Sam Bradford and Protection Calls

by DaFranchiZe on Aug 21, 2011 11:33 PM CDT

Watching the game live against the Titans at the Edward Jones Dome didn't give me a chance to find out about the new part of the offense that Bradford has to learn, protection calls. I didn't actually find out about it until Marshall Faulk mentioned it on TV when I watched the recorded version of the game late last night.

So I started thinking what were the biggest problems last night on the offensive side of the ball? Other than the fact the Rams had trouble moving the ball on the ground the Titans started to abuse Bradford's novice skills at line protection calls. Sam Bradford was essentially lost, well more confused, when the Titans would show blitz. He was either missing defenders, Courtland Finnegan coming free off the line comes to mind, or most likely calling out the wrong protections. Once the Titans defensive coordinator saw this he basically threw the kitchen sink at Bradford. I mean really, who blitz's the teams best CB in the preseason....more than once?

I understand Josh McDaniels has confidence in his young franchise QB, but to expect him to learn the offense, audibles, hurry up offense and protection calls seems like a lot. (Side note: I would love to know how many quarterbacks actually call their own protections.) Once the Titans figured they could blitz at will the entire offense sputtered. Thank God it happened in the 2nd week of preseason and not the 2nd week of the regular season, but wouldn't there be an easier way to get the protections set? Couldn't McDaniels allow for Jason Brown to call the protections like he did last year and only allow Bradford to call them if he recognizes the blitz? Either way Bradford must get a solid grasp of this new system in order for the Rams to be competitive. There are going to be games when the Rams can't run, and when that happens the Rams must still be able to put points up. I know Bradford loves new challenges but he's going to have his hands full with this.I have no doubt that Bradford will eventually get it and become a pro at it, but mean while he's going to take his lumps. Hopefully the Titan game was as bad as it's going to get.

Which leads me to this coming Friday against the Kansas City Chiefs. In the 3rd preseason game look for progress in Bradford's line protection calls. Because I guarantee that the Chiefs will have tape of the Titans game and they will try and exploit the same thing. Courtland Finnegan is just an average CB, not recognizing Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson and those defensive backs will be murder just waiting to happen.

Tweet Comment 20 comments | 1 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Good post!

You raise valid points. So much so, that I find the center of my focus (and others…You know who you are…lol) has been WR and OLB for the better part of this year. Lots to do here! Sam will get protection calls down, of this I have little doubt. We should also be reminded that calling protection is one of the toughest skills an NFL QB has to master and most often comes through experience as much as coaching…

by Douglas M on Aug 22, 2011 12:42 AM CDT reply actions

I absolutely agree

This could be one of the most difficult jobs a QB does because it means he has to account for apart of the game he really has no control over. Normally a QB just focuses on calling plays, passing and decision making. Protection calls are for more difficult because it’s up to him to figure how to deploy his line. I’m actually excited to Bradford in this new role because it shows how much confidence the staff has in him and how highly they think of him. I have little doubt that other young quarterbacks are given the same responsibility.

I also don’t think it will be much longer for him to figure it out and actually, I thought about this for a while, that it was a good thing that the Titans gave him so many different blitz looks. The damn Colts should be fined for being such shitty competition to practice against. That game, after the Titan game, was a complete joke and actually didn’t so the Rams any favors in getting ready for the season.

I can’t wait to see how Bradford and the offensive line holds up against the Chiefs this week. They have a very good and very formidable pass rush that will be good for the line, backs and Bradford to practice against.

Sam’s protection progress should be something we monitor closely as the preseason ends, and hopefully we see a difference in awareness in his last game compared to his awareness in the Titans game.

by DaFranchiZe on Aug 22, 2011 2:46 AM CDT up reply actions

Pretty much just Brady and Manning.

Sam’s name better be up there in the next year or two.

(Side note: I would love to know how many quarterbacks actually call their own protections.)

"I kind of stepped my swagger up. You look at the Madden game and the swagger's so low, maybe they'll bump me up. Before it was a meatball flex, so you've got to liven it up a little bit." - Animal Jr.

by douchiedude on Aug 22, 2011 4:32 AM CDT reply actions

I think he will

actually I know he will, he want to be great, his passion is unquestioned and personally out of the quarterbacks we could have gotten the last 5 or 6 years I’m glad it was him.

by DaFranchiZe on Aug 22, 2011 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions

It sounds to me like this is something that you dont get better at until you start doing it on

a regular basis. So we should thank the titans for bringing the heat in many different ways when the games dont count. Lets hope the chiefs do it again next game

- And here's the Rams' 2010 season in a series. Incomplete pass, 18-yard run, incomplete pass, 7-yard run, 5-yard pass, 3-yard run, sack, incomplete pass, punt. Shoot me. - 3K

by leadhead on Aug 22, 2011 8:27 AM CDT reply actions

Thats exactly what I was thinking

The Titans actually exposed a weakness in the calls, so now it will give Bradford, McDaniels and the O-LIne something to work on for KC and the last game.

