Mcvays play calling

[PukaStan12]

McVay is certainly not a BAD play caller, that would be taking it too far.

As a matter of fact, the ONLY gripe I have is his situational play calling. For instance, we are up 17-7, have all the momentum going into the end of the first half. It’s 3rd and 3 and instead of just calling up a play to move it past the sticks and extend the drive, you draw up a deep route to Davante which never stood a chance. After that play the entire game flipped upside down.

It just seems like numerous times this season when the Rams have the opportunity to deliver the gut punch, McVay calls the worst plays possible (SF OT 4th down call, play calls on the drive after being up 21 to 12 against SEA in LA, play calls after Kobie Turner’s pick in SEA up 30 to 14, etc.)

Other than that he’s been fantastic. But he needs to fine a way to deliver the death blow to opposing teams in crucial moments.

 

[tklongball]

He started out 8 for 8. So he was in the middle of a 2 for 7 streak when he hit his hand. So the injury didn't help of course, but he had already gone cold. My statement you are replying to is also including the games after Seattle. He has been very inconsistent. I like that he over came and lead the rams on a game winning drive, but if he could just be more consistently good, the Rams might not have to pull it out at the end. Maybe it is play calling or the D fooling him or covering better, I don't know. Whatever it is, the Rams need to fix it fast. It is happening way to much.

Or, maybe, it is really hard to win in the NFL. Carolina matches up really well against us. They have a top Secondary, and really good tall receivers. Every team lays eggs, it is part of the NFL. I would love for the team to be super consistent, and win every game, but it just doesn't happen in the NFL.

 

[Merlin]

I can't live in a hyperbole. I can only go by what actually happens. And I would have taken the points instead of going for it.

We always talk shit on Dan Campbell for this exact reason.

I don't talk shit on Dan Campbell for that reason. For the record.

But I think it's an important hypothetical any time you see a coach go for it on 4th down. What will you say if he makes it. Because if you're not willing to bitch about that, then you're not fully committed against the philosophy itself, rather you are just ranting and playing the blame game due to the fact it did not work.

 

[Jacobarch]

Bryant McFadden sums up perfectly on changing up playcalling on 4th down in the regular season vs post season.



View: https://youtu.be/bUInk2oA1R0?si=xsDhg9NGUPCI08mJ

 

[Jacobarch]

stafford has the final say on the playcall.

mcvay gives him options - sometimes people get angry at mcvay, when stafford often makes the final call at the line.

We don't know if a play was changed at the line. We'll never know

 

[sloramfan]

mcvay's playcalling?

there is not a game that goes by where i am thinking "What the hell was that?"...

im thinking (or yelling) ... he shoulda called a run or why not try a pass in that situation?

bottom line ?... armchair QB's always make the right call... from hindsight... lol

just ask me, the worlds best...

go rams

slo


ps... we won

 

[jrry32]

It also should be noted that there was a longer sustained drive towards the end where McVay did start running the ball again, and the defense followed it up with a stop. It’s no wonder the defense plays better when we don’t go three and out after three straight passes.

Yes, McVay is the best coach in the NFL and I wouldn’t want another coach leading this team, but to simply say, “He can do whatever he wants” as if to say he’s essentially perfect, is silly. He has shortcomings, and that’s not running the ball. Especially to get into 3rd and short and not constant 3rd and 10. He also becomes borderline predictable at times. There was several plays I saw coming, and if I see it as a JUCO bench warmer, I know those DBs saw it.

No, he's not "essentially perfect." Nobody is. He's one of the best in the game, and the results bear that out. So he can do what he wants with respect to keeping or giving up the play-calling. When we have the #1 offense in the NFL, there's no good argument that we need to change play-callers. The reality is that people (including me) will gripe about calls and decisions they don't like regardless of who's calling plays, and the odds are that any play-caller replacing McVay will be worse, not better.

As for you seeing certain plays coming, if we were so predictable, Carolina wouldn't have given up 34 points! Ejiro Evero knows us well. He coached here for five years (2017-21). They have a bunch of former Rams on their defense (Roseboom, Scott, Bobby Brown, & A'Shawn). Clearly, McVay did enough to keep them on their heels.

