Confused on Watkins

[I like Rams]

I've lurked around here for a few years before joining, so I know there are quite a few of us who thought we should have drafted this cat, and we all were jumping for joy when we traded for him. We can all agree he is by far the most ahead to be our #1 receiver on potential alone. So my question is, why has it seemed to me he has been overlooked? There were a couple plays where I noticed he was wide open, but Goff never took the shot. He played amazing against the 9ners, but was never targeted when against a secondary of mostly back ups, yesterday. We gave up quite a bit to get him, considering Gaines is healthy and playing at top 10 cb caliber and we are thin at that position. Not trying to be negative, just wondering what y'alls thoughts are and what you have seen from your side.

 

[12intheBox]

I think McVay runs a - take what you give me - kind of offense. If a team wants to shade a safety towards Watkins, he will push the ball to the other side. Won't be great for fantasy football - but my guess is, Sammy has no problem blocking and clearing out the field so long as the chains keep moving.

 

[James Otto]

Watkins doesn't have to be catching balls to be a serious threat. Look, it's still early, but it looks like McVay's offense is essentially indefensible. The only real way to attack it is to play everything man to man, and hope your pass rush can get to Goff. The Cowboys chose to bracket the outside receivers yesterday, presumably in an effort to take away the intermediate/deep ball and they were fairly successful with that. However, it left six men in the box frequently, and Gurley made them pay. It also left Gurley open in the flat, linebackers on Kupp, and allowed Higbee to get downfield.

This is what sets McVay apart from most egotistical maniacal coaches. He doesn't care who gets what, he just attacks the weaknesses, over and over. The Cowboys were not able to compensate for McVay's adjustments and that showed bigtime in the 2nd half.

I love it, all of it!

 

[UKram]

I think McVay runs a - take what you give me - kind of offense. If a team wants to shade a safety towards Watkins, he will push the ball to the other side. Won't be great for fantasy football - but my guess is, Sammy has no problem blocking and clearing out the field so long as the chains keep moving.

I love it .. take Sammy out .. we go to woods .. take away the long ball higs kupp and Everett will feast on the middle ... take away the pass hello gurley and Austin

We actually have weapons and options and we are no longer a one dimensional offense
No one was scared of Britt and quick .. so you take out gurley and Austin we were sunk

Now we making teams pick thier poison and I'm sure the DCs will figure out how to play the Rams and soon .... but ya know what good luck with that as mcvay will figure out another way to beat ya

 

[I like Rams]

Agree with what everyone has said. This is a community offense, and not a traditional #1, #2 receiver offense. Watkins was big in the 9ners game, but i believe if we didnt have him, someone else would be able to step in and make the plays. Maybe not that incredible deep catch, but a play would have been designed to play to another players abilities and keep moving the chains.

I'm just worried about our secondary mostly. Webster and Tru got burned on a few key plays. Trying to find some solace. Lol

 

[Ramlock]

I think that Goff misses some guys sometimes too....multiple open receivers on most plays

But not too often.

As said above, they don't force it, they take all that is given.

It is a target-rich environment.

Other than Tavon, Goff has had the least amount of practice time with Watkins, so that could be a part of it too.

 

[Ramstien]

Let's not forget the catch Sammy made in the second half plucking the ball off his shoe tops on 3rd and long, for a 1st down.

 

[I like Rams]

Let's not forget the catch Sammy made in the second half plucking the ball off his shoe tops on 3rd and long, for a 1st down.

That was, I believe, the 3rd time he was targeted all game. Dude can get open and ball, I think we just need to make the most of our investment whenever the oppurtunity strikes.

 

[HitStick]

Keep in mind he may not have been a big part of the game plan due to uncertainty of him playing. McVay doesn't seem to get too far away from the game plan unless the game dictates he do so. Watkins on the field is alone enough to help this offense.

 

[Ramlock]

Only one football......

 

[BadCompany]

If this continues, and I agree we are getting WAY ahead of ourselves here, but if it does do you think this will have an impact on whether or not Watkins re-signs with the Rams? How big is his ego? Let's face it, first-among-equals don't get paid as much as the guys getting the ball ten times a game...

