Offensive changes by Groh

[WestCoastRam]

I thought we could start a thread about any changes we noticed. I'm sure there will be more come Saturday:

- One thing that I've seen is a number of shotgun formations where the running back aligns not next to the qb but in front and to the side of the QB. I've seen this before (most notably with GB though I don't know if they do it much anymore). Benefits? I guess pass protection and the back can go out on routes quicker/different routes... interesting.

- Empty sets with 3-WR, 1 RB and TE. RB out wide, TE near the line of scrimmage.

- TE's lining wide in general. Lots on Kendricks and Higbee wide.

- Tavon in the slot. Rarely happened last year. Looks like they may want to try him there (of course he dropped the ball targeted to him from the slot).

- Shotgun 3 WR sets with all WRs aligned on one side with the TE inline on the other covering the RB.

- Not a playbook change but they're really trying to give Cooper a lot of time in the slot. He was back in for at least one play in the 3rd with Mannion.

PS. I gotta be honest, if Keenum runs the offense like he did in those few series in the next few preseason games, I won't shed a tear if Goff rides the bench for a bit.

 

[Merlin]

IMO the offense was tweaked to properly take advantage of Goff's strengths. They're gonna spread defenses out, use Goff's accuracy to sling it around a little bit in conjunction with Gurley running into a non-crowded box. That's what it's gonna be I think, just a matter of how long will it take for the kid to be able to execute it well enough while he's also got the protections down.

He's close in my estimation. Closer than they're letting on, and hopefully it will start showing here soon.

EDIT: oh and I do agree that Keenum might be ok for a while running it. My concern is that defenses will start to take things away and he'll struggle, so he's not going to be any sort of long term solution and obviously the Rams know that and it's why they moved up for Jared.

 

[WestCoastRam]

@Merlin Think the changes might benefit Keenum too but defenses crowding the line will probably always be an issue for him without the arm strength to regularly hit it long or even intermediate.

 

[HellRam]

Anyone else notice the read option play by Mannion??? Goff ran a little read option in college. Looks like they could be adding anouther wrinkle in the playbook to use when we least expect it.

 

[Florida_Ram]

I'm expecting some bootlegs, roll outs and play-action from JG vs the Chiefs.

Good observations WestCoast... enjoyed seeing Boras and Groh brain storming up in the booth together on Hard Knocks.

- Empty sets with 3-WR, 1 RB and TE. RB out wide, TE near the line of scrimmage.

- TE's lining wide in general. Lots on Kendricks and Higbee wide.

- Tavon in the slot. Rarely happened last year. Looks like they may want to try him there (of course he dropped the ball targeted to him from the slot).

- Shotgun 3 WR sets with all WRs aligned on one side with the TE inline on the other covering the RB.

 

[dieterbrock]

PS. I gotta be honest, if Keenum runs the offense like he did in those few series in the next few preseason games, I won't shed a tear if Goff rides the bench for a bit.

Really? 2 3&out in his 3 series against a lousy Dallas D that is missing some starters?

 

[…..]

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[Merlin]

Really? 2 3&out in his 3 series against a lousy Dallas D that is missing some starters?

Yeah Dallas' defense is not going to be confused with a great unit this year; they will finish bottom half in the league. KC, meanwhile, is a real defense. Listed their stats on the other thread, they are going to be a serious test for this young offense so I'm excited to see how our new offensive leaders prep the players. Hopefully they put some emphasis on the protections, because KC can get after the QB.

 

[LACHAMP46]

PS. I gotta be honest, if Keenum runs the offense like he did in those few series in the next few preseason games, I won't shed a tear if Goff rides the bench for a bit.

:eek::sadwalk:alm: Don't worry I'll cry enough for us all....

Really? 2 3&out in his 3 series against a lousy Dallas D that is missing some starters?

Couldn't believe he said that either db....

 

[DaveFan'51]

PS. I gotta be honest, if Keenum runs the offense like he did in those few series in the next few preseason games, I won't shed a tear if Goff rides the bench for a bit.

This^ is why I don't think Goff Starts Week #1!!

 

[StealYoGurley]

Good Observations, it looks like they have installed many thing that are popular in college spread offenses where both Keenum and Goff excelled.

Another thing they took from Goff's college offense is the Run pass option. Mannion ran several of those plays successfully when the safety came down in the box he got the ball out quickly to Spruce in the slot on a called run play.

Also saw Mannion run a zone read play and keep it when the DE crashed down on the RB. It looked ugly with Mannion running it, but it was still an interesting tweak.

I expect to see some pistol as well because it plays to both Gurley and Goff's Strengths allowing Gurley to play out of the I formation and letting Goff play in shotgun.

 

[fearsomefour]

First play vs SF week one will be that little 5 or 6 yard quick out to Kendricks.

 

[Fatbot]

The Rams used plenty of spread formations last year and TEs wide -- remember Kendricks split wide on the opening week TD against Seattle? The only formation that seemed new was the TE overload with two TE tight on one side of the formation to get more power blocking on a couple runs (but then again maybe it's not new since my memory isn't great).

So I thought it was a very vanilla, very conservative bland display. This isn't a criticism of Groh at all -- preseason isn't the time to reveal the playbook. But my initial takeaway was yuck. I was hoping to see a more aggressive approach despite the vanilla requirement. For example, Dak & the Cowboys were vanilla yet still had an attacking philosophy.

To me the whole season comes down to the identity choice-- are we going to run a passing offense that's playing afraid to lose, or a passing offense that tries to win? The tone of that game was more the former, unfortunately. If that's the case then no sense rushing Goff since Keenum and Mannion both showed they can game manage perfectly fine. Personally I will be disappointed since I think a passing offense that tries to win with Goff is a better option to finally break out of the 7-9 b.s.

 

[FaulkSF]

Being very general here, but I'm guessing Groh was hired for his short passing game skills to work with Boras and WRs. We got killed by Chicago last year in the short passing game.

We already saw the benefits pay off from case and Mannion this past week.

 

[WestCoastRam]

As to Keenum, one can put a good argument out there that the stalled drives aren't on him. The Tavon drop, the Barnes false start... issues that our offense has regardless of QB.