Rams Game Offensive Review

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

Tripp why do you think Kyle is not calling good games? I didn't like the play calling last week, he got away from the run too early. But I thought he was outstanding against Houston and good against Dallas.

I should clarify that I like his preparedness. He comes into games each week with a new way to stretch a defense, and we've gotten big plays in the passing game every week. Sometimes it's simple stuff, sometimes it's complicated throwbacks, but he usually comes in with the right amount of protection to go down the field, which is to McNabb's benefit.

It's not just the lack of run/pass balance in the second half of games that frustrates me (now three consecutive games), it's the overall lack of balance in the passing game. We run a lot of very low percentage routes when we need to be running down the clock, and we ask McNabb to turn these plays into completions to keep the clock moving. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't.

I was also frustrated at how he responded to Spagnuolo's ability to confuse McNabb. We didn't throw one screen at them in the second half (WR screens excluded here). We threw one TE screen at them on 3rd down and 8 following a penalty in the first half, which is a frustrating call because he should be able to anticipate that he's not going to be blitzed in that situation, thus, the screen call is ineffective needing as many yards as it did.

We get behind in the series by wasting first down plays, particularly in the second half. We don't necessarily need to run in those plays, but it's always 2nd and 10 or worse. I lambasted Jason Garrett for doing exactly the same thing two weeks ago. My primary complaint is that we're asking too much of McNabb to keep the offense on track, when there's 11 years of evidence to suggest that's not his strength as a player (I think he's doing a good job handling the responsibility though).