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znModeratorfrom off the net…these are admittedly a bit more skeptical than the norm as viewpoints go…
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jrry32
I’m unconvinced because Davis hasn’t yet proven to me that some of the issues I see are going to be overcome. Showed improvement vs. Seattle but I want to be patient with him. Need to see all the right things over an extended period first. Great start for him, though.
There are definitely areas of his game that need improvement. Needs to learn how to better manipulate the pocket. He’s too quick to flush out of the pocket when he feels pressure. Needs to learn to move within the pocket to find throwing lanes and only flush when forced to. I think his footwork needs improvement. I’d also like to see better blitz recognition and him getting the ball out quicker to his hot routes. V. the blitz… I’d expect any first year starter to improve at it and show he can do it effectively before I backed him as a long term option at QB. He did a much better job of checking down against Seattle. I think the fact that he was checking it down and getting the ball out quickly was important for the avoiding of sacks. It has been an issue prior to that. Hopefully, he keeps it up vs. KC.
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CoachO
He has played better than I expected. But I just am not seeing the same things many others are seeing.
I thought the Seattle game was his best game to date. And if he continues to build off that performance, and plays under control, then he quite possibly could develop into more than just a backup thrust into the starters role.
And don’t you find it the least bit coincidental that the game that Davis decides to not bail on the pocket at the first sign of perceived pressure, that the oline suddenly doesn’t give up a sack? For every sack that Jake Long has given up (2) or a TE/RB failing to pick up a blitz, Davis has failed to recognize where the blitz is coming from, or has tried to bail out and ended up stepping right into the sack he was hoping to avoid. He stated after the SF game himself, he needed to stay in the pocket more, and also not force the ball down field as often, at the expense of taking the underneath completion when its there.
Against Seattle he took what the best secondary in the league gave him, pushed the ball down field when he could (passes to Quick vs, the zone & the pass to Givens vs. man coverage). He led them on 3 long scoring drives, which is more impressive to me than hitting on a deep ball that he forces into coverage.
But Davis still has issues with consistency, and having balls sail on him to open receivers. Can that improve? certainly.
..
znModeratorJuuuuussssssssst in case you didn’t know this T: Zooey is a high school teacher.
znModeratorNot much. But, he should be ready to go soon.
This is from Oct 17:
The Rams listed center Barrett Jones (back), defensive tackle Alex Carrington (knee), wide receiver Austin Pettis (ankle) and running backs Stacy (ankle) and Chase Reynolds (hip) as probable after they took part in full workouts Friday.
znModeratorHope it works out, T.
That’s a rotten situation to face for a kid.
Next time though…do not be the least bit hesitant about going to the administration.
Teachers are not paid to bully kids, and there are too many good teachers who are out of work to tolerate a bad one.
October 24, 2014 at 4:55 pm in reply to: what challenges do the Rams face with KC? Can they win? #10362znModeratorfrom off the net
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tbux
We are 2-4 and that means we have a major uphill battle to respectability. A loss means we are officially done for the year- cant be 2-5 and come back from that. A win means 3-4 and not out of it. Now odds are we aren’t going to the playoffs this year, but at the same time, you never know if a young team gets on a roll and gets confidence- we do have enough talent if things start clicking- namely the D. Get CL back in 2 weeks or so and that could be huge to a team on a roll. Confidence is a great thing. If we can somehow win in KC ( I would say is a long shot but possible) and the youngins like GR, Mason, Gaines, Donald etc continue to get better- Tavon starts going off, and get CL back– man O man- 9-7 is suddenly possible. Now admittedly I am a pie in the sky type-glass half full type of guy- but if we can beat a Seattle team, we can compete with anyone (well besides maybe Den). Have to have this one though to make anything else possible. We regress, and have mistakes and turnovers etc- we are officially done. This is a must win game- no question. Here’s hoping we get up for this one, build on the big win last week and pull off the upset in KC. That would be a big win.
[BUT]…hurt corners only make it worse. Dline has to dominate and we have to run the ball well- two tall tasks. Probably have to have some big plays on ST and may need a turnover or two all the while playing nearly mistake free football. I do think it is winnable- but I think it is going to be a very tough one to win. Need it though- no way around it. If we do win, the confidence could be sky high and that could be a great thing for this young team.
znModeratorDunbar is playing hurt, right?
znModeratorSigh. Greg Cosell would be a great interview
if there was an interviewer out there who
knew how to converse about football.That=guy-there just reads questions
off a note card and doesnt even respond
to the answers Cosell gives. Blah, blah, blah
wv gets grouchy.w
vI;ve heard Cosell with really well-informed, football savvy interviewers, and he’s great.
znModeratorI don;t see this situation as the staff failing to prepare the team for the start of the season.
