Rams' Jeff Fisher stands behind play call

[Mojo Ram]

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/

SAN DIEGO -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the St. Louis Rams' 27-24 loss to the San Diego Chargers:


Fisher:
Taking a shot: Rams coach Jeff Fisher said he had no regrets going with a pass on second-and-goal at San Diego’s 4 with the game on the line. The play resulted in San Diego defensive back Marcus Gilchrist's game-clinching interception on a bad read and throw by quarterback Shaun Hill. But Fisher said he wanted to be aggressive in that spot.

“The plan was not to just sit there and go incomplete, incomplete and settle for a field goal,” Fisher said. “We were trying to win the game. This was not Shaun’s fault, he got us there. He did a hell of a job on that drive getting us down there. You just hope the ball is thrown away. It’s not and then they make a play.”

Confounding calls: There were plenty of head-scratching calls and non-calls on a day when 17 penalties were called and enforced but there were a few that Fisher mentioned specifically. On one, a call for hands to the face on tackle Joe Barksdale (originally credit to Greg Robinson but now fixed) was “not a big deal” according to Fisher. That play wiped out a touchdown pass from Hill to receiver Kenny Britt.

Of more interest was a blocked field goal on which there was a penalty on each team but the one against the Rams was a neutral zone infraction. Fisher thought the officials meant that penalty should be on San Diego but it went against his team.

“I thought maybe they got the teams switched because a neutral zone infraction is basically a defensive infraction,” Fisher said. “Our field goal team, they interlock their legs so it’s nearly impossible to have one of your protectors in the neutral zone. I haven’t seen it; I’ll have to look at it. They were adamant that that was the call. I’ve never heard that ever called before.”

 

[blackbart]

Unbelievable how he will cover his guys ass no matter what the situation is. Unless you are a football idiot you know they should have been trying to run the ball in from there. Bad play call and worse execution.

 

[moklerman]

“The plan was not to just sit there and go incomplete, incomplete and settle for a field goal,”

Who the F even suggested that? No crap, you don't want to go incomplete, incomplete. You know how you avoid that? You run the frickin' ball!!!

Kudos to Fisher for sticking up for his guys(BS, Hill, whoever) but let's not be ridiculous here. You don't have to defend a bad decision to not throw someone under the bus.

 

[Prime Time]

Well what else is he going to say? Fisher knows more about the game than myself or most Rams fans do but on this one he's dead wrong.

 

[CoachO]

Once again, I just don't get why this is about the play call, and not about the execution BY THE PLAYERS, specifically a veteran QB who should be trusted NOT to make the fatal mistake he indeed made. I know i am in the minority here, but I had little issue with the play call.

Win the game. Taking that game to OT when you are inside the 5 yard line is not an option.

The bigger question, is why go "empty" and take the threat of play-action away? That is fair game IMO.

 

[ChrisW]

Once again, I just don't get why this is about the play call, and not about the execution BY THE PLAYERS, specifically a veteran QB who should be trusted NOT to make the fatal mistake he indeed made. I know i am in the minority here, but I had little issue with the play call.

Win the game. Taking that game to OT when you are inside the 5 yard line is not an option.

The bigger question, is why go "empty" and take the threat of play-action away? That is fair game IMO.

2nd down with a timeout. Why not run? Seems like the higher chance at success.

Worst case on most days is 4th down with a couple seconds left and bring on Legatron for the tie.

 

[badnews]

No issue with the play call here.

I understand why running it made sense, but I though they needed to win it and not tie it.
They may have had an opportunity there but as it turned out, Hill throws an interception.
Sucks.
Football is a hard game to win sometimes.

 

[Pancake]

Once again, I just don't get why this is about the play call, and not about the execution BY THE PLAYERS, specifically a veteran QB who should be trusted NOT to make the fatal mistake he indeed made. I know i am in the minority here, but I had little issue with the play call.

Win the game. Taking that game to OT when you are inside the 5 yard line is not an option.

The bigger question, is why go "empty" and take the threat of play-action away? That is fair game IMO.

That was a pretty sad play by a veteran QB. One of the big reason to go with Hill over Davis is precisely because he wouldn't make those kinds of mistake.

But that play call was a bad choice on so many tactical levels.

 

[CoachO]

2nd down with a timeout. Why not run? Seems like the higher chance at success.

Worst case on most days is 4th down with a couple seconds left and bring on Legatron for the tie.

the clock has nothing to do with it at that point. I get what you are saying, I just think its way too easy to blame the play call. If it works, its a great call.

My point, with a veteran QB, it should be a given that he isn't going to risk forcing a ball like he did.

I am just as sick as anyone over what happened. But this is about the execution.

 

[badnews]

The bigger question, is why go "empty" and take the threat of play-action away? That is fair game IMO.

This was my problem with the play.

 

[ChrisW]

the clock has nothing to do with it at that point. I get what you are saying, I just think its way too easy to blame the play call. If it works, its a great call.

My point, with a veteran QB, it should be a given that he isn't going to risk forcing a ball like he did.

