Is Foles the main problem?

[HE WITH HORNS]

I blame Bradford for all the drops.

 

[Rmfnlt]

I blame Bradford for all the drops.

Don't forget Schottenheimer!

 

[RamzFanz]

the choices are very black and white but the answer isn't. He's not responsible for dropped passes, bad routes or poor protection. but he is responsible for being aware of the defense, diagnosing the coverage, audibling out if needed, staying mobile in the pocket, going through his reads, ball control and handling pressure better. with good protection and a good supporting cast he can compliment a team but he's not good enough to elevate any team on his own.

Foles is pretty good at staying mobile in the pocket. He's avoided pressure moving in the pocket a ton this season.

Going through reads requires time. I don't know if this will improve or not with less pressure. I hope we get to find out.

However, I expect if he gets time and starts going through reads more, it will be attributed to him just "getting better at it."

I'm not sure how ball control or handling pressure better is even a consideration at this point. He throws the ball away or takes the sack when he has to. He didn't have only 1 INT in 4 games against good defenses because he doesn't handle pressure, the second most pressure in the NFL I remind you.

He's had a bad fumble trying to make a play he shouldn't have. The rest, as I recall, were blindside or backside hits. No QB can be held responsible for those. Eyes downfield.


I don't think anyone thinks he's going to elevate a team on his own. I sure didn't. He needs to stay at least mostly clean to be effective. But we knew that.

 

[RamzFanz]

By the way @RamzFanz what happened to our Butcher Shop weekly recaps? Those were fun.

Man, I've just been so busy. I'm hoping things slow down by mid season and I can do them again.

 

[DCH]

Man, I've just been so busy. I'm hoping things slow down by mid season and I can do them again.

Glad you didn't do one last week when I was traveling for a funeral and didn't set my rosters... but this week would be good!

 

[jrry32]

This is a team sport. There isn't one main problem. But Foles is part of the problem. And I don't see a top 10 QB out there. I see a mediocre QB that has the potential to be a competent game manager if he is willing to take that role on.

 

[RamzFanz]

Thanks for the tip.

Regardless, we have all watched the mass of drops and drops on must catch plays. The eyeball test alone tells us what we need to know.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

This is a team sport. There isn't one main problem. But Foles is part of the problem. And I don't see a top 10 QB out there. I see a mediocre QB that has the potential to be a competent game manager if he is willing to take that role on.

We need to get him some better protection, the last game he was just massacred out there.

 

[RamzFanz]

This is a team sport. There isn't one main problem. But Foles is part of the problem. And I don't see a top 10 QB out there. I see a mediocre QB that has the potential to be a competent game manager if he is willing to take that role on.

Of the top 10 QBs, maybe 2-3 are elite QBs who will carry teams consistently.

All the rest are situational sensations. In the right place with the right scheme and the right talent, they excell.

That's what I think Foles is. He's done it before. Keep him clean, catch the damn ball, and he will rank top 10. He can't do it otherwise, nor can most.

If the Rams get him time and start calling TAs number and not Cooks, Foles is going to rocket up the charts, imperfections and all.

That's my opinion and I hope I get a chance to discuss this again with you later after those things happen. If the line plays like this all season and TA remains an afterthought, it's going to be ugly.

 

[dieterbrock]

I was a huge supporter of bringing in Foles. And in the 2 wins we saw a lot of what I thought was missing in our QB play over the past decade. That said, I saw a lot of Kellen Clemens/Shaun Hill/Austin Davis redux last week.
Here's to hoping that was an anomoly and over the next 5 games we'll see the winning type QB I thought we had

 

[bwdenverram]

I don't think Foles is the main problem (well maybe last week). He brought us back against Seattle. But he didn't do much against Washington, Pittsburgh and obviously Green Bay.
Granted, those are all very good defenses.

The OL being inconsistent is the main issue, IMO.

That said, I'm still not sold on Foles as the long term solution at QB.

 

[RamsFan14]

He's had 2 very good games, 1 mediocre game against Pitt, and 2 nasty games. His good football was... very good, made some exceptional throws I haven't seen too much of from past Rams QBs. Then the game against the Packers might be one of the worst games I've seen from a Rams QB in quite awhile. Given how the offense is playing as a whole, he's not THE problem, but he's struggling out there and is technically part of the problem. He's clearly getting hit too much, and it doesn't help we have such a high drop rate on this team. Would like to see other factors improved before we really judge him. The thing is I think his best football was excellent football, I def want to see more of it! Maybe more time in the offense will get him adjusted, idk. But I think we have much bigger issues at the playmaker position and with the OL. That OL has not put together a clean game all season. The game against the Cardinals, I'd argue they put together a good second half, mostly a great 4th quarter. This unit needs to improve the most out of the all the positions imo. Then the playmakers, then Foles.

Anyway, no I don't think he's the problem. He's got improving to do and I think he will, it's just a matter of the other players helping him out more. The thing is he's proven he can win games in this league and he's shown he can be a solid QB (doesn't matter if it was with Kelly. I know the 27TDs to 2INTs was a bit lucky in terms of his low INTs, but you don't throw that many TDs if you don't have SOME skill). Give him some more legit support, then lets judge him. I think he'll ball it out, and he'll be fun to watch! Give the man some help!