I see a number of issues, and I don;t think any of them are coaching.
Injuries going back to the spring that kept the OL from cohering for a while. They just never played together.
A secondary that is just way too young.
Mistakes coming from pressing and a lack of confidence.
Adjusting to having to start the 3rd qb after giving the bulk of off-season prep to the 1st 2.
A defense that still looks a little lost with a new approach and new responsibilities. It reminds me of how the offense looked early in 2011 with McDaniels. Except I said then that they would eventually catch on and get it together with that offense, and I am still thinking that with this defense.
It could also be that Wms. is stuck with players he would never have picked, like Ogletree. That’s a possibility. Or…they straighten Ogletree out and I am wrong about the “would never have picked” thing.
I think this is a kind of mini-replay of 2011, except the injuries are nowhere near as extensive or serious, but they are the kinds of things that have a team scrambling to become stable (that’s supposed to sound paradoxical…scrambling to be stable).
The way I see it? This team dominates at times. If it were a more inherently stable team (and I think circumstances led to the instabilities) it would dominate more of the time. If it were a bad team OR a badly coached team, it would never dominate, whether for stretches or not.
I am mostly hunch-ifying. We do differ when it comes to what the major causes are, but I am kind of aware mine is a minority position. Most I suspect see it your way.
October 24, 2014 at 10:35 am in reply to: Seahawks have traded Harvin… + Harvin & the Seattle locker room #10346znModerator
Percy Harvin trade: Multiple reports of discord behind the scenes for SeahawksBy Danny Kelly
http://www.fieldgulls.com/2014/10/18/6997821/percy-harvin-trade-seahawks-russell-wilson-nfl
As more details trickle in about the Seahawks’ stunning decision to trade Percy Harvin to the Jets, a picture of persistent drama behind the scenes is starting to form. The multiple reports of Harvin’s discontent with his role on the team and in the scheme all point to the idea that the Seahawks simply grew tired of having to deal with the chemistry issues he was creating.
The well-connected Lance Zierlein reported through a series of tweets and an appearance on Dave Softy Mahler’s show on KJR Friday afternoon that Harvin’s well-documented off-field issues continued after he arrived in Seattle. Zierlein noted that Percy Harvin punched Golden Tate at around the Super Bowl time last year (with Tate showing what looks to be a black eye in this photo), and that he nearly got into a fight with Russell Wilson this season (this was, reportedly, a big impetus to ultimately pull the trigger on the trade). Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times had a source that corroborated the report of the Tate fight, and Condotta also added:
“A source also said Harvin had an altercation with Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin in the week leading up to the final exhibition game this August at Oakland that resulted in Baldwin getting a cut on his chin and each player being excused from practices that week. Harvin, who did not practice for two days before that game, did not make the trip to Oakland for what the team said at the time was “a personal matter.”There was a good amount of angst at the time, with fans and media members alike wondering aloud what the details around with Harvin’s “personal matter” really were.
Warren Moon, who is close to a good number of players and coaches on the Seahawks and who mentors Russell Wilson, said this today.
“One thing Pete Carroll wants is great chemistry on the field as well as off the field. And they had a tough time trying to figure out how to fit Percy Harvin and his skill set into what they already do as a philosophy offensively with Marshawn Lynch running the football and their play-action game. And then there was a little bit of a chemistry problem within the locker room at times with Percy, because he’s a different type of guy. So I think the combination of the two made it to where he was expendable. . . . One thing . . . Pete is really, really big on is chemistry and everybody feeling comfortable with one another. And I think that’s what this team has been so successful with the last three years. They’ve really had a great camaraderie, and they didn’t want to do anything to disrupt that.”
Mike Florio of PFT added another interesting angle to all this, noting that the Seahawks were looking to avoid allowing Harvin create a rift in the locker room related to Russell Wilson’s leadership style.
“As one source explained it to PFT on Friday evening, the Seahawks possibly feared that Harvin had sufficient influence over enough of the locker room to launch a mutiny against quarterback Russell Wilson, who despite not yet getting a franchise-quarterback contract possibly has become the target of some resentment among players who don’t share his complete devotion to the game, and who regard the third-year quarterback as a player-coach.”
This fear has roots with Harvin’s history, as it was reported the final straw in the Vikings’ decision to trade him was that he was badmouthing then-starting quarterback Christian Ponder at the time.
