A change in philosophy ... or an anomaly?

[-X-]

Just looking at the stats from preseason, and Sam Bradford ranks 2nd(t) for yards per pass attempt among projected starters.

10.9 YPA - Brees
10.2 YPA - Bradford
10.2 YPA - Romo
10.1 YPA - Vick

(everyone else is under 10)

Compare that to his being 30th in 2010, 32nd in 2011, and 26th last year, does anyone else think this team becomes more focused on trying to establish a deep passing attack to set up the run game? I mean, makes sense to me.

 

[Thordaddy]

Just looking at the stats from preseason, and Sam Bradford ranks 2nd(t) for yards per pass attempt among projected starters.

10.9 YPA - Brees
10.2 YPA - Bradford
10.2 YPA - Romo
10.1 YPA - Vick

(everyone else is under 10)

Compare that to his being 30th in 2010, 32nd in 2011, and 26th last year, does anyone else think this team becomes more focused on trying to establish a deep passing attack to set up the run game? I mean, makes sense to me.

Considering the draft choices expended on Quick,Austin, Bailey,Givens and signing Cook ,I've never thought any different.

I think we're gonna light it up

 

[DR RAM]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szjeAJn75C4[/youtube]

We are going to set the MF'n World Ablaze!

 

[DR RAM]

That was my visceral response.

In reality, X, we have playmakers now. 5 yard passes will yield huge results, and by effect, because you can't give those guys a crack, we will be able to get open long. Givens and Austin, and Quick, and Cook, can be effective both long and short. Teams will have to pick their poison, so their choice is a King Cobra, or a Black Mamba.

Bradford looks more accurate than I've ever seen him, in fact, he looks like a big, beefed up, flat out stud now. We have an offensive line, for the first time, that can create a pocket for him.

We have an abundance of size and speed in the middle, and with Richardson, and Pead, we have a dimension that has been missing, we can push the edge. We will use the WHOLE field, and we will dominate!

 

[albefree69]

You think they're setting up the run and I think they're setting up the short pass to Tavon.

EDIT: Or the long version by DR RAM.

 

[brokeu91]

That was my visceral response.

In reality, X, we have playmakers now. 5 yard passes will yield huge results, and by effect, because you can't give those guys a crack, we will be able to get open long. Givens and Austin, and Quick, and Cook, can be effective both long and short. Teams will have to pick their poison, so their choice is a King Cobra, or a Black Mamba.

Bradford looks more accurate than I've ever seen him, in fact, he looks like a big, beefed up, flat out stud now. We have an offensive line, for the first time, that can create a pocket for him.

We have an abundance of size and speed in the middle, and with Richardson, and Pead, we have a dimension that has been missing, we can push the edge. We will use the WHOLE field, and we will dominate!

^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^

 

[FRO]

You will see Bradford's YPA go up, because they actually have speed on offense now. Last year the only speed guy we had was Givens. Our top 2 WRs (Gibson and Amendola) were 4.6 guys. Those guys weren't going to bust much deep. This year with Givens, Cook, and Austin we have very good speed. Guys can get open deep and Bradford can throw deep.

I agree with the pass setting up the run this year. They will use the short passing game with Austin sort of like the run game.

This offense will be much better this year.

 

[jap]

I don't know about this pass setting up the run business. I think you just go with what the defense gives you.

Remember back in 1999, defenses loaded the box against the known threat, Marshall Faulk, and dared the then unknown Kurt Warner to beat them---and he did! Special K threw for three TDs in each of his first three games, the only time any NFL QB has ever accomplished that.

If defenses attempted to adjust by flooding the secondary with extra bodies, then Marshall would take over. It was a delicious dilemma from the Rams point of view: let the opponents choose the slow death via Marshall or the quick death through the airways.

This pre-season, for whatever reason, opponents have been loading the box against the Rams' running game. It would be suicide to employ such a tactic against these Horns. However, if D's adjust and drop more guys into coverage, our RB's have to be able to make them pay. I wonder at times whether this is why Pead has received so much attention from the coaches. DRich seems to play at one speed only, and is not as elusive as you would prefer. A porous box plays into Pead's broken field running capabilities.

In any event, we are developing a sweet Pick Your Own Poison! offense that's tailor-made for some of our guys special strengths: Sam's accuracy, Tavon & Isaiah's speed & elusiveness, DRich & Benny's Northbound Express approach, and Zach's savvy Steamroller style.

