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RFL
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Speed_Kills
The fear of the Rams’ vertical passing game has also opened up space underneath, forcing linebackers to not stray too far from the middle of the field and forcing secondaries to stay in zone, rather than play man coverage.
Uh-huh.
We've been lamenting our utter lack of verticality for YEARS. It makes all the difference.
And it doesn't require the deep bombs, though they're nice. You simply <!> have to be able to complete 10-18 yard passes. That opens everything up. Including the bombs.
I feel pretty sure that Gurley knew last year that there was nothing there and more or less accepted his fate. That isn't a compliment to his competitive fire. But everything about him now says he is alert and sharply and seeing possibilities ...
Because that verticality opens those possibilities up for him. I really think that accounts for him seeming to be a new player, as many have commented.
The Rams passing game weakness for years and years---and the stats bear this out---was lower completions and fairly low attempts in the 11-25 yard range.
The Fisher Rams were actually good at the 31+ yard deep passes. They schemed them in well, hit on them, and won whole games by setting those up. They had some qbs who could throw those (including, surprisingly, Keenum, who was and still is good at that). The numbers bear all this out.
Where they were lacking--and Rams teams before them--was the challenging, aggressive passes in that medium to deep medium range. Exactly as you say. Numbers bear THAT out too.
And as it happens, the combination of Goff and McVay on this means that the medium/deep medium pass is actually the team strength. I don't even mean A team strength, and I don't mean the offensive strength or just their passing game strength. It's the
team strength. It hasn't always clicked because Goff is still relatively inexperienced but there are also times where they can throw those at will. '
Goff will only get better and better that that too.
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