Fixed it.
I just rewatched the KC game. It took me this long just to not be too pissed to do it. The play calling... I just don't get it. I'm not going to go on a rant, but TA up the middle and nothing else? He had the most RB snaps? 3rd and long runs or 3rd and short bombs to double covered receivers? Nothing for TA or Bailey imaginative at all. It's just a sad waste of talent.
KCs biggest weakness is TE coverage. Were there any throws to Cook? I don't have the heart to look.
...and then he calls half a great game every so often. It's not that he isn't capable.
Why, when stacking receivers works, do they abandon it the rest of the game?
Why, when TM is killing on the edge do they run him up the middle the rest of the game?
Why no hot reads to stop the pass rush?
Is TA still hurt maybe? Bailey stepped in to the TA role last season and tore it up.
ANYWAY, I hold the coaching staff 100% responsible at this point. I don't know that any one of them is better than the other. EVERY team has weaknesses and it's the coaches job to overcome their own with game planning and misdirection and detect the opposition's and exploit it.
A few thoughts based on your comments regarding the play calling. It seems as if you are saying that when the QB fails to throw the ball to the TE, or continues to throw the "short bombs into double coverage" that is on the OC. No hot reads? Again, do you put that on the play caller, or the inexperienced QB who doesn't recognize the blitz or where it is coming from, and fails to get the ball out to the hot read?
Jared Cook was open most of the day running underneath crossing routes, and Davis never looked for him, or was too busy bailing on the pocket to find anyone "on time". McNabb kept talking about getting Davis into a rhythm, but yet, even on the quick, 3 step drops, Davis just doesn't get the ball out on time. Same issues were present in training camp.
I see people asking why no screens or quick slants...... But they just aren't all that effective play calls against zone coverage, which is what the Rams offense seems to see MOST of the time. When teams do play straight man, we tend to have much better success.
IMO, if there is one criticism of Schottenheimer that seems to becoming a pattern, it's abandoning the running game far too early, when they get behind. Even if they are only down by "one score". Happened vs. SF, and again this past week vs. KC.
I also think that many are overlooking the impact that losing Bradford has had on this team. Say what you want about the "talent" on the roster now, the bottom line for me, is they just aren't deep enough to overcome the amount of KEY injuries they have endured already. Not only Bradford, but T. Johnson, C. Long, not having Bailey from the outset. Then losing Jenkins, among the multitude of others this past week.
Also, it hasn't been mentioned, but not having Chris Long, has forced Wm. Hayes into much more of an extended role, after missing virtually the entire Training Camp recovering from his own surgeries. So expecting him to be even close to the same player he has been, (and IMO, he hasn't been) was unrealistic.
I totally get the frustrations, but I just think there are many who have set themselves up to become even more frustrated by not seeing what this team is
at this point. I was as guilty as anyone thinking this looked like a playoff team in August. But the instant Bradford went down, that all changed for me. So I would say, frustration is accurate, but not surprised.