 

[max]

Bradford looks more accurate than I've ever seen him, in fact, he looks like a big, beefed up, flat out stud now. We have an offensive line, for the first time, that can create a pocket for him.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

I go back to Bernie Kosar's statements on Sam...

"He throws with accuracy, velocity, while under pressure"
"I love to watch Sam throw the ball"
"That was a perfect pass"

And yet, we just don't know yet about 2 things...

One, is Bradford a gamer? I mean, will he make something big happen when his team needs it the most.

Two, can Bradford make the guys around him better? The way I think of this is, do his teammates look to him to be the man who will always give them a chance to win no matter what. Do they all believe that as long as #8 is back there they have to be ready because Sam is gonna get them the ball in a spot to make a big play?

To paraphrase Venturi, Bradford has good numbers, but I want to see points. We get the first real test of this on Sept 8th.

 

[FRO]

Bradford looks more accurate than I've ever seen him, in fact, he looks like a big, beefed up, flat out stud now. We have an offensive line, for the first time, that can create a pocket for him.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

I go back to Bernie Kosar's statements on Sam...

"He throws with accuracy, velocity, while under pressure"
"I love to watch Sam throw the ball"
"That was a perfect pass"

And yet, we just don't know yet about 2 things...

One, is Bradford a gamer? I mean, will he make something big happen when his team needs it the most.

Two, can Bradford make the guys around him better? The way I think of this is, do his teammates look to him to be the man who will always give them a chance to win no matter what. Do they all believe that as long as #8 is back there they have to be ready because Sam is gonna get them the ball in a spot to make a big play?

To paraphrase Venturi, Bradford has good numbers, but I want to see points. We get the first real test of this on Sept 8th.

Well to answer your first point. Bradford showed up in crunch time against the Lions, both 49er games, against the Bills. He was pretty clutch last year.

 

[max]

Bradford looks more accurate than I've ever seen him, in fact, he looks like a big, beefed up, flat out stud now. We have an offensive line, for the first time, that can create a pocket for him.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

I go back to Bernie Kosar's statements on Sam...

"He throws with accuracy, velocity, while under pressure"
"I love to watch Sam throw the ball"
"That was a perfect pass"

And yet, we just don't know yet about 2 things...

One, is Bradford a gamer? I mean, will he make something big happen when his team needs it the most.

Two, can Bradford make the guys around him better? The way I think of this is, do his teammates look to him to be the man who will always give them a chance to win no matter what. Do they all believe that as long as #8 is back there they have to be ready because Sam is gonna get them the ball in a spot to make a big play?

To paraphrase Venturi, Bradford has good numbers, but I want to see points. We get the first real test of this on Sept 8th.

Well to answer your first point. Bradford showed up in crunch time against the Lions, both 49er games, against the Bills. He was pretty clutch last year.

I don't totally agree with you.

The best example of why is the game in SF. While Sam made a great pass to Amendola in OT, he did take a sack in a critical situation from Aldon Smith. Sam looked a bit confused on that play. I want to see him look totally in control late in the game. He hasn't shown that yet.

So yeah, Sam can make a pretty pass in critical spots, but I want to see him make a big play on the road when the defense is coming hard after him and the game is in the balance.

 

[RamsSince1969]

Sam is really steeping up now! I like what I see.

 

[max]

The moment of truth, for me, regarding Sam, was the Denver game. Forgive me, I don't recall if it was Von Miller or another lineman, coming off the edge, he would have had a total skull crushing sack except for one thing: Sam kept cool, stepped up in the pocket and the dude narrowly missed him. I was thinking to myself, man, that took some focus and no happy feet. 2 years ago, no way that happens as there was no pocket to step into, he just would have been killed. I have a feeling Sam is going to really shut everybody up once and for all regarding his big salary. Somewhere Jerome Bettis is saying "see, I told you it wasn't me, it was a horrible O-line that was holding me back, you go Bradford!"

That's a nice pick up. I was very impressed with Sam on that play and it didn't get enough notice afterwards from the media gurus. Even Dierdorf said something like Sam was lucky that his interior blocking was good enough to allow him to step up.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not a big believer in Dierdorf being a Rams supporter. And I don't believe he belongs in the Ring of Honor in a Rams stadium.

Here's the deal. If the Rams ever left St. Louis, Faulk, Holt, and Bruce would still bleed Blue and Gold. Dierdorf would dump them is a heartbeat.

 

[rhinobean]

Dierdorf's a homer! Ring of Honor in AZ. You bet!