Several thoughts after reflecting on the Saint game win...

[Zodi]

Pharoh Cooper deserves more snaps

Agreed 1000%. The dude has transformed our return game. I have no doubt he'll have a kick return TD before the season ends.

 

[badnews]

Hey Guys I don't want interrupt this weeks installment of "Lets Hate On Tavon" but I was wondering what the company line is on Rob Quinn this week?
Do we like him again or....?

 

[shaunpinney]

Hey Guys I don't want interrupt this weeks installment of "Lets Hate On Tavon" but I was wondering what the company line is on Rob Quinn this week?
Do we like him again or....?

C'mon @badnews - we're Rams fans we've had years of bad play and losses, moaning is not ingrained in our culture and nature, we just can't help ourselves, even after we win... you know what its like, we lose - "where the hell was Tavon" - we win "Why the hell is Tavon getting snaps" It's sunny, "why the hell is Tavon wearing sunglasses" It's raining "why the hell is Tavon carrying an umbrella"

I believe we will have this until Tavon is no longer a Ram, until he breaks out for a 1000+ multi TD season with a competitor hen it'll be "Why the hell did we get rid of Tavon"

The way I see it, Tavon isn't a headline grabber, but I do think he adds a lot to our offense, and I do believe he has a big game in him this season, and I think that may be in the playoffs. I do however think that there is a mental problem there somewhere with confidence, and I think the Rams org is working on that with him. The dude is a team player, doesn't do PEDs, doesn't get into trouble and just gets on with HIS job. As long as Coach McVay and Coach Yarber see a role for him on this O then I am going to root for the guy - I don't understand why other fans can't do the same.

 

[Dxmissile]

We see Tavon differently, Mackeyser.

For example, and if leoram is right about Tavon being the guilty party missing Goff’s screen audible, he caused Goff to be charged with intentional grounding which cost the 10 yards AND loss of down. On a play set up beautifully by the other 10 players for a needed big gainer. A drive killing stupid mistake.

Mr 7 Wonderlic has issues. He’s an effing net liability. We are loaded with O playmakers this year. Hell, we can’t even get all of them on the field at one time because there are so many! Tavon has outlasted his usefulness.

If one of his mistakes costs us a playoff game...

Sigh...

Okay. Rant over. Where’s my blood pressure medicine?

Was that Tavon or Gurley on the field I thought that was Gurley. And that play was just bad all around cause none of the receivers stayed in to block on that screen play and Goff would have got killed cause Gurley had to pick up the blitz.

 

[bubbaramfan]

When was the last time Tavon was sent deep?

 

[LesBaker]

Romo was a joy to listen to. If, somehow, either Romo or Spielman could do color on all Ram games, I would be one happy camper.

He's great, and makes listening fun and informative.

when he got his 20 sacks a couple of years ago

Believe it or not..........it was 5 seasons ago.

Turn on any football game and you'll see the same thing. The NFL has no clue how to officiate this game anymore.

I agree and we can thank the refs union in part.

But players and coaches have to take some of the responsibility too, they know that is going to draw a flag and it's a very easy penalty to avoid. I think it happens so often because most of the time it doesn't get called.

 

[RaminExile]

I think everyone can agree that prevent D only prevents you from winning the game. I have no idea why he switched it up at the end of the game. Keep on doing what's working!!! I know they're afraid of getting beat deep but Drew Brees is too smart for Cover 4 Defense, he'll find the hole in that zone every single time, and he did! I think they scored in less than 45 seconds lol.

Also glad to see Quinn pick it up with a Sack Fumble yesterday. Looked like the Quinn of old. I've also noticed Quinn had a lot more playing time yesterday, and I think that's part of the issue. I remember when he got his 20 sacks a couple of years ago he was on the field almost all 4 downs. The guy has an outstanding gastank and I think he's one of those guys that gets better the longer he plays. Maybe Wade saw that too? Or maybe the Barwin injury will give us a better look at quinn before the season is done. Hopefully he sticks around.

What I really liked from Quinn was seeing him use some different moves! The inside move he made with a kind of swim got him through. It just was getting tiring watching him speed round the edge only to get faceplanted into the ground because they could just push him down and its not called a "hold" at that point, but since the Ref a few weeks back picked up a flag on it and explained WHY its not a holding penalty perhaps a penny dropped for Rob (it did for me!) and hes realized he's going to have to use some other skills..

 

[BonifayRam]

Ref. Tavon Austin

*The loss of our main relief for Todd Gurley ....RB Malcolm Brown comes into play here. Brown has been out now for 3 games. Before his injury Brown had gone for over 105 yds rushing in his last games before the injury. Loosing those type of relief yards in place of Gurley is HUGE!

*Then the loss of what was suppose to be the main back up to Gurley when the season began but never was healthy in the form of RB Lance Dunbar in week 11 also plays heavy into this TA issue. Dunbar allegedly was healthy after a very long period of time about a year dealing with a badly damaged knee. Dunbar was activated played in just 1 gm was used for 5 carries & ended up back on the injury list since. IMO RB Dunbar is damaged goods.

