QB Controversy

[SaneRamsFan]

Well there are multiple points to take from your post and I don't think Hill is getting the start if healthy BK of the unwritten you don't lose your job to injury rule,they dressed Hill yesterday ready for him to come ion and try to save the game if AD melted down,you asked what Hill had done to earn the job and I told you.

Davis game yesterday apparently DIDN'T EARN him the job in the minds of those who see both everyday watch scads of film on both,and THAT IS the point ,Fisher and Co. aren't into developing next years team ,they are doing what they believe gives the team the best chance to win,I was mightily impressed with Davis and IMO Hill will probably get another boo boo at the least and Davis probably gets more time .

It's always easy to advocate for decisions we don't have to take real responsibility for , I trust the coaches to be the best informed ,have the most to lose and truly believe they are making the best decision based on the desire to salvage this season not develop people who take their job and the talent they've assembled if they go 1-15 and Stan decides he's seen enough.

If we ever become mathematically out of the playoff picture ,I too will desire Davis get playing time but not until we are in the situation to develop, I don't think the confidence these coaches were expressing in Hill was BS , it is nice to know we have Davis backing up Hill and that we don't have to rush Hill back if he's not healthy.

I agree completely that it should be about winning. And if our coaches believe Hill gives us the best chance I support that.

 

[ZigZagRam]

While I'm incredibly grateful that Austin Davis led us to a win yesterday, he's just not very good. It was a very Kellen Clemens-like performance. I can't count the number of wide open throws that he missed in key situations. As good as his stat line was, it could've been even better.

That said, he played better than I thought and deserves a lot of credit for re-energizing a fan base that was likely hanging on by a thread.

If the staff decides they want to roll with Davis, I'll feel a lot better than I did a week ago, but Shaun Hill is the better QB IMO.

 

[Sum1]

You gain nothing from starting Hill. We know what he is and he has already hit his ceiling. We don't know what we have in Davis. I don't really care about losing your job to injury in this situation. This is about the long term future of the team. Hill has no long term future here. Play Davis.

Davis played well yesterday, but I think Hill is still the better option to win now.

 

[bbach]

I don't think we are going anywhere this year. Our D is full of holes and once again any team can run on us. Our O line is weak. Two areas I had hoped we improved on. (although I always hold out hope). The truth is we won because Tampa's defense had to play half of their backups. Because of that, I'd like to see if Austin Davis can develop into anything. It would be nice if he had a stronger arm, but I do love his enthusiasm and energy and he did break a lot of records at Southern Miss. Hill is simply a backup. He will not be any teams future. Let him continue to be a backup.

 

[Thordaddy]

I agree completely that it should be about winning. And if our coaches believe Hill gives us the best chance I support that.

I will say this Davis has proven he that Keenum can wait

 

[Thordaddy]

I don't think we are going anywhere this year. Our D is full of holes and once again any team can run on us. Our O line is weak. Two areas I had hoped we improved on. (although I always hold out hope). The truth is we won because Tampa's defense had to play half of their backups. Because of that, I'd like to see if Austin Davis can develop into anything. It would be nice if he had a stronger arm, but I do love his enthusiasm and energy and he did break a lot of records at Southern Miss. Hill is simply a backup. He will not be any teams future. Let him continue to be a backup.

The beauty of having such a young team is we should improve more throughout the season as other veteran teams suffer more injuries just due to age,I'm not predicting playoffs or even a run ,but like last year ,we should rise up and smite some good teams and if others slip a little who knows.

 

[blue4]

While I'm incredibly grateful that Austin Davis led us to a win yesterday, he's just not very good. It was a very Kellen Clemens-like performance. I can't count the number of wide open throws that he missed in key situations. As good as his stat line was, it could've been even better.

That said, he played better than I thought and deserves a lot of credit for re-energizing a fan base that was likely hanging on by a thread.

