Hill to start at QB

[Penguin.]

Well, you can say how this tears down any confidence AD had....

On the other hand, this can be seen as Fisher being done with mediocrity, and putting all his faith in Shaun Hill.

 

[dieterbrock]

Fisher starting the guy who gives the team the best chance to win.
Davis has been getting his arse handed to him. Fisher is a players coach, and I'm thinking that the pulse of the team supports this move.

 

[shovelpass]

Good job by Fisher for making the tough decisions, even if it's a not a popular one. It's funny how everyone wants Davis benched but Fisher get scrutinized for "flip-flopping". It's what we've been calling for the past few weeks.

 

[RamBill]

Source: Rams bench Austin Davis
By Nick Wagoner | ESPN.com

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11864741/st-louis-rams-bench-qb-austin-davis-switch-shaun-hill

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Just 48 hours after saying Austin Davis would remain the starting quarterback, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Wednesday that veteran Shaun Hill now has the job, a source confirmed.

The source said Fisher informed the team of the change at a team meeting Wednesday morning, citing Hill's experience as the Rams prepare for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos.

Just Monday, Fisher said Davis would continue to be the starter, but finished that confirmation with "so we'll see where it goes."

Davis' status became tenuous after throwing two fourth-quarter interceptions and fumbling during last week's 31-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

In nine games with eight starts, Davis threw for 2,001 yards with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions for a passer rating of 85.1 and a QBR of 37.6. Four of those interceptions were returned for touchdowns and he also had two fumbles returned for scores.

Hill gets a second chance after a calf injury suffered in the first half of the season opener allowed Davis to seize the job. Hill was the team's original starter after Sam Bradford was lost to a torn ACL for the second consecutive season in the team's third preseason game.

In his one half of action this year, Hill was 8-of-13 for 81 yards with an interception.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported the switch.

 

[Fatbot]

It's not enough to get me riled up to fire him, but I agree Fisher did this wrong. I agree Davis was the correct choice when he was hot (and while Hill was injured/"injured"), but fact is Davis cooled down at the first SF game and should have been replaced then, four games ago.

The Rams were 1-4 at the time. They needed to go 10-1 or 9-2 to make the playoffs. Not very realistic, but if the entire reason you brought in Hill and made him the #2 was he gave the Rams the best chance to win (after SB), Hill needed to be the guy named to go for that last hurrah to get back into the season (assuming he was no longer injured).

Then, when the season was officially over, you thank Hill and go back to Davis to see if he can develop into a usable future QB.

This decision rationale would have matched the best guy to the best goal at the best times, and Fisher wouldn't look like he rolled over on being loyal to either guy since he could have put it exactly as a strict logic choice, not a "he earned it" emotional decision.

As it stands, it's not too big of a crime because technically the Rams are still competing for the playoffs and he's going to Hill for that "best chance to win" now, and Fisher will probably still go back to Davis for the last few games. It just was an unnecessary delay to get to the right decision in my opinion.

 

[Thordaddy]

Awesome news, now I can post "put Keenum in" in the game thread after every incompletion or sack :banana:.

After this I would not be surprised to see him play. I can't possibly know what the thought process was on this ,but after the vacillating ,Hill will start when healthy, Davis is the starter the rest of the season, Hill will replace Davis it's going to be hard to take anything coming out of Fishers mouth as something I can count on, and FWIW that's no big deal cuz I'm nobody , but as a player I'd be scratching my head and as an owner I'd be scratching my chin.
Fisher has had horrendous luck with this , Bradford going down 2 years in a row, but to aggravate it by creating a credibility crisis isn't luck and in fact he just hung ALL OF US , who defend his decisions BECAUSE they are his decisions to make, out to to dry .
It had better produce some wins , I'll have more to say after he explains his thoughts in the press conference that should follow.

 

[Boffo97]

I'm pretty obviously not in favor of this move. Davis did SO WELL earlier this year. Even though he has not been doing well lately, I don't believe you do that well as a fluke. There were obviously problems, but I thought at least some of them could be fixed. Injuries at other positions didn't help though.

Hill doesn't have that type of ceiling. He's the very definition of a journeyman. And the problems outside of the QB position are still going to be there. Those pounding the table for him might find out that Mr. Spock was speaking the truth when he said "After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true." (TOS Episode #30: "Amok Time") I think there is a higher possibility of Hill being worse than Davis than there is of him being better. When he was on the bench, statements that Hill would be better could not be proven wrong.