*Side bar item here: HB/FB/TE Derek Carrier was injured in wk 9 & just returned healthy this last week. McVay used this player as an versatile backfield player in helping Goff remain unmolested. Now he does not carry the ball but like Brown & Dunbar do he is very effective in helping Goff as we saw this last Sunday as the last line of protection. TA & Austin Davis have proven useless in this serious vital responsibility.

In conclusion IMO: Due to the above events listed above McVay has been forced to utilize TA as we have seen the last few weeks. Gurley is getting pounded & its getting now well into the season when it going to take Gurley longer to recover from all these major hits. Even though TA is not effective in this offense with the ball in his hands it does help McVay keeping Gurley in operational mode. TA served his purpose the last few weeks as best as he can.

Bottom Line here McVay needs to get either Brown or Dunbar back on the field healthy to spell Gurley the needed rest during the game. McVay got lucky this past Sunday when he went pass happy to beat the high flying Saints. We also saw the toll that passing does to a OL when LT Andrew Whitworth was manhandle by the Saints pass rush for several sacks & numerous pressures & hits on Goff. Whitworth even had a holding call go against him. The last thing we need is for Gurley to get ran down & nicked up due to overuse going into final 5 games of the season. I can stand some more TA till then.

 

[Memento]

Agreed 1000%. The dude has transformed our return game. I have no doubt he'll have a kick return TD before the season ends.

 

[Ramstien]

When was the last time Tavon was sent deep?

I keep saying this to my wife, I just don't understand way they never throw long to him but I'm sure they have their reasons. He has to go after this season or stay with the Rams for the League minimum.

 

[SteveBrown]

Well I don't speak for the board, so there's no "we" involved. You can call him Mr 7 Wonderlic if you want. I'm not stopping you. But don't pretend it's not a pejorative. You're calling him stupid. Not as stupid as Frank Gore or Vince Young, but a little more stupid than Dan Marino I guess.
.

Tavon's IQ or any WRs IQ is very, very important. .Also, Tavon is in a complex offense, and he has all this speed, quickness and cutting ability and they aren't even putting him in patterns that run past 12 yards down the field on 90% of his snaps. THis should tell us something. Ya, he missed mini camps etc....but, so did Sammy.

IQ, it seems, is the reason Adrian P and Gore don't play 3rd downs very often (throughout their careers). They never 'picked' up the routes and nuances....while Gurley has and you can see what it does to an offense.

 

[Merlin]

Bottom Line here McVay needs to get either Brown or Dunbar back on the field healthy to spell Gurley the needed rest during the game. McVay got lucky this past Sunday when he went pass happy to beat the high flying Saints.

Yeah our offense definitely misses Brown. His running style really meshes well with our blocking scheme, and I think his role when he returns will be to help soften things up as we transition into playoff environment with tough defenses.

Re: McVay's scheme last Sunday, it was basically a no-brainer. New Orleans was missing a key pass rusher and their top two CBs. Their defense was effectively crippled. Throwing the ball was going to happen. If we draw them in the playoffs, we can count on a more balanced gameplan I think.

 

[Merlin]

Tavon's IQ or any WRs IQ is very, very important. .Also, Tavon is in a complex offense, and he has all this speed, quickness and cutting ability and they aren't even putting him in patterns that run past 12 yards down the field on 90% of his snaps. THis should tell us something. Ya, he missed mini camps etc....but, so did Sammy.

IQ, it seems, is the reason Adrian P and Gore don't play 3rd downs very often (throughout their careers). They never 'picked' up the routes and nuances....while Gurley has and you can see what it does to an offense.

Agreed.

We discuss physical talent here all the time and how some guys don't have enough of it, but when it comes to intelligence that conversation inevitably starts up. It matters. Some guys do not fit some offenses. McVay would not have drafted Tavon unless he slid way down, like maybe mid to late rounds, for that reason.

Cooper Kupp round 3 versus Tavon Austin round 1. The difference is in the scheme and what they were looking for as a fit. Tavon has always struggled with scheme as did the other guys in the WR room, where the Rams were always under Fish very careful and concerned about changing terminology because OMG the players have to learn it. But that's because Fish went after athletes, not guys who dutifully run routes, study film and have quick intellect.

I'm sure there's a place for Tavon in this league, just not with the Rams. And I wish the dude well, to include him improving to maybe contribute more consistently for us before they cut him this offseason.

 

[Zodi]

How in the hell did I forget about that haha.

I'll bet he'll get another one, then!

 

[DR RAM]

Just some stuff that the beat writers haven’t touched on much yet.

Anybody else surprised that there weren’t more attacks on the Saint backup CB’s? I thought McVay would be all over it and all game long.

