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Was firing Bobby April a mistake?

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  • #1

    Was firing Bobby April a mistake?

    Look at what Buffalo is doing on special teams.

    -They rank second in the league in average kick return yards.

    -They have returned three kickoffs for touchdowns, most in the league.

    -They're seventh in the league in average punt return yards.

    -They have two punt return touchdowns, tied for best in the league.

    -Opponents average only 19.0 yards returning kickoffs against them (third best in the league).

    -Opponents average 8.1 yards returning punts on them (15th best in the league)

    -They have not allowed one punt or kickoff touchdown.

    In 2003, their numbers weren't nearly as convincing. While their coverage units were not drastically worse, their kick and punt returners and teams didn't gain the kind of numbers they are this year.

    So the question is, is it all April or what? I remember many Ram fans from various places cursing his name, but it appears he's doing some good up north.
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  • #2
    Re: Was firing Bobby April a mistake?

    Probably, but even a good coach can't win with bad talent. The Rams have a sorry special teams unit, and although I see alot of things that appear to be basics that need to be coached, I also see a unit that has done poorly with 3 different coaches, so it probably wasn't as much Bobby April as a team (led by MM) that doesn't put enough focus and resources on special teams.

    April was supposedly one of the best ST coaches out there, and if I recall correctly, the Rams/Martz gave him another season to coach after a bad year, so I think he had his chance and for whatever reason, it just didn't work out.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Was firing Bobby April a mistake?

      It was probably best for both parties that April was let go. However, the performance of the Bill st shows that the Rams st problems went deeper than the coach.

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Was firing Bobby April a mistake?

        Yes it was a mistake, they should have fired the "fat retard" instead of April.

        Comment

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        • moloch41
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          Can anyone explain why the kick and punt return coverages for this unit are still below average? I know at first Mad Mike didn't think they were all that important (like defense or turnovers) until he got bashed so badly that they fired Bobby April (who moved to the Bills and had the #1 ranked special teams, I think) and then went to hire someone else who also coached a terrible coverage unit. Now, Linehan comes in and claims it's going to be one of the higher priorities (which it seemed it was because they went out and got some guys that are good ST performers and a new coach), but they are really only marginally better.

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          I really think the punting of Donnie Jones has saved us a lot of heartache or that unit would be far worse. I just can't see how you can put out such bad special teams year after year and not be able to fix it. One would think it a simple task.
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        • RamWraith
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          By Bryan Burwell
          Of the Post-Dispatch
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          unless you have some demented fascination with excruciating headaches or
          exacerbating heartbreaks.

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          from the rest of this menagerie of nondescript NFL teams that have muddled up
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