Rams' Jeff Fisher stands behind play call

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moklerman

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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.
The clock absolutely has something to do with it. The best approach was to run the ball, run time(or force SD to use it's timeouts) and score as many points as possible. No way do you come away from that situation without a FG attempt.

Sure, the execution on the pass play was poor but the call for a pass play was a bigger mistake. And typical of Schottenheimer, the predictability of the call based on the set. If you wanted to catch SD napping and go against "the book" you don't empty the backfield and eliminate any possibility of a run/play-action. This was a poor call, no two ways about it.
 

Mojo Ram

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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.
I didn't notice that. I was watching a crappy stream. I feel so bad for Tavon. He's either invisible for weeks or he finds the endzone on spectacular plays and they all get called back.
 

rdlkgliders

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I agree with Coach O that execution was the biggest problem with the pick by Hill, there was no room to throw in that situation. I personally don't throw until 3rd but everybody has an opinion. Fishers comment is baffling if you take it as earnest but I think he was being a coach and sticking up for all involved. There are so many times that we have been conservative both offensively and defensively to believe that suddenly we are assassins just not reality in my world. There were a lot of things to do in between a forced throw and 2 in completes and a fg.
Great Game though. We are going to gwt there one day it is going to snap for the youngsters and we will make fewer mistakes and play with more belief. Until then growing pains my friends.
 

junkman

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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.”

I've never seen that call before. Maybe that guy 3rd from the right?? All kinda moot. It doesn't look like any of the Chargers are in the neutral zone, so this would not have given the Rams the ball back after the block. Had Z made the kick, they'd have to do it again. Shame on us for letting the Chargers block it (Stuckey jumped through the gap between Person and Kendricks).

upload_2014-11-23_22-11-15.png
 

CoachO

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The clock absolutely has something to do with it. The best approach was to run the ball, run time(or force SD to use it's timeouts) and score as many points as possible. No way do you come away from that situation without a FG attempt.

Sure, the execution on the pass play was poor but the call for a pass play was a bigger mistake. And typical of Schottenheimer, the predictability of the call based on the set. If you wanted to catch SD napping and go against "the book" you don't empty the backfield and eliminate any possibility of a run/play-action. This was a poor call, no two ways about it.

If you say so. Not sure why you feel the need to argue......

I have said 3 times that i understand why people THINK they should have run the ball. But it still comes down to execution. If this play would have been properly executed, and at the very least, the VETERAN QB throws the ball away, no one says a word.
 

CoachO

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I've never seen that call before. Maybe that guy 3rd from the right?? All kinda moot. It doesn't look like any of the Chargers are in the neutral zone, so this would not have given the Rams the ball back after the block. Had Z made the kick, they'd have to do it again. Shame on us for letting the Chargers block it (Stuckey jumped through the gap between Person and Kendricks).

View attachment 4194
it would have given the ball back to the Rams, in that they would have replayed the down. The outcome of the play is moot, since the penalties were offsetting. That's the part no one has had any explanation for.

Why is ONE penalty allowed to be declined, when there is a penalty on BOTH teams?
 

jrry32

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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.

I doubt it. Probably needed a breather after the return and then the Rams decided to go big. Still, wish they would have done the jet sweep...or faked the jet sweep with Austin on 2nd down instead of that throw.
 

jrry32

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it would have given the ball back to the Rams, in that they would have replayed the down. The outcome of the play is moot, since the penalties were offsetting. That's the part no one has had any explanation for.

Why is ONE penalty allowed to be declined, when there is a penalty on BOTH teams?

One came before the change in possession, the other came after. You can decline the one before the change in possession.
 

thirteen28

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I admire Fisher's willingness to take the heat for the f-ups of his subordinates, but I'm simply not buying this explanation for the playcall. It was absolute dogsh!t, and shows a complete lack of situational awareness ... or simply ignoring the situation. With three more downs, us having timeouts, and them having to burn them, run the GD ball. You are supposed to be a power running team and you have two great run blockers on your left side. Furthermore, your QB has been struggling in the game, so why do you put the ball in his hands at such a critical point (same question I asked on the 3rd down and 1 call in San Francisco)? Why not just have him hand the ball off and let your guys up front and your RB do their job?

I'm not going to give the coaching staff a pass for the lack of execution on the play either - with the right playcall, it's probably not an issue. At least on 2nd down, nobody is going to 2nd guess a running play, which is much simpler to execute at this point of the field.

This is what happens when you try to get too cute. You place all your chips on perfect execution of a play that is harder to execute instead of going with an easier play that relies more on physicality than precision.

This playcall and this game is a prime example of why I'm not a Schotty fan. The playcall sucked for the situation. Moreover, Schotty was wildly inconsistent today, doing good on some drives and abysmally bad on other. For some reason we expect our players to play for a full 60 minutes and yet Schotty gets excused from that rule, he's only expected to make good, situationally appropriate playcalls some of the time. We're supposed to be a running team first that takes shots here and there, instead we run the ball 20 times and put it in the air 35 times with a QB who is having a bad day. Makes great sense, let's all give Schotty credit, because hey, not all the drives where bad today. He's graded on a curve.

F**k.
 

moklerman

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If you say so. Not sure why you feel the need to argue......

