Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Fisher & co. talking about the long ball
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August 2, 2014 at 6:09 pm #3098znModerator
A theme is developing in recent press conferences(+ camp reports). Yes they keep saying they will run the ball. But…they say something else, too. From a couple of days ago:
(On what’s impressed him the most about QB Sam Bradford)
FISHER: “We are getting a lot more explosive plays. Sam’s throwing the ball real well. The balls going down the field on time to Kenny (Britt) and to (Brian) Quick and to Tavon (Austin) and Cookie (Jared Cook) and all the guys. But that’s the thing that’s been most impressive. Now, before you put the shoulder pads on there’s a lot of congestion in the pocket, but now the pocket’s starting to clean itself up because offense has pads on things are starting to even out a little bit, so we’re getting time to make those throws.”From today:
FISHER: we had a great attendance and I think the fans got to see a lot of good things did today, as we did from a coaching standpoint. A lot of big plays down the field.
BRADFORD: To be honest, I think we’ve had a really good first week as an offense. We pushed the ball down the field.
I feel like I do have a little more zip on the ball and feel like I can make some of those throws that maybe were a little slower last year.”
Here’s something from a reporter who was there:. In early 11-on-11 action, Bradford had multiple down-field completions to a bevy of different receivers. Not only were the passes accurate, but they also carried good velocity.
“You could see, those balls were humming today, [said Fisher] especially the deep ball to Kenny [Britt]”
August 2, 2014 at 9:06 pm #3120
cgsuddeathParticipantZack what do think of these reports about Bradford?Not the negative ones because I completely ignore those.
August 2, 2014 at 11:48 pm #3132znModeratorZack what do think of these reports about Bradford?Not the negative ones because I completely ignore those.
Based what I am hearing from all corners? I think he sounds like he’s shaking off rust and getting into a groove. It’s everyone, too…people notice he’s slinging it and if anything has more velocity.
August 3, 2014 at 12:17 am #3136
InvaderRamModeratori think it also says something about the wr corps too though. more experience. more confidence. i think they’re more capable of helping bradford out.
givens sounds like a disappointment. but austin, bailey, quick… sounds like they have all upped their game. this should make everything sharper. bradford can get the ball out faster. without hesitation. knowing that his receivers will be where they’re supposed to be.
August 4, 2014 at 9:23 am #3217znModeratori think it also says something about the wr corps too though. more experience. more confidence. i think they’re more capable of helping bradford out.
I think I have said bits of this before, a lot, but it’s worth putting here all in one place.
Just a summary of some thoughts. It’s a response to the idea, which you see out there a lot, that Bradford is the checkdown king.
IMO the 1st 4 games of 2013 gave a false impression and fostered this checkdown king idea. According to Schottenheimer, they threw short in those games to make up for not being able to run. (Which some say was because Richardson was hurt, and I think was because Richardson was no feature back, healthy or not.)
Numbers back that. In 2013 Bradford threw at or behind the LOS far more than he did in 2012.Meanwhile when the Rams have a running threat (Jackson, Stacy) they throw down the field.
According to PFF, on the number of passes going for 20 yards or more in 2012, Bradford ranks 7th. Tied with Manning.
“Number of” can be misleading though. So what PERCENTAGE of Bradford’s total attempts in 2012 went for 20 yards or more?
According to PFF, it’s 13.1%, which is ranked 9th.
That’s a higher percentage than Newton, Eli, Manning, Brees, Stafford, Rodgers, Rivers, Ryan, Romo, and Roethlisberger.
The “checkdown” thing IMO is a misrepresentation fostered by the 1st 4 games of 2013.
In principle, the offense with Stacy and Bradford is just not different from the offense with Jackson and Bradford. Same thing, same coordinator–power running, ball control passing, play action + big passing plays. All those things combined, with the run/ball control going hand in hand with the downfield shots–each aspect is an important part of the total equation.
So I expect to see in 2014 a more nuanced, better version of the 2012 offense.
As this thread shows, if you listen to Bradford and Fisher talk about the offense so far this summer they emphasize the downfield game. Yes they talk about the run too–but they also emphasize the downfield game. Camp reports btw back that up–it’s what different fans who regularly go to camp are seeing.
