I think the context explains it. If you are going to count passes behind the LOS as running plays or throw them out then you should do the same for all QBs. Then you would naturally have to look at yards after the catch on those plays. It is especially cogent if those plays resulted in fewer total yards passing for Sam than other QBs mentioned in a discussion.
I'm not saying it's valid and I didn't suggest it but you can't cherry pick.
I think as X brought up, many of us have said repeatedly that Sam needs to improve in several areas. Personally, I'm just unwilling to throw out all the surrounding facts and pin it on the QB. I think that would do a dis-service to our team because the bottom line is - if not Sam then who? If you put another QB in the same situation, he would also have to work through the same problems.
Certainly Sam needs to step up as do all these very young players around him. Does that mean make or break year? Dunno. I'm not even really sure what that means. I'd actually say that if we are winning in spite of bad QB play then why pay him huge jack for 2015? But if he is playing well and the team still doesn't win, it makes no sense to me to get rid of the guy who is playing well just because he is the QB and the TEAM is not winning.
Some people said Bradford's there already. That implies he doesn't HAVE TO improve in several areas. Well, I believe he does have to improve for the Rams to be successful. And that is a big part of it being a make or break year for him. He also has to stay healthy.
But let me clarify my original premise.
My premise of "