Austin Davis not the answer for Rams at QB/Wagoner

[Philly5]

I think too much is being made of Davis and the blitzing that went on yesterday. The Cards have blitzed everybody all year because that is the only way they can get to the QB. Davis struggles with any kind of pressure. His footwork is terrible and he makes too many throws off his back foot and across his body. He does not have nearly enough arm to pull it off. Not the biggest guy and his 3/4 delivery make it tough for him to step up in the pocket. Guy has lots of fire and heart, but we are not the team that can survive tons of mistakes.

I would rather see Hill, because if Bradford is not back in 2015 he might give us our best shot to win.

 

[Zaphod]

Actually I believe Shaun Hill fits Schottenheimer's and Fisher's philosophy of "ground and pound" better than Austin Davis.

That is so true and why I was hoping that the loss of our starter wouldn't seem so bad with Hill in. It really stinks that Hill was injured as soon as he was.

And of all games, this is one where I really wanted to stick with our running game and would have preferred that Hill start.

Hill with more two tight end sets, as well as more fullback sets would have been more to my liking. I really didn't like all of the 3 WR sets with Quick out when they stacked the box, but the game still went fairly well until the end.

 

[dieterbrock]

Actually I believe Shaun Hill fits Schottenheimer's and Fisher's philosophy of "ground and pound" better than Austin Davis. I've been rooting for Austin Davis and I'll do the same for Shaun Hill if he starts. That's what Rams fans do, right?

I would have thought that with Davis ability to run and make plays with his feet, that he'd be a better fit for a run offense. But being that they dont utilize his running ability, I tend to agree with you.
And yeah, I'll support whoever is back there.
Heck, I was willing to give Leo Farnsworth a chance, I'll root for anyone in horns...

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

Really the play which pissed me off the most was when he took an 11 yard sack when the rams were still in fg range. This was a couple of plays the bogus crack back penalty. You would think he would have learned after the chiefs game, don't take a 10 yard plus sack on 3rd down when in fg range.

.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Davis has made a ton of mistakes filling in behind Bradford, Hill. No reason to trash the guy or brag about being right about it. This isn't high school. Show some maturity.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Davis has shown the moment may be a little too big, the lights a little too bright...It may be a time for a change...However, in no way do I believe Hill to be better than Austin Davis. With that said, I am hoping Case Keenum has gotten the playbook down, and could be inserted into the lineup....
I've never believed Davis was the answer, I just hoped...I never believed Hill could start and be successful....Still don't....

 

[LesBaker]

Davis lost this game almost single handedly and I think that's true fact.... and he has struggled the last couple of games but this appears to be a season long audition for him and since he's got no game experience I'm not going to get too far down on him.


He has faced some excellent defenses so my hope is that this has been "trial by fire" and he's going to begin making improvements incrementally throughout the next seven games

 

[Mojo Ram]

Davis has shown the moment may be a little too big, the lights a little too bright...It may be a time for a change...However, in no way do I believe Hill to be better than Austin Davis. With that said, I am hoping Case Keenum has gotten the playbook down, and could be inserted into the lineup....
I've never believed Davis was the answer, I just hoped...I never believed Hill could start and be successful....Still don't....

I wouldn't be opposed to the idea of giving Keenum a shot.

 

[dieterbrock]

I wouldn't be opposed to the idea of giving Keenum a shot.

Only problem is that Keenum isnt on the 53 man, and to pull him off PS they have to give him a spot. So unless they were releasing Hill (or Davis) they've got to release a player to make room. I'd think that Keenum would have had to knock their socks off to make that move, and if he had, why did they cut him in the first place

 

[CodeMonkey]

Davis has shown the moment may be a little too big, the lights a little too bright...It may be a time for a change...However, in no way do I believe Hill to be better than Austin Davis. With that said, I am hoping Case Keenum has gotten the playbook down, and could be inserted into the lineup....
I've never believed Davis was the answer, I just hoped...I never believed Hill could start and be successful....Still don't....

Hill is certainly not our QBOTF.

I wouldn't be opposed to the idea of giving Keenum a shot.

Me either.

 

[LACHAMP46]

He has faced some excellent defenses so my hope is that this has been "trial by fire" and he's going to begin making improvements incrementally throughout the next seven games

1. Denver...then Oakland, @Washinton, Arizona (again), NY Giants (I think), Seattle, who am I missing? Oh yeah San Diego....
   Anyway, I don't think any of these defenses are pushovers....

 

[thirteen28]

No they didn't. What would winning a few more meaningless games with Hill have accomplished other than take us further away from getting a QB in the draft that can fix this team? We wouldn't have gone to the playoffs with Hill. If he were that good, someone would have had him as their starter already. No one knew what Davis could do at the time. He obviously showed enough to the coaches that it was worth seeing what he could do. Now we know. Time to move on.

This, big time. Especially the bolded part.

