OK. A few more screen prints. A quick disclaimer - I don't really know everything, I just pretend I do.
What DID Foles actually do? Here's the ball after just being released. He's taking the deep shot to Britt.
Let's go back to the original options.
OPTION A) To Britt steaming down the left side line on a GO route
Didn't turn out well. Vikes are in soft coverage to stop a GO route. 6'1 218 lb corner Xavier Rhodes, while not having a great year, is in a coverage that plays to his strengths and is running stride for stride with Britt. But Foles is locked onto Britt and doesn't change his eyes the whole time. The ball was almost intercepted by Rhodes, and THEN could have been intercepted on the deflection by Vikes all-world FS Harrison Smith (#22).
OPTION B) To Sted Bailey, covered by a safety, who's running a comeback pattern
Imho, Kudos to
@flv for making this call. Bailey, the slot guy who was abandoned by the blitzing slot corner is now covered by Vikes #34, sub-par slow-footed Vikes SS Andrew Sendejo. Even without a sight adjustment, Bailey could catch the ball on a comeback, make this guy miss and do some damage. Sendejo also has dual responsibilities on this play, both covering Bailey and bracketing Cook. Bailey is the "easy" choice, the "safe" choice, the "smart" choice, with the Rams taking what the Vikes are giving them. Imo.
OPTION C) To Cook who's running down the seam
Cook, on that particular play, IMO.
Almost universal approval for Cook as the option. But, haven't we learned anything??
Towards Cook - but it would have been futile as he'd drop it anyway...
Yeah, there we go. But, snarky comments aside, a confident NFL QB who trusts his teammates takes Cook all day long. He's clearly beaten the LB coverage. So why not take him? I can only speculate but...
- Foles has lost confidence in Cook. So have I. So has @shaunpinney
- The play design kinda left Sendejo bracketing Cook. With otherworldly anticipation, Sendejo could jump the route and make an INT. Not likely.
- OR... more likely Sendejo could light up Cook after the reception. Of course, that's what TEs are paid to do, Cook should run over Sendejo (yeah, right, who am I kidding?).
- It does sorta beg the question, why have Bailey run a comeback leaving someone in Cook's path? Two possibilities - that this is a bad play design by Cignetti. But just as possible, this is a good play design by Cignetti, that Cook is just a decoy running the middle to make the D honest, occupy both a LB and a S. Which takes us to...
OPTION D) To Tavon Austin...
Part of this is a trick question. With Cook clearing out the LB, Austin literally had the entire half of the field all to himself along with Vikes 13 yr vet Terrance Newman, who is really JAG in soft coverage. Tavon is running a comeback pattern too, so it wouldn't take much to zip the ball out to Tavon who'd then have Newman 1v1 in space. Isn't that our dream scenario for Tavon?? I mean, if he makes Newman miss, he'd still be running. Hmm...
But, I don't think this thought ever crossed Foles' mind.
CONCLUSION / UPSHOT:
As best I could determine based on where Foles helmet was turned, he was looking at Britt the whole time. By forcing it deep to Britt, who it turns out was the only person covered on the play, Foles almost cost the Rams an INT. Twice. Sure, Foles took his deep shot. And if Britt made the acrobatic play, the discussion would be very different.
With 53 seconds left, there was plenty of time to take what the Vikes offered - anybody but Britt 'cuz everyone other than Britt was open - and keep the drive going. Instead, the Rams were left with 3rd and long, failed to convert on third down (who could have predicted that?), let the clock run out and settled for a FG.
Shame. Opportunity missed.
Also getting ROD votes: Wes Welker and Jimmy Garoppolo.
