Kupp and Puka are similar in the way Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin were similar when Warner took the Cards to the Super Bowl. Fitz was the better route runner, Boldin more physical - and both had great hands. Neither was a speed merchant or "deep threat" but they got open deep often enough because Warner had protection for long enough to let a play develop.
He also had Edgerrin James on fresh legs at running back.
He had his team ahead when he left the field with just over 2 minutes to go - and the Card defense couldn't hold.
Takeaways?
For me, as a Ram fan since 1949 and a Warner fan, these are the main ones that apply to us today:
1. If you have a quarterback who is accurate and can antcipate when a receiver will make the cut - and has the sense of timing to have the ball in the air when he does - you can play well enough in a Super Bowl agains a defense with a loaded defensive backfield to win it.
2. Play action as a building block component of an effective running game is essential to make your passing game more than one-dimensional.
3. You need a line that can run block and pass-protect well enough to make your short and intermediate passing game go - and when the safeties are playing up, surprise them with an occasional long one - to make a Super Bowl offense witn a surgical passer but no "fast" deep threat.
4.You need a D line/OLB crew that can wear down the opposing O line and QB as the game goes on. Karlos Dansby operating alone as a disruptive DT couldn't do that against Rothliesberger.
Back to the question: Do we have too much of the same thing at wide receiver? No. Simply no.
What we lack is the components in addition to the wide receivers to make their game go.
And that's before we get into game planning and play calling, which to me is analogous to starting a chess game with only one rook and five pawns.