 

[sloramfan]

im thinking we're not giving enough credit to the ringleader on the field...

having stafford with the occasional (and i do mean occasional) flaw is incredible ...

we dont get a lot of these celebrations without #9...

suck it up mcvay playcalling pessimists...

we're playing next week!!!! thank you matt stafford...

go rams

slo

 

[FrantikRam]

Ill tell you why.

First down. Run for 6-8 yards
Second and 3. Deep PA pass, incomplete
Third down and 3. Shotgun pass incomplete

Its pretty obvious

Other teams can go 1 yard run, incomplete pass and then convert anyways. Whatever the issue is - whether it's execution or play calling - needs to get fixed

 

[Mojo Ram]

There’s a lot to discuss here, but today I will only critique by pointing out that we do not have a mobile QB, and when you do, a mobile QB is essentially a self contained “dump off” option when all the deep routes are covered. A final option to get some positive yards vs a blitz as well.

For the Rams, often I see play design where ALL of the receivers are running deep or medium downfield and the RB is tasked with pass pro. If the play is covered downfield or the blitz is coming, Stafford has nowhere to dump it off and he can’t run so the play is essentially dead to rights.

This is easy to see when you’re actually at the game in person, but also on replay on tv.

 

[12intheBox]

Even if McVay gave up playcalling, he wouldn’t be giving up decision making. When to go for it, punt, FG - that’s pretty much always head coach shit isn’t it?

And also - as others have said - his offense has killed this year and in fact killed it yesterday too.

The idea of change for change sake is rampant here. Fire this guy, cut that guy, bench him, etc - the game is difficult and we are playing against professionals. It’s not always going to be perfect.

 

[majrleaged]

Or, maybe, it is really hard to win in the NFL. Carolina matches up really well against us. They have a top Secondary, and really good tall receivers. Every team lays eggs, it is part of the NFL. I would love for the team to be super consistent, and win every game, but it just doesn't happen in the NFL.

I get that. In fact i alude to the opponite affect them, but i am talking stafford going hot and cold. Totally missing wide open receivers. This is different and concerning, seeing as how stafford goes the rams go.

 

[majrleaged]

I don't talk shit on Dan Campbell for that reason. For the record.

But I think it's an important hypothetical any time you see a coach go for it on 4th down. What will you say if he makes it. Because if you're not willing to bitch about that, then you're not fully committed against the philosophy itself, rather you are just ranting and playing the blame game due to the fact it did not work.

I didnt like it at the time. Of course if we made it i wouldnt bitch. For the record, and I have said this before, risk reward. Is the risk worth failure. The momentum change the rams are risking in that moment wasnt worth it. The FG was not as desirable but still significant. A missed field goal doesnt feel as significant momentum wise. The panthers carried that momentum almost to a win. McVay needs to take the emotion out of his decision making.

 

[Ramlife]

That was a mistake. However ask yourself if you would have bitched about it if we converted it and scored.

Also the metric is whether we won. And we did. So it's water under the bridge.

Great points.. agree 100%

 

[Merlin]

I didnt like it at the time. Of course if we made it i wouldnt bitch. For the record, and I have said this before, risk reward. Is the risk worth failure. The momentum change the rams are risking in that moment wasnt worth it. The FG was not as desirable but still significant. A missed field goal doesnt feel as significant momentum wise. The panthers carried that momentum almost to a win. McVay needs to take the emotion out of his decision making.

I see it similarly. Felt it was a mistake, but didn't bitch about it because had we made it I wouldn't have complained. McVay gambled and it hurt his chances to get the win, however his boys got it done.

What also hurt was the PI call though. They should have picked that flag up, but there's nothing the refs love more nowadays than stupid fucking calls that make games closer for more drama. If the Rams get a stop there and come back with another FG that's damn near the same as the TD they wanted.

