Thomas: What's Keeping Quick Off The Field?

[r8rh8rmike]

What's keeping Quick off the field?

21 hours ago • BY JIM THOMAS

All those first downs, points and yards piled up by the Rams against the Washington Redskins two Sundays ago must have been packed in a closet in the Edward Jones Dome. They did not make the trip to Chicago.

Wide receiver Brian Quick made the trip but didn't play. The rookie from Appalachian State is more likely to be found on a milk carton these days than on a Rams stat sheet.

Quizzed by a couple of reporters Monday at Rams Park, Quick tried to be honest but also tried not to say anything incendiary. He said he wasn't frustrated. But his body language said just the opposite.

When asked where he was in terms of getting involved as a rookie, Quick replied: "Well, I haven't been playing much. I'm just going to keep working, practice, get better, so I can be able to go out there and play."

Quick played sparingly in the Rams' first two games, getting three snaps apiece in the Detroit and Washington games, according to NFL statistics. He had one pass thrown his way against Washington, which fell incomplete.

On Sunday in Chicago, he didn't even dress. Quick, the first player taken in the second round, and the fifth wide receiver drafted overall last April, was among the Rams' designated pregame inactives.

"I wanted to (play), but they made the decision and that's what it was," Quick said. "So I had to live with it. Of course I wanted to go out there and help my teammates and just contribute, but it wasn't the case."

As is usually the case with inactive players, Quick found out he wouldn't dress before the game while in the visitors' locker room. Was it disheartening to learn the news?

"Of course," Quick said. "I mean, you're passionate about the game, you know, if you love it. I definitely want to go out there and help. But they made the decision and that's what happened."

Entering the draft, the Rams had Quick rated at 1A, behind Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon at 1. They were delighted to be able to get him at No. 33 overall, after trading out of the No. 2 overall spot to accumulate extra picks.

So far, Quick hasn't been able to crack the top four at wide receiver — the guys who get most of the playing time. Following the Rams' 23-6 loss to Chicago, coach Jeff Fisher declined to specify what was keeping Quick off the field, except for saying: "The other guys. ... The other guys are still ahead of him, yes."

Asked Monday if the coaches have told him what he needs to do to get on the field, Quick replied: "I have to do that. That's what I have to do. Obviously, it's something I have to do to get on the field. So I need to work harder, I need to do things a little bit better. And we'll see what happens."

Quick says he feels comfortable with the playbook but realizes he needs to improve every facet of his game as an NFL rookie.

"I'm a young player," he said. "I feel like there's lots of things I need to work on. So we'll see as the weeks go by."

Quick pointed out that however disheartening it was to watch the game in street clothes he holds nothing against his fellow wide receivers.

"I'm behind my teammates 100 percent," he said. "Whatever it takes, I'm there for them. So if it's me not dressing, then that's OK. I would love to definitely help my teammates out, but I'm behind them 100 percent no matter what."

Quick has had an occasional drop on the practice field, but he also makes at least one highlight-reel grab a week. When he'll get a chance to try to show that on game day remains to be seen. But for now, the Rams are going to a large degree with more seasoned receivers.

Danny Amendola had a breakout game against Washington but also was the team's leading receiver against Detroit and Chicago. Brandon Gibson made clutch catches against both Detroit and Washington but had two drops against the Bears.

"Gib's got to make that catch down there on the 5-yard line," Fisher said Monday, referring to what would've been a 35- to 40-yard reception late in the first quarter.

Veteran Steve Smith has been targeted 11 times with five catches for 70 yards. Rookie Chris Givens is getting worked into the rotation more each week, catching his first two NFL passes (for 9 yards) against Chicago. Givens also had a quick slant bounce off his hands and fall incomplete. One reason Givens is ahead of Quick at this point is special teams, because Givens is mixed in with Isaiah Pead on kickoff returns.

The return of Austin Pettis from the NFL suspension list last week pushed Quick to the inactive list Sunday. Pettis was in for 11 offensive plays against Chicago but wasn't targeted.

There was a play late in the third quarter where Bradford looked his way, but Pettis was jammed coming off the line and had trouble getting into his route. Amendola was well-covered on the other side of the field, and Bradford ended up taking a coverage sack.

[Rambos]

Quick will keep working hard and he will get his chance. Maybe he will have an edge to him knowing he had to earn it. He looks so smooth!

[AvengerRam]

Not a lot of information in that article. I'm glad that Quick is being professional about the situation.

He'll get his chance this season. I hope he is able to make the most of it.