When Fisher made the call to go with Davis "for the rest of the season", Davis had won his first start (on the road) and then put up a 3 TD, 300 yard performance in a game we could have won if our D was better and the officials weren't intent on screwing us. And in Philly, he was possible two dropped (but perfectly placed) passes away from pulling off biggest regular season comeback in NFL history. At the time, it was definitely the right decision because with the uncertainty at QB, we had to see if Davis had the potential to be the long term answer. And it was right at the time for Fisher to say "for the rest of the season" because you don't want a QB playing with the idea that he's going to get pulled after a bad game or even a few bad series, something all QB's go through. Impatient coaches who have too much of a quick hook for young QB's end up stunting their development by that alone.

At least Fisher gave Davis ample opportunity to seize the opportnity, and for a while at least it looked like Davis would do just that. At least now we know. And now he can go back to Hill with his decision on much firmer ground than had he gone back to him after Davis's good early performances.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Only problem is that Keenum isnt on the 53 man, and to pull him off PS they have to give him a spot. So unless they were releasing Hill (or Davis) they've got to release a player to make room. I'd think that Keenum would have had to knock their socks off to make that move, and if he had, why did they cut him in the first place

True. They'd have a decision to make. I'm just looking at this from a player personnel evaluation perspective at this point.
IIRC they released and added him(Keenum) in order to make the Barron trade work in a series of moves.

 

[dbrooks25]

Ease up a bit there broseph.

Just think, only a month ago you came at us with:
"I'm completely on the Austin Davis train. This kid has got IT, period."
&
"IMO, Hill would not have performed any better than Davis did in this game. Just Stop it."

Maybe lighten up with the hubris a bit and let's see what you have to offer come December.

I understand that, and I'm not denying the fact that I said any of that. Fact is, again, that Davis has been exposed and is not at all what I thought he was. My bad, I was wrong.

 

[dbrooks25]

hey i loved davis when he was playing great ball - but he hasn't the past few weeks.. there's tape, his small mistakes are magnified by good defenses...And he's a turnover machine - i call it like i see it. And I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Hill in there for a bit - but something has to change at the QB position.. The turnovers are killing this team.

If you bench a rb for not taking care of the ball, don't see why you c an't do the same for a qb who is consistently doing the same

Yup, this is how I feel.

 

[dieterbrock]

True. They'd have a decision to make. I'm just looking at this from a player personnel evaluation perspective at this point.
IIRC they released and added him(Keenum) in order to make the Barron trade work in a series of moves.

Yeah, there was a whole series of moves going on there. Carrying 3 QB on the 53 isnt a luxury we have. Having Keenum inactive is basically the same thing as having him on the PS. Only difference is that they did expose him to waivers, Id think if they valued him enough to potentially compete, they wouldnt risk it. I'd love to see Case get a shot, I liked the pick up when they got him. But i think his only chance to prove himself may be next TC

 

[DrLurkalot]

No clue if Hill's the answer, but why not give Hill a look? He did, after all beat Davis out in the preseason. Besides, Davis might benefit from sitting for a few games and watching a veteran. No doubt Davis has been pressing the last few games, whether you think he's the future or just a back up. He needs to regroup and may be better in the long run by sitting out a few games and seeing things from a different perspective. I remember seeing Hill play some tremendous games a few years back and would love to find out if that was just a fluke or not. Also, Hill's not the statue some people are worried about. No Michael Vick, obviously, but there's not much of an athletic drop off from Davis.

 

[LesBaker]

1. Denver...then Oakland, @Washinton, Arizona (again), NY Giants (I think), Seattle, who am I missing? Oh yeah San Diego....
   Anyway, I don't think any of these defenses are pushovers....

Not pushover types but not like the three he just played.

he flashed enough to learn the confidence of the coaching staff and finish the year IMO........ the audition is not over and I think rightfully so.

Right now let's find out what we've got, if the guy starts to get better and better than he's somebody we want to keep on the roster.

without letting him play out the string how will we ever know right?

On a personal note I always appreciate how level headed you are when there are discussions like this

 

[Orchid]

Here are and have always been my problems with Austin Davis:

1) Is a scheme OB in terms of reads.... unless you design a play for a specific receiver the ball is always late.
2) Is a deer in the headlights/ Will NOT stand in the pocket and take a hit too complete a pass
3)Below average (NFL) arm... can not grive the ball from right side hash to the left side sidelines or vice versus or throw a deep out our in without getting a receiver torched.​

He is what he is.... a marginal 3rd QB. Kenum is a marginal backup (#2) at best.

Rams will put a 4th to 5th round tender on him. Anything higher is a dream.

Ram's, unless FIsher is too stubborn, will play Hill ( we wont here about it until game time) against Denver and the rest of the year.

Next year... Rams restructure Bradford for around $10 M/ year , draft a QB (will not be bad enough to draft one of the top 3 QBS) in rounds 2-5) and sign a QB early in off season (my preference - J Freeman)

Have fun.

 

[LACHAMP46]

sign a QB early in off season (my preference - J Freeman)

I suggested Freeman several months ago and got laughed off the thread....With the type of receivers we have, hell most of the NFL has, you need a big arm to stretch the field....plus, he has started and been successful on some level...I wonder what that guy did to be virtually black-balled?