And you’re right, we should hope the Chiefs challenge Bradford and Line.

by DaFranchiZe on Aug 22, 2011 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions

experience is key

  And no, Sam didn’t do a great job. A couple times he went straight from the huddle to the line and snapped without any readjustments. And it doesn’t take much to beat a blitz.
  Call your TE in to block and release in the flat, or call a quick route to beat the blitz in the spot it originates from (in/out, short slant, short hook).
  And I’m with you lead. I hope KC comes out firing (pun intended) on Sam in the 1st so he can make those hot reads.

Turf Show Times editor, Mocking the Draft writer, and I gots that Twitter too, yo.
"my keyboard won't corporate, neighter will my smell check." - Knoxfan

by 3k on Aug 22, 2011 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions

yup, better get it out of the way while it doesnt count.

- And here's the Rams' 2010 season in a series. Incomplete pass, 18-yard run, incomplete pass, 7-yard run, 5-yard pass, 3-yard run, sack, incomplete pass, punt. Shoot me. - 3K

by leadhead on Aug 22, 2011 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions

He looked like

Vick against the Vikings against the CB blitz…

by douchiedude on Aug 22, 2011 5:51 PM CDT up reply actions

well if there was ever a motivation to get really good at something really quickly

being pounded into the ground is probably it. I mean really, who could be more motivated to learn this than the QB

by stlfan2004 on Aug 23, 2011 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions

Well Faulk did say in that game that the coaches say that Sam never makes the same mistake

Way back when I was in the Navy, they got us to memorize damage control information by asking us damage control questions while we were standing in a gas chamber…. it worked! :)

- And here's the Rams' 2010 season in a series. Incomplete pass, 18-yard run, incomplete pass, 7-yard run, 5-yard pass, 3-yard run, sack, incomplete pass, punt. Shoot me. - 3K

by leadhead on Aug 23, 2011 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions

lol

I would say that is a pretty darn good analogy to how same felt “learning” his new trick against the Titans blitz packages…..lmao

by stlfan2004 on Aug 23, 2011 6:11 PM CDT up reply actions

sam felt

by stlfan2004 on Aug 23, 2011 6:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Also most of it came from that spread set.

The Rams probably will be more balanced when we play in real games. Sam needs to get a hot read more often. He will get used to it.

Sam should get used to calling out protections. I heard QB’s say that it helps them out way more. It just might be too much to expect Sam to learn all this in a short offseason.

Is that great man formally known as Tevin T. Broner, also I'm on twitter T_bron

by Tevin Broner on Aug 22, 2011 2:08 PM CDT reply actions

Agreed

I think he did this at Oklahoma but obviously with a lower level of speed, quickness, and defensive looks. He needs some protection while he gets used to it.

Wolf. Wolfgang Wolf

by dbcouver on Aug 25, 2011 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions

spot on t.ram even marshall faulk said the very same thing during fennigens hit on bradford untouched the 1st time

by Mark Jaramillo on Aug 22, 2011 3:23 PM CDT reply actions

This is really the first time this year that he's been hit, too...

So, for his own safety/sanity, I bet he puts in overtime (as if he doesn’t already) with McD figuring out where he went wrong. IF we know anything about Bradford, it’s that he’s a quick learner. Hopefully he starts accelerating that learning curve, so that he’s making solid calls by Week 1. I have a feeling that it’s going to be a work in progress all season long.

I'm only calling you bitches 'cuz I don't know your names individually.

by LOOKthatsCHAD on Aug 22, 2011 5:57 PM CDT reply actions

I cringe when I see Sam take a hit

but I know he’ll survive.

What is good though is the confidence being placed in him, and the fact that he seems to be embracing it. He wants to be the one accountable for it.

It’ll be great to see Sam succeed and call all his own protections and stuff, it’ll mean haters have literally nothing to put on him, he’d be in elite company.

http://brotherspork.wordpress.com/

by Infemous on Aug 24, 2011 12:57 PM CDT reply actions

Thats exactly what I have gotten out of it

There is a reason why the coaching staff places so much on Sam, if they didn’t believe and feel confident in him not only handling it, but taking control and then succeeding at it the staff wouldn’t do it.

We are seeing something great here right before our eyes that we have witnessed Indy. New England, Green Bay, Pittsburgh etc. all go through the last 10 years. Finally we have that guy that we can point to and say I’d take him over any one out there.

Good feeling.

by DaFranchiZe on Aug 24, 2011 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions