Tavon can run deep routes. Unfortunately on the few occasions we sent him, our QBs couldn't hit him. A couple times he drew PI calls and a couple other times he blew right by the defender only to have the ball sail out of bounds or have him slow to where the defender caught up.
I don't think that was ever going to be an oft used play due to our passers. Realistically, how many deep balls did ANY of our receivers catch? I remember a couple to Britt and one to Kendricks where had the defender not fallen down, the pass would have been severely under thrown. Other than that, I don't recall a lot of success with balls in the air for 30 plus yards. Am I just forgetting them?
They've tried it deep to TA many times with almost no success. He's had 3 games in his career where his longest reception was 40 yards or over and those were probably YAC. Every other game his longest was 32 or less. It was a
once a game attempt for a long time in 2013 and 14. I say this because it always frustrated me and I waited on it. QB play, line play, no talent around him, and penalties all contributed. But, when he was hit with the ball, he was mostly defended. He's too easy to defend and the thing is, other receivers have caught a lot more deep balls in the same circumstances. Britt had 5 last season alone. So did Givens in his rookie season. Quick has had as many on 64 receptions to Austin's 199. I'll buy into his deep ball skills when I see them.
Some interesting things I've noticed:
- Austin was the leading yardage receiver on the Rams only four times in his three years. Even as a deep ball skeptic, I didn't expect that.
- Rams won every one of those games.
- In three of the four, he had his longest receptions of the season, but again, probably a lot of YAC.
- Three of them were with Foles.
- Three were with Gurley playing.
What does this all mean? Hell if I know. Personally, I'm betting on Britt and the rookies or Quick (crossing fingers) as the leading receivers with TA being more of a two headed monster with Gurley and a trickster. I like his 8.3 career YPC way way better than his rare as a unicorn deep threat, but I'll gladly be wrong again.
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