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Do the Rams play out of the shotgun more next year if they take Bradford?

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  • #1

    Do the Rams play out of the shotgun more next year if they take Bradford?

    Its looking increasingly likely that Bradford will be our first round pick this evening. There has been some criticism that Bradford has come from a spread offense, despite the fact that he did play under center often at Oklahoma.

    There has also been talk of Jason Smith being moved to left tackle, and a possibility that Alex Barron gets traded on draft day. At Baylor, Smith often played out of a two point stance at tackle. Some questioned his ability to run block as a result of this, but from his play last year, especially in the Detroit game, i think its clear there is no run blocking issues.

    However, if Smith and Bradford are more comfortable running out of a shotgun kind of offense, do you think we will see it used more than it has in the past?

    I can see it happening, but im not sure because obviously the offensive focal point is Steven Jackson, and the shotgun makes it more difficult to run the ball.
    @EssexRam_
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  • #2
    Re: Do the Rams play out of the shotgun more next year if they take Bradford?

    Maybe they put in more shotgun plays, sure. But I don't envision this team changing their offensive scheme based on that. They came in wanting to be a power running team that used West Coast concepts in the passing game. I don't think they'll stray from that too much, though it wouldn't surprise me to see a higher frequency of shotgun plays than last year.

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    • #3
      Re: Do the Rams play out of the shotgun more next year if they take Bradford?

      I would do as much as possible without bending my entire team to make Bradford succesful. I think we can expect to see more shotgun formations as we attempt to open up the offense more and become less predictable, but I expect a lot of pounding the rock to take pressure off of Bradford to win us games. If we get an effective second guy then this could very well be a great strategy.

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      • #4
        Re: Do the Rams play out of the shotgun more next year if they take Bradford?

        Originally posted by Nick View Post
        Maybe they put in more shotgun plays, sure. But I don't envision this team changing their offensive scheme based on that. They came in wanting to be a power running team that used West Coast concepts in the passing game. I don't think they'll stray from that too much, though it wouldn't surprise me to see a higher frequency of shotgun plays than last year.
        Oh of course, i dont see us going into a complete, shotgun only O. But i think we will use the gun a fair bit.
        @EssexRam_

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        • #5
          Re: Do the Rams play out of the shotgun more next year if they take Bradford?

          he will have to throw from the stands if he is to be safe. (except in oakland)
          LA RAMMER

          It's Jim not Chris
          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HNgqQVHI_8

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          • #6
            Re: Do the Rams play out of the shotgun more next year if they take Bradford?

            I never understood why the Rams didn't use more shotguns with Bulger to buy him a couple extra seconds. I would use shotgun 80% of the time with Bradford like the Colts do with Manning. Why not ? You can run any play out of shotgun plus give your QB a couple extra seconds, plus he is very comfortable with it.

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            • #7
              Re: Do the Rams play out of the shotgun more next year if they take Bradford?

              Hopefully it will be Feely throwing from the shotgun. I don't wanna see the kid get killed already. We still need time to build a line...

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              • #8
                Re: Do the Rams play out of the shotgun more next year if they take Bradford?

                Now that the Rams have drafted Bradford this becomes a very valid concern.

                At this stage untill rounds 2-3 of the draft are done, and preseason is over, I don't think the shotgun would be that affective. Other then draw plays and crazy screen plays, a team in shotgun is pretty much committed to throwing. In the Rams case, at this point in time who are your targets to deliver the ball too? Opposing defenses need but double cover the Rams top 2 WR and go man-to-man with your 3rd and 4th recievers in a Tampa-2 coverage--then what? Dump off pass to S. Jackson? Darn almost sounds like Rams last 2 seasons.

                Fortunately the draft ain't over yet, nor is any other possible acquistions down the road. Personally am hoping the Rams will pick up a moose of a RB or FB to compliment S. Jackson. Besides picking up a speedster for the reciever core, the Shotgun becomes very viable. It adds the the element of uncertainty--will the Rams Run it, throw it or something in between?

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                • #9
                  Re: Do the Rams play out of the shotgun more next year if they take Bradford?

                  Unless we improve a great deal on the offensive line (which hopefully starts with a healthy jason smith), the best shotgun formation for Bradford is going to involve more snaps for chris massey. If we utilize the long snapper and bradford starts 15 yards behind center, he, unlike bulger, will have a chance to throw without getting killed.

                  ramming speed to all

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                  • MauiRam
                    The evolution of Bradford and the Rams ..
                    by MauiRam
                    September, 6, 2013

                    By Nick Wagoner | ESPN.com

                    EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Rams quarterback Sam Bradford stops to ponder the question, searching the deeper recesses of his memory.

                    The question isn’t difficult, it’s a simple test of the mind. But considering how much information Bradford has socked away in the past six years, it’s not surprising it takes a minute to locate the answer.