Perhaps the biggest issue, or at least the ultimate final straw, is something that Bob Condotta and John Boyle both reported Friday night: that Percy Harvin refused to go back into the game late against Dallas, when Seattle was trying to drive downfield to re-take the lead. Harvin missed 11 of the Seahawks final 17 snaps and this strange usage had confused pretty much everyone watching; it was something that Pete Carroll tiptoed around with vague comments about game flow and ‘readiness’. I would have to think for Pete Carroll, Harvin’s refusal to go into the game as a form of protest for touches or usage may have been the most egregious affront to the whole philosophy and culture of the Always Compete program he’s created in Seattle.
The Seahawks have not yet issued a statement about the trade, but it’s expected Saturday afternoon once the paperwork goes through with New York. Harvin is still subject to a physical.
October 24, 2014 at 10:12 am in reply to: Austin Davis wows Brett Favre & other media takes on that new guy in St. Louis #10344znModeratorPeter King
PLAYER YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEKENDhttp://mmqb.si.com/2014/10/24/nfl-week-8-preview-london-morning-game/2/
Austin Davis, quarterback, St. Louis (number 9). As Davis leads the Rams into Arrowhead Stadium for a rare cross-state game with the cross-conference Chiefs, I don’t think the road will intimidate or affect him much. In two road starts in his young and stunningly good NFL career, he’s been a revelation: 65 percent completions, three touchdowns, no interceptions, 7.78 yards per attempt.
Davis is getting more confident as the weeks go by. He was in total control against the Seahawks last week, completing 17 of 20 and taking no sacks in St. Louis’ upset win. To beat the Chiefs, though, I think he’s going to have take a few chances downfield against a secondary that’s had a few plays made against it. Kansas City’s defense has only three interceptions and surrendered a passer rating of 94.8 to opposing quarterbacks.
znModeratorI’m working on my Rewind post
for the Chief game now.Man that fourth quarter was
somethin.w
vYeah now cause of that, we have to deal with the “Davis or Keenum?” controversy.
It was really cool to see them run a trick extra point though.
znModeratorThey talk about the Mountaineer play, the fake punt, Austin Davis, and the new emphasis on penalizing defensive holding and DPI.
October 24, 2014 at 9:48 am in reply to: Making sense of Rams' running back situation/Wagoner #10339znModeratorWhile Mason flourishes, Stacy disappears
By Jim Thomas
A week ago during his regular Thursday media session, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said the Rams were going to give all their running backs some touches in the early going against Seattle, and then go with the hot hand.
Turns out, Tre Mason got the hot hand early. Very early.
“I think he did,” Schottenheimer said. “We all know about his talent. We still need them all. They’re all good players; they’ll all have roles for us.”
The Rams’ running backs situation has been a minefield for fantasy football players this season. It has reached the point where from week to week it has been difficult to determine who’s doing what.
At the start of the season, Zac Stacy was getting about two-thirds of the reps, with Benny Cunningham getting one-third. Then Cunningham started cutting into Stacy’s reps a bit. And now, after being inactive for the first four games of the season, rookie Mason has burst onto the scene beginning with the Monday night game against San Francisco.
Another rookie, undrafted Trey Watts, was sprinkled into the backfield for a couple of games earlier in the season. If that weren’t enough, you may have noticed that wide receiver Tavon Austin is getting some work at running back as well. Austin, in fact, had a season-high five carries Sunday against Seattle.
Almost lost in all that transpired in the 28-26 upset victory over the Seahawks was the fact that Cunningham made his first NFL start. So all in all, the Rams are taking the old running-back-by-committee thing to new heights.
“I think that’s kind of good for us,” Schottenheimer said. “For a defense not to know who they’ve got to prepare for. To know that at any moment it might be a different guy out there.”
Of course the most surprising thing that happened Sunday in the backfield wasn’t Cunningham’s start. Or the fact that Mason, the third-rounder from Auburn, broke out for 85 yards on 18 carries, including his first NFL touchdown.
No, that distinction goes to Stacy, who was on the field for only one play and had zero touches.
“It was just a weird situation,” Stacy told the Post-Dispatch. “Right now, we’re doing a rotation with me, Tre, and Benny — and we’re going with the hot hand. I’m just staying positive, I’ll keep working, and whenever my opportunity is called just take advantage of it.”
As a rookie last season, Stacy basically saved the Rams’ running game. After carrying just once for four yards over the first four games of 2013, he piled up 969 yards in the final 12 contests with his no-nonsense, between-the-tackles style.
Stacy got off to a decent start this season, but similar to the situation at wide receiver, the competition has been keen at running back. Stacy showed up on the injury list during the week of preparation for San Francisco (calf) and Seattle (ankle), but didn’t miss much practice time either week.
Is he healthy now?
“Absolutely,” Stacy said. “I feel good. Just little nicks and bruises that most running backs go through, especially around this time of the season. But I’m good to go; ready to roll.”
