" What we learned Thursday: Sam Bradford regressing"

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LosAngelesRams

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What we learned Thursday: Sam Bradford regressing
By Chris Wesseling
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000251299/article/what-we-learned-thursday-sam-bradford-regressing" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap200000 ... regressing</a>

My offseason scouting report on St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford can be boiled down to the phrase "an enigma wrapped in a riddle smothered in secret sauce."

After Thursday night's 35-11 bonanza of ineptitude against the San Francisco 49ers, I realize the word "enigma" implies a generous curiosity about Bradford's alleged upside.

Against a defense missing two of the NFL's premier players, Bradford continued the disturbing habit of dumping off to his hot read at the first sign of pressure, failing to pose a vertical challenge at any point.

The bewildered Bradford isn't alone under the microscope. The Rams added in-space playmakers Jared Cook and Tavon Austin to unimaginative offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's arsenal, which is a bit like shoving a Rubik's Cube under a toddler's nose.

NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock diagnosed the problem immediately and repeatedly: "There are no chunks at all in this offense."

No quarterback has had more excuses made for his play the past few years than the golden-armed Bradford. The problem is that he's clearly regressed since producing the best game of his young career against the same defense -- at peak strength -- last November.

In Tampa, they fire a quarterback of this caliber. In St. Louis, they trumpet his potential to become the NFL's best while taking a pass on a unique talent capable of revitalizing a moribund franchise.

Here's what else we learned in Thursday's game:

1. The Rams can't run the ball. Cook, in particular, put forth an embarrassing effort as a blocker. The backfield stable of Daryl Richardson, Isaiah Pead, Benny Cunningham and Zac Stacy is averaging a combined 2.68 yards per carry through four games. There weren't many holes against a strong 49ers defensive front, and Richardson isn't the kind of back capable of creating his own space. Pead was inactive for an undisclosed reason Thursday night.

2. On the flip side, the St. Louis run defense has been a sieve the past two weeks. A rejuvenated Frank Gore (153 yards, one touchdown) was running through lanes as wide as the ones DeMarco Murray enjoyed last week. Niners backup Kendall Hunter is running better than any running back we've ever seen coming off a torn Achilles tendon.

3. Until the Rams find a play-caller and schemer to get Austin in space, there has to be concern that the No. 8 overall draft pick might be too small to make an impact in the NFL. Averaging just 5.58 yards per touch on offense, Austin has yet to show the ability to make the first defender miss or power through an arm tackle in traffic.

4. Niners tight end Vernon Davis wasn't 100 percent, but his presence on the field prevented the Rams from shifting extra attention toward Anquan Boldin.

5. Rookie wide receiver Quinton Patton's run with the 49ers' starters didn't last long. The fourth-round draft pick, playing ahead of Kyle Williams as the No. 2 receiver, limped to the sidelines with a right foot injury in the second quarter. He did not return. Outside those difference-making plays from Boldin, the wide receivers struggled once again to beat man coverage, forcing Colin Kaepernick to throw short of the sticks. The 49ers had 11 drives of 12 yard or fewer and still won by 26 points.

6. Fellow linebackers NaVorro Bowman and Ahmad Brooks picked up the slack with Aldon Smith and Patrick Willis out of the 49ers' lineup. The two combined for 13 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, four quarterback hits and two passes defensed in a dominant showing.

7. Defensive end Robert Quinn and linebacker James Laurinaitis were the lone bright spots for the entire Rams team.

8. Niners left tackle Joe Staley suffered a lower leg injury that left him in agonizing pain. It would be a big loss for the ground attack as well as Kaepernick's pass protection if the injury is serious. (NFL Media columnist Mike Silver reported that Staley walked from San Francisco's locker room to the team bus after the game.)

9. The Rams lost rookie strong safety T.J. McDonald to a fractured leg, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Struggling nickelback Cortland Finnegan also left the game with a thigh injury.
 

mr.stlouis

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Bradford "regressing" means he was a better QB at one point. I don't know if he's any worse, but he's not played to his potential and that's disappointing.
 

A55VA6

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We're going to need a new QB. I can't watch Bradford much longer. But I think we'll need new coaching as well if we get rid of Sam otherwise the new QB would fail too..
 

RamzFanz

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I really don't know what to think about Bradford at this point. Where are the downfield shots from last season? Is Givens not getting open? Is it the play called or Bradford checking down?

His misses seem much lower than the drops and the YAC looks horrible.

Just not sure anymore. I still hope, based on past play, that he's capable when the team is playing well and the scheme fits his skill sets. The question is, will we ever see that?
 

