Question (and how do we know?) is what are the playcalls? Is AR the primary target on those early downs where he records catches, and then is the playcaller making familiar targets, i.e. Kupp, Higbee, the receiver the play is designed to go to? Or is Stafford going through his reads and then coming back to Kupp?
I think it's the former. I think it's playcalling more than QB choice as the game wears on. I think McVay's familiarity with his top receivers as he processes the game play-by play, rather than seeing an overview of a game in which a real OC call the plays, is at least partially responsible for AR's number not being called as a game progresses.
An appointed OC might call a few plays differently that McVay, but if McVay's watching, taking things in, feeding info to the OC, calling time outs, noting who's getting tired and needing to take a blow, etc. would he be overall more effective? Or would he be less effective than when he is in charge of everything?
Case in point: Would he, late in the game, tell his OC "It's time to go to AR now."
I wonder...