                    Talking X’s and O’s after another training camp practice, Bradford is asked if he remembers how Oklahoma once built the nation’s most prolific, up-tempo offense around his right arm and the very brain he’s now using to come up with a response.

                    “It’s hard to remember back that far,” Bradford said, a sly grin creeping across his face.

                    Five-plus years really isn’t that far but in the mind of a quarterback who learned three new offensive schemes in his first three NFL seasons, that time might as well be translated to dog years.

                    When Bradford arrives at the answer, he begins retracing the steps it took him to a Heisman Trophy in the 2008 season and he begins to connect the dots between the transformation of that Sooners offense and the one the Rams are now building with him as the centerpiece.

                    ‘Play fast but don’t hurry’

                    In the years before Bradford arrived on the Oklahoma campus, the Sooners were a run-heavy team, making the easy decision to put the ball in the hands of running backs like Adrian Peterson. Oklahoma ran the ball 61 percent of the time in 2005 and 62 percent in 2006.

                    Peterson departed for the NFL draft after that season and then-Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson & Co. began to evaluate which direction the offense would go.

                    Bradford was coming off a redshirt freshman season in which he impressed on the scout team and positioned himself to take over as starter. Just as the Sooners were ready to make it official, Bradford struggled mightily in a public scrimmage.

                    “He had probably his worst scrimmage of the whole time he was there,” Wilson said. “The day we were ready to say Sam is the guy, he just had an off day.”

                    The Sooners still decided to make Bradford the starter. From there, the evolution of the offense took on a life of its own. While in the process of determining their offensive personality, things began to turn in the team’s second game of the season, against Miami (Fla.).

                    In the week leading up to the game, the Sooners had practiced a play-action pass designed to get receiver Malcolm Kelly open in the back of the end zone. Bradford hit Kelly six, seven, eight times for a touchdown during the week.

                    When Wilson called the play in the game, Miami’s safeties stayed home and Kelly was not an option. Bradford calmly flipped a pass in the flat to fullback Dane Zaslaw for a walk-in 9-yard touchdown, one of five he threw that day....
                    -09-06-2013, 10:45 AM
                  • Rambos
                    Rams' Bradford ready to turn corner
                    by Rambos
                    August 08, 2012|By Dan Pompei, Tribune reporter

                    Sam Bradford may have come to the fork in the road in his career.

                    Go left, and he will become a regrettable first pick of the draft. Go right, and he will become the next superstar quarterback.

                    Nobody around Rams camp believes he has any chance of going left.

                    His coach Jeff Fisher said Bradford has as much talent as any quarterback.

                    “He has arm strength, accuracy, vision, commitment, competitiveness -- he’s a quiet competitor,” Fisher said. “He’s special.”

                    Bradford did not play that way in his second season in 2011. He struggled with a high ankle sprain that still is a minor issue. He missed six games. He completed 53.5 percent of his throws. He had a 70.5 passer rating. And he won only one of his 10 starts.

                    Bradford is trying his best to forget about that season.

                    “I probably put more pressure on myself to play well than anyone on the outside does,” he said. “I expect to play at a high level. Last year I didn’t play at that level for much of the year. It was really frustrating to go along with the injuries I had. It’s a new year, new team. I’m looking forward to playing at the level I know I’m capable of.”

                    Bradford can’t play at the level he is capable of without a little help.

                    This year, he likely will be depending on some inexperienced receivers. The Rams did not sign a big name veteran free agent (they did bring in Steve Smith from the Eagles), but they used a second-round pick on receiver Brian Quick, and a fourth-rounder on receiver Chris Givens.

                    Neither of the rookies has been lighting it up in camp.

                    “Part of my job is getting those wide receivers playing at as high a level as quickly as possible,” Bradford said. “It’s tough for rookies, especially wide receivers. It’s a huge jump to go from college to the NFL at that position. They have to process a lot and do things physically they probably didn’t have to do in college. I think in time they will help us win.”

                    Of greater concern for Bradford is the pass protection. In 26 games, Bradford has been sacked 70 times, knocked down 151 times and had 27 passes batted down at the line.

                    The Rams are likely to have two new starters on the offensive line this year, as free agent center Scott Wells and left guard Quinn Ojinnaka CQ are expected to be in the lineup. But the real questions are at tackle, where Rodger Saffold CQ and Jason Smith have to prove themselves.

                    Fisher promises to keep Bradford clean by any means necessary. If that means giving those tackles an unusual amount of help, so be it.

                    “I’m not concerned about pass protection,” Bradford said. “That’s on me too. I have to be quicker with my decisions and eliminate some of the hits and sacks I’ve taken in the past.”

                    It might not be easy to make...
                    -08-09-2012, 09:37 AM
                  • Tampa_Ram
                    Sam Bradford: Top 10 QB's 25 or under
                    by Tampa_Ram
                    Top 10 quarterbacks 25 or under: Sam Bradford

                    83

                    • By Gregg Rosenthal
                    • Around The League Editor
                    • Published: May 22, 2013 at 05:49 p.m.
                    • Updated: May 23, 2013 at 09:29 a.m.




