Shurmur vs Martz comparison

[Rambunctious]

I know I was a little hard on Shurmur for the last couple of drives against the Broncos but I decided to step back and look at the big picture.

I wanted to see what the stats from all 11 games this year looked like and I thought I would compare them to Martz since he is usually synonymous with high powered offenses... and crazy.

I was surprised.

Shurmur's 5 and 6 Rams beat Martz's 8 and 3 Bears in a lot of the categories.

Passing yards

Shurmur - 2,341
Martz - 2,172

Passing attempts/% complete

Shurmur - 413/60.5
Martz - 326/59.8

Passing yards per game

Shurmur - 212.8
Martz - 197.5

Passing tds

Shurmur - 17
Martz - 16

Interceptions

Shurmur - 9
Martz - 15

+ 20 yard passes

Shurmur - 26
Martz - 28

Sacks

Shurmur - 22
Martz - 41

I didn't list the rushing stats because they are almost identical.

So in the end they put 222 points up on the board and we put 213. The biggest difference of course is their D only gave up 172 and we have given up 231.

I still think Shurmur goes into a shell a little too much but big picture I think he is doing well.

[C-Mob 71]

Most impressive to me is the sack totals.

Pretty sure we all remember what happens to Mad Mike's QBs over a couple of years.

[AtlantaRamFan]

I think that Martz system works great when you have the perfect storm of personnel. I don't believe it makes average players in that system better. I also think those numbers are a testament to the QB's play as well as the system. And If I remember correctly Martz didn't care about INT's much, but its a completely different philosophy here.

I think Shurmur deserves partial credit from some of the 4th quarter collapse, but so do the players. I think his playcalling OVERALL has improved this season, and he deserves recognition for that. I think he definitely has room to improve at the end of games though.

[Azul e Oro]

Can't say I'm particularly reassured by that comparison. Both offenses are pretty anemic by NFL-wide standards. Those numbers for Chicago are very un-Martz-like except for the sacks.

The lesson I take from looking at Chicago is that The Rams need a second back like Chester Taylor.

[Rambunctious]

Can't say I'm particularly reassured by that comparison. Both offenses are pretty anemic by NFL-wide standards. Those numbers for Chicago are very un-Martz-like except for the sacks.

I agree but my point is that the Bears are 8 and 3 with their current offense and we are better or pretty much in a dead heat with them on all categories.

The lesson I take from looking at Chicago is that The Rams need a second back like Chester Taylor.

I'm not sure how this lesson is learned since both teams are pretty equal in rushing. Both have 5 rushing tds, both average 3.8 per carry, we have ran the ball 13 more times and have 26 more yards total, we have 6 runs for 20+ and they have 7.

I'd like to see Darby be given more of a role before we spend money or picks on a back-up.

[Azul e Oro]

I agree but my point is that the Bears are 8 and 3 with their current offense and we are better or pretty much in a dead heat with them on all categories.



I'm not sure how this lesson is learned since both teams are pretty equal in rushing. Both have 5 rushing tds, both average 3.8 per carry, we have ran the ball 13 more times and have 26 more yards total, we have 6 runs for 20+ and they have 7.

I'd like to see Darby be given more of a role before we spend money or picks on a back-up.

And I'm saying that the division of RB labor and greater use of both guys for The Bears in the pass game is probaby part of the reason why CHI has more wins despite the stat similarity in toto. Neither team wears down the opposition but the Bears do stay a little more wide-open & unpredictable in the second half ( and rarely have given up a 2nd half lead) by giving Taylor the ball more consistently; 82 carries & evenly split over the first & second half.Darby has 29 rushes.The difference as pass catchers isn't as wide but The Bears still give & get more out of their RBs in that regard,too.

Of course, Cutler is also getting hit a lot & throwing a lot of second half picks.

Clearly The Rams think the pass pro and/or Darby aren't up to the challenge &/or that protecting Sam & the ball better than Martz would is too important to take the risk. Not having an effective FB or reliably-handed vet TE is probably part of it,too. The Bears have a reliable target in Olsen but, interestingly, have been using former Ram Manumaleuna in the FB role. Since The Rams have started to use Miller in the same way, maybe you're not the only one looking at The Bears for answers.

I agree that it would be useful to see if Darby can be part of a solution that lies somewhere between the two extremes of seeming to endlessly bang SJ behind two TEs,etc, with only marginal success ( partly because of SJ's hand,imo) or let the Wunderkind get pounded.

[Goldenfleece]

I think it would be more accurate to call that a Bradford vs. Cutler comparison.

Cutler is the guy who throws 4 interceptions to Deangelo Hall and, after losing the game, says that if they played Washington the next day, he'd throw at Hall on every play if he could.

Bradford is the guy who before the Broncos game said that all things equal, he'd prefer not to throw in Champ Bailey's direction.

Shurmur might have the rookie, but I think it's pretty clear that Martz has the less mature player. And that the Bears' offense is no standard by which our own should be measured.