WARNER'S FLAWS AND CHANCES, BY CALVIN (Aug 30)Add yourself to The HERD's Official Roster (guestbook), if you think you are man enough!
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The wheel. In this new "chimp" offense the Rams run, the QB must quickly look at all of his receivers, which can be 4 or 5 people. Kurt has no problem doing this on the short routes, as this is just like arena ball, but on the long routes---routes that reach beyond the safety starting position, he misses things about 15% of the time, and often does not make it to the blind side receivers, which forces the coach to call patterns which don't use the whole width of the field. That make the offense predicable. Because of that the Rams are using a new pocket formation---more on that later.
Banks had this same problem reading all his receivers. Kurt does not have it to the extent that Tony did and he does get through the wheel eventually (Banks just didn't bother) without locking on just his primary (like Banks did) but still it throws off his timing.
On longer passes this means that he will sometimes not have enough lead on the ball, causing the receiver to break the flow of his route (so the ball appears underthrown). Since not that many teams ever use a 30 yard button hook on the end of a post or fly pattern this can be a problem.
This new Air Coryell or chimp offense calls for exact timing: get-the-snap-step-step-look-step-one banana-two-banana-throw. Between the first look, before the last step back on the drop and the second banana, the QB must find the most open receiver or dump it to the release guy in the flat or take off with it. Add two more steps back before the bananas on long long routes.
Warner is not afraid to take off with the ball but in a footrace with Warner and a penguin its about even money.
On shorter passes, like I said he has no problem, as the head move is a clean sweep to the sides. On the long passes it means he has to add an extra movement. He has to cock his head up and down while sweeping to the side and this throws off his timing. The only way he is going to get better at this is by doing it, and that means we will have to put up with the learning process. The advantage is that Warner does have the short stuff down. So he is 50% ahead of where Banks ever was.
You all saw the pass Warner threw right after Green went down---thrown perfectly right between 5 defenders. He put the ball where only Holt could catch it (who then promptly fumbled it). I don't know if he could have laid up the pass that Green threw to Bruce. He has the distance, no problem, even Martz say he has a stronger arm than Green, but he releases late, throwing off the receiver's timing, and so the ball is then short a step or two sometimes (very bad).
He has done fine in Euro ball but like everyone says people are a step slower there, and passes like the TD pass in the Colts scrimmage won't cut it.
I have seen him push linemen up to the line and so it seems like he doesn't have any problems being in charge.
Warner will end up making his line look good. Don't freak if you see him stepping up in the pocket with his left hand on Timmermann's shoulder as he throws (letting him know not to back up anymore) Jim Hart used to do that a lot. Since Warner is not overly mobile, like Fouts, look for the Rams to make a sliding line or slanted pocket. This mean Pace takes a step back, Nutten, two Grut. three, Timmermann four, and Miller (or most likely Tucker later, you watch cause he is the most nimble) has to hustle back 5 or 6 steps
This / - - - /Slant line instead of the traditional pocket means that Warner will be where the s is (in "slant") and means he can simply side up and down the line instead of rolling out while finding his receiver.
Because of this we will be wanting to get the ball snapped from the left hash marks to give Warner the easiest and most open field of vision to his right. Look for Faulk to be running to Pace's side with Timmerman pulling a lot to set up this field for Warner.
The Rams were using this pocket style a lot. Look at where the line ends up in the Oakland game---they end up sort of askew to the line of scrimmage, but all in a line. The first team did this for Green too.
I heaped scorn on the Banks fanatics the last 2 and half year years. The roles are reversed---this year I will be defending the QB. I am betting that defending Warner is going to be a lot easier than defending Banks. No matter how well he does I am sure I will be defending him from the STL press as Clayborn and his ilk don't get along with Warner, as they are so Div 1 that for them the draft is the only socially approved way to make it into the NFL. Snobby. There is already bad blood.
Clayborn ran his mouth off about "Euroboy" and how he would be back busting sod and storming barns for the Barnbuilders before the end of camp last year and how he "played at a no name farmers only college" (a slap at Warner's modest roots) last year.
I would i bet my neck on Warner.
As to my bet as I type my dear old ma is standing in line at the sports bar at Sam's town in Las Vegas (she lives across the street now) clutching a fistful of my cash to make three bets as I just got off the phone with her.
my bets are:
bet one the Rams make the playoffs
bet Two The Rams win the NFC
bet three the Rams win the Supper bowl.
by tomorrow I will put up the latest Rams post-Green odds for the Rams chances from bookies world.
It seems the bookies don't share my faith in Warner and the bet for the Rams to make the playoffs is now a good longshot payoff.