Week 1: Player to Watch - WR Mark Clayton
by VTramsFan on Sep 10, 2010 5:42 PM CDT
in 2010 St. Louis Rams season
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PrintThis Sunday the Rams face their biggest test so far in the Spags era when they host the Arizona Cardinals in week 1 of the 2010 NFL season.
But is it a test for the Rams or for Spags?
This is Spags second season at the helm, and believe me, all eyes will be on this team to see just how well they will perform, and more importantly, to see how far they have come since Spags took over. Are two drafts, and two offseasons enough to at least give a poor team the look of a turnaround team if being directed properly? That's up for debate.
Right now I want to talk about a guy who you may know pretty well after week one... WR Mark Clayton.
Admittedly, I know very little about him. I do know he is a seasoned guy, who by the sake of the Ravens being loaded at wide receiver (Boldin, Houshmandzadeh), landed in St. Louis to (at least for this year) be the number one guy and veteran leader our young receiving squad needs, all for the bargain price of a sixth round draft pick (we also got their seventh rounder).
Earlier this week we heard he was picking up on the playbook really well. Keep in mind, the Rams offensive system is completely different from the Ravens. It's not like he came from Philly... the playbook including numbers, letters, you name it - is all different.
I just listened to 101ESPN radio's Fast Lane show with Brian Stull (Stully) who mentioned something quite interesting about Clayton. Clayton already knows the ENTIRE playbook. No, not a "good enough" grasp, but the ENTIRE playbook. The guys is SMART... really smart.
As a matter of fact, Stully also talked to Mardy Gilyard and a few other Ram receivers, and they were shaking their heads mentioning that Clayton actually helped them lineup on a few plays... yea, I'd say he knows the playbook. They also said his speed is faster than recorded. I liked the sound of ALL of this.
But how can a guy learn, essentially a foreign language, THAT FAST? Is it possible? Stully mentioned that Clayton personally told him he has a REAL photographic memory. He saw the playbook, DONE. He also mentioned to Stully that he played QB in high school.
The Rams staff are all scratching their heads wondering why Baltimore let this guy go.
Granted, he has yet to catch ONE pass for the Rams, and there are players who practice well and perform well in the preseason but it never carries over to the regular season (see Samkon Gado) but my point is, with what I'm hearing, don't be surprised if this guy becomes really popular soon to opposing defenses as well as Rams fans.
PS: Don't forget to check out 3k's game preview where you can see all the matchups.
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Offensive, YES.. crazy eh?
"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi
...at least partly, I mean.
Shurmur isn’t completely off the hook after the last two preseason games, is he?
Playbook? duh. 1st down run up the middle, 2nd down run left or right (flip coin), 3rd down = short pass.
Shurmur thinks flea flicker means when you knock fleas off your arm and that long passes are something only other teams are allowed to try.
hahahahahah Man i knew I set THIS up
"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi
Hey, I am just looking for the rams to....
Run one pass play effectively…short long…hey I am not picky!
ive been hoping for so long the rams would go play action on first down the throw deep
and they finally did just that in the preseason and what do u know…it worked. its the perfect play since the defense is so zoned in on sjax
by Buck Nasty87 on Sep 10, 2010 7:47 PM CDT up reply actions
I agree...they look better...
but that whole preseason thing.
If you watched last nights game, the vikings ran a simliar play that the rams did in preseason the play action pass to the TE on the seam route. Visanthe was only like a half a step ahead of his cover guy and Farve dropped it right in there.
The difference is when the rams ran it, whoami was 5 steps over the top at least ordering a yuengling…that wont happen against the Cards, he will be nuts to butt with a safety or even a LB. RamSam can make this throw easily though, but it will be mental, will he pull the trigger.
And our Oline must be ALOT better at pass blocking. Last year, when they saw the blitz, they looked like a bunch of elephants that just saw a mouse.
It's possible
Some playbooks are half as thick as others in the NFL. That being said, even the thinnest has dozens of different assignments for the WRs.
You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.
by 3k on Sep 10, 2010 8:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Yes agreed...
We can joke about Shurmer but bottom line, it’s one hell of an accomplishment to say the least!
"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi
this is looking like a fantastic addition
i just dont want to see anymore comments along the lines of, avery’s injury was a blessing in disguise. avery worked his butt off and i still think he has the potential to be great and was simply a victim of a poor passing attack and terrible play calling. im not sure if he is a number 1 or 2 WR but he could be lethal in the slot. it shouldnt of taken a season ending injury to one of our top guys to get the front office to make a move on a solid vet WR that we so desperately needed. imagine if avery was still healthy AND we made a move for clayton. Robinson and clayton on the outside and avery in the slot. that would be a pretty deadly combo.
I indirectly criticized him...
…but only cause I don’t think he’s an adequate #1 WR. I think he’s a pretty good #2, but with a brand spankin’ new KING at the helm, he’s not the kind of guy who can make HUGE plays on his own. I’m just saying…
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Sep 10, 2010 6:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Motivated?
I believe Clayton is very motivated to make the Ravens eat crow/humble pie.
1) I believe our playbook is easy
2) cool deal
"Twin-headed infinite swirling vortex of grotesque suckitude known as Tony Clark and Eric Byrnes"
by sergey606 on Sep 10, 2010 6:52 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
3 plays isnt hard to learn
run a slant. run a streak. throw a block…. gotcha
Everyone should go over to...
101ESPN.com and check out their audios, has a Clayton interview where he clearly states that our playbook has a lot more terminology and that since he got traded he’s put about 4 hours a day into studying it.
And they just have great audio’s all the time.
Feeling great about this guy!!
I honestly didn’t know much about him but after watching highlights from his time in college and in Baltimore, I think he is a great addition. I know that highlight videos can make anybody look good but in those highlights you can see how fast he is and how well he runs routes and cashes in YAC.
Now we also know that he has an amazing personality and a great work ethic. Some of the things that have transpired about his personality remind me of Isaac Bruce.
I have a feeling that his guy is going to be really, REALLY good for the Rams.
Imagine for a second that we become competitive this year and the FO wants to take the next step next year and get a true #1 WR, add Avery and Clayton and we would have an incredible passing game.
The turnaround of this franchise starts this Sunday! Go Rams!!!!
by abiRam on Sep 10, 2010 10:35 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
His problem with the Ravens was dropped passes.
I watched games where he dropped almost everything they threw to him. Eventually they just quit trying to throw his way. If he can get his mind locked into watching the ball all the way into his hands instead of peeking to see where the defender is, he should do a really good job.
that is a problem
the only good thing is that when I was talking with a Raven’s fan they said he actually has good hands but bad focus. They said he would make stupid mental errors like not turn his head around in time etc. I think that type of problem is correctable and happens alot in a WR first few years. Not saying he will correct it, just that it can be fixed.
his problem with the ravens was not drop passes he has great hands and he doesnt
drop balls often how would i know becuase I am a raven fan I watch games he played
if he can give any sort of production at all
then he’s a complete steal. if nothing else he gives experience to a much needed area.
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