the field in those situations and replace him with safety Michael Johnson as the nickel linebacker.

Oakland's offensive linemen have their work cut out for them this week.

The Giants are coming off a five-sack performance against Kansas City last week and are allowing just 115 yards passing per game. A matchup against the league's lowest-ranked offense featuring a rebuilt offensive line must have the Giants' eyes lighting up.

JaMarcus Russell says he's the leader of the Raider offense. Is he?

"Yes I feel [I am the leader] because if you look at it, the quarterback touches the ball every play. If I can do the smallest things to get guys in position to become successful, then that’s what I look at it as. If anything is not going right, I might get a 2-yard gain or anything just to spark the guys to get going and move forward."

However, on Monday Cable all but said the offense has no leaders, "Until the offense finds their leaders, who those guys are going to be, I think you're leadership's gotta come from anywhere on this football team."

Michael Bush will start at RB for the Raiders.

Here is the long list of injured Giants.

OUT: LB Michael Boley (knee), DT Chris Canty (calf), LB Bryan Kehl (finger), CB Aaron Ross (hamstring). DOUBTFUL: TE Kevin Boss (ankle). QUESTIONABLE: QB Eli Manning (foot), RB Danny Ware (elbow). PROBABLE: RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle, foot), WR Domenik Hixon (knee), G Rich Seubert (shoulder), LB Clint Sintim (groin), DE Justin Tuck (shoulder).

Sure, the Giants beat up on the Bucs and Chiefs the last two weeks and get another seemingly easy one against the Raiders. But in Week 6, they go to New Orleans, which will be coming off their bye.

"If the Saints and Giants were playing this weekend, I’d make New Orleans a 4-point favorite," Sheridan said. "In my NFL power ratings, right now, the Saints are the best team in the NFC, followed by the Giants. If the Saints were playing the Giants or (AFC power) New England, at home, they’d be a slight favorite. "None of us know if Eli Manning is totally healthy."

Here's the preview video for the Raiders @ Giants.

Week 5 Defensive Key Match-ups: Carolina Panthers versus Washington Redskins

LittleKing — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:47:17 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

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Bad news, the Panthers rank last in rush defense. Good news, the Panthers rank 6th in pass defense. Although I do admit the 6th in pass is partly because everyone can just run the ball, but I would give the secondary a bit more credit than that. A large number of the points given up by the Panthers has not been the fault of the defense. Specials teams and offensive turnovers hold a lot of the blame.

In addition, it appears we should have both S Chris Harris and LB Na'il Diggs back from their injuries and of course we added yet another new defensive tackle in Hollis Thomas since the Panthers last took the field. With that in mind, two of the three start off my top defensive key match-ups:

Carolina Panthers Defensive Team Stats

	Pts	Yrds	Pass	Rush
Def	29.0	362.3 (23rd)	179.7 (6th)	182.7 (32nd)

Washington Redskins Offensive Team Stats

	Pts	Yrds	Pass	Rush
Off	14.0	325.3 (17th)	225.3 (15th)	100.0 (21st)

Panthers DT Hollis Thomas vs Redskins C Casey Rabach and LG Derrick Dockery

Finally a veteran DT. However, the question remains does he have anything left in his tank. The Redskins' offensive line is far from elite, but right now so is our defensive line. Even if Thomas has a great game, it will be hard to say he'll be successful this season, but it will be a good start. If Thomas starts demanding doubles teams because of his size, he can free up those around him to make the key plays.

Panthers S Chris Harris vs TE Chris Cooley

Harris returning could be bigger than I had originally thought. I'm going to guess most already knew this, but i didn't realize he had the field headset and called the plays and with him out Godfrey had the headset and I think Beason called the plays. Harris' experience could have a major impact on how the D plays this week.

In his first game our D will be facing another well known TE in Chris Cooley. While the Panthers have always had trouble defending TE, this year has been extremely bad. Cooley leads the Redskins in receptions and is second in total yards. While not in the elite TE category, since he is targeted so frequency by Jason Campbell, he will have to be stopped to end the Redskins drives with a punt.

Panthers RE Julius Peppers vs Redskins Chris Samuels

Will Beason's Pepper pep talk help? I hope so, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm not saying he shouldn't do it, but when Jerry Richardson called on Peppers to be a leader he disappeared that season. While slightly different approaches the purpose is still the same, to get Peppers to play with more desire, heart, passion, whatever you want to call it.

