Spruce

[Ellard80]

Really aren't many targets available for Spruce even if he was healthy.

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

Of them all, which are you most anxious to see develop into what he can be?
I'm really wanting to see Mike Thomas develop into his true potential, personally.

You really think Fisher would have played TH as a rook?

Edit

What the???

That was supposed to be a reply to a different comment...of course

 

[DaveFan'51]

It's going to be interesting next year. We have some young WR's and we have 2 of our 3 "veterans" that will be free agents. Do Quick and Britt get brought back? Which one if only one? How does that affect these young guys, and I include Thomas in there, next year in camp and going into the season. Do we bring both back to keep some experience for Goff next year if he's the guy? I'm enjoying this season immensely but I still can't help myself but speculate on next year.

To me it's just way too early in the season to start thinking and speculating about next season! There's just too much going on right now!

 

[jrry32]

But here's my heretical suggestion. Why not give Spruce or Cooper some targets from the slot position?

Yeah, by taking Tavon off the field at times. It's not as if he's setting the world on fire as a WR, is it? Myself, I would love to see Spruce get a few targets with his flypaper hands. But that's just me. If they prefer Cooper, then fine. I just don't see how it could hurt our O, and it might give it a boost.

This isn't rational. You want to pull the second most feared guy on our offense off the field for rookies who haven't proven anything? Especially when said guy (Tavon) is actually playing quite well this year?

Dude, I get that you didn't like the extension, but you can't let that cloud your judgement.

 

[tavian]

Thomas is the most likely to develop into a #1 WR. .

You may want to teach him how to play catch first.

 

[-X-]

You may want to teach him how to play catch first.

Watch what happens. It's been reported that he and Goff have been establishing quite the rapport.
At some point, in the near future, those are the names you'll hear. "Goff to Thomas."

 

[OldSchool]

To me it's just way too early in the season to start thinking and speculating about next season! There's just too much going on right now!

It's never too early and it doesn't diminish my enjoyment of the current season.

 

[tavian]

Watch what happens. It's been reported that he and Goff have been establishing quite the rapport.
At some point, in the near future, those are the names you'll hear. "Goff to Thomas."

He has all the physical skills to be a number 1,but he has to improve those hands ten fold.
He struggled with catching the ball in college and everyone saw him in preseason.
He really needs to be wearing that jugs machine out.
Spruce on the other hand has everything needed to be a top notch possession guy for us.
just needs a little seasoning.
Coop can be a nice weapon as well.feel pretty good about our young guys at the position.

 

[jrry32]

You may want to teach him how to play catch first.

Mike Thomas - 2015
71 receptions
1394 receiving yards
19.6 yards per reception
14 receiving TDs

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5hq-x4_5UA


I think he can catch the football. Simply put, drops aren't a big deal when a WR can get open consistently. Nobody cared when Brandon Marshall, Wes Welker, Terrell Owens, etc. were leading the league in drops because they were also putting up monster production.

 

[-X-]

He has all the physical skills to be a number 1,but he has to improve those hands ten fold.
He struggled with catching the ball in college and everyone saw him in preseason.
He really needs to be wearing that jugs machine out.
Spruce on the other hand has everything needed to be a top notch possession guy for us.
just needs a little seasoning.
Coop can be a nice weapon as well.feel pretty good about our young guys at the position.

I agree. That was his biggest knock (hands) coming out, but his range and athleticism will balance that out. There have been some great receivers in the NFL who have been known to have questionable hands, so that might be a frustration we'll have to deal with as fans.

Totally different guy than Spruce though, as you know. They're like Bruce and Proehl.

 

[-X-]

Mike Thomas - 2015
71 receptions
1394 receiving yards
19.6 yards per reception
14 receiving TDs

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5hq-x4_5UA


I think he can catch the football. Simply put, drops aren't a big deal when a WR can get open consistently. Nobody cared when Brandon Marshall, Wes Welker, Terrell Owens, etc. were leading the league in drops because they were also putting up monster production.

We made the same points again.

 

[Rams43]

Are you kidding me? Tavon should be on the field every snap. As should gurley. Go outside and take a brisk walk. Get some oxygen in your lungs. Get your heart pumping. Not enough electricity is heading towards your brain.

.

All due respect, KF, that might be a knee jerk reaction there.

Look, Gurley has generally struggled. Is it Gurley, or is it 100% the OL? Benny has looked sharp on his few carries with the same exact OL. All I'm suggesting is to start Benny for a series and see how he looks. If he struggles like Gurley has, then fine. It's probably the OL. But if he shines? THEN we have to ask ourselves whether or not it's a Gurley issue of some kind. Scientists call that process an experiment.

Tavon? Have you been watching his WR stats this year? Replacing him as WR with either Cooper or Spruce (my personal favorite) in the slot for a series or two might be an eye opener. Assuming Spruce and/or Cooper are 100%, of course. Trust me, Tavon's receiving production so far this year would not be greatly missed for a series or two. Another experiment, if you will.

At no point have I suggested that Britt or Quick come off the field. Quite the contrary. They are both producing big time and have earned their starting positions. Tavon as a WR has been kinda iffy, if you ask me.

 

[Rams43]

This isn't rational. You want to pull the second most feared guy on our offense off the field for rookies who haven't proven anything? Especially when said guy (Tavon) is actually playing quite well this year?