Running backs coach Ben Sirmans told his group that Cunningham would be starting the night before the Seattle game. But no one knew how the reps would be divided. The flow of the game and the “hot hand” approach determined that.
Stacy certainly didn’t know his role would be so limited.
“It was somewhat surprising,” Stacy said. “But at the end of the day, I was prepared mentally and prepared physically. And if my name was called I was ready to go.”
Schottenheimer said: “It wasn’t what we planned at all. It just kind of goes back to the thought of we got going a little bit and Tre was playing really, really well.
“Zac’s a really good running back. He’s going to help us this game — in a lot of games. He handled it like a pro and the main thing is we want to win. Whatever it takes to win, we’ll do.”
On Monday, coach Jeff Fisher went as far as saying Stacy could have 25 carries this week in Kansas City. That may be an exaggeration, but the backfield does remain in a state of flux.
There was a new wrinkle Thursday when Cunningham was a limited participant in practice because of a knee issue. (He did seem to be moving well.)
Most likely, Mason will be given every opportunity to develop a hot hand vs. the Chiefs after his eye-opening display against Seattle. He brings a speed element and a higher potential for the explosive play than Stacy and Cunningham.
“(Mason) certainly played well last week,” Schottenheimer said. “Popped a couple big runs. Some of it is that they haven’t seen him. Now teams get a better idea of what he’s about.
“I think there’s some things he needs to do, taking care of the football. Obviously that last play was a little scary, but wow, what a talented young man.”
Mason said he was trying to “put the nail in the coffin” on his third-down run at the end of the Seattle game that ended with a fumble and wild scramble for the ball. As a result, he almost put the nail in the Rams’ coffin.
INJURY UPDATE
Safety T.J. McDonald passed concussion protocol and returned to practice Thursday. RG Rodger Saffold (knee), WR Kenny Britt (ankle) and DE William Hayes also returned to practice after missing Wednesday’s work. But CB Janoris Jenkins (knee) remains sidelined.
October 24, 2014 at 9:45 am in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10337znModerator
QB Smith writes career’s second act with ChiefsBy Joe Lyons
Alex Smith was in the midst of his finest NFL season in 2012 when he suffered a concussion in a Nov. 11 game against the Rams.
On a scramble late in the first quarter, Smith fell awkwardly and was hit from behind by linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar. Smith stayed in the game but took another hit on a quarterback sneak early in the second quarter.
“It was probably a combination of both (hits),” Smith told the Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas after that season. “I definitely got my bell rung (by Dunbar) and continued to play. I didn’t have any (concussion) symptoms after that, though. Then on the QB sneak is when my vision went and I was really kind of disoriented a little bit.”
Colin Kaepernick, a second-round draft pick in 2011, took over in that day’s 24-24 tie at Candlestick Park and held the job even after Smith recovered, leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, where they fell 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens.
Smith finished that season with a career-best 104.1 quarterback rating, completing 70.2 percent of his passes for nearly 1,750 yards with 13 touchdowns and just five interceptions. During the offseason, Smith was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a pair of draft picks.
Speaking with St. Louis media this week, Smith said he is comfortable with coach Andy Reid in Kansas City and has avoided the what-ifs surrounding the end of his stay in San Francisco.
“I haven’t give it any thought, to be totally honest,” said Smith, whose 3-3 Chiefs host the 2-4 Rams Sunday with a noon kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium. “It’s been great (in Kansas City). I feel like I’ve been here a while in football years, all last year. This is home.
“I think (Reid) is such a great teacher of the game, especially on offense and quarterback play. He’s been around a lot of guys, different guys. Every single day you know what you’re getting. You come to work every single day, it’s a great environment to learn and get better and go out there and cut it loose.”
Reid has a similar respect for his quarterback.
“Alex is doing a good job for us. I really enjoy coaching him,” said Reid, also in his second season with the Chiefs. “He just kind of takes care of everything. He’s not only a good football player, but he can handle a lot of things. When you have a few young guys around him, he just makes sure everybody’s right. It’s a tribute to him and his ability to do those things.
“He’s pitching the ball good and manning the offense well.”
At times during his NFL career, Smith, who signed a four-year, $68 million contract extension in September, has been criticized for his frequent checkdowns — he has attempted just nine passes of 20-plus yards this season — and has been labeled as a “game manager.”
“To be totally honest, I’m old enough that I don’t really care as long as we win,” the 30-year-old said. “I could care less what they call me.”
Smith went 21-1 as a starter at Utah under Urban Meyer, finishing fourth in the 2004 Heisman Trophy voting after passing for nearly 3,000 yards and accounting for 42 touchdowns and with just four interceptions. He was drafted No. 1 overall in 2005 by a San Francisco franchise coming off a 2-14 campaign.
