Jourdan Rodrigue - How has Rams QB Matthew Stafford established timing, rapport with top WRs in Sean McVay’s offense?
By Jourdan Rodrigue Jun 22, 2021
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — For new Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, timing has lately been everything.
Seizing upon opportune timing is a big part of the reason Stafford is in Los Angeles in the first place, after 12 years in Detroit — he requested a trade around the same time the Rams were deeply assessing their options at quarterback, then he and Rams coach Sean McVay happened to be at the same resort in Cabo, and the rest is history.
Now, Stafford’s timing will need to apply to how he runs the offense — especially one that depends on the quarterback and receivers falling into total rhythm with each other before, during and after every snap.
“The only way a guy in my position can play ‘on time’ and ‘in rhythm’ is understanding exactly what’s going on around him at all times and feeling comfortable with it,” Stafford said. “To get that, in my opinion, you can definitely look at it on a screen, look at it on a piece of paper and take your notes, but until you get out there and watch Cooper Kupp run this route or Robert Woods run that route, that’s something that takes time and in-person repetition.”
The details that need to be accounted for within a single passing play — between just the quarterback and the receiver — can feel endless, but must become automatic. Further, all of the little things the quarterback does between the snap and the moment the ball leaves his hand happen essentially as the receiver’s back is toward him.
“Within a drop, a quarterback has a lot of tools in terms of his eyes, his shoulders — where he’s trying to move guys,” Kupp said. “I think that’s the big thing, is understanding on plays: You might have two windows, you have the tight first window or you can hang on for the second window. And you have the conversation, ‘Would you rather hold this hook player away and try to zip this into the first window — or are you thinking you’re going to take him to me and hit this thing behind him?’
“So it’s kind of understanding just things like that. When am I really trying to get my eyes down? When can I anticipate the ball to get out versus certain looks? How (is he) manipulating coverages and what he feels comfortable with? Even within his drops, just seeing the nuance of using his shoulders and eyes to move guys and anticipate throws — that helps us out at receiver because now we’re really able to anticipate when that ball is coming and also get into those windows — or (move with tempo) into the windows he’s really trying to get to.”
Stafford and the Rams receivers were quite apparently stacking the building blocks of this process throughout the spring — not only increasing the amount of processing required between the two groups but also shifting at times from an emphasis on the live reps to focus on the communication between plays and how the various elements of the passing game complement each other when the rhythm is correct.
For example, veteran receivers Woods and Kupp were present for the voluntary OTAs sessions in May — which was notable because it was the first opportunity for Stafford to work in-depth with teammates after offseason thumb surgery and his cross-country move with his family. These practices were half-speed and could be stopped halfway through a play so that McVay and Stafford, and Stafford and his receivers and offensive line, could talk through the concepts. Though the sessions were not mandatory and many players trickled in and out through the two-week period, Kupp was active each day in order to build the necessary on-field rapport with Stafford, while Woods added that he often sat next to Stafford during film sessions to whisper live notes about certain throws as they watched. Rotating through the practices and reps also meant that when they weren’t working into the live action, receivers were able to watch Stafford’s movements more closely.
“Invaluable reps, really,” Kupp said. “Obviously as an offense, having a new signal caller out there — just being able to see the field with him, trying to understand the things that he’s seeing and how he’s analyzing things on the go. … Everyone has a different nuance to how (he) wants to play certain concepts, the throws that (he) leans on, the throws (he) wants to make, things you want to see and how you want to dictate certain things. (We were) able to have great conversations, (able) to see the field through his lens and understand what Matthew wants us to do at receiver and how he wants us to run our routes, the holes he wants us to find.”
In some seven-on-sevens and 11-on-11s, Stafford didn’t throw the ball as the route concepts unfolded before him and he mentally worked through his progressions and then workshopped the scenarios with Kupp, Woods, Desean Jackson, Van Jefferson and others. Where do his feet need to be in his dropback at a specific point in the receiver’s route? How about when they turn to present a target? What about boot action, play-action, the motions that McVay uses so often and more — how does the quarterback match his timing and movement with the receivers’ own as they progress through their route?
While the live reps are certainly the most valuable tool for both a quarterback and a receiver during this process, the required level of collaboration, communication and sharing of techniques and ideas can’t be understated.
“We’re collaborating to put the most efficient offense on the field,” Kupp said. “Whatever it takes for me, however he wants (us) to run routes … however he wants to throw the ball and manipulate coverage, whatever it’s going to look like to be the best offense we can possibly be when we step onto the field, that’s what we want to do. … It’s collaboration and being able to make sure that we’re on the same page with each other, that we’re working in tandem with each other — and that I’m doing the things that I need to do so that he’s seeing the field exactly how I’m seeing it, and we’re in those spots together.”
