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9er8er
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dzrams
What are you referring to?
You keep stating that Watkins hasn't been productive in his career.
My question is, which year are you referring to? 2014 and 2015 where he essentially had 1000 yard seasons with 15 TDs in that period?
Or 2016 where he had 430 yards in half a season?
Or this year where he scored 8 TDs?
Let me know so I can follow along because right now, I'm not seeing what you're selling.
Productive is a relative term. Productive compared to what? To anywhere close to his expectations? No, never. Productive compared to say, the rookie 3rd round draft pick Cooper Kupp? Sure, that's happened.
His first two seasons in Buffalo they forced him the ball A LOT. He was targeted about 220 times over those two seasons. But not a lot of production still relative to all that attention.
He's no longer in that state where he's the team's franchise player because they traded 2 first round and a fourth round pick to move up to draft him 4th overall. Now he has to actually earn his targets. That team tried and gave up. The Rams are trying now but not with great success. Some, sure, because he does one or two things pretty well. He uses his size and strength to catch quick slants near the goal line well. And the Rams utilized it and he scored 8 TD's largely because of it. But this reminds me of those attempting to justify the Austin extension because the previous regime designed some specific plays for him to score TD's and he scored 10 of them. Super productive player that demanded a lot of money and attention, right? Yeah, not right. They found a way to use him in limited situations. That's all.
As I've said many times before, if your argument is he can put up pretty ordinary numbers overall, then sure, that's productive. But right now he's the 3rd best WR on the Rams, he's been unexceptional throughout his career and that's been true over 2 teams, a couple offenses and a few QB's. It's just....true.
You're doing way too much unnecessary contortions to explain away objectively productive career numbers.
1000 yard seasons are good and productive by every objective measure and it's been that way since the game of football began.
I will grant this, his career production is less than what was expected but he's still been productive. That just...true.
You may minimize that he demands attention but you would just be...wrong. At least according to the HC.
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It sounds cliché, but when you have a player like him, he does often dictate and determine coverage,” McVay said. “He was productive for our offense and that isn’t exclusive to just looking at his catches, his touchdowns, and his yardage. That’s what he did without the ball, how he affects the defense, and then what that does to open up some people around him.”Watkins Hopes to Stay in 2018
You assert that they found a way to use him in limited situations and try to make it sound as if they had to make do with his severely limited skill set. That's also just...wrong. At least according to the HC.
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But I think as you get into being around players for another year, absolutely we feel like we can figure out a way [where] I think we can use him better,” McVay continued. “I have to do a better job of utilizing his skill set.”"]