I am just as sick as anyone over what happened. But this is about the execution.

I'm not saying Hill did everything right. He stared Britt down like he just stole his girlfriend.

I do agree that the execution was not there, but I would have rather ran the ball twice with Benny. It's all opinion though. There's a reason I watch from home on a shitty stream, rather than calling the plays.

 

[Mojo Ram]

I understand why running it made sense, but I though they needed to win it and not tie it.

I agree and i said in the gamethread that Fisher needed to go for the win and take the refs out of the equation in OT.
Hill made a crucial mistake.

I do have issue with the offensive playcalling in general though. Shotty put the game in Hill's hands the last three quarters. Thats not smart football minus a starting QB.

 

[MarkMyWords]

Once again, I just don't get why this is about the play call, and not about the execution BY THE PLAYERS, specifically a veteran QB who should be trusted NOT to make the fatal mistake he indeed made. I know i am in the minority here, but I had little issue with the play call.

Win the game. Taking that game to OT when you are inside the 5 yard line is not an option.

The bigger question, is why go "empty" and take the threat of play-action away? That is fair game IMO.

Though I agree Hill has to take blame for the lack of execution, some plays are just riskier than others. ie Any pass play with the first option in the middle of the field is riskier than one to the corner. Of course a run is even less risky and takes time off the clock.

Going empty in the backfield, deja vu..... Last year we did this with Stacey at the end of the game and the fans revolted (a little). Of course Fisher also defended the play call then. Don't get why you wouldn't at least do play action to get the LBs to not sit back where you are going to throw it.....

 

[CoachO]

I'm not saying Hill did everything right. He stared Britt down like he just stole his girlfriend.

I do agree that the execution was not there, but I would have rather ran the ball twice with Benny. It's all opinion though. There's a reason I watch from home on a crappy stream, rather than calling the plays.

Like I said, I understand. I guess, we can just look at it this way. They stole a game for SF on the Kaepernick fumble at the goalline. If I had to pick one or the other, I'll take the win over SF.

Either way, this game shouldn't have come down to that play. To have 2 TDs called back, and someone please explain to me, how ONE penalty of what was called "OFFSETTING" penalties on the blocked FG can be declined. Penalties literally took 17 points off the board. This game should not have been close.

 

[Athos]

It was absolutely a BS call. It was a fucking bullshit call that resulted in piss poor execution of said bullshit.

Two bullshits don't make a right. If you're going to pass at all on that down, you don't go empty and you leave yourself the possibility of bootlegging out on an option.

But it's second fucking down with a minute left on the clock with SD TOs left. Run the damn ball at least one more time and you have the option of the pass play on 3rd. Preferably something more creative than that BS.

Regardless, that was a shit show at the end. By all parties. From coaches, to players, to refs.

 

[MarkMyWords]

I might add that though Hill is a veteran he hasn't played much so is more likely to make a mistake like this...... Just would have liked to see a less risky play called....

 

[ChrisW]

Like I said, I understand. I guess, we can just look at it this way. They stole a game for SF on the Kaepernick fumble at the goalline. If I had to pick one or the other, I'll take the win over SF.

Either way, this game shouldn't have come down to that play. To have 2 TDs called back, and someone please explain to me, how ONE penalty of what was called "OFFSETTING" penalties on the blocked FG can be declined. Penalties literally took 17 points off the board. This game should not have been close.

Right. I thought in the situation of offsetting penalties that the down was replayed.

 

[Mojo Ram]

If you're going to pass at all on that down, you don't go empty and you leave yourself the possibility of bootlegging out on an option.

Yeah i didn't like that either. If you're going to "motion out" there, why not motion Tavon out as a decoy instead? He was effective all day in that role.
No one on the defense is fooled or cares if Benny Cunningham goes wide.

 

[Rams4ever]

Who calls that play when it's second down on the 5 yard line with 50 seconds left in the game down by 3 pts and you have a 3rd string QB in the game? Way to take the pressure off of Hill and run the ball to take time off the clock knowing you have 3 more downs left in the game with a chance to win and a guaranteed tie to go into overtime. Elementary my dear, Fisher. I wasn't going to do this until I read Brian Schottenheimer was responsible. In what sport is the coordinator more responsible for a games outcome then the head coach? Isn't the head coach there so things like this don't happen? So, Martz'd!! Ya, I said it, they really Martz'd that one! I'm sorry, but Hill is a victim of poor coaching and no matter what is said to defend that call I can't accept it. Millions of dollars people, Millions! If my Nephew was playing Madden he would have ran twice and won the game. Yes, I will guarantee that we would have won the game from 5 yards out and if you don't like it, do it Fisher's way. Fisher Knows? Thanks for the comic relief, LMAO!!

 

[CoachO]

Yeah i didn't like that either. If you're going to "motion out" there, why not motion Tavon out as a decoy instead? He was effective all day in that role.
No one on the defense is fooled or cares if Benny Cunningham goes wide.

Something had to be up with Austin. He wasn't even on the field for either of the two once they got down there. Not even sure if he was on the field at all after the punt return.