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Cooper Kupp taking guff, but pass to Tavon Austin's feet showed smarts
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Todd Gurley will admit that Cooper Kupp, the Los Angeles Rams' rookie slot receiver, has a decent arm -- but perhaps not as good as his.
"I think I should be back there throwing it," Gurley said, "but, whatever."
Gurley also understands why Kupp is the one who will usually be tasked with that responsibility.
"He's going to make great decisions with the ball, if anything," Gurley said. "Unlike me, I'd be trying to do all types of crazy stuff and make a play and look like Travis Kelce and throw a pick."
Which brings us to Sunday's play, a mere footnote in the Rams' 26-20 victory over the New Orleans Saints. The Rams called a trick play at an unconventional time, while up 10 with less than 10 minutes remaining. Jared Goff threw a quick pass to Pharoh Cooper, who then pitched it to Kupp as he drifted behind him. But Kupp threw the ball to the ground for an incompletion, a rare opportunity ruined.
"I’m getting a lot of crap for this play right now," Kupp said. "I can throw the football, OK?"
Kupp, 24, processed a lot in his head before he let go of the football. He actually made a progression. It's highlighted in a couple of screen grabs below, the first one illustrating his primary option (Sammy Watkins) and his secondary one (Tavon Austin). The second notes the Saints players who posed dangers on the play, which ultimately forced Kupp to make the wise decision of throwing it away.
Kupp ran through it all quickly.
"Right before the play started, the safety is flying over the top," he said. "Go look at the film. The safety’s like, ‘Oh, crap, we’re outnumbered over here.’ The safety comes over the top, right? So that means that as I’m getting the ball, Sammy’s gotta beat his guy, and now there’s a safety over the top. So now my primary read is gone. I know Tavon is coming across the field, right? But as I find him, he’s got someone tight behind him, and the corner is now falling off Sammy. So if I throw it to him, Tavon’s getting smacked. So I start sliding to my right, I’m feeling pressure back side, and I’m like, ‘I have nowhere to go with this ball. There’s nobody in front of me.' So I just threw it right at the feet of Tavon."
Kupp's father, Craig, was a quarterback in the NFL. Kupp himself was a backup quarterback through high school and an emergency quarterback at Eastern Washington, where he completed 7 of 10 passes for 180 yards and four touchdowns. Yes, he can throw. But it's his football IQ that can make him a unique weapon on trick plays.
"He's not your typical rookie," Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur said. "It's funny because a lot of times, after they're done with the receiver meeting, he'll come in the quarterback meeting and he'll listen to us. He loves football. Very intelligent player, and we're lucky to have him."
Rams coach Sean McVay called Kupp's decision on Sunday "a smart throwaway," though LaFleur would've preferred to see him instead chuck the ball out of bounds. McVay said Kupp has "a great arm," but was predictably coy when asked about whether he will utilize it in the future. Any trick play for Kupp, however, will include a maximum of two reads.
"We won't ask him to exhaust a progression and get through and use all of his eligibles," McVay said with a smile.
Kupp would like another chance, but he understands that it is not up to him.
He just wants you to know that his spiked throw was intentional, not a reflection of his ability.
"Look, there’s a lot that went into that play," Kupp said. "I can throw the ball. The coaches aren’t just throwing some person out there, OK? I can throw the ball."
[www.espn.com]
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Todd Gurley will admit that Cooper Kupp, the Los Angeles Rams' rookie slot receiver, has a decent arm -- but perhaps not as good as his.
"I think I should be back there throwing it," Gurley said, "but, whatever."
Gurley also understands why Kupp is the one who will usually be tasked with that responsibility.
"He's going to make great decisions with the ball, if anything," Gurley said. "Unlike me, I'd be trying to do all types of crazy stuff and make a play and look like Travis Kelce and throw a pick."
Which brings us to Sunday's play, a mere footnote in the Rams' 26-20 victory over the New Orleans Saints. The Rams called a trick play at an unconventional time, while up 10 with less than 10 minutes remaining. Jared Goff threw a quick pass to Pharoh Cooper, who then pitched it to Kupp as he drifted behind him. But Kupp threw the ball to the ground for an incompletion, a rare opportunity ruined.
"I’m getting a lot of crap for this play right now," Kupp said. "I can throw the football, OK?"
Kupp, 24, processed a lot in his head before he let go of the football. He actually made a progression. It's highlighted in a couple of screen grabs below, the first one illustrating his primary option (Sammy Watkins) and his secondary one (Tavon Austin). The second notes the Saints players who posed dangers on the play, which ultimately forced Kupp to make the wise decision of throwing it away.
Kupp ran through it all quickly.
"Right before the play started, the safety is flying over the top," he said. "Go look at the film. The safety’s like, ‘Oh, crap, we’re outnumbered over here.’ The safety comes over the top, right? So that means that as I’m getting the ball, Sammy’s gotta beat his guy, and now there’s a safety over the top. So now my primary read is gone. I know Tavon is coming across the field, right? But as I find him, he’s got someone tight behind him, and the corner is now falling off Sammy. So if I throw it to him, Tavon’s getting smacked. So I start sliding to my right, I’m feeling pressure back side, and I’m like, ‘I have nowhere to go with this ball. There’s nobody in front of me.' So I just threw it right at the feet of Tavon."
Kupp's father, Craig, was a quarterback in the NFL. Kupp himself was a backup quarterback through high school and an emergency quarterback at Eastern Washington, where he completed 7 of 10 passes for 180 yards and four touchdowns. Yes, he can throw. But it's his football IQ that can make him a unique weapon on trick plays.
"He's not your typical rookie," Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur said. "It's funny because a lot of times, after they're done with the receiver meeting, he'll come in the quarterback meeting and he'll listen to us. He loves football. Very intelligent player, and we're lucky to have him."
Rams coach Sean McVay called Kupp's decision on Sunday "a smart throwaway," though LaFleur would've preferred to see him instead chuck the ball out of bounds. McVay said Kupp has "a great arm," but was predictably coy when asked about whether he will utilize it in the future. Any trick play for Kupp, however, will include a maximum of two reads.
"We won't ask him to exhaust a progression and get through and use all of his eligibles," McVay said with a smile.
Kupp would like another chance, but he understands that it is not up to him.
He just wants you to know that his spiked throw was intentional, not a reflection of his ability.
"Look, there’s a lot that went into that play," Kupp said. "I can throw the ball. The coaches aren’t just throwing some person out there, OK? I can throw the ball."
[www.espn.com]
