Jaguars vs. Rams Recap: Charting Sam Bradford’s Pass Attempts

Having just wrapped up Week 5 of the NFL’s regular season, it’s fair to say the Rams' offense isn’t as explosive as the players it’s comprised of...especially considering how the team targeted speedy-playmakers in the offseason. One would think having several speedsters lining up on offense would enable the Rams to spread the field, potentially hauling in long ball after long ball. Again, it just hasn’t come to fruition.

Let’s have a look at Sam Bradford’s stat lines for Sunday’s game…

* 19 receptions on 34 attempts [55.9 completion percentage]
* 222 Yards
* 3 TD’s
* 105.3 passer rating

Not a bad day’s work for Bradford. I’m sure that many expected for him to "go off" throwing for 400+ and a couple more TD’s. Not the case. On paper, it was a respectable effort, though, while attempting his fewest passes of the season. The 105.3 rating, along with 3 scores, mark season highs for the Rams signal caller.

But whether it’s play-calling, great coverage by the defense, or Bradford’s propensity to check down, the ball doesn’t seem to travel far from the line of scrimmage. At the conclusion of Week 5, Bradford - and the Rams - rank 30th in the NFL in yards per completion [6.1].

So just how did it look on Sunday? Here’s a closer look at Bradford’s attempts on Sunday. To clarify, short routes are run before 5 yards, intermediate between 6-15, and long…well, you’ve got that figured out.

Bradford attempted four passes over 15 yards on Sunday, completing 50% of them [2] for a total 59 yards and one touchdown. Most of his success across the middle - on intermediate routes - were catches made by Jared Cook and Tavon Austin [Austin had one go for 25 yards].

It’s pretty clear where Bradford butters his bread. 13 of his 34 attempts [38%] are to his right side and are quick outs. A lot of these passes go to the rusher. Tavon Austin sees his fair share, as well, but it’s limiting his play-making ability, as he’s still got 11 defenders in front of him on most plays where he’s catching the ball. That would probably explain his 6.8 yards per catch on the year.

The Rams have the vertical threats to spread the field, make big plays, and - at a minimum - draw a pass interference call or two. The majority of the pass plays, though, are thrown within five yards of the line of scrimmage.

It would behoove the Rams to start spreading the field, as it could prove beneficial to both the running and passing attacks. We’ll see if anything changes heading into Week 6, but if the first five weeks are any indicator, look for plenty of quick outs from the Rams’ offense.