If the staff decides they want to roll with Davis, I'll feel a lot better than I did a week ago, but Shaun Hill is the better QB IMO.

He went 21 for 29. So I guess it was less than 8 key throws. Which key throws are you referring too? I saw around 2 that he should have had, and they weren't in key situations. While it wasn't the greatest game ever thrown, I think it was much better than Clemens.

 

[drpugilist]

i was a supporter of hill and scared to death going into yesterday with davis at qb. however, my opinion has changed and i say stick with the hot hand. a confident qb is important to me and frankly its a lot more fun to watch than a timid one.

 

[ZigZagRam]

He went 21 for 29. So I guess it was less than 8 key throws. Which key throws are you referring too? I saw around 2 that he should have had, and they weren't in key situations. While it wasn't the greatest game ever thrown, I think it was much better than Clemens.

One that sticks out in my mind was on, I believe, 3rd down in the 4th quarter. Had Lance Kendricks wide open near the right hash.

There were more that I can't specifically remember.

He also threw some very poorly placed balls that cost us potential first downs, and some that put his receivers at risk. Ask Cory Harkey how he's feeling this morning.

 

[blue4]

One that sticks out in my mind was on, I believe, 3rd down in the 4th quarter. Had Lance Kendricks wide open near the right hash.

There were more that I can't specifically remember.

He also threw some very poorly placed balls that cost us potential first downs, and some that put his receivers at risk. Ask Cory Harkey how he's feeling this morning.

If you were talking about a 2nd round pick in wk 10, I'd agree. Not an UDFA in his first start in an away game. He also threw some well placed balls. And if you look at the hurries and hits on QB, he wasn't exactly in a bubble.

 

[ZigZagRam]

If you were talking about a 2nd round pick in wk 10, I'd agree. Not an UDFA in his first start in an away game. He also threw some well placed balls. And if you look at the hurries and hits on QB, he wasn't exactly in a bubble.

I don't care where he was drafted/not drafted. That doesn't matter at this point.

He's a starting QB in the NFL and he needs to make some of the throws that he didn't make or made poorly yesterday.

Davis showed some positive things yesterday for sure, but I'm still much more confident in Shaun Hill.

 

[V3]

Davis played well yesterday, but I think Hill is still the better option to win now.

I agree Hill is better to win now, which is exactly why I said "long term future". But what are you gaining by winning those games? Do you honestly think we'll win the Super Bowl with him? I don't. I can tell you right now, my interest in Rams games is MUCH higher with Davis playing than with Hill. Hill doesn't help our long term future(beyond this year). Davis might. The chances may still be small for him to be anything special but it's still much more than anything you can say about Hill. If Bradford's injury had been something that would only lasted for a handful of games, I would be on the Hill bandwagon. It's not and this team is now looking for a QB for the future. I can say with certainty that that won't be Hill.

 

[blue4]

I don't care where he was drafted/not drafted. That doesn't matter at this point.

He's a starting QB in the NFL and he needs to make some of the throws that he didn't make or made poorly yesterday.

Davis showed some positive things yesterday for sure, but I'm still much more confident in Shaun Hill.

I'm a little more confident in Hill myself, but other than setting Harkey up I can't think of any glaring missed throws in key situations that you're referring too. 21 of 29 for any QB in a first start with no INTs is pretty good. Every QB misses throws that they should have made, and Hill isn't going to be any different.

 

[ChrisW]

You gain nothing from starting Hill. We know what he is and he has already hit his ceiling. We don't know what we have in Davis. I don't really care about losing your job to injury in this situation. This is about the long term future of the team. Hill has no long term future here. Play Davis.

Davis played well, but is still a 0 threat in the red zone. Let's not forget that in 1 and a half games this year, he still has 0 TD passes.

