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http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_2bf8d6ba-0d8f-5d66-8c7b-c258892a9981.html
The Rams beat the 49ers in large part because of the excellent strategy used by Williams, their innovative defensive coordinator.
The more that Austin Davis plays, it makes it easier for defensive coordinators to study the videos of his games in a search for weaknesses. Nothing new there. That's football. It's why coaches spend so many hours watching opponents' games. They're always looking for an edge.
For much of the season, Davis has done a lot of his damage when he scoots to his left to make throws to the left side. He's also done a good job overall when standing in the pocket and throwing to the middle.
But in recent games, we've see Rams' opponents flushing Davis to his right. And he's having some problems going that way.
That was the case again Sunday against the 49ers, when Davis completed only two of five with two interceptions when he ventured to the right to attempt a pass.
The numbers could be nothing more than randomness. Or the numbers could at least partially be the result of Rams' opponents' making adjustments by forcing Davis to go to his right. But the statistical breakdown, courtesy of Pro Football Focus, is pretty clear on this:
* On throws that go outside the right hash and to the right side, Davis has a passer rating of 61.9 this season and has averaged 6.2 yards per passing attempt. His completion rate is 62.3 percent. He has one TD and three interceptions.
* On similar throws to the left, Davis has completed 74 percent, with a passer rating of 125.4 and an excellent yards-per-attempt of 9.6 yards. The haul includes five TDs and only one interception. Austin connected with Kenny Britt for a left-side touchdown pass in a key moment of Sunday's win in Santa Clara.
* On passes to the middle Davis has completed 68 percent with five TDs and three INTs for a passer rating of 93.2. He's averaged 7.1 yards per attempt on middle throws. (The problem there has been on short stuff, between 0 and 9 yards; all three Davis INTs in the middle have come on those shorter routes.)
I don't know if it's accurate to say that the word is out, but we've seen defenses trying to get Davis to dodge to his right to escape the rush. And in the last five games he's completed less than 50 percent of his passes (11 for 23) with no touchdowns, three INTs and a meager 3.56 yards per attempt when he bails to his right side to get a throw off.
Given Davis' apparent ability to move to his left and throw, I'd expect to see the Rams to try and set up some plays for him to take advantage.
Davis has tailed off in his last two games. But fluctuations for young quarterbacks are hardly unusual. And there are some factors in play.
First, Davis has been under a lot of pressure. According to Pro Football Focus, Davis has been under pass-rush heat on 41.3 percent of his drop-backs this season. That's the third-highest rate among regular starting quarterbacks. The pass-pro struggles of right offensive tackle Joe Barksdale over the past two games has been a problem for Davis.
Second, Rams center Scott Wells is a liability in pass pro. According to PFF, he's allowed the most QB pressures (17) of any NFL center this season ... which is one way how defenses are able to flush Davis to his right.
Third, Davis doesn't have the services of wide receivers Brian Quick (injured) and Austin Pettis(released.) Davis had a passer rating above 100 when he targeted Quick and Pettis this season. But he hasn't developed much of a rhythm -- or connect for impact -- with the other wideouts.
Britt is an intriguing part of the mix. He's tall and fast and seemingly has big-play capability. And indeed he made that big play for the TD in Sunday's win over the Niners. But when Davis has targeted Britt this season, he's 18 for 34 with two TDs and three interceptions and a passer rating of 63.5. That's Davis' lowest passer rating with an individual Rams' wide receiver.
If Davis and Britt could get something going on a consistent basis, it would enhance AD's development.
So what's up with Davis and his apparent decline in play? It seems pretty normal, actually. He's a young QB who is under a lot of pressure due shaky pass protection. Defenses have found some exploitable weaknesses. His receivers aren't the greatest. Rams offensive coordinator BrianSchottenheimer has to find more ways to put Davis in a better position to make plays. Davis has gotten rattled in each of the last two games, but he's also displayed an ability to pull himself together. That's a positive sign.
Bottom line: after the first seven starts of his NFL career, AD is still a work in progress ... just as we would expect.