As a 20-year-old rookie, Smith struggled with injuries and consistency. In nine games, including seven starts, he completed less than 51 percent of his passes with one touchdown and 11 interceptions. In his first six NFL seasons, Smith worked with six offensive coordinators under head coaches Mike Nolan (18-37 record) and Mike Singletary (18-22).
Smith’s fortunes, as well as those of the 49ers, took a dramatic turn when Jim Harbaugh took over in 2011. That season, Smith enjoyed his best season to date, completing better than 61 percent of his passes for 3,144 yards with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions for a team that improved from 6-10 to 13-3, won a division title and lost in overtime in the NFC championship game to eventual Super Bowl champions, the New York Giants.
After the trade to Kansas City last year, Smith helped engineer another major turnaround as the Chiefs — who finished 2-14 in 2012 — won their first nine games and finished the regular season at 11-5 before losing 45-44 to Indianapolis in a wild-card game.
Smith, who stands 6 feet 4 and weighs 217 pounds, completed nearly 61 percent of his passes in 2013 while throwing for 3,313 yards with 23 touchdowns and seven picks. Through six games this fall, he’s thrown for 1,270 yards with nine touchdowns, four interceptions and a 64 percent completion rate.
“Alex is playing very, very well,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “Alex has deceptive speed; he can pull the ball down (and) run for big plays. (He’s) making really good decisions. They’ve done some amazing things with him as far as timing’s concerned. That ball’s coming out, and it’s accurate, And they put a lot of stress on your defense by the way they disperse the receivers.
“There’s really nobody in that offense who can’t get into a route and catch the football.”
And then there’s running back Jamaal Charles, who a year ago led the AFC in rushing with 1,287 yards, caught 70 passes for 693 yards and finished with 19 touchdowns. This year, after missing the better part of two games with a high ankle sprain, Charles is starting to come back: Over the last three games, he’s averaging 89 rushing yards and has scored on two runs and two pass receptions.
The Rams have had success this season containing top-level backs such as Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson (21 carries, 75 yards), Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy (24, 81), San Francisco’s Frank Gore (16, 3Cool and Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch (18, 53), but that won’t matter on Sunday.
“Completely different challenge this week in the run game,’’ Fisher stressed. “It’s a lot of read-option … so I wouldn’t compare them (to the last few weeks). Now they’ve got a big back (Knile Davis) they go to every once in a while…. We were building ourselves to play the power running game in our division because there’s a lot of similarities between San Francisco and Seattle. (But) this run game this week is going to be a big challenge for us.’’
The Chiefs, who opened the season with losses to Tennessee and Denver, rallied to win 23-20 last weekend in San Diego on a 48-yard field goal from rookie Cairo Santos with 21 seconds to play and will be looking to build on that momentum against the Rams, who are also coming off a key 28-26 divisional win over Seattle.
“To be perfectly honest, when you’re in the middle of it, you don’t have time to reflect on your past,” Smith said when asked about the Chiefs’ season. “It was a big win last week, bringing us back to 3-3. … We’re coming back home and doing whatever we can to get to 4-3.”
October 24, 2014 at 9:42 am in reply to: print/audio/video extravaganza… sports media sets up the Chiefs game #10335znModeratorRams-Chiefs Quick Look
By Nate Latsch
http://stl.scout.com/story/1472291-rams-chiefs-quick-look?s=124
ST. LOUIS — It has been so long since the Rams last defeated the Chiefs in the regular season that the team was still based in Los Angeles then, back in 1994.
The Rams (2-4) will try to snap a five-game losing skid against the Chiefs (4-2) when they travel to Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
Both teams are coming off impressive victories. The Rams defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-26 at home on Sunday, while the Chiefs used a field goal from Cairo Santos with 21 seconds left to beat the San Diego Chargers 23-20 on the road.
Here’s a quick look at how the teams match up:
St. Louis Rams (2-4)
Game averages (NFL rank):
21.5 points per game (24th)
359.2 yards per game (13th)
253.8 passing yards per game (11th)
105.3 rushing yards per game (18th)
29.3 points allowed per game (31st)
379.0 offensive yards allowed per game (23rd)
234.0 passing yards allowed per game (14th)
145.0 rushing yards allowed (28th)Stat leaders:
QB Austin Davis has completed 65.9 percent of his pass attempts for 1,520 yards, with nine touchdowns and four interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 94.4.
RB Zac Stacy has rushed 61 times for 240 yards, an average of 3.9 yards per carry, and has scored one touchdown.
TE Jared Cook has 26 receptions for 320 yards, an average of 12.3 per catch. WR Brian Quick has 24 receptions for 365 yards, an average of 15.2 yards per catch, and three touchdowns.