From Stafford’s lens, figuring out receivers’ preferences within their route tree is a part of that collaboration. Kupp, for example, has several “choice” routes built into his tree, so his decision-making in tandem with Stafford on those particular plays becomes not only crucial to Kupp’s own route run but also to the various leverage possibilities and assignments for the rest of the receivers in turn.
“We’re just trying to have dialogue,” Stafford said. “As we’re watching other guys (take second- and third-team reps), (we talk) about what we might have done in that situation — what he would expect from me, what I would expect from him. Just constantly trying to make sure that we’re on the same page and able to execute.”
Tiny details and tweaks made for the comfort of both the receiver and quarterback as they establish a feel for one another can turn into major moments in live action. At one point in the spring, Woods said Stafford approached him because he was feeling a little off about the steps in a passing concept and felt as if he might look to throw a little bit earlier than what they had practiced. Woods told him that he could adjust accordingly and would get his eyes back around for the ball without a problem. Conversely, throughout the offseason, Woods would record pieces of his own film study and send little cut-ups to Stafford that communicated Woods’ preferred catch window in which to specifically maximize yards after the catch.
“(Stafford’s) intention to listen to his receivers, wanting to still get better at his level and at his year is super big,” Woods said. “I think, from a receiver standpoint, your quarterback asking you ‘What do you want from this?’ or ‘What do you see in this route’ is super big. He’s come into our offense with some receivers who have made plays — but (is) really just trying to make us feel comfortable.”
In June, as the Rams held their minicamp — the last series of practices before breaking for the summer — Kupp and Woods especially orbited around Stafford at alternating times and in between his reps in seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills, play cards in their hands.
They were not practicing live but were in near-constant communication with Stafford — troubleshooting plays and concepts, pointing out different preferences and alignments and getting feedback from the quarterback on what he felt and saw as the plays unfolded.
“The dialogue amongst one another — there’s so many things that go on in the absence of coaches and in between those white lines that is so beneficial,” McVay said. “The best teams that I’ve been a part of is where the players lead it. That’s where you have a chance to be great. We’ve got the guys in this building to be able to do those things. … I think Matthew’s natural ability to communicate with everybody … that’s a valuable thing. That’s sometimes where (my) best is to give a little bit of guidelines and then get the hell out of their way.”
By Jourdan Rodrigue Jun 22, 2021
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — For new Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, timing has lately been everything.
Seizing upon opportune timing is a big part of the reason Stafford is in Los Angeles in the first place, after 12 years in Detroit — he requested a trade around the same time the Rams were deeply assessing their options at quarterback, then he and Rams coach Sean McVay happened to be at the same resort in Cabo, and the rest is history.
Now, Stafford’s timing will need to apply to how he runs the offense — especially one that depends on the quarterback and receivers falling into total rhythm with each other before, during and after every snap.
“The only way a guy in my position can play ‘on time’ and ‘in rhythm’ is understanding exactly what’s going on around him at all times and feeling comfortable with it,” Stafford said. “To get that, in my opinion, you can definitely look at it on a screen, look at it on a piece of paper and take your notes, but until you get out there and watch Cooper Kupp run this route or Robert Woods run that route, that’s something that takes time and in-person repetition.”
The details that need to be accounted for within a single passing play — between just the quarterback and the receiver — can feel endless, but must become automatic. Further, all of the little things the quarterback does between the snap and the moment the ball leaves his hand happen essentially as the receiver’s back is toward him.
“Within a drop, a quarterback has a lot of tools in terms of his eyes, his shoulders — where he’s trying to move guys,” Kupp said. “I think that’s the big thing, is understanding on plays: You might have two windows, you have the tight first window or you can hang on for the second window. And you have the conversation, ‘Would you rather hold this hook player away and try to zip this into the first window — or are you thinking you’re going to take him to me and hit this thing behind him?’
“So it’s kind of understanding just things like that. When am I really trying to get my eyes down? When can I anticipate the ball to get out versus certain looks? How (is he) manipulating coverages and what he feels comfortable with? Even within his drops, just seeing the nuance of using his shoulders and eyes to move guys and anticipate throws — that helps us out at receiver because now we’re really able to anticipate when that ball is coming and also get into those windows — or (move with tempo) into the windows he’s really trying to get to.”
Stafford and the Rams receivers were quite apparently stacking the building blocks of this process throughout the spring — not only increasing the amount of processing required between the two groups but also shifting at times from an emphasis on the live reps to focus on the communication between plays and how the various elements of the passing game complement each other when the rhythm is correct.
