If I'm Snead it's Tavon OR Schotty

[V3]

His QB at W. Virginia had no trouble getting him the ball and Stedman seems to be able to reach the balls thrown his way alright.

That was college. There's a BIG difference. Take all the best players on defense in college and you get the defenses in the NFL.

Also, Bailey is a different player. His route running is better, he's at least 2" taller, has longer arms, a higher vertical, and doesn't get pushed around like Tavon.

 

[RamFan503]

Fact is teams still key on him like crazy defensively. They're still terrified of his big play ability from the games he blew up defense on only a few occasions last year

And we need another reason to keep him? Right now, does anyone else on our offense demand a team game plan for him specifically? I'm not saying TA has been utilized properly but a lot goes into the fact that teams are accounting for him every time he is in the game and design defenses around him. The fact remains that we aren't getting a #8 overall picks worth out of him but I'm not sure I pin that all on Schotty either. Otherwise we would be seeing bigger punt returns as well. Teams aren't going to play Tavon like Indy did last year. I will say though that it looks like they are doing more with him so we'll see as the year goes on.

I like having the weapon but I agree with you that we need to figure out a way to use him more effectively.

 

[blackbart]

Love the highlights but speed in college vs the NFL is a big change. A lot of he plays he made at WV would not have done well in the NFL, no news there.

Schotty could do a heck of a lot more with TA but he is not and will not be the main focus of this or any other offense in the NFL. I'd like to see more plays of a base set for him like the jet sweep and then play action off that. More deep balls more go routes, etc etc but this team is going to pound the rock and go PA to Britt and Quick up the seam to Cook and lots of other guys involved with TA being a piece of the puzzle, not the headliner.

 

[WvuIN02]

What Schotty is doing with him is taking an elite sports car and trying to use it like a Humvee, runs up the middle, screens to the short side of the field crowded with defenders etc. I cant stress this enough. In college he was a deep threat FIRST, and things opened up underneath once defenders got burned a time or two by his straight line speed. He has the quicks to release off the line, but he is never ever ever used in this capacity. He cant call his own routes.

 

[Mojo Ram]

That was college. There's a BIG difference. Take all the best players on defense in college and you get the defenses in the NFL.

Also, Bailey is a different player. His route running is better, he's at least 2" taller, has longer arms, a higher vertical, and doesn't get pushed around like Tavon.

Then why are guys like Wes Welker(5'9")Steve Smith(5'9"), TY Hilton(5'9"), Gary Clark(5'9")able to get open and get delivered balls every which way but loose?
I understand the physics of what you're saying, and i've heard this line of thinking before from fans and talking heads....but i'm not sure i buy it.

 

[Merlin]

Then why are guys like Wes Welker(5'9")Steve Smith(5'9"), TY Hilton(5'9"), Gary Clark(5'9")able to get open and get delivered balls every which way but loose?
I understand the physics of what you're saying, and i've heard this line of thinking before from fans and talking heads....but i'm not sure i buy it.

Agreed Mojo.

So much of offense is utilization, and that is where the Rams fall short. If they want to keep Schotty around (which I strongly disagree with) they will most likely need to just bite the bullet and get some value back from Tavon. That's all I'm saying.

Schotty in my opinion is a plodding offense-type coordinator, and there's nothing wrong with that if the Rams had big and physical players all over that win one on one. Give him a guy like Tavon, though, (at a cost of the 8th overall pick no less) and he's lost, because he's not creative enough to consistently put him in position to threaten defenses.

Which is why I think getting rid of Schotty is the way forward. It's time to get someone in here as coordinator who can maximize the offensive talent on this team, and we won't have to hear the "poor Sam has yet another OC now" complaints since they're turning over the QB position as well most likely. I want an OC who understands how to spread the field and still mash the ball, while developing a young QB.

Reason I say it's an either/or is because Fish may insist on keeping Schotty. He's very, very hard to read in that way.

 

[Mike]

Can't disagree with OP.

But Tavon when used has been really Succesful for us. We are just underutilizing him. Need more reverses, pitches, drag routes creative plays in space, dump offs etc. He still needs to learn how to run a route. Been rounding off too much and not getting seperation.

I think we need to try and use him running post routes. Let him run straight up the field and use his speed to outrun the defender (s) and run under a long pass. What's there to lose at this point, it might work and Tavon gets to make a big play or two. And yes he is a small player and can be bumped off his route. But I think it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.

 

[V3]

Then why are guys like Wes Welker(5'9")Steve Smith(5'9"), TY Hilton(5'9"), Gary Clark(5'9")able to get open and get delivered balls every which way but loose?
I understand the physics of what you're saying, and i've heard this line of thinking before from fans and talking heads....but i'm not sure i buy it.

For most, if not all, of those players listed, their route running is what allows them to flourish. Some have other traits, as well, that allow them to succeed. For example, Steam Smith has a ridiculous vertical and is extremely physical to go along with his good route running. People don't beat him for the ball that often.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Love the highlights but speed in college vs the NFL is a big change. A lot of he plays he made at WV would not have done well in the NFL, no news there.

Schotty could do a heck of a lot more with TA but he is not and will not be the main focus of this or any other offense in the NFL. I'd like to see more plays of a base set for him like the jet sweep and then play action off that. More deep balls more go routes, etc etc but this team is going to pound the rock and go PA to Britt and Quick up the seam to Cook and lots of other guys involved with TA being a piece of the puzzle, not the headliner.

I agree about Tavon not translating to the NFL. I was against drafting him in round 1 for the same reasons that you stated.

 

[Yamahopper]

Schotty could use him better.
But it's more a combo of TA not being coached to be a complete WR and or TA not adapting his skill set to be a complete WR. He has to be able to run the route tree. Otherwise they can just spy him and keep him in check.
He's not that much faster or quicker than a lot of CB's, not enough anyway to out skill them physically to the point were he has a overwhelming edge.

When he becomes a good route runner then the rest of his game will open up.