I think Goff is helping McVay, and maybe even as much as McVay is helping Goff

[LesBaker]

After seeing how the Rams O is operating I think to myself that McVay is benefiting from Goff's abilities and skillset as Goff is benefiting from McVay's.

What I mean is when I watch the Rams I don't really feel like I am watching last years version of the Redskins, or the year before. I saw a little bit of some games here and there in sports bars and saw highlights. It doesn't look or feel the same to me. Not that it wasn't good, it was, and I think Cousins is an excellent QB. But the system has evolved or something, or is just different because Goff has some attributes McVay hasn't had before.

I will admit McVay had nothing like Gurley in the backfield to help drive the offense but sometimes the play designs unfold and often look like something we'd see from Martz with different levels being attacked like a 3-D chess game. Especially in 4 wide sets, at least from the film breakdown and replays I have seen. In other words the O is better than Washington's was because Goff gives McVay the opportunity to let himself cut loose and come up with plays and call them where he might not have been able to with Cousins. The way he buys that extra moment in the pocket with his feet really makes a difference to a play caller if he knows his WR's have more than 2 seconds to find a way to get open.

And now..............back to Gurley. Goff has become really, really good at faking a hand off, he and Gurely sell the fuck out of it..........and it is huge. Just like how the Jet Sweep freezes LB's for just that one step advantage for the offense, it is a BIG edge. Did McVay have that available to him in WASH? I dunno if Cousins is good at it or not so this is just kind of guessing on my part. It takes a bit for some of the fakes to "unfold" which is giving WR's that extra time to get a little deeper and Goff is sporting an 8.21 YPA in part because the WR's get some time to run a moment longer than they would normally.

Just a thought, feel free to add to it based on what you've seen.

 

[bomebadeeda]

You might be on to something. Outside the TE position, we have better skill players than Washington did. And Gurley (as you pointed out.....) really tilts the table toward our version of the offense. But another feature that could of bogged down the process was Gruden himself. Now I don't know, if he interjected himself into the play preference......but it wouldn't surprise me. But I think you might have hit on something.

 

[Jacobarch]

Well I would say your assessment is pretty spot on. Most OC's can't just do whatever they want when they take over an offense. The HC will always have a bit of say or will relay the calls in from the OC. Not to say that's exactly what happened with the Skins. But looking at the skins this year VS last year is pretty similar in the playcalling and style of offense. I do notice they don't scheme quite as well as they did when McVay was around. But all and all it's Grudens system and McVay probably had 75% control over what and how it was called. HC's can be micro-managers like that.

It was the same with Fisher. Every OC he brought in their offense looked EXACTLY the same.

 

[Faceplant]

Can't say I disagree, Les. Sad thing is that now the media is running with that Washington Post story about how McVay is calling the audibles in the headset until 15 secs. PTI had the discussion today and Mike CinnaWilbon was basically dismissing the Rams and even McVay because they are "only" 8-3 and utilizing that strategy. Fat fuck. Is McVay throwing the ball? Reading the defense once the ball is snapped?? Of course not. I think the idea is brilliant and will help Goff learn that much faster. Don't think other teams won't copy that move with their young QBs going fwd BTW.

 

[A.J. Hicks]

What about the input from Kromer, Lafleur, and Olsen? Not too mention the positions coaches.

Mcvay is very in control of what is going on, but he is also very good at delegating. It's is a team effort, Mcvay takes ultimate responsibility, but his coaches are involved in that process.

 

[Zero]

Can't say I disagree, Les. Sad thing is that now the media is running with that Washington Post story about how McVay is calling the audibles in the headset until 15 secs. PTI had the discussion today and Mike CinnaWilbon was basically dismissing the Rams and even McVay because they are "only" 8-3 and utilizing that strategy. Fat fuck. Is McVay throwing the ball? Reading the defense once the ball is snapped?? Of course not. I think the idea is brilliant and will help Goff learn that much faster. Don't think other teams won't copy that move with their young QBs going fwd BTW..

 

[LARams_1963]

As far as I know, the other 31 teams can utilize the helmet comms system the same way and this is nothing new.. Amazing these idiot talking heads took this long to figure it out. Morons......

To Les, I agree with your assesment. Goff is surely doing his part to make Sean look good. As far as not looking like the Skins O? I agree, and I attribute that to mixing in the LaFleur/Shanahan flavor to the mix.

 

[thirteen28]

As far as I know, the other 31 teams can utilize the helmet comms system the same way and this is nothing new.. Amazing these idiot talking heads took this long to figure it out. Morons......

They are just sofa king jealous that McVay was the first to think of it!

Oh, and I love that our HC thinks outside of the box like this ... :banana:

 

[leoram]

After seeing how the Rams O is operating I think to myself that McVay is benefiting from Goff's abilities and skillset as Goff is benefiting from McVay's.

What I mean is when I watch the Rams I don't really feel like I am watching last years version of the Redskins, or the year before. I saw a little bit of some games here and there in sports bars and saw highlights. It doesn't look or feel the same to me. Not that it wasn't good, it was, and I think Cousins is an excellent QB. But the system has evolved or something, or is just different because Goff has some attributes McVay hasn't had before.