The Rams beat the 49ers in large part because of the excellent strategy used by Williams, their innovative defensive coordinator.
The more that Austin Davis plays, it makes it easier for defensive coordinators to study the videos of his games in a search for weaknesses. Nothing new there. That's football. It's why coaches spend so many hours watching opponents' games. They're always looking for an edge.
For much of the season, Davis has done a lot of his damage when he scoots to his left to make throws to the left side. He's also done a good job overall when standing in the pocket and throwing to the middle.
But in recent games, we've see Rams' opponents flushing Davis to his right. And he's having some problems going that way.
That was the case again Sunday against the 49ers, when Davis completed only two of five with two interceptions when he ventured to the right to attempt a pass.
The numbers could be nothing more than randomness. Or the numbers could at least partially be the result of Rams' opponents' making adjustments by forcing Davis to go to his right. But the statistical breakdown, courtesy of Pro Football Focus, is pretty clear on this:
* On throws that go outside the right hash and to the right side, Davis has a passer rating of 61.9 this season and has averaged 6.2 yards per passing attempt. His completion rate is 62.3 percent. He has one TD and three interceptions.
* On similar throws to the left, Davis has completed 74 percent, with a passer rating of 125.4 and an excellent yards-per-attempt of 9.6 yards. The haul includes five TDs and only one interception. Austin connected with Kenny Britt for a left-side touchdown pass in a key moment of Sunday's win in Santa Clara.
* On passes to the middle Davis has completed 68 percent with five TDs and three INTs for a passer rating of 93.2. He's averaged 7.1 yards per attempt on middle throws. (The problem there has been on short stuff, between 0 and 9 yards; all three Davis INTs in the middle have come on those shorter routes.)
I don't know if it's accurate to say that the word is out, but we've seen defenses trying to get Davis to dodge to his right to escape the rush. And in the last five games he's completed less than 50 percent of his passes (11 for 23) with no touchdowns, three INTs and a meager 3.56 yards per attempt when he bails to his right side to get a throw off.
Given Davis' apparent ability to move to his left and throw, I'd expect to see the Rams to try and set up some plays for him to take advantage.
Davis has tailed off in his last two games. But fluctuations for young quarterbacks are hardly unusual. And there are some factors in play.
First, Davis has been under a lot of pressure. According to Pro Football Focus, Davis has been under pass-rush heat on 41.3 percent of his drop-backs this season. That's the third-highest rate among regular starting quarterbacks. The pass-pro struggles of right offensive tackle Joe Barksdale over the past two games has been a problem for Davis.
Second, Rams center Scott Wells is a liability in pass pro. According to PFF, he's allowed the most QB pressures (17) of any NFL center this season ... which is one way how defenses are able to flush Davis to his right.
Third, Davis doesn't have the services of wide receivers Brian Quick (injured) and Austin Pettis(released.) Davis had a passer rating above 100 when he targeted Quick and Pettis this season. But he hasn't developed much of a rhythm -- or connect for impact -- with the other wideouts.
Britt is an intriguing part of the mix. He's tall and fast and seemingly has big-play capability. And indeed he made that big play for the TD in Sunday's win over the Niners. But when Davis has targeted Britt this season, he's 18 for 34 with two TDs and three interceptions and a passer rating of 63.5. That's Davis' lowest passer rating with an individual Rams' wide receiver.
If Davis and Britt could get something going on a consistent basis, it would enhance AD's development.
So what's up with Davis and his apparent decline in play? It seems pretty normal, actually. He's a young QB who is under a lot of pressure due shaky pass protection. Defenses have found some exploitable weaknesses. His receivers aren't the greatest. Rams offensive coordinator BrianSchottenheimer has to find more ways to put Davis in a better position to make plays. Davis has gotten rattled in each of the last two games, but he's also displayed an ability to pull himself together. That's a positive sign.
Bottom line: after the first seven starts of his NFL career, AD is still a work in progress ... just as we would expect.