 

[V3]

No it's about this season neither Hill nor Davis is the long term answer and the coaches know who gives this team the best chance to win now

I'm not sure how you can say that Davis isn't the long term answer when the only game he's started, he had a YPA of 8.1 and a QB rating of 99.1 (QBR of 84.8). He's still an unknown. Hill is not. Play Davis until you know what he is because after this season, we are going to be looking for a new QB. Perhaps we won't need to trade up for one? You can't rely on Bradford being the starter anymore. He IS injury prone.

 

[blue4]

Davis played well, but is still a 0 threat in the red zone. Let's not forget that in 1 and a half games this year, he still has 0 TD passes.

Aren't we being a little overly critical? In a game and a half, nobody has shown to be a threat in the red zone. Penalties and IMO poor playcalling in the Minn game, and failures in the whole Offense in TB. Now if it were 30 to 21 and all points were rushing TDs sure, or if he were getting picked off. If he's hitting on 3rd down and game winning drives (that seems to have been forgotten) it doesn't take much of a stretch to think he'd be ok in the red zone. Much more of a total offensive problem than just him IMO

 

[V3]

Davis played well, but is still a 0 threat in the red zone. Let's not forget that in 1 and a half games this year, he still has 0 TD passes.

That really doesn't mean much to me. I could say that Hill has zero TD's so far and has an interception. Do I think it's going to stay that way if either continues to play? Nope. Also, Davis has legs so there's a great tool for red zone creativity. He just needs experience. I'm not saying Davis is the next Warner or anything close. All I'm saying is that he's shown that he has the tools and could surprise people if given more reps. The odds are still against him but I think they are better for him to possibly become a solid starting QB than to say Hill is going to win the SB this year for us.

 

[ChrisW]

Aren't we being a little overly critical? In a game and a half, nobody has shown to be a threat in the red zone. Penalties and IMO poor playcalling in the Minn game, and failures in the whole Offense in TB. Now if it were 30 to 21 and all points were rushing TDs sure, or if he were getting picked off. If he's hitting on 3rd down and game winning drives (that seems to have been forgotten) it doesn't take much of a stretch to think he'd be ok in the red zone. Much more of a total offensive problem than just him IMO

I think his arm strength is what's missing for him to be successful in the red zone. Throwing ducks in a 10 yard target area is asking to be intercepted. There's a reason defenses stiffen up in the redzone. The area to defend gets much smaller.

While I do agree that he played really well yesterday. I just don't think he's going to get many TDs that aren't huge YAC gain by our receivers. This is my opinion of course.

 

[Sum1]

I agree Hill is better to win now, which is exactly why I said "long term future". But what are you gaining by winning those games? Do you honestly think we'll win the Super Bowl with him? I don't. I can tell you right now, my interest in Rams games is MUCH higher with Davis playing than with Hill. Hill doesn't help our long term future(beyond this year). Davis might. The chances may still be small for him to be anything special but it's still much more than anything you can say about Hill. If Bradford's injury had been something that would only lasted for a handful of games, I would be on the Hill bandwagon. It's not and this team is now looking for a QB for the future. I can say with certainty that that won't be Hill.

I get your point...but I think you also have to consider the development of the other players in the offense. I'd like to see more from Davis but I also don't know if I saw anything more out of him yesterday than an efficient long term backup. I don't think either guy gives us a chance at a Superbowl run...but looking at the league standings I think there is a good chance that a lot of things can happen this season.

I'd like the team to take each week as simply that and put the players on the field that give the team the best chance to win each game as long as the team isn't eliminated...

 

[blue4]

I think his arm strength is what's missing for him to be successful in the red zone. Throwing ducks in a 10 yard target area is asking to be intercepted. There's a reason defenses stiffen up in the redzone. The area to defend gets much smaller.

While I do agree that he played really well yesterday. I just don't think he's going to get many TDs that aren't huge YAC gain by our receivers. This is my opinion of course.

I have to agree with V3. I know the area is much smaller but his mobility outweighs arm strength issues in the red zone IMO, and there have been many QBs with average arm strength who were successful in the red zone.