I'm DEFINITELY not a fan of how Fisher made this move. I don't see it as "admitting a mistake" at all. I see it as wishy washy and hurtful to his leadership in the long run since he just showed that a vote of confidence from him is meaningless. And if Hill goes out there and fails or is injured, how can Davis believe in his coach now?

BUT, as was said elsewhere by others (I know Prime Time said it at one point), if the Rams play Davis, I'm going to cheer for Davis to do well. If the Rams play Hill, I'm going to cheer for Hill to do well. I'm not going to hope the Rams tank so I can rub it in everyone's faces that "I told you so". I'm definitely not going to be the guy to insist that unless you agree with me, you either like losing or don't like winning. I'm hoping I can be the guy to say "You know what? I was wrong. We should have stayed with Hill."

Go Rams. And assuming Fisher doesn't change his mind again, go Hill.

Hey... who put this box of Ivory Soap underneath me?

 

[RamzFanz]

However this turns out for Hill and the Rams......I believe it is a good move to help Davis also. I believe that it is good for any young quarterback when struggling to step back and watch the offense work from the sideline. See the things he was missing in real time. And hopefully Hill sparks this team......

Go Rams.........

True that. AD may need a break just to readjust. If the naysayers are correct, Hill won't last so AD may need to come back.

 

[V3]

And ... QB controversy ensues (if Hill isn't any better).

What? Which QB to draft?

 

[Ramhusker]

I love this move. Davis has looked a little shell shocked lately. Hill gives us some veteran savvy at maybe the perfect time. Leaving Davis in at this point may give him full-on Bulger syndrome. This might just be better for his confidence than starting this game. It definitely makes me want to watch this week.(like my homer ass wasn't going to anyways)

 

[CodeMonkey]

I knew it. When he declared Davis the starter on Monday that was the kiss of death.

 

[Bluesy]

I appreciate the determination to better the team and do whatever it takes to win, but I think it's a bit too late.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

Fisher doesn't like turnovers, and this move is because of that. Davis has thrown LOTS of pick 6s as soon as the team gets behind, he's really forcing those bad throws into coverage. Maybe he will learn not to do that, but I'm not too optimistic.
I wonder if some of the other players on the team had anything to do with this move? If the locker room turned on Davis, I could see that factoring into him getting benched.

 

[Dagonet]

Good gives the Rams a better chance to win IMO.

Looks like I owe you a chugging of a cold, frosty, Busch Light now. I didn't see this coming so fast. Wow..

 

[Boffo97]

I knew it. When he declared Davis the starter on Monday that was the kiss of death.

I call new meme... when someone does something we don't like, declare that they will start for the next of the season. Whether it's an NFL player or coach, or someone on this board.

 

[RhodyRams]

so if Hill sucks in the first half, does he get pulled because of a mysterious calf,leg,shoulder,groin, injury?

 

[TheDYVKX]

I call new meme... when someone does something we don't like, declare that they will start for the next of the season. Whether it's an NFL player or coach, or someone on this board.

Can we instantly name Scott Wells and Davin Joseph starters?

 

[thirteen28]

Well, you can say how this tears down any confidence AD had....

On the other hand, this can be seen as Fisher being done with mediocrity, and putting all his faith in Shaun Hill.

I think his confidence was already shot, and it was reflected in his play on the field. This might actually be good for him, as mentioned upthread.

Good job by Fisher for making the tough decisions, even if it's a not a popular one. It's funny how everyone wants Davis benched but Fisher get scrutinized for "flip-flopping". It's what we've been calling for the past few weeks.

Agreed. Coachspeak is not gospel, sometimes the two get confused.

 

[RamzFanz]

"so we'll see where it goes."

That's the moment I knew in my heart he was either starting Hill or preparing to pull Davis if the game started to tank.

Here's the thing I don't get about the people that want AD. Rams can't win with AD. While many like @CoachO suspected this from the very beginning, we KNOW that now.

Rams have nothing to lose. AD doesn't appear to have any real value going forward unless he has a mentor show him how to control the game and read defenses. Great kid, great spirit, but just isn't ready for the NFL. Hill COULD have value as a backup next season. I have no idea why people assume he is only a one year backup with no future here.

I see nothing but pluses coming from this. Maybe Rams have a winning season. Maybe they even steal a WC spot. Or maybe they just keep losing. Nothing lost, only possibility is gain.

 

[Boffo97]

Here's the thing I don't get about the people that want AD. Rams can't win with AD. While many like @CoachO suspected this from the very beginning, we KNOW that now.

We do not know this. This is your opinion. My opinion is that while Davis has struggled lately, he gives us a better chance to win than Hill does.