McVay himself talks how offenses evolve from year to year, game to game, and even predicated on any given play depending on the defense presented. The system now incorporates input from several sources and McVay has more autonomy than he had in Washington.

I will admit McVay had nothing like Gurley in the backfield to help drive the offense

Individually, Thompson, Kelley, nor Jones are anywhere close to Gurley, but corporately they performed magnificently. Gurley’s advantage is that he performs all functions so defenses can’t predict as easily based on personnel.

but sometimes the play designs unfoldand often look like something we'd see from Martz with different levels being attacked like a 3-D chess game. Especially in 4 wide sets, at least from the film breakdown and replays I have seen. In other words the O is better thanWashington's was because Goff gives McVaythe opportunity to let himself cut loose and come up with plays and call them where hemight not have been able to with Cousins.

With Garçon, Crowder, Jackson, Davis, and Reed all experienced veterans in the system...there were things they could do that we could not until recently. They attacked the whole field quite well in Washington.

The way he buys that extra moment in the pocketwith his feet really makes a difference to a play caller if he knows his WR's have more than 2 seconds to find a way to get open.

Long developing plays depend on several factors...is the running game formidable enough to draw 8 to the box (relavent to play action) Do you have receivers that can win down the field? Do you have linemen that can hold the rush long enough? Has the defense singled up receivers or are they taking away the deep ball with safeties? And finally, can the QB throw an accurate deep ball? I’m not certain Goff is appreciably more mobile or pocket aware than Cousins but I do believe he has more arm talent to stretch the field both horizontally and vertically.

And now..............back to Gurley. Goff has become really, really good at faking a hand off, he and Gurely sell the freak out of it..........and it is huge. Just like how the Jet Sweep freezes LB's for just that one step advantage for the offense, it is a BIG edge. Did McVay have that available to him in WASH? I dunno if Cousinsis good at it or not so this is just kind of guessing on my part.

There are times Goff’s fakes are a good yard away from the back so I tend to disagree. McVay worked with Cousins for three years...and Cousins is very good at fakes.

It takes a bit for some of the fakes to "unfold" which is giving WR's thatextra time to get a little deeper and Goff issporting an 8.21 YPA in part because the WR'sget some time to run a moment longer than they would normally.



Just a thought, feel free to add to it based onwhat you've seen.

In summary, the difference is that Goff has more arm talent and Gurley is more multi-dimensional. The Skins had more effective TE’s (ours are talented but still young and developing) and talented receivers with more experience in the system. The OLines were effectively similar. But as was mentioned by others, McVay has different input by his assistants and will continue to expand the offense by his own creativity and the player’s strengths. To me, what’s most impressive is a combination of McVay’s ability to teach and the player’s ability to absorb and execute. It’s happened way faster than I expected. In this I agree there is a comparison to Martz. Even Warner mentioned this in a podcast.

 

[DaveFan'51]

After seeing how the Rams O is operating I think to myself that McVay is benefiting from Goff's abilities and skillset as Goff is benefiting from McVay's.

What I mean is when I watch the Rams I don't really feel like I am watching last years version of the Redskins, or the year before. I saw a little bit of some games here and there in sports bars and saw highlights. It doesn't look or feel the same to me. Not that it wasn't good, it was, and I think Cousins is an excellent QB. But the system has evolved or something, or is just different because Goff has some attributes McVay hasn't had before.

I will admit McVay had nothing like Gurley in the backfield to help drive the offense but sometimes the play designs unfold and often look like something we'd see from Martz with different levels being attacked like a 3-D chess game. Especially in 4 wide sets, at least from the film breakdown and replays I have seen. In other words the O is better than Washington's was because Goff gives McVay the opportunity to let himself cut loose and come up with plays and call them where he might not have been able to with Cousins. The way he buys that extra moment in the pocket with his feet really makes a difference to a play caller if he knows his WR's have more than 2 seconds to find a way to get open.

And now..............back to Gurley. Goff has become really, really good at faking a hand off, he and Gurely sell the freak out of it..........and it is huge. Just like how the Jet Sweep freezes LB's for just that one step advantage for the offense, it is a BIG edge. Did McVay have that available to him in WASH? I dunno if Cousins is good at it or not so this is just kind of guessing on my part. It takes a bit for some of the fakes to "unfold" which is giving WR's that extra time to get a little deeper and Goff is sporting an 8.21 YPA in part because the WR's get some time to run a moment longer than they would normally.

Just a thought, feel free to add to it based on what you've seen.

I might add that McVay doesn't have Gruden hoding him back on his play-calling either!!

 

[LesBaker]

There are times Goff’s fakes are a good yard away from the back so I tend to disagree. McVay worked with Cousins for three years...and Cousins is very good at fakes.

They are executing a fake stretch handoff when they do that. IMO anyway.


A couple of you guys pointed out the Gruden potential influence and I hadn't thought of that........good catch