 

[LACHAMP46]

I've heard several analysts say Quick could have, and should have, high pointed that TD pass as it was designed and just didn't. I've also heard several analysts say Cook stopped on that route. How do they know? I don't know. Maybe someone smarter than me can explain. It was also one of the worst QB poundings I've ever seen.

I believe you are talking about the fade pattern in the back of endzone...or rather, that's where that ball needed to be placed...To not allow a smaller defender a chance to get a hand on it..and only allow Quick to make a play on it...or, at least that's what I saw... I saw his drop...Sure we all did...I also see a bunch of passes that are not made...Cook stopped...in a zone coverage...unless you know that the Rams do something different than 90% of teams try to execute versus zone coverage, I can guarantee that Cook, any receiver is taught to "set down" his route..basically stop in an open area of a zone. I can hardly blame Foles for this...I mean, they have to develop a lil more chemistry, maybe if they knew each other better, Cook will know when to keep going, and Foles would know when Cook is gonna really stop...They don't really know each other...

I talked about Quick's TD in my OP, and this is a debatable opinion, but one I've heard several times in the media. Quick should have and could have high pointed that TD. That's how the play is designed, the play is all about one on one height advantage and Quick didn't play it right................Of the top 10 QBs, maybe 2-3 are elite QBs who will carry teams consistently.

Again, this pass looked slightly under-thrown...and maybe Quick could caught it..he almost did...but it was inaccurate, in a very clean pocket...thats all I'm saying....The throws he didn't make isn't what worried me about this game ramzfanz...it was the way he was just throwing it up for those ints....It was incredible...right after turnovers...in the redzone...just too careless for a 4 year vet...on the road..against a team like GB...didn't seem serious enough about ball security...hell, rookies don't do that....

 

[RamzFanz]

Again, this pass looked slightly under-thrown...and maybe Quick could caught it..he almost did...but it was inaccurate, in a very clean pocket...thats all I'm saying....The throws he didn't make isn't what worried me about this game ramzfanz...it was the way he was just throwing it up for those ints....It was incredible...right after turnovers...in the redzone...just too careless for a 4 year vet...on the road..against a team like GB...didn't seem serious enough about ball security...hell, rookies don't do that....

I assume we will both agree one way or another as the season progresses. I plan to look at the play again tonight. I'm just repeating what I've heard from other sources, I'm no expert.

Maybe he was so damn rattled he did just throw them up in a panic. Could be. Perhaps you're right about ball security but I'm going off his history as an indicator and that tells me it's just not his M.O. BUT has he ever been beat up that bad before? I doubt it. That may be a historical day for him. Lord I hope so.

 

[jrry32]

We need to get him some better protection, the last game he was just massacred out there.

That he was. But when he did have a clean pocket, he didn't make the plays that needed to be made.(the Bailey throw aside)

Protection is great but a top 10 QB isn't a guy who needs the circumstances around him to be awesome for him to be quality. I hope to see better from Foles. He definitely is capable of making great throws but he also makes a lot of bad decisions and loses his composure a little too often for me.

 

[gabriel18]

I think Foles will bounce back strong . I like his attitude and I think his guys will rally around him and play good football

 

[Robocop]

Foles is pretty good at staying mobile in the pocket. He's avoided pressure moving in the pocket a ton this season.

Going through reads requires time. I don't know if this will improve or not with less pressure. I hope we get to find out.

However, I expect if he gets time and starts going through reads more, it will be attributed to him just "getting better at it."

I'm not sure how ball control or handling pressure better is even a consideration at this point. He throws the ball away or takes the sack when he has to. He didn't have only 1 INT in 4 games against good defenses because he doesn't handle pressure, the second most pressure in the NFL I remind you.

He's had a bad fumble trying to make a play he shouldn't have. The rest, as I recall, were blindside or backside hits. No QB can be held responsible for those. Eyes downfield.


I don't think anyone thinks he's going to elevate a team on his own. I sure didn't. He needs to stay at least mostly clean to be effective. But we knew that.

I'm not just talking about one performance I'm talking about all of it. his mental game has to improve. we're suppose to be playoff bound right? cus he'll see a lot more defenses and pressure of that quality and he can't be throwing 4 picks and holding the ball that long and he does turn into a statute many times, it's one of the biggest knocks on him. and those redzone picks can't happen. his protection will hopefully improve but with it so must he cus he can't have another game like that pressure or no pressure

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

That he was. But when he did have a clean pocket, he didn't make the plays that needed to be made.(the Bailey throw aside)

Protection is great but a top 10 QB isn't a guy who needs the circumstances around him to be awesome for him to be quality. I hope to see better from Foles. He definitely is capable of making great throws but he also makes a lot of bad decisions and loses his composure a little too often for me.

Their pass rush really rattled him, and he made mistakes because of it. I'll give him a pass on that one game, if he plays like he did the first 4 games more often. And we don't need him to be a top 10 QB, just a middle of the road guy with our defense and now that our monster RB has emerged.