Speaking of McVay, I was going crazy with all the Tavon touches early on while legit threats and producers were seeing their touches diminished. More Gurley, Watkins, Kupp, Higbee, and Reynolds Coach!

Why is it that Wade’s D gives up long TD runs early in so many games? Then tightens up for the rest of the day? It’s driving me nuts! This has GOT to be fixed before the playoffs. Heck, before the Eagle game. Just tell them at the starting kickoff that it’s the 2nd qtr, Wade, and watch them kick butt. Lol.

Too many missed tackles yesterday. Another thing that must be cleaned up.

I predict that Watkins will now be a bigger focus on the part of both Goff and McVay.

Helluva game by Kupp. I love this kid and look forward to the next 10 years of his production excellence. I think that some have overreacted to those rare occasions where he fails to make the catch. And that crucial fumble vs the Vikings, of course. Kupp is a gem and was a 3rd round steal.

Been a long, long time since the Rams have had so many quality receivers that they could deploy, huh? A great feeling.

Well, the Goff doubters are becoming pretty scarce these days. Most important position on the team appears to be in very good hands for the next 15 years. Can you imagine what he might become after another couple of seasons under McVay?

Can someone explain to me why coaches love that dreaded Prevent D? After holding Brees to 13 points (including that 7 point Kamara early burst) for 56 danged minutes, they do their “Prevent thing” and give him 7 points in about one minute. Nobody on our coaching staff noticed what Brees did to the Redskin Prevent D in 3 minutes the previous week? Sheesh! ‘Bout had a heart attack watching those last 3 minutes yesterday!

Malcolm Brown can’t get back soon enough for me. Dunbar is never healthy, Tavon is useless, and I guess McVay doesn’t trust Austin Davis.

I’ll be honest. I was afraid that the Saint juggernaut was gonna keep rolling all the way to the NFC Championship game and the Rams would become their 9th win in a row. I am so proud of what the Ram team and coaches accomplished yesterday. The Rams are truly for real. They may not go all the way, but it would be a big mistake for anyone to not take them seriously the rest of the way. I haven’t felt this much pride and respect for the Rams in at least 13-15 years.

Can Reynolds and Everett play, or what? Bright future for both those kids.

Gotta give it up for Quinn in this game. I’ve been down on him lately, but he picked a great game to flash as a bit of an impact player.

Barwin wasn’t really missed when he had to come out. Does that mean what I think it means? Hmmmmm...

Romo was a joy to listen to. If, somehow, either Romo or Spielman could do color on all Ram games, I would be one happy camper.

Romo had some kind words for Ogletree, didn’t he? Said that his play was evidence of heavy film study.

Magnificent tackle by Webster to save a TD. Both a textbook and inspirational tackle.

The flea flicker trick play was a surprise. Not that they called it, but that Pharoah wasn’t the one throwing the ball. AND that McVay hadn’t designed it such that the Saints would be caught with their pants down and at least ONE Ram would be open. Those last 2 things are pretty important in such a trick play. Lol.

All in all, it was a helluva game and against a helluva opponent. Fun to watch, but I was limp by halftime. Lol.

Then again, 8 more just like that would be fine by me. Yeah, I was counting the playoffs in there, too.

A like wasn't enough. You nailed this.

 

[kurtfaulk]

The answer is that he thought his responsibility was to pick up the blitz on the right side when he was supposed to swing right for a screen. This is why he isn’t trusted in the slot because he doesn’t process plays very well...in spite of his athleticism.

Now, whether or not it was a product of bad communication by Goff...I can’t say. But if I were a betting man...I’d say Austin was the culprit. McVay would be the one to ask

I don't remember it that way. Do you have video proof of it?

.

 

[Adi]

Saints defense is overrated and we proved that . I know they didn' have their 2 corners, but if they did I'm confident gurley would of had alot more carries .

Jared looked elite , however he seems to be too comfortable at times. I honestly would like to see more pressure so i can see how he reacts. Eagles and Seahawks games should show us !

Overall big win and this team shows no quit, they came back strong after a tough loss

Go Rams

 

[A.J. Hicks]

When was the last time Tavon was sent deep?

I know for a fact he was the deep route on the first completion to Watkins last week. Tavon had pulled at least two defenders with him. When he saw Watkins with the ball he turned and tried to make himself available as a blocker. Then picked Watkins up and congratulated him.

 

[leoram]

I don't remember it that way. Do you have video proof of it?

.

I don’t know how to post game film I don’t possess, but if you get NFL REWIND or follow the link for replay in another post here, you will see Austin lined up in the backfield behind Goff, Austin goes right and blocks while Jared looks to throw a screen to nobody on the left and gets hit for intentional grounding. Perhaps you have a different explanation?

 

[kurtfaulk]

Saints defense is overrated and we proved that . I know they didn' have their 2 corners, but if they did I'm confident gurley would of had alot more carries .

you can't say that. look how bad the rams defense looked when hatfield had to be in there. the d is only as good as it's weakest link.

.