I have said 3 times that i understand why people THINK they should have run the ball. But it still comes down to execution. If this play would have been properly executed, and at the very least, the VETERAN QB throws the ball away, no one says a word.
That's not true at all. If they throw the incompletion, I certainly would have criticized a pass play being called. The prudent thing to do was to run the ball three time in a row and then make a decision. Go for the win or the tie.

Assuming of course, you didn't get the TD on a run. With Tavon and Tre, there should have been any number of ways to attack the SD defense and have a legitimate shot at getting into the end zone. Emptying the backfield and telegraphing a pass play was a horrible decision and the play was a horrible call.

And the execution was bad on top of it all.
 

Rams4ever

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I agree with Coach O that execution was the biggest problem with the pick by Hill, there was no room to throw in that situation. I personally don't throw until 3rd but everybody has an opinion. Fishers comment is baffling if you take it as earnest but I think he was being a coach and sticking up for all involved. There are so many times that we have been conservative both offensively and defensively to believe that suddenly we are assassins just not reality in my world. There were a lot of things to do in between a forced throw and 2 in completes and a fg.
Great Game though. We are going to gwt there one day it is going to snap for the youngsters and we will make fewer mistakes and play with more belief. Until then growing pains my friends.

3rd stinger? Of course execution is a problem, this kids not Tom Brady, Patton Manning, ect. They should've known! He is a 3rd string QB! Look I'm not here to insult people, but come on man, he's our 3rd string QB, don't the coaches have to take that into consideration?
 

junkman

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it would have given the ball back to the Rams, in that they would have replayed the down. The outcome of the play is moot, since the penalties were offsetting. That's the part no one has had any explanation for.

Why is ONE penalty allowed to be declined, when there is a penalty on BOTH teams?

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/17_Rule14_Penalty_Enforcement.pdf

Exceptions:
(1) If the kickers foul during a kickoff, punt, safety kick, or field-goal attempt before possession changes,
the receivers will have the option of replaying the down at the previous spot (offsetting fouls), or
keeping the ball after enforcement for its fouls.
 

CoachO

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3rd stinger? Of course execution is a problem, this kids not Tom Brady, Patton Manning, ect. They should've known! He is a 3rd string QB! Look I'm not here to insult people, but come on man, he's our 3rd string QB, don't the coaches have to take that into consideration?
you are not here to insult people? just argue with them if they have a different opinion?

3rd string? He was signed to be the backup to Bradford. He was the starter prior to getting injured. If you want to be accurate in your "argument". Austin Davis was the FOURTH string QB the entire training camp and preseason. But this isn't about him.
 

CoachO

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DR RAM

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Sorry, but I am a go for the win guy. I would, normally throw to the outside, but you have to remember, that they, the officials, totally allowed a no looking-interference call earlier. If it's me....I still don't throw over the middle, unless it's wide open...but that's me.

I still go for the win, but maybe, just maybe, that's the size of my balls.
 

Rams4ever

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Back up for Bradford, remind me what's Bradford's record for the Rams again? I'm not going to agree with a apologist, Sorry. My opinion stands and is a responsible assumption. Why was Sam in before Hill? That makes him 3rd in line for that position am I wrong? With that said he did his part in winning the game only to lose on a poor call. He has to run the play called, what do you want the guy to do? There is no way your putting this on you're 3rd sting QB after his performance are you?
 

moklerman

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Sorry, but I am a go for the win guy. I would, normally throw to the outside, but you have to remember, that they, the officials, totally allowed a no looking-interference call earlier. If it's me....I still don't throw over the middle, unless it's wide open...but that's me.

I still go for the win, but maybe, just maybe, that's the size of my balls.
You're implying that running the ball isn't going for the win though and that isn't the case. Especially not for a team that's supposed to be able to run it and one that actually was running it well enough on the day.

Just because you call a pass play doesn't mean you're going for the win. In this case, telegraphing a pass play was the furthest thing from going for the win, it was putting the win at risk and it ultimately failed. To me, going for the win is not doing something stupid or outsmarting yourself and giving yourself the best chance to score a TD or tie the game and live to fight on.

Balls are fine and sometimes the best way to go. Like on the fake punt. But other times you have to use your brain and not your balls.
 

CoachO

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Back up for Bradford, remind me what's Bradford's record for the Rams again? I'm not going to agree with a apologist, Sorry. My opinion stands and is a responsible assumption. Why was Sam in before Hill? That makes him 3rd in line for that position am I wrong? With that said he did his part in winning the game only to lose on a poor call. He has to run the play called, what do you want the guy to do? There is no way your putting this on you're 3rd sting QB after his performance are you?
Who are you calling an apologist? Because I stated a fact? Shaun Hill was brought in here to be Bradford's backup. That has nothing to do with me being anything one way or another.

This type of approach might work on another forum, but not needed here. Shaun Hill was the backup QB, which doesn't make him the 3rd string QB on THIS team. Once Bradford got hurt, he became the starter until he was injured. That Fisher chose to stick with Davis longer than he should, again doesn't make Hill a 3rd string QB.

Lose the name calling. I am no ones apologist.
 

Ramhusker

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I'm just deflated. I can't believe that INT happened. Sure, if that pass play ended in a score, we'd all be saying what a set of balls Fisher has and celebrating a win. But Ram's luck happened and we are 4-7 thinking of draft position again in November. Happy Thanksgiving week everybody.