-X-

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lol. That's actually funny. "Chris" says no QB has had more excuses for his play, and then he goes on to list some "excuses" (aka, reality). No running game, defense is a sieve, unimaginative coordinator. Ironic reporter is ironic.
 

bluecoconuts

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RamzFanz said:
I really don't know what to think about Bradford at this point. Where are the downfield shots from last season? Is Givens not getting open? Is it the play called or Bradford checking down?

His misses seem much lower than the drops and the YAC looks horrible.

Just not sure anymore. I still hope, based on past play, that he's capable when the team is playing well and the scheme fits his skill sets. The question is, will we ever see that?

No he's not open, they're keeping a safety high to essentially completely remove him from the equation. It goes back to the run game, because we obviously don't have one, it's really easy for defenses to play the pass and keep all of our receivers in check, especially if they don't run creative routes to get them open.

We honestly couldn't be making it any easier for the defense without spiking the ball 4 times in a row.
 

-X-

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bluecoconuts said:
RamzFanz said:
I really don't know what to think about Bradford at this point. Where are the downfield shots from last season? Is Givens not getting open? Is it the play called or Bradford checking down?

His misses seem much lower than the drops and the YAC looks horrible.

Just not sure anymore. I still hope, based on past play, that he's capable when the team is playing well and the scheme fits his skill sets. The question is, will we ever see that?

No he's not open, they're keeping a safety high to essentially completely remove him from the equation. It goes back to the run game, because we obviously don't have one, it's really easy for defenses to play the pass and keep all of our receivers in check, especially if they don't run creative routes to get them open.

We honestly couldn't be making it any easier for the defense without spiking the ball 4 times in a row.
Yep. The only way to get those safeties closer to the line is to pound the rock. Since we're not doing that, safeties can basically say, "Meh. I'll just hang out back here and chill."
 

max

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I don't think I've ever felt worse for a player than I do for Sam. He broke my heart.

I never in a million years thought he'd be like this.

All the old time Rams greats come to town to see the Rams beat their long time rivals and the whole world is watching.

And Sam gets the yippes.

Fisher said sometimes when the play is that wide open it surprises you. Well, I call that getting the yippes, like blowing a 6" putt.

Sam is a great kid, just not a good QB. Very sad. I thought he would end up being my favorite QB ever. I'm sick over it.

No one, I mean NO ONE, feels worse about it than me.
 

iced

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a lot of is play calling and the receivers,in fairness..this isnt an excuse - if someone disagrees, go watch the all 22 tape and show me otherwise... because from what i have seen from all the 22, is just bad execution,bad play calling, and totally not using these weapons correctly.cook should only be split out wide at the goal line, not midfield.

givens and austin almost always doubled when going deep, and the rams dont send more than 2 deep for the most part
 

-X-

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iced said:
a lot of is play calling and the receivers,in fairness..this isnt an excuse - if someone disagrees, go watch the all 22 tape and show me otherwise... because from what i have seen from all the 22, is just bad execution,bad play calling, and totally not using these weapons correctly.cook should only be split out wide at the goal line, not midfield.

givens and austin almost always doubled when going deep, and the rams dont send more than 2 deep for the most part
Appreciate the insight. I thought execution was the big issue, but it seems like an equal dosage of both execution AND scheming. I don't understand it. Last year, with not as many playmakers, the deep ball was prevalent. Bradford ranked in the top of the league last year in "air yards". Now? Not so much.
 

max

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X said:
iced said:
a lot of is play calling and the receivers,in fairness..this isnt an excuse - if someone disagrees, go watch the all 22 tape and show me otherwise... because from what i have seen from all the 22, is just bad execution,bad play calling, and totally not using these weapons correctly.cook should only be split out wide at the goal line, not midfield.

givens and austin almost always doubled when going deep, and the rams dont send more than 2 deep for the most part
Appreciate the insight. I thought execution was the big issue, but it seems like an equal dosage of both execution AND scheming. I don't understand it. Last year, with not as many playmakers, the deep ball was prevalent. Bradford ranked in the top of the league last year in "air yards". Now? Not so much.

Something happened, I don't know what. But Sam is a head case now. He needs a shrink or some sort of confidence therapy.
 

cgsuddeath

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X said:
lol. That's actually funny. "Chris" says no QB has had more excuses for his play, and then he goes on to list some "excuses" (aka, reality). No running game, defense is a sieve, unimaginative coordinator. Ironic reporter is ironic.
Actually a idiot reporter
 

-X-

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cgsuddeath said:
X said:
lol. That's actually funny. "Chris" says no QB has had more excuses for his play, and then he goes on to list some "excuses" (aka, reality). No running game, defense is a sieve, unimaginative coordinator. Ironic reporter is ironic.
Actually a idiot reporter
What up Calvin!
 