Kansas City Chiefs (4-2)
Game averages (NFL rank)
23.7 points per game (13th)
340.0 offensive yards per game (21st)
199.7 passing yards per game (30th)
140.3 rushing yards per game (3rd)
20.2 points allowed per game (6th)
326.7 offensive yards allowed per game (10th)
209.0 passing yards allowed per game (2nd)
117.7 rushing yards allowed per game (18th)Stat leaders:
QB Alex Smith has completed 64 percent of his pass attempts for 1,270 yards, with nine touchdowns and four interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 91.0.
RB Knile Davis has rushed 83 times for 352 yards, an average of 4.2 yards per carry, and has scored three touchdowns. RB Jamaal Charles has rushed 64 times for 290 yards, an average of 4.5 yards per carry, and two scores.
TE Travis Kelce has 24 receptions for 307 yards, an average of 12.8 yards per catch, and three touchdowns. WR Dwayne Bowe has 19 catches for 279 yards, an average of 14.7.
znModeratorFassel talked about it. They saw it on film. Chicago ran a similar play years ago with Hester, which was called back. What they saw was that when Seattle’s punter wants to pin a team back, the ball go’s to their left, or the Rams’s right. So they simply set it up to take the coverage unit toward Austin in the opposite direction. The problem Bailey had is that he couldn’t run TOWARD the ball, because facing the ball would give it away. He had to run with the ball and catch it over his shoulder.
It took me awhile when that play was happening to figure it out.
October 23, 2014 at 9:33 pm in reply to: Austin Davis wows Brett Favre & other media takes on that new guy in St. Louis #10317znModeratorfrom off the net
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Duke 4
I watched four shows on ESPN today and all 12 of the panelists said that it’s early but they really liked what they saw in Davis….they were unanimous in their opinion that this kid has “it” and can be very successful in the NFL…..I’m on board….let’s see how this season plays out..!
October 23, 2014 at 9:29 pm in reply to: Austin Davis wows Brett Favre & other media takes on that new guy in St. Louis #10315znModeratorHS coach says Rams QB Austin Davis went a year without throwing a pick until the last practice
Jason Jordan
October 23, 2014
Before Michael Jordan was making Bryon Russell fall with a killer crossover and draining the go ahead jumper to win his sixth NBA title with the Chicago Bulls, Jordan was a skinny, determined athlete dominating the competition at Laney High (Wilmington, N.C.).
Before Adrian Peterson was trucking opposing defenses and racking up 2,097 yards in a single season for the Minnesota Vikings he was shining bright under the Friday night lights at Palestine High (Palestine, Texas), averaging 12 yards a carry and scoring 32 touchdowns.
Before any athlete can become legendary they have to lay their foundation in the high school ranks.
Each week I’ll chat with a high-profile athlete’s former coach, mentor, family member, etc., and reminisce about their high school playing days; everything from the greatest moment to the wackiest story.
This week I caught up with St. Louis Rams quarterback Austin Davis’ high school coach at West Lauderdale (Collinsville, Miss.) Stan McCain.
Jason Jordan: I know Austin was the most accomplished player in West Lauderdale history so this will be hard; what’s your best memory of him on the field?
Stan McCain: You know there were so many; he really came into his own by the end of his sophomore year. He was our starter and played OK, but wasn’t doing what I thought he could do. Then he turned it on in the playoffs and took us all the way to the state title game. He could really throw the ball man! We were a Wing-T team so we didn’t throw the ball as much as some other schools. We used his legs and his arm.
JJ: What’s your best memory of Austin off the field?
SM: He had a group of about eight or nine friends that all came up together and they were always together fishing and hanging out and all that stuff. For the most part he was all about ball; if he wasn’t in the batting cage he was throwing the football.
JJ: What’s the craziest story you can recall from his recruitment?
SM: He didn’t get all the loads of offers because, like I said, we had a Wing-T offense so that hurt his stats a little. The thing I remember is that he made the Mississippi-Alabama All Star game and Southeastern Louisiana really wanted him bad. They saw his value before any other school saw it and wanted him to come in and start as a freshman, but he decided to sign a baseball scholarship with Southern Mississippi and walk-on to the football team. The best thing that happened to him was when Coach Fedora came in and gave him a legitimate shot at starting. When he did that they couldn’t get him off the field.
JJ: What was his personality on the team?
SM: He was the leader. He was the guy that the guys on the team looked up to. They knew he could get them wins and they did what he said. He’s a great leader and he knows how to get his teammates to play for him as hard as they can. You’ll start seeing it more and more.
JJ: What’s something about Austin that people would be shocked to know?
