Don't Buy in to the Trick Play Crap

Even some Rams fans are joining the Saints in implying that the Rams jumped on top by the use of trick plays and, once those cards had been played, the Saints beat us. BS! I thought we moved the ball quite well on an outstanding defensive unit. Take note of the 4th quarter drive that tied the game and the 4th quarter drive that could have put us ahead had Canidate not fumbled going for the first down. There is nothing wrong with the offense other than hanging on the da#@ ball.

BTW, is it me being overly critical or has Holt dropped a lot of balls all year?

[RamDez]

The rams in general have dropped a lot of balls this year

I wonder if anyone can dig up some stats on that ??

[RamWraith]

agree

I have noticed the same thing about dropping the ball. It REALLY appears to me ALL the receivers are trying to run before the catch. Even in completions you will notice that most of them look up field before the ball is tucked away. I think this is taught by Martz.

If you notice as well if ANY player is near them they take a digger straight to the ground.

[MsWistRAM]

Look again at last season. They dropped a few then too, including the likes of Bruce and Faulk. Does seem though that there is an increase, but that might be desceptive because they have been on key plays. Holt isn't dropping them anymore than anyone else, I don't think. I suppose there's a rule that says you can't use 2-way tape on the tips of the receivers and backs fingertips?

As for the trick plays, I still get a kick out of them and would have liked to have seen (or heard) more of them. You'll never see me speak against them. Are they listening: not less tricks, more!;)

[AJD45]

re: drops

www.profootballweekly.com has all the great stats you usually can't find, such as drops. (They get 'em from Stats, Inc., and remember that there is some interpretation as to what is a "drop" -- although not quite as bad as when Madden has his crew fabricate numbers to support, say, if he thinks a QB is getting "hurried" -- but I digress...)

Anyway, Holt dropped 10 passes all last year, Bruce 6. The league leader in 2000 was Rod Smith with 17.

This year, Faulk leads the Rams with 4 drops! Bruce has 3, Holt 2. Antonio Freeman leads the league with 7.

14% of Warner's incompletions this year are from drops. Last year it was 18%. So this seems to back what MsWistRAM said, maybe we are noticing more because it's happening on key plays.

The biggest change in Warner's incompletion numbers (again, these categories are subject to interpretation -- there is a huge % in a category called "other") is in the pass defensed category, which is up 10% over last year.

Perhaps a lot of the "problems" that are going on is because of the fact that over half our games have been played against the Saints, Giants, Eagles and Miami -- among the better defenses in the NFL.

I put "problems" in quotes because the Rams are 6-1 even despite playing one of the toughest schedules and losing their starting RB.

The Rams only lost by 3 points despite giving up 8 turnovers. Anyone thinking the Saints deserve credit for earning the win here is being kinda silly. If you get 8 turnovers, you should win by 40 points to deserve any credit, IMHO.

The only real problem I see is the fumbling, which has got to stop. We lost 12 fumbles last year. This year, we lead the NFL with 12 *lost* fumbles already!! Part of this is the better opponents, part of it is Rams lack of protecting the ball, part is simply the luck of which way the ball bounces. And even with some bad luck and careless play, we're still sittin' on top of the NFL. ;)

[RamDez]

thanks AJD45,
Good reading

[txramsfan]

Great going AJD. Love those kind of stats. I see a lot of dropped balls lately, but I also see something that a majority of the teams don't do, go across the middle consistently. We are always sending Bruce and Holt across the middle and I see a few more safeties lingering around. Maybe that is why they drop the ball. Hey, one or two have been blatant, and they will be the first one to admit it. However, some have come when a safety is about to deck them, and it is early in the season. We are 6-1. still have the BEST record in all of the NFC, and tied for the best in the NFL. Bye week gets Faulk healthy, and open up with Carolina to start the second half. We technically win 2 games with Marshall out, and he was last years MVP, and really blew the loss. What I am saying is this, teams do play us a little differently now. I don't blame 80 and 88 for getting down. Stretch it in the playoffs.

[MsWistRAM]

Hey, AJD45, nice piece of journalism. Do you do this for a living? Just curious.

[AJD45]

flattered

I'm flattered by your question, MsWistRAM... no, not for a living, but I have been known to write up something at www.49erhaters.com from time to time.

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