LesBaker

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iced said:
a lot of is play calling and the receivers,in fairness..this isnt an excuse - if someone disagrees, go watch the all 22 tape and show me otherwise... because from what i have seen from all the 22, is just bad execution,bad play calling, and totally not using these weapons correctly.cook should only be split out wide at the goal line, not midfield.

givens and austin almost always doubled when going deep, and the rams dont send more than 2 deep for the most part

Hey iced is there a way you can post some examples from the coaches tape? I'd love to see that stuff and I'm hoping it'll make me feel better about Bradford.

I know it's a lot to ask and if you can't I understand.
 

bluecoconuts

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max said:
X said:
iced said:
a lot of is play calling and the receivers,in fairness..this isnt an excuse - if someone disagrees, go watch the all 22 tape and show me otherwise... because from what i have seen from all the 22, is just bad execution,bad play calling, and totally not using these weapons correctly.cook should only be split out wide at the goal line, not midfield.

givens and austin almost always doubled when going deep, and the rams dont send more than 2 deep for the most part
Appreciate the insight. I thought execution was the big issue, but it seems like an equal dosage of both execution AND scheming. I don't understand it. Last year, with not as many playmakers, the deep ball was prevalent. Bradford ranked in the top of the league last year in "air yards". Now? Not so much.

Something happened, I don't know what. But Sam is a head case now. He needs a shrink or some sort of confidence therapy.

If Sam didn't have confidence in himself he wouldn't be willing to put off negotiations until next year. That move alone says a lot about is personal confidence. Confidence in the system is another thing though.
 

HometownBoy

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I don't know why everybody's willing to throw Bradford to the wolves now.

It was a bad game yeah, but that's just it, it was one poor game.

I think he's had a lot of better games to make up for that one.
 

jrry32

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He is regressing. The lack of protection is killing him. It's obvious and sad. I don't have confidence anymore that he's the solution. Just don't think he can continue to develop and progress on this team. His field vision isn't where it needs to be and his aggressiveness/decision making is only regressing as the OL plays worse and worse...which is understandable but it also doesn't help us.
 

Selassie I

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From what I see...

He plays the game trying not to make a mistake (turn-over) ,,, instead of trying to make a play. Lack of aggression. Play it safe. No faith in his teammates.

You can't win alone in football.
 

max

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jrry32 said:
He is regressing. The lack of protection is killing him. It's obvious and sad. I don't have confidence anymore that he's the solution. Just don't think he can continue to develop and progress on this team. His field vision isn't where it needs to be and his aggressiveness/decision making is only regressing as the OL plays worse and worse...which is understandable but it also doesn't help us.

Letting SJ39 go hurt Sam a lot. SJ kept defenses honest and picked up the blitz. According to Balzer that was a major miscalculation by Snead and Fisher. I remember Snead saying the one position that he felt the best about was RB. Wonder what he's thinking now. He has no running game and his prize QB is getting battered irreparably in large part because of his miscalculation.
 

joeybittick

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I posted on this in another thread, and rather than waste my time retyping it all, I am going to cut and paste the important parts:


Bradford's numbers this year:

1,093 yards, 58.8% completion, 7 TD's, 3 INT's, 82.1 QB Rating, 11 sacks.

And, correct me if I am wrong, but all 11 of those sacks have come in the last 2 games, right? (un) suprisingly his numbers in those two games have been worse than the first two games. His numbers were BAD against SF, but they were pretty good against DAL. To me, the DAL game is an example of him overcoming the poor play of the team around him. Not enough to win, but to at least play a respectable game. As far as I am concerned, I don't think there are many QBs who would have played better.

Did anyone get to see the Patsies against the Jets? If you did, you saw Tom Brady look bad as the players around him on offense couldn't make plays. Luckily for him though the pats Def stepped up against a bad Jets offense.

Here are some other numbers:

189- That's the Rams total number of rushing yards.

534- Opponents rushing yards.

6.0- Yards per attempt. That seems like a scheme problem to me, but that's just my OPINION.

2.6- Avg yards per rush.

4.6- Opponents yards per rush

9- Number of sacks by the Rams defense. If they keep up that pace they will be way down from last year.

1- Number of interceptions by the Rams Defense.

70%- completion percentage of opposing QB's against the Rams defense.

Now, whatever conclusions I draw from these numbers is an opinion. It is not a fact. It is not "reality". So, my opinion is that anyone who puts all of the blame on the Rams QB for the way the team has played so far is being lazy.

I get that people rip the QB because that's where most of their attention is. That's where the camera is focused all game. It's the easy thing to do. But here are some more numbers.

4,372 yards, 28 TD, 12 INT.

Those would be Bradford's numbers at the end of the season if he continues his first quarter (season) pace.