Hopefully in addition to the Beason's verbal spanking, having wide body Hollis Thomas (hopefully getting double teamed) will free Peppers to cause a bit more damage than he has. Just to add fuel to the argument, if there is any game this season where Peppers will show it would be this one, in the fact that the Redskins could be a considered a weaker opponent.

Panthers Coaches and Game Plan

During the first half of the Dallas game, the coaches showed their willingness to blitz and commit to getting a more pressure on the QB. Jason Campbell can do well without pressure, but much like Delhomme, if you start getting in his face and knocking him to the ground a few times then he can get rattled. If the front four are not getting it done, the coaches should be prepared to bring additional help. Since the Redskins are not known for lighting it up down field, if there is any time to not be shy about bringing pressure this would be the type of game.

A Conversation with Hollis Thomas

Ryan Basen — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:48:38 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

FILE -- Defensive tackle Hollis Thomas during training camp, in St. Louis. Thomas recently signed with the Panthers after the Rams had cut him earlier this season. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

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Seeking to replace two defensive tackles who are already out for the season with injury, the Panthers signed veteran Hollis Thomas last week. The 340-pound Thomas, 35, played in three games with the St. Louis Rams this season before the Rams cut him, saying they wanted to get a look at younger players. The 13-year veteran is known as a loquacious run-stuffer. He faced the Washington Redskins, Sunday's Carolina opponent, with the Rams Sept. 21.

CSR sat down with Thomas after practice Wednesday afternoon to talk about facing the Redskins again, joining the Panthers and, of course, his excellent body art. Here is a condensed transcript of that conversation:

Q: How can you help the Panthers?

A: Thomas wants to make some plays, he says, and protect the linebackers.

Q: Can you help defensive end Julius Peppers reach his potential?

A: "There's a fat guy in the middle. They can't double-team (Peppers) too."

Q: What did you learn from playing against Washington that you could apply on Sunday?

A: Thomas was coy with his answer, not wanting to say anything that Washington could use . "They're a good offensive line," he said. "The quarterback's a good scrambler. You've got to shut down (Redskins tailbacks) Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts, and stop 89 (receiver Santana Moss) and 47 (tight end Chris Cooley)."

Q: CSR urged Thomas to share a little more, reminding him that whatever nuggets he had, the Redskins had likely already seen on film anyways.

A: "They can look at film all they want to, but I'm playing a different position, and I get to play a lot more.

"It's not rocket science. You pretty much got to do what they ask you, just be a team player."

(Thomas had lined up as a strict 4-3 tackle with St. Louis, he says, but the Panthers plan to use him as more of a nose guard. He also apparently expects to get more snaps here than he earned in St. Louis, where he registered only 1 tackle and no other stats).

Q: Why do you keep playing?

A: "Championship." (Thomas played in Super Bowl XXXIX with the Eagles but has not won an NFL title).

Thomas signed with the Rams, he says, because "I felt like they had a decent team and I knew the coach (Steve Spagnuolo, a former Eagles assistant), and I felt like in a few years they would be a force...

"And then they didn't need me no more. So I wanted to go somewhere where they can win and (the Panthers) needed me."

Q: You think you can win a title in Carolina?

A: Thomas said he's not thinking that far ahead. The key is to take it one meeting, one practice, one game at a time.

"You can't get busted up looking toward the future," he added. "You just got to take it slow."

Q: I know you don't want to look too much at the future, but it sounds like you expect to play a few more seasons?

A: "I've had a couple years off (Thomas missed eight games due to injury with the Saints last season)...You get refueled and I feel like I take care of myself well enough to do that."

Q: NFL Films has often put a mic on you during games. Do you plan to do that Sunday? Later this season?

A: Thomas said he has no plans to do so Sunday, but added "I don't mind doing it. It's just about enjoying football."...

Finally, the body art: As Thomas sat shirtless at his locker, tattoos covering much of his chest, shoulders and arms were visible. The highlights:

A picture of himself next to his mother was on his right arm, above an inscription reading: "There will never be another who will love you like your mother." A rhinoceros was drawn on his left shoulder, accompanied by the inscription "Force of power. Force of nature."

Said Thomas, grinning: "They're just chick magnets."

Rams roster math

VanRam — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:39:22 -0000

More photos » by Tom Gannam - AP

St. Louis Rams linebacker David Vobora has been suspended by the NFL, without pay, for the next four games for violating its policy on performance enhancing substances. The NFL made the announcement Tuesday, Sept. 29, and said Vobora's suspension begins immediately. He can return to the active roster Oct. 26. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

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The St. Louis Rams have made a surprising amount of roster moves in the last 24 hours, out of unfortunate necessity. Let's do the math.