 

[I like Rams]

Only one football......

Understandable, which is why I wouldn't force it to Higbee when he was triple covered and Watkins was open a few yards from the end zone.

 

[I like Rams]

If this continues, and I agree we are getting WAY ahead of ourselves here, but if it does do you think this will have an impact on whether or not Watkins re-signs with the Rams? How big is his ego? Let's face it, first-among-equals don't get paid as much as the guys getting the ball ten times a game...

Everything we talk about is ahead of ourselves. Hell most of us were jumping for joy at 4-1 last season even though the writing was on the wall what our season was going to look like with our atrocious offense.

Anyway you bring up a good point. Watkins is a #1, lets just hope he likes championships more than stats.

 

[Rmfnlt]

That was, I believe, the 3rd time he was targeted all game. Dude can get open and ball, I think we just need to make the most of our investment whenever the oppurtunity strikes.

Just me but... you do not target a player to "make the most of your investment".

Like many have said, Watkins has positive impacts not even getting targeted.

He'll have his games when the defense shifts to the other receiving targets.

Totally agree... take what is given to you.

 

[yrba1]

I think McVay runs a - take what you give me - kind of offense. If a team wants to shade a safety towards Watkins, he will push the ball to the other side. Won't be great for fantasy football - but my guess is, Sammy has no problem blocking and clearing out the field so long as the chains keep moving.

Yeah that's one thing I love about this offense; it schemes based on what our coaching staff thinks will be targeted (one week, it'll be Kupp, Watkins another)
I think Everett will have a breakout game against the Seahawks while their secondary blankets our receivers. Also helps that Woods is being covered by #2 or #3 DBs. Just giving the Seahawks gametape into thinking that Higbee will be the primary target.

 

[I like Rams]

Just me but... you do not target a player to "make the most of your investment".

Like many have said, Watkins has positive impacts not even getting targeted.

He'll have his games when the defense shifts to the other receiving targets.

Totally agree... take what is given to you.

You took the portion you quoted out of context. If watkins is not the perceived target on a given play, but he is open, you make him that target. That why I said "whenever the oppotunity strikes" right after.

This could merely just be Goffs learning curve to scanning the field a little better. Who knows? But i agree, Watkins gives us something to distract defenses with.

 

[12intheBox]

Yeah that's one thing I love about this offense; it schemes based on what our coaching staff thinks will be targeted (one week, it'll be Kupp, Watkins another)
I think Everett will have a breakout game against the Seahawks while their secondary blankets our receivers. Also helps that Woods is being covered by #2 or #3 DBs. Just giving the Seahawks gametape into thinking that Higbee will be the primary target.

I think it will be the wideouts more than the tight ends. Higbee and Everett will be covered by linebackers or safeties - both strengths for Seattle. Its corner where they are especially thin right now - I see a Woods / Watkins / Kupp day myself.

 

[Rambo]

I was thinking ts because he just came off concussion protocol and he wasn't as involved in practice last week.

 

[12intheBox]

I was thinking ts because he just came off concussion protocol and he wasn't as involved in practice last week.

Tavon was in the same protocol and he sure got the rock. I think Dallas just gameplanned to try to take him out of the game and so the Rams ran the ball and threw it underneath.

 

[BonifayRam]

Once this Rams clears the bye week I would expect some serious uptick in Sammy Watkins outstanding events with this team. I suspect that Sammy will finally be what most all thought he would be when he was drafted in 2014 as a top 5 pick.

Exceptional football playing speed -- can flat out fly and take the top off a defense. Has world-class track speed. Extends outside his frame and plucks the ball. Outstanding body control and agility. Tracks the ball well over his shoulder and is a natural hands-catcher who can make an average quarterback look good. Consistently turns 2-yard gains into 15-yard chunks -- possesses big-time playmaking ability and is very effective creating in the open field on bubble screens and quick-hitting short/lateral tosses. Superb run-after-the-catch ability. Good burst out of his cuts to separate. Has game-breaking return ability and is a threat to score every time he touches the ball.


http://www.nfl.com/draft/2014/profiles/sammy-watkins?id=2543457