SM: Well, he was one of our slower quarterbacks; he ran about a 5.2 40 and that didn’t set well with him. At the end of the football season he was starting baseball and after baseball practice you’d see him stretching a running sprints. By the time he finished baseball season four months later he was down to a 4.7. Another thing is that he went his whole senior year without throwing one interception; I’m talking in games and in practice.
Think about that. I mean he never threw one pick. Then the week of our playoff game he threw one in practice. We literally just stopped and all looked at each other because we’d never seen that all year. We pass a lot in practice too; plenty of opportunities to throw interceptions and he never threw one. Not one. Then he threw it on that last practice. He ended up throwing one in the game too!
JJ: Do the Rams have their quarterback of the future in Austin Davis?
SM: You better believe it. I knew that all he needed was a chance. I knew if he were to get a chance it’d be hard to get that joker out of there. He got his chance and he’s not letting go! I know there are great quarterbacks in the NFL, but none of them will outwork him or study harder than him. Somebody’s gonna have to beat his tail back out to put him on the bench. I think he can will them to wins too. He’s just that type of player. I’ll tell you what; if they don’t make the playoffs it won’t be because of him. He’ll more than do his part.
znModeratorJustice Dept. ‘exasperated’ by local probe of Missouri teen shooting
http://news.yahoo.com/justice-dept-exasperated-local-probe-missouri-teen-shooting-151027957.html
(Reuters) – U.S. Justice Department officials on Thursday criticized local authorities’ investigation of the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, saying the case had been handled in a “selective” and “inappropriate” manner.
The department’s criticism comes after the official St. Louis County autopsy of Michael Brown, 18, who was shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, was leaked to media on Wednesday.
The autopsy report, obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and published on its website, suggested Brown sustained a gunshot wound to the hand from close range and came as a grand jury considered whether Wilson should face charges.
“The department considers the selective release of information in this investigation to be irresponsible and highly troubling,” Justice Department spokeswoman Dena Iverson said.
“Since the release of the convenience store footage there seems to be an inappropriate effort to influence public opinion about this case,” Iverson added, referring to the Ferguson police department’s release of video shortly after the shooting that showed a robbery at a nearby convenience store, although it did not specifically link Brown at the time to the footage.
In a meeting with Justice Department lawyers on Wednesday, Holder said he was “exasperated” by the “selective flow of information coming out of Missouri” and called the leaks “inappropriate and troubling,” the official said.
Brown’s death ignited angry protests across Ferguson, a mostly black community with a majority white police force and city government, and drew global attention to racial tensions in the United States.
Protests have continued since August and flared again on Wednesday night, leading to multiple arrests, according to police.
Accounts of the shooting differ, but witnesses and law enforcement officials have said Brown and Wilson got into an altercation through the window of the officer’s vehicle after Wilson told Brown and a friend to leave the middle of a street.
Brown, who was shot six times, died about 30 feet from the patrol car.
The official autopsy released this week said at least one bullet struck Brown’s hand at close range, suggesting that Brown’s hand was near Wilson’s weapon at some point. It also showed Brown tested positive for marijuana.
St. Louis County’s medical examiner office verified the autopsy report but said it did not release it.
Some activists have said the leak seemed aimed at bolstering support for Wilson and has further strained the community.
An attorney for Brown’s parents has said the autopsy was not surprising given witnesses accounts of an altercation at the patrol car.
Brown’s family released a preliminary private autopsy findings in August. The Justice Department also ordered its own autopsy but has not yet released its report. [ID:nL2N0QO049]
znModeratorJustice Dept. ‘exasperated’ by local probe of Missouri teen shooting
http://news.yahoo.com/justice-dept-exasperated-local-probe-missouri-teen-shooting-151027957.html
(Reuters) – U.S. Justice Department officials on Thursday criticized local authorities’ investigation of the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, saying the case had been handled in a “selective” and “inappropriate” manner.
The department’s criticism comes after the official St. Louis County autopsy of Michael Brown, 18, who was shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, was leaked to media on Wednesday.
The autopsy report, obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and published on its website, suggested Brown sustained a gunshot wound to the hand from close range and came as a grand jury considered whether Wilson should face charges.
“The department considers the selective release of information in this investigation to be irresponsible and highly troubling,” Justice Department spokeswoman Dena Iverson said.
“Since the release of the convenience store footage there seems to be an inappropriate effort to influence public opinion about this case,” Iverson added, referring to the Ferguson police department’s release of video shortly after the shooting that showed a robbery at a nearby convenience store, although it did not specifically link Brown at the time to the footage.
In a meeting with Justice Department lawyers on Wednesday, Holder said he was “exasperated” by the “selective flow of information coming out of Missouri” and called the leaks “inappropriate and troubling,” the official said.