Now IMO what has been missing is the medium/deep medium pass (11-20 yards, 21-30 yards). But there are all sorts of signs right now that they are correcting that. You see it in camp reports–it’s not just that they are throwing 31+ yarders, they are throwing in that 11-30 range too. I don’t know for a “for certain” fact that will carry over into the season, but I bet it does.
I don’t think Fisher wants a ball control offense/top defense type team. Where they keep the ball, keep scores down, and dominate that way. Well he wants that, partly, but IMO he wants more than that. I think what he actually wants is an offense that scores so the defense plays with a lead. I think he wants to unleash the beast. I don’t think he wants to control games, I think he wants to break games open. So that goes along with the “yes run but strike with big plays” approach to offense. Get that defense on the field with a lead, in full throttle demolish mode.
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August 10, 2014 at 10:07 am #3755znModeratorI don’t think Fisher wants a ball control offense/top defense type team. Where they keep the ball, keep scores down, and dominate that way. Well he wants that, partly, but IMO he wants more than that. I think what he actually wants is an offense that scores so the defense plays with a lead. I think he wants to unleash the beast. I don’t think he wants to control games, I think he wants to break games open. So that goes along with the “yes run but strike with big plays” approach to offense. Get that defense on the field with a lead, in full throttle demolish mode.
The more I think about this, the more I am convinced by it.
They want to run,use ball control passing, AND set up big strikes through play action and other ways too. Big passing plays, of various kinds, will be a very important part of the mix. We will see more plays this year like the longer passes to Cook and Bayer, and the (in effect, kind of) “trick” play to Harkey (where a very dedicated blocker runs completely free on play action, because in the previous plays they had been “predictable” running out of power run sets). And heck, last night, the WRs didn’t even get that involved in those (though there were deep medium passes in the 21-30 yard range to Pettis, Bailey, and Blake).
The point is to get up on teams and unleash the defense, not to hang tough in close games. The model of this IMO is the 2013 Saints game, where they got up on New Orleans and then just came at them relentlessly on defense. Colts game, same thing.
One small hint of that was last night’s YPA.
Now we know it was 3 qbs, none of them Bradford, but it was still Schott’s offense working on some basic concepts. So there’s the bare bones of a hint here.
21/34 for 238 = 7 YPA.
That included (with RAC yards as part of it) passes of 24, 24, 24, 21, 29, & 42 yards, + the 32 yarder to Givens which led to the PI penalty.
Now if you’re like me, that is absolute, incontrovertible proof of their every-game offensive direction for the next 20 years.
Or, it;s a small but tantalizing hint showing, maybe, how they will do things this year.
(BTW their 3rd down conversion percentage last night was 41+%, which in 2013 would rank 8th. Now that’s just one pre-season game but I am going to keep a running week-to-week watch on both this and YPA.)
I also agree with this post:
Rockram
http://theramshuddle.com/topic/a-zine-post-game-reactions-from-around-the-net-1-so-far/
I never thought Fisher intended to roll back the clock. Pass and run with equal efficiency, adjusting your game for the opponent, and then understanding the pass scores points, the run controls the clock and prevents the D from just pinning their ears back and rushing the passer. . . In watching the routes run by the Rams last night, they were intermediate and deep for the WOs. Used the slot and TEs underneath mostly. This isn’t going to be 3 yards and a cloud of dust. If it was, Kendricks, Cook, Austin, Bailey, Givens, are all bad fits. And the Rams have been too deliberate to just throw darts at the board.
August 11, 2014 at 1:42 pm #3805znModeratorCoachO
I have … seen Bradford in frequent interviews make statements about pushing the ball downfield.
Now, as far as how that translates onto the practice field, its tough to get a read on it. There are days when its clear they want to do exactly that. They focus on mostly 15-18 yard routes, and other days when they take their shots 25+.
Then just about the time you think they are turning a corner, the next day they are focusing on the underneath crossing routes, or outlets to the TEs or RBs.
I do believe that they will certainly make more of an effort to exploit the intermediate routes off of play action.
And depending on who they have on the field, be it Quick and Britt, or Austin and Bailey, will go a long way in determining the plan of attack.
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