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October 6, 2016 at 7:11 pm #54665znModerator
Case Keenum and WR Tavon Austin still trying to click
Alden Gonzalez
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — There was just over two minutes left in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. Los Angeles Rams receiver Tavon Austin ran an in route and tight end Lance Kendricks did a beautiful job screening his defender, leaving Austin wide open in the middle of the field at University of Phoenix Stadium.
“It was all she wrote,” Austin said. “It was going to be me and the Honey Badger. It was going to be a big gain.”
But Rams quarterback Case Keenum threw behind Austin, perhaps confused over which route he was going to run.
They’re working on it.
Austin was given a four-year, $42 million contract extension in late August in large part because of how much the Rams hoped his production would increase as a receiver. Coach Jeff Fisher went so far as to suggest over the offseason that Austin would double his catches from last year, when he had 52. Through the season’s first quarter, though, Austin has logged 159 yards on 16 receptions, on pace for a career-high 64 but still well shy of Fisher’s lofty goal.
Austin is tied for 14th in the NFL with 36 targets, but he’s hauled in only 44.4 percent of those, tied with Vincent Jackson of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the third-worst rate in the game.
Keenum acknowledged there have “definitely” been some missed opportunities between the two.
“And really there’s a couple from last week that were all on me,” Keenum said. “Watching the film, and even on the field I knew that there’s some plays that he might still be running if I hit him in stride. He’s a really good player, and an explosive player — as you saw on the punt return, and you’ve seen week in and week out. Any time we’ve got him open in open field, I need to get him the ball.”
Keenum missed big with Austin’s in route early in the game. There was another one about a minute earlier, when Austin ran towards the sideline from 10 yards out and came up short on a diving attempt for a wide throw. And there was a potential highlight-reel play on the first throw of the third quarter, a play-action pass that traveled 55 yards through the air. Austin made a diving catch on a well-placed throw from Keenum, but the ball touched the ground as it went down and registered as an incomplete pass, even though Austin had it secured.
“There’s been times when I’ve messed up and he had a perfect throw, and there’s been times where I had good routes and he messed up a throw,” Austin said. “But the good thing is that it’s been coming along. Everybody sees it. It’s just going to take a little bit more practice, that’s all. Hopefully we start connecting and we’ll have bigger plays.”
October 6, 2016 at 9:51 pm #54676
WinnbradParticipantYeah. Keenum and Austin are a little out of sync. Rewatching so many games lately has made it obvious. Both are at fault. Keenum’s throws and Austin’s drops.
If they can get on track there are some big plays waiting for them. Especially after play-action to Gurley.
There’s holes in them there defenses, I tell ya!
October 8, 2016 at 9:30 am #54738znModeratorRams’ Tavon Austin, Case Keenum still looking for chemistry
Jack Wang
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20161007/rams-tavon-austin-case-keenum-still-looking-for-chemistry
THOUSAND OAKS >> Two months ago, Tavon Austin dismissed any suggestion that the Rams might become a more pass-friendly offense.
“Oh no, definitely not,” the receiver said. “Definitely not. Todd’s definitely going to get his carries. And that’s just how it goes.”
His prediction has been borne out. The Rams (3-1) sit atop the NFC West, but their surprising opening run has come despite their anemic offense. Only two teams in the NFL average fewer passing yards, and only three have totaled fewer aerial touchdowns.
Still, the presence of star running back Todd Gurley doesn’t really explain Austin’s own lack of production.
In May, Rams coach Jeff Fisher had said that Austin could “maybe double his catches” — putting him in the neighborhood of 104 receptions, a mark that only seven players topped in 2015. So far, the former first-round pick has only made 16 catches for 159 yards and a touchdown.
This is not for the Rams’ lack of trying. Austin is one of the top-25 most targeted receivers in the NFL through four games, with quarterback Case Keenum having already thrown his way 35 times. That’s nine more than leading receiver Kenny Britt, who has recorded 122 more receiving yards. Considering that the Rams recently gave Austin a four-year extension worth up to $42 million, they’re not getting much return per dollar.
The fault doesn’t belong solely to Austin, whose 47-yard punt return played a crucial part in the Rams’ 17-13 win at Arizona last Sunday. Asked this week about his connection with the 5-foot-9 wideout, Keenum shouldered some of the blame.
“Really, there’s a couple from last week that were all on me,” he said. “Watching the film — even on the field — I knew there were some plays that, he might still be running if I hit him in stride. He’s a really good player. An explosive player, as you saw on the punt return, and you see week in and week out.
“Anytime we’ve got him in the open field, I’ve got to get him the ball.”
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