For example, veteran receivers Woods and Kupp were present for the voluntary OTAs sessions in May — which was notable because it was the first opportunity for Stafford to work in-depth with teammates after offseason thumb surgery and his cross-country move with his family. These practices were half-speed and could be stopped halfway through a play so that McVay and Stafford, and Stafford and his receivers and offensive line, could talk through the concepts. Though the sessions were not mandatory and many players trickled in and out through the two-week period, Kupp was active each day in order to build the necessary on-field rapport with Stafford, while Woods added that he often sat next to Stafford during film sessions to whisper live notes about certain throws as they watched. Rotating through the practices and reps also meant that when they weren’t working into the live action, receivers were able to watch Stafford’s movements more closely.
“Invaluable reps, really,” Kupp said. “Obviously as an offense, having a new signal caller out there — just being able to see the field with him, trying to understand the things that he’s seeing and how he’s analyzing things on the go. … Everyone has a different nuance to how (he) wants to play certain concepts, the throws that (he) leans on, the throws (he) wants to make, things you want to see and how you want to dictate certain things. (We were) able to have great conversations, (able) to see the field through his lens and understand what Matthew wants us to do at receiver and how he wants us to run our routes, the holes he wants us to find.”
In some seven-on-sevens and 11-on-11s, Stafford didn’t throw the ball as the route concepts unfolded before him and he mentally worked through his progressions and then workshopped the scenarios with Kupp, Woods, Desean Jackson, Van Jefferson and others. Where do his feet need to be in his dropback at a specific point in the receiver’s route? How about when they turn to present a target? What about boot action, play-action, the motions that McVay uses so often and more — how does the quarterback match his timing and movement with the receivers’ own as they progress through their route?
While the live reps are certainly the most valuable tool for both a quarterback and a receiver during this process, the required level of collaboration, communication and sharing of techniques and ideas can’t be understated.
“We’re collaborating to put the most efficient offense on the field,” Kupp said. “Whatever it takes for me, however he wants (us) to run routes … however he wants to throw the ball and manipulate coverage, whatever it’s going to look like to be the best offense we can possibly be when we step onto the field, that’s what we want to do. … It’s collaboration and being able to make sure that we’re on the same page with each other, that we’re working in tandem with each other — and that I’m doing the things that I need to do so that he’s seeing the field exactly how I’m seeing it, and we’re in those spots together.”
From Stafford’s lens, figuring out receivers’ preferences within their route tree is a part of that collaboration. Kupp, for example, has several “choice” routes built into his tree, so his decision-making in tandem with Stafford on those particular plays becomes not only crucial to Kupp’s own route run but also to the various leverage possibilities and assignments for the rest of the receivers in turn.
“We’re just trying to have dialogue,” Stafford said. “As we’re watching other guys (take second- and third-team reps), (we talk) about what we might have done in that situation — what he would expect from me, what I would expect from him. Just constantly trying to make sure that we’re on the same page and able to execute.”
Tiny details and tweaks made for the comfort of both the receiver and quarterback as they establish a feel for one another can turn into major moments in live action. At one point in the spring, Woods said Stafford approached him because he was feeling a little off about the steps in a passing concept and felt as if he might look to throw a little bit earlier than what they had practiced. Woods told him that he could adjust accordingly and would get his eyes back around for the ball without a problem. Conversely, throughout the offseason, Woods would record pieces of his own film study and send little cut-ups to Stafford that communicated Woods’ preferred catch window in which to specifically maximize yards after the catch.
“(Stafford’s) intention to listen to his receivers, wanting to still get better at his level and at his year is super big,” Woods said. “I think, from a receiver standpoint, your quarterback asking you ‘What do you want from this?’ or ‘What do you see in this route’ is super big. He’s come into our offense with some receivers who have made plays — but (is) really just trying to make us feel comfortable.”
In June, as the Rams held their minicamp — the last series of practices before breaking for the summer — Kupp and Woods especially orbited around Stafford at alternating times and in between his reps in seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills, play cards in their hands.
They were not practicing live but were in near-constant communication with Stafford — troubleshooting plays and concepts, pointing out different preferences and alignments and getting feedback from the quarterback on what he felt and saw as the plays unfolded.
“The dialogue amongst one another — there’s so many things that go on in the absence of coaches and in between those white lines that is so beneficial,” McVay said. “The best teams that I’ve been a part of is where the players lead it. That’s where you have a chance to be great. We’ve got the guys in this building to be able to do those things. … I think Matthew’s natural ability to communicate with everybody … that’s a valuable thing. That’s sometimes where (my) best is to give a little bit of guidelines and then get the hell out of their way.”
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