(Poll) If I were ____________, I'd be ticked about....

[DaveFan'51]

I would give the edge on this one to Guuurley! With Austin a very close second!
Todd has to be PO'd with all the press he's gotten over his "Poor 2nd Year vs His Great Rookie Year!"

 

[DaveFan'51]

Gurley

2015 offensive rookie of the year

2016 "bum"

2017 chip on shoulder

I like this^ " Brevity Rules the Day"!

 

[Todd59]

It almost has to be Gurley. He was seen as the savior to an anemic offense in 2015, and took a lot of blame for the offensive struggles in 2016, with people questioning whether or not he was already a bust. The dude is going to run angry and fierce this year. I can't say that it will certainly lead to a better season, but I know that TG wants to show people that he's a 1000+ yard back again.

 

[Rams43]

When a team goes 4-12 there will be lots of players with chips on their shoulders, no doubt.

Close call for me, but I chose Gurley.

But I sure liked jrry32's mention of Fisher as the person that will have his ass chapped if the Rams start winning immediately after his departure.

 

[Merlin]

Tavon

Plenty of talk about this WR unit having the potential to surprise with the new additions and scheme, yet all he is looked as is an expensive and expendable veteran that hasn't lived up to his contract.

Tavon has the skill without question but needs better playmaking situations. I hope he is ticked and motivated cause like every year, he can be the 'X' factor we desperately need.

Definitely Tavon. What makes him edge out Gurley is the fact they brought in WRs who fit this scheme, which might squeeze him out of the starting lineup. He now has to prove that he can run a damn route in a precise manner, and that he can be counted on to catch the ball. That contract now looms over him too; there's a lot of pressure for him to perform and I genuinely hope he's up for it.

What is funny is with his short area quickness and low center of gravity the route running should come easy to him. It's the one thing that can equalize his small stature at this level, but he's been slow to master it. If he does do the work and master it, he's going to find CBs backing off of him and his entire game should take off as a result. You just cannot be a speed-only guy at this level and be an elite player.

It shouldn't be "we need to scheme Tavon open." It should be "that defensive coordinator is losing sleep trying to come up with ways to contain Tavon."

 

[shaunpinney]

I'm going for Trumaine - not necessarily a chip, but a guy that has got a lot to play for this year. 2nd franchise tag, he's got to make this year a stellar performance and he's got to work for that contract that he wants.

 

[Rmfnlt]

It shouldn't be "we need to scheme Tavon open." It should be "that defensive coordinator is losing sleep trying to come up with ways to contain Tavon."

From what I've seen of his college highlights, they got him the ball in space and he was able to run past a lot of the other kids.

This is the NFL... everyone is fast and a lot of guys are as fast as Austin... so his advantage was reduced significantly.

It's the NFL coaches that have to figure out a way to get him the advantages he needs because he's pretty small by NFL standards.

Fisher's staff went about it all wrong IMO... I think you're right... it was like they tried to "make it happen" for him and opposing teams saw right through that.

Bottom line: Fisher and staff didn't know what to do with him... hope McVay and staff do.

 

[Merlin]

It's the NFL coaches that have to figure out a way to get him the advantages he needs because he's pretty small by NFL standards.

Route running has the potential to change that equation for him. That is my entire point, that trying to scheme him open has failed because teams simply focus or over/under him in coverage even if the play is designed to go to him.

The way forward is that he's just another wideout who runs good routes and gets enormous separation with those routes and his natural speed. The reason his speed hasn't played is because he rounds off routes, is a poor route technician, and DBs read him. Change that equation and you change everything. That, IMO, is where McVay is going with him, and if he doesn't improve he's gone next year.

 

[Ram65]

Route running has the potential to change that equation for him. That is my entire point, that trying to scheme him open has failed because teams simply focus or over/under him in coverage even if the play is designed to go to him.

The way forward is that he's just another wideout who runs good routes and gets enormous separation with those routes and his natural speed. The reason his speed hasn't played is because he rounds off routes, is a poor route technician, and DBs read him. Change that equation and you change everything. That, IMO, is where McVay is going with him, and if he doesn't improve he's gone next year.

I was surprised when one analyst (last year or year before) said that Austin surprisingly was running good routes. I don't know because I don't see the 22 film and they don't show him isolated on TV. The smoke screens and short passes have been too predictable and forced as you say. I think McVay will use him in those bunch formations trying get him isolated. The way McVay and his staff like to teach technique may help improve the route running. Sending him deep will help too. For whatever reason I don't think he was sent deep enough in past. Better routes, execution, some scheming and sending him deep could really open things up for Tavon.