 

[gogoat1]

There’s a lot to discuss here, but today I will only critique by pointing out that we do not have a mobile QB, and when you do, a mobile QB is essentially a self contained “dump off” option when all the deep routes are covered. A final option to get some positive yards vs a blitz as well.

For the Rams, often I see play design where ALL of the receivers are running deep or medium downfield and the RB is tasked with pass pro. If the play is covered downfield or the blitz is coming, Stafford has nowhere to dump it off and he can’t run so the play is essentially dead to rights.

This is easy to see when you’re actually at the game in person, but also on replay on tv.

I have noticed the same thing.
Mike Martz had his faults, but play calling was seldom one of them. Critical 3rd downs he had one guy at the sticks, another going past the sticks, one just short of the 1st down and a RB out of the backfield. Options for Warner galore.
AND, he knew how to run up the score.
NLF defenders and opposing head coaches are paid. It seems like McVay is sort of old school not wanting to embarrass them.

 

[gogoat1]

I don't talk shit on Dan Campbell for that reason. For the record.

But I think it's an important hypothetical any time you see a coach go for it on 4th down. What will you say if he makes it. Because if you're not willing to bitch about that, then you're not fully committed against the philosophy itself, rather you are just ranting and playing the blame game due to the fact it did not work.

Yes, many times on a critical 3rd and short as the play develops I am saying WTF !!!!! and they long pass play ends up in a TD and I sit back down on the couch.
But that pass attempt to Adams was terrible play calling period. I am all about calling whatever play had the best chance of success. And a run up the middle had a better chance.
This is the playoffs, all the teams are good. You take the FGs early that you are given a chance at. You keep drives going.
Some plays need to be served for running up the score on shitty teams in the regular season. Like fades in the end zone when you need it at the end of the game, I can't stand them. But they look pretty when they work.

 

[Merlin]

I don't disagree with anything there. However when it comes to saying a play call is terrible, it would require that you know the opposing team is sitting on it due to tendency of down/distance, or it's unlikely to achieve the distance required, etc. I didn't see any of that with the call.

What's crazy about plays as well is that it can be one dumbfuck not doing what he is supposed to do, and sometimes away from the ball, that leads to things happening in a way that prevent play success.

By the way there are times where I straight curse McVay out from my couch. But often times I realize the prob might be someone not executing. And then there are the times where he concedes, or goes into a shell with his calls, which I do dislike. However as has been pointed out this kind of stuff is all relative, and no play caller is perfect, and McVay happens to be far better than most.

 

[RamFan58years]

We're seeing in the Bills-Jags game today how an early aggressive call that eschews the FG can hurt you. If Jax had kicked the FG early they'd have been tied at 27 after Allen's score. If McVay had kicked at the end of the half, they would have needed only a FG to win instead of the TD. This isn't just 20/20 hindsight; in the playoffs you need to take early points when they are there or you're chasing them the rest of the game. It's the decision before the play call that kills you as much as the play call itself.

 

[Ramit]

I have noticed the same thing.
Mike Martz had his faults, but play calling was seldom one of them. Critical 3rd downs he had one guy at the sticks, another going past the sticks, one just short of the 1st down and a RB out of the backfield. Options for Warner galore.
AND, he knew how to run up the score.
NLF defenders and opposing head coaches are paid. It seems like McVay is sort of old school not wanting to embarrass them.

I would argue that while Martz was an innovative genius he was also a HORRIBLE play caller. The guy refused to adjust his play calls. With Orlando Pace injured and an undrafted rookie plugged in at right tackle AND his quarterback getting sacked up to 8 times per game he would still continue to call seven step drop backs instead of quicker developing route combos or trying to do some sort of a short passing rhythm type system... He wouldn't even really run Marshall faulk very often.. and he stuck with this until it literally ruined Kurt Warner's career in St Louis and then eventually ruined his own career. That's how bad a stubborn play caller he was... Screw adjusting to what I already know I can't accomplish I'm going to try to accomplish that anyways and screw the health of any player on the field who doesn't perform in spite of me... That was Mike Martin a nutshell lol. Sorry, I'm still butt hurt all these years later.