[BarronWade]

I know its a very small sample size of 1 good game...but Ramses Barden on the Jets also can from a small school and now gives the already talented giants receivers more depth

Quick needs to just keep working and keeping his head up last year Quinn was inactive a couple games

[r8rh8rmike]

Sometimes it just takes time. Justin Blackmon is struggling, with only 4 receptions for 31 yards. Quick's time will come.

[rammiser]

Leaving him on the inactive list isnt helping him though. If they see something in him they should be mixing him in here or there. Getting no playing time isnt making him a better player in my opinion.

[macrammer]

Leaving him on the inactive list isnt helping him though. If they see something in him they should be mixing him in here or there. Getting no playing time isnt making him a better player in my opinion.

it would simply seem he cannot breakthrough our stalwart receiving corp........

[thoey]

I look at it that they probably didn't dress him as they needed to dress another spot at a different position instead. Like as many OL as they could find (or anyone big enough that they might be able to put at that position).

[hawaiianpunch]

they need to try putting him on man coverage then hitting him with a fade or a quick hitch. SF used to run that all day against us when they had T.O. we used to bomb it out to DX like that, we need to do the same with quick. giving him some quick receptions here and there could be key to make or break him. If we let him go like we do other players, and he becomes elite i am going to shake my head at this in typing and physical.

[Goldenfleece]

If he's making big plays during practice when the ball gets to him, it makes me think that it's possible that he still doesn't have the playbook down or struggles with the terminology or isn't running crisp routes, so therefore has a limited route tree.

It's probably too early to read much into it, but we certainly could use a big, talented receiver about now. Gibson and Amendola probably aren't the worst starting pair of receivers in the league, but they very well might be the least athletically gifted starting pair. Both guys seemingly earn their keep by making tough catches and doing the little things right, but our top physical talents would seem to be the speed and quickness of Smith and Givens (#3 and #4) and the combination of size and speed of Quick (#6).

[bruce4life]

Ramses Barden 3rd round pick from San Jose State in 2009 is on the Giants. barden has developed into a nice pick for them.

I just do not understand how teams like the Giants and steelers with Barden, antonio brown, emanuel sanders, mike wallace, mario manningham, victor cruz, hakeem nicks, etc can develop receivers yet we cannot develop a single receiver since Holt.

[Nick]

I look at it that they probably didn't dress him as they needed to dress another spot at a different position instead. Like as many OL as they could find (or anyone big enough that they might be able to put at that position).

This would be my guess as well.

Sure, if Quick were out playing or out practicing the five guys ahead of him (Danny, Smith, Gibson, Givens, Pettis), he'd be on the field instead of them. But he isn't, according to Fisher.

So the question becomes, who do you sit in order to have a sixth WR on game days?

Maybe in the Martz era, that sixth WR would be on the active roster, but in this offense, I think you'd have a hard time keeping him available instead of someone else who will see more time, either in the rotation on their primary unit or on special teams.

[Goldenfleece]

So the question becomes, who do you sit in order to have a sixth WR on game days?

I don't think too many people are disputing why we're not carrying Quick as a sixth receiver. I think the question is: Why can't "The Next TO" beat out a third round receiver returning from suspension and a rookie fourth round receiver to earn some playing time? It might not be fair to blame a guy for not meeting your expectations for where he was drafted, but in general, people do tend to expect that a guy taken in the first round isn't going to be taking up space in the borderline practice squad territory on the bench.

[tomahawk247]

Ramses Barden 3rd round pick from San Jose State in 2009 is on the Giants. barden has developed into a nice pick for them.

I just do not understand how teams like the Giants and steelers with Barden, antonio brown, emanuel sanders, mike wallace, mario manningham, victor cruz, hakeem nicks, etc can develop receivers yet we cannot develop a single receiver since Holt.

Barden was a pick in 2009 and had his breakout game last week. If that's not a sign for people to wait a bit on Quick, then i don't know what is

[Azul e Oro]

Barden was a pick in 2009 and had his breakout game last week. If that's not a sign for people to wait a bit on Quick, then i don't know what is

Barden had a good game but don't you have to stay out for a while before it's a break out...lol... ? Hard not to root for a kid named Ramses, though.

Anyway, not even looking for that; just some reps & flashes like we're getting from Givens. Apparently, The Rams feel the same;from the OC reported in another thread/article:

“We have got some really talented young players and we need to play them,” Schottenheimer said. “They need to play and that’s how you develop them. It’s not from sitting on the bench and so I think you’ll see us sprinkle in some more guys as we get going here.”

Let's hope they get going this Sunday.