Dude, I get that you didn't like the extension, but you can't let that cloud your judgement.

Please indulge me for a moment, 32.

Here are Tavon's career stats... http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/15786/tavon-austin

I ask that you direct your attention to his WR numbers for '16. Just those numbers only, since that's the relevant topic in this discussion.

Underwhelming, especially since Fisher has ordered that Tavon be force fed targets. Targets that it would appear would be better spent elsewhere?

Look, Fisher is all in on Tavon and Gurley. For better or worse. So far this season, it kinda leans more toward the worse, don't you think?

So no, I don't think it's irrational at all to run an experiment with another slot receiver in lieu of Tavon for a series or two. Hell, I think I could make a better case that it was MORE irrational NOT to run such an experiment to test an underperforming player. Tavon has been living on his reputation all year long.

 

[hotanez]

Watch what happens. It's been reported that he and Goff have been establishing quite the rapport.
At some point, in the near future, those are the names you'll hear. "Goff to Thomas."

God I hope so

 

[kurtfaulk]

All due respect, KF, that might be a knee jerk reaction there.

Look, Gurley has generally struggled. Is it Gurley, or is it 100% the OL? Benny has looked sharp on his few carries with the same exact OL. All I'm suggesting is to start Benny for a series and see how he looks. If he struggles like Gurley has, then fine. It's probably the OL. But if he shines? THEN we have to ask ourselves whether or not it's a Gurley issue of some kind. Scientists call that process an experiment.

Tavon? Have you been watching his WR stats this year? Replacing him as WR with either Cooper or Spruce (my personal favorite) in the slot for a series or two might be an eye opener. Assuming Spruce and/or Cooper are 100%, of course. Trust me, Tavon's receiving production so far this year would not be greatly missed for a series or two. Another experiment, if you will.

At no point have I suggested that Britt or Quick come off the field. Quite the contrary. They are both producing big time and have earned their starting positions. Tavon as a WR has been kinda iffy, if you ask me.

When I see David Johnson score 3 tds untouched in one game I'm guessing it's the oline that's the main problem for gurley. And with regards to tavon, you want to use stats? Cmon man. He's way more important than stats.

Btw, I've seen one pass go in cooper's direction. It was a pick 6.

.

 

[jrry32]

Please indulge me for a moment, 32.

Here are Tavon's career stats... http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/15786/tavon-austin

I ask that you direct your attention to his WR numbers for '16. Just those numbers only, since that's the relevant topic in this discussion.

Underwhelming, especially since Fisher has ordered that Tavon be force fed targets. Targets that it would appear would be better spent elsewhere?

Look, Fisher is all in on Tavon and Gurley. For better or worse. So far this season, it kinda leans more toward the worse, don't you think?

So no, I don't think it's irrational at all to run an experiment with another slot receiver in lieu of Tavon for a series or two. Hell, I think I could make a better case that it was MORE irrational NOT to run such an experiment to test an underperforming player. Tavon has been living on his reputation all year long.

It's completely the opposite, dude. Your criticisms of Tavon are based on reputation and not on film. I've watched a lot of Tavon film this year. He's playing good football for us. He's succeeding as a traditional WR. He's given guys like Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson problems.

The issue that Tavon has is that Keenum is both small and not particularly accurate. When you combine that with Tavon also being small, it presents issues. Keenum is more comfortable with big-bodied guys like Quick and Britt because they are easier to spot and have a bigger catch radius.

Tavon is a guy who will really benefit from Goff when he gets in the game. But even in the mean time, Tavon is worth his weight in gold as a decoy, blocker, and receiver. He's not under-performing. There's absolutely no reason to bench him for a rookie.

Film trumps box-scores. Here are two things the box-score doesn't show you...on the drive where Gurley was stopped short of the end-zone before half, Austin drew two penalties:
1. A 22 yard pass interference penalty
and
2. A defenseless WR penalty

That's not going to go down in the box-score, but those are two very important plays that helped put us in position to score a TD.(which we failed to do) That's also not considering all the plays where he drew coverage away from other WRs or got the defense flowing in the wrong direction when he went in motion.

It's also worth mentioning that Tavon isn't really a slot WR in our scheme.

 

[RamsSince1969]

How about when it's a desperation 4th and 3 or like at the end of the half against the Bills, the Rams line up with 7 receivers in the line up and hike the ball in shotgun? I'm up for anything new and it could get Spruce, Coop and Thomas involved. Have so many guys in the game that can catch the ball in 1/2 a second, we won't need to block. I'm up for anything that is unpredictable.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Spruce should be getting some playing time IMO. He earned it in pre-season and looks to be the perfect safety valve for Keenum. I think Fisher is failing to take advantage of a good thing with his conservative nature. Spruce would be tearing it up in New England.

 

[Ramlock]

Spruce should be getting some playing time IMO. He earned it in pre-season and looks to be the perfect safety valve for Keenum. I think Fisher is failing to take advantage of a good thing with his conservative nature. Spruce would be tearing it up in New England.

He had one nice pre-season game against scrubs and then got himself hurt. So as an undreafted free agent, Spruce made the team
Not earned playing time.

Keenum already has WR that are having career years that should stay on-field.

WTF does New England have to do with Rams personnel? Oh yeah, nothing,

I have ZERO problem with the upward swing in production from the passing game which has to be attributed to HC JF.