Brown’s death ignited angry protests across Ferguson, a mostly black community with a majority white police force and city government, and drew global attention to racial tensions in the United States.
Protests have continued since August and flared again on Wednesday night, leading to multiple arrests, according to police.
Accounts of the shooting differ, but witnesses and law enforcement officials have said Brown and Wilson got into an altercation through the window of the officer’s vehicle after Wilson told Brown and a friend to leave the middle of a street.
Brown, who was shot six times, died about 30 feet from the patrol car.
The official autopsy released this week said at least one bullet struck Brown’s hand at close range, suggesting that Brown’s hand was near Wilson’s weapon at some point. It also showed Brown tested positive for marijuana.
St. Louis County’s medical examiner office verified the autopsy report but said it did not release it.
Some activists have said the leak seemed aimed at bolstering support for Wilson and has further strained the community.
An attorney for Brown’s parents has said the autopsy was not surprising given witnesses accounts of an altercation at the patrol car.
Brown’s family released a preliminary private autopsy findings in August. The Justice Department also ordered its own autopsy but has not yet released its report. [ID:nL2N0QO049]
znModeratorHis model of rebounding leads to a lot of moral victories and a lot of lost years.
Okay.
But, what I found is that Fisher will have several consecutive losing/at best 8-8 seasons and then consecutive winning seasons.
Maybe it just takes him 4 years.
Should it? Maybe not.
If the result of this is several consecutive winning seasons?
I’ll take it.
Is that much of an argument? No. Not really. But I think we’re just different flavors when it comes to things like this, so, I am just getting in an ad for my flavor, is all.
znModeratorFrom the chat room.
The fake punt.
–
InvaderRam
holy dhir!
zn
yes!
OahuRam
WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW
zn
unbelievable
OahuRam
!!!!!
OahuRam
Oh my Hecker!
Herzog
what happened??
Herzog
i’m blind remember
zn
fake punt
zn
pass
zn
1st down
InvaderRam
fake punt pass to cunningham
Herzog
O
Herzog
M
Herzog
G
InvaderRam
take that carroll!
zn
smart, smart play too
zn
well designed, great execution
OahuRam
yep…Bailey motioned inward from the Left at the snap and Cunningham release out to the left where Bailey was….great pass by Hecker….many yards for the 1st down
znModeratorWho are the most Vocal/Emotional players
on the Rams now?Britt
AustinD
Cook ?Anyone else?
I do think a team needs
some rowdy players.w
vHayes, Dunbar.
October 23, 2014 at 5:24 pm in reply to: what challenges do the Rams face with KC? Can they win? #10281znModeratorI thought it would post the picture.
And so you did. .
Did you fix that? Or was I wrong about doing it wrong? Either way, count me among the real Ram fans, the ones who know the Rams will win this Sunday in KC. My shopping list: 1) a Kansas City baby; 2) a Kansas City bottle of wine. Rams 24-17 victors.
Posting pics izz simple.
You hit IMG.
Take out the “http” code that is already there.
Post yer url in the box.
when you click that you are asked 2 stupid questions. For one, post anything (I use 1 letter) and for the other check the box.
Then, zip, yer done.
October 23, 2014 at 5:19 pm in reply to: Huddle Pickem' Week 8 not up yet…. i still protest week 7…. #10279znModeratorI will get the word out Joe.
.
October 23, 2014 at 4:26 pm in reply to: what challenges do the Rams face with KC? Can they win? #10263znModeratorI thought it would post the picture.
And so you did.
.
znModeratorWe do have a Mississippi Ram. Austin Davis.
Grits
Yeah he was joking. He knows that.
znModeratorfrom off the net
===
WestCoastRam
What do you need to see from Davis for rest of season? To convince you he can be the starter next year?
Some people might be fine with him already, as he is, but I want to see some improvement and consistency through the next 10 games before I feel like he’s the QB of the future.
1) He’s going to have some rough games going forward but I’d like to see some more bounce backs like we did against Seattle. The ending of the San Francisco game was depressing. His throws became wild and desperate. Loved how he bounced back in the Seattle game and played a very contained game.
2) Putting deep passes and check-downs together in one game. He’s leaned heavily on the deep passes up till now and was captain check-down in the Seattle game (think this was definitely a game-plan design) and I’d like to see him take advantage of all parts of the field in a game.
3) Improved decision making. He’s had a couple gift interceptions he’s thrown to defenders be dropped. I’d like to see some games where those don’t even show up.
October 23, 2014 at 9:10 am in reply to: CBS Sports 920AM – Jim Thomas 10/21 and Aeneas Williams 10/20 Podcasts #10240znModeratorNot previously posted, and, thanks.
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