3zine.jpg (21333 bytes)SOMETHING   IMPORTANT  IN  THE  OAKLAND GAME, BY MIDMOFAN
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On the second play of the Oakland game Green had to call a timeout. The fans in my section started groaning, but most of them totally missed what went down. 

The Rams had obviously scripted. the first set of plays. After play #1, two replacements (WRs, I believe) run onto the field and sent two players out. Green immediatly started shouting at the sidlines, looking like he wanted the two new guys to go back and, apparently, for someone else to come in. Nobody seemed to pay any attention to him,  and with the time running down (and in fact the clock not working), he called a timeout. Green had a rather forceful looking conversation with the folks on the sideline.

After the timeout, the two "replacements" were back on the sideline and play #2 was run. After play #2 the two replacements (along with a third player) ran in and swapped places.

Clearly there had been a screw-up on the sideline on play #2,  and two of the players who were supposed to go in for play #3 were accidently sent in for play #2. Green either wanted the correct personnel for play #2 to come back on to the field, or to get the third guy he needed for play #3 out there.

So what does this tell me about our new QB? First, he knew the playbook and the play sequence cold. He instantly saw the problem and tried to correct it. Second, he was not going to let the sideline screw him up on this first series of downs. He knew how things were supposed to be and he was not going to be forced to improvise.

Now you could say that in a real game a lost timeout is more important than the second play, but this was probably one of the most important sequences of downs we have had in StL in a long time. Whether Green conciously thought of this or not, taking control and having a good first drive was vital for him, the team, and the fans,  and a botched play that early could have deflated all three.

Most importantly, Green was not intimidated, confused or hesitant. He took command immediately and made a decision. Needless to say, that is something we have not seen for some time. Obviously, in a real game situation, one might hope that he would find a way to preserve the timeout, but in that time and place, Green's actions before the second play of the year deserved a sigh (of relief) and not a groan. 
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