                    This is the age of the young quarterback. Buoyed by the draft class of 2012, we have a surplus of promising young signal-callers. Around The League and "NFL Total Access" will count down the top 10 quarterbacks 25 or under we'd want leading our franchise. You can see the entire list here.
                    No. 8: Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams

                    Why he's here

                    Bradford was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft for a reason. (Well, other than the fact the St. Louis Rams badly needed a quarterback and the next QB drafted that year was Tim Tebow.) Bradford came out of Oklahoma known for his accuracy, NFL arm and smarts. After three years and 42 starts, Bradford as a pro is tougher to define.
                    Evaluating Bradford was harder than any quarterback on this list because of the lack of players around him and his offensive system in 2012. Bradford has played for three dramatically different offenses in three seasons. Blaming the surrounding talent often is a cheap excuse because you can isolate quarterback play, but Bradford's supporting cast often masked solid performances.

                    The arm strength is still there. And despite the Rams' often frustrating station-to-station offense under coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, Bradford enjoyed his best season in 2012. The play below is a nice example of Bradford's ability to throw on the move and use his natural velocity.


                    Bradford threw 21 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions last season, dramatically raising his yards per attempt average to 6.7. You had to squint, but there was real progress in 2012. Just not enough to satisfy many Rams fans.
                    Why he's not higher

                    It's fair to say Bradford has not elevated the play of those around him. In 2011 especially, he appeared shell-shocked because of all the pressure he saw. Early pressure often was a problem last season, but timing with his young receiver crew was the bigger issue. The Rams did not have receivers who could win against press man coverage, which especially killed them on third downs. Even when his receivers won, Bradford often threw behind them on slant routes.
                    Perhaps Bradford's biggest issue is the toughest to evaluate for an outsider. Greg Cosell of NFL Films would call it "seeing the field clearly." On plays Bradford got the right protection and what he wanted out of the coverage, he often hesitated. This led to dump-off passes when the play design called for more. The first play in the package below is an example of what...
                    -05-23-2013, 08:38 AM
                  • RockinRam
                    Why I think Sam Bradford should be our guy
                    by RockinRam




                    First off, I am not an Oklahoma Sooner fan. On the contrary, I am a UT (Texas) fan, which makes it quite of a surprise that I like Bradford so much.



                    Now let's get down to business.


                    In this opinionated argument, I'm not going to harp on Suh. I'm going to stay closely to Bradford.

                    Okay, first point.

                    Devaney and Spags are trying to remake this franchise into their own philosophy and dynasty. In order to do that, they need a "fresh" start. And by fresh start it means setting the future for the most important position the field. The QB. In this perspective, ignoring everything else, Sam Bradford comes in to this team giving the Rams a new identity. It's the start of a new decade, and it should be the start of a new decade of Ram's football. We ended the last decade on a horrible note, stats wise, and it's time to start anew. Bradford coming in gives us that fresh start. No matter what people say about Suh, a fresh QB gives fans and the organization a much needed rejuvinator than a DT would ever give.


                    Second point

                    We are trying to run a West Coast Offense. And by what that means, we are not going to be consistently running huge pass plays, pass plays that require 50 yard bombs. We are running a timing offense, backed by a ground and pound running game led by Steven Jackson.

                    And Sam Bradford would excel in our offense. Why you ask?

                    Because,

                    1) Bradford excels in the short and medium pass routes. His accuracy in these departments are spot-on elite, and he has enough zip to be solid in the WCO.

                    2) He knows how to develop timing with his receivers. That is why the 2008 Oklahoma offense was so prolific. Bradford's timing with his receivers was insane. He is an amazingly smart QB who has great touch, feel, and timing to win in the NFL.

                    That is why he would succeed in our offense. A WCO is based on timing between the QB and WR, and Bradford would wreck havoc once he gets the timing down with our young WR's.


                    Third point

                    More of why Bradford is a close to perfect fit for our scheme.

                    Bradford is not a gun-slinger. That's been determined. He has above average arm strength, but he is by no means a Derek Anderson-Jamarcus Russell type QB.

                    But that's better for Bradford. You know why?

                    Because I would take a precision QB over a gun-slinging QB anyday of the week.


                    Let's compare Bradford and other similar QB's (For example a young Marc Bulger) to a sniper. A sniper is patient, he doesn't make foolish decisions. He intelligently picks his target, and once he does, he delivers to his target with precision and timing. Snipers excel.

                    Quarterbacks like Derek Anderson and Jamarcus Russell are gun-slingers. They can be compared to a shotgun. Shotguns aren't very...
                    -03-25-2010, 08:22 PM
                  • RockinRam
                    Rams need to utilize Bradford in shotgun
                    by RockinRam
                    By Doug Farrar, Special to Yahoo! Sports 5 hours, 14 minutes ago...
                    -05-19-2010, 02:28 PM
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