WR Laurent Robinson to Injured Reserve. WR Nate Jones promoted from the practice squad to replace him.

LB David Vobora suspended for four games for violating the league's PED policy. LB Dominic Douglas promoted from the practice squad to replace Vobora.

DT Hollis Thomas is released. And...

So there's another move to be made to fill up the 53-man roster.

DT Marlon Favorite was signed to the practice squad. Occam's Razor says Favorite or DT Leger Douzable will get Thomas' spot. Of course, there are other potential outcomes as well. Stay tuned.

[Note by VanRam, 09/30/09 12:59 PM EDT ] And we have our answer. DT Leger Douzable was promoted to the 53-man roster. Douzable was signed by the Giants last season, getting actived in December...filling the spot vacated by none other than Plaxico Burress. I don't know much about Douzable, but given his size, 6'4" 305 lbs, and reputation as a pass rusher at University of Central Florida, it might indicate that the Rams are making moves at DT with the intent to get more pressure on opposing QBs, something they've taken lots of criticism for this season. More pressure, consistently, up front should also help a secondary with an ailing Ron Bartell that got burned on a couple of big plays last week.

NFL Cut Down Day: Open Thread

VanRam — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:52:03 -0000

3k will be keeping tabs on potential future Rams with game threads throughout the day.

3k note: I'll be in this open thread through the OSU-Georgia game.

[Note by VanRam, 09/05/09 3:38 PM EDT ] Jeez, OG John Greco broke his wrist against the Chiefs, has to have surgery and is out 2-3 weeks. Could be worse, but, man, the minor breaks and strains are dogging the Rams this month. Hopefully, they won't need him in that time.

[Note by VanRam, 09/05/09 2:37 PM EDT ] Berlin gets the axe, making Null third QB. Schuening and two other OL are gone as is FB Jerome Johnson (who could be a practice squader).

[Note by VanRam, 09/05/09 12:57 PM EDT ] The Rams have cut WR Ronald Curry. Are they going to go with just five WRs? Surely Tim Carter doesn't make the final cut?

[Note by VanRam, 09/05/09 12:59 PM EDT ] Dominic Rhodes is now available...hmmm. THoughts?

Lots of names you've heard of and never heard of will be getting their walking papers today. Team will be making cuts based on performance and salary savings. St. Louis Rams GM Billy Devaney has been pretty astute cherry picking the waiver wire for help, so keep an eye on what names emerge that could be of potential interest to the Rams.

Based on preseason and camp results, I'd say the priorities for positions of need for the Rams are:

Defensive tackle - with Carriker out, and a question mark in Hollis Thomas, we could use someone else, especially since the run defense still looks vulnerable to the big play.
Running back - Maybe Gado's ribs are fine, but I'd still keep an eye out for a real speedster to complement SJ39.
Cornerback - Don't get me wrong, this unit has a great future ahead. Still, a veteran presence would ease a lot of minds, especially in a division featuring Fitzgerald and Boldin. Don't forget we have a game against the Colts this season too.
Wide receiver - This would have atop the list four weeks ago, but Avery looks ready to go and Laurent Robinson really made his mark this month.

Keep your eyes on the wire and jump in. We'll have the Rams cuts as soon as we know.

Poll

What position is the Rams biggest need right now?

DT

189 votes

RB #2

71 votes

CB

18 votes

WR

63 votes

other

14 votes

355 votes | Poll has closed

Adam Carriker injured

VanRam — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:04:22 -0000

St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Adam Carriker suffered a shoulder injury against the Chiefs last night, and by all accounts it seems like it could be serious. The team isn't saying much about the injury, but Spagnuolo conveyed his dismay that it could be a bad situation.

If you recall, Carriker was just coming back from an ankle injury, getting into his first taste of preseason work last night...with the second team. The former first round pick has battled injuries throughout his college (didn't stop Linehan and Haslett from drafting him at #14 overall though) and professional careers.

I know the extent of the injury isn't known, but this does not bode well for Carriker's future in the league. He has officially earned the label "injury risk" and calling him a "bust" isn't out of line either.

If Carriker's injury is as serious as it sounds, the Rams would probably opt to stick him on the PUP list, starting the season with Clifton Ryan, preseason surprise Gary Gibson, Darell Scott, and Hollis Thomas at DT. That's not a great DT lineup, but can be serviceable in this system. Obviously DL jumps to the top of the priority list next year.