Sean McVay hasn't forgotten about Johnny Hekker's throwing ability

[theramswire.usatoday.com]
Sean McVay hasn't forgotten about Johnny Hekker's throwing ability

Cameron DaSilva
October 16, 2021 6:30 am PT
It’s been two years since Johnny Hekker has thrown a pass for the Rams, which may not seem like a long time for most punters but it certainly is for Hekker. From 2012-2019, he threw at least one pass in each season and has attempted 22 throws in his career.

He’s completed 13 of them for 13 first downs, including one touchdown pass back in 2012 when he was a rookie. Fans have grown restless waiting for Sean McVay to call a fake punt with Hekker, but the coach hasn’t forgotten about that unpredictable play.


“This might be the week,” McVay joked on Friday. “I think it’s all predicated on if we feel like that’s the best thing to be able to do given the scenario and the feel for the flow of the game. But it is well documented that he’s got the ability to throw the football and activate certain things. That’s something that you always want to keep in your back pocket. We always have those things up, whether we decide to activate them or not, is a game-predicated.”

Part of the benefit of the Rams keeping Hekker over Corey Bojorquez this season is his ability to throw the ball and catch defenses off guard with fakes. The Rams haven’t utilized that aspect of Hekker’s game since 2019, and with Matthew Stafford playing as well as he is, the Rams might be more likely to put the ball in his hands on fourth down instead of attempting a fake.

“I think the fact that you just know that he’s had success in those situations, it does regulate some of the looks that you see based on the punt return team that you’re facing,” McVay added. “But there are some instances too where you say, ‘OK, if you’re going to do that, maybe get Matthew another down.’ So, there’s a lot of things that go into that and all things that we think about.”

Under McVay, Hekker has thrown 10 passes and completed six of them. It’s not a play the Rams are going to use often, but with the experience that Hekker has and his accuracy throwing the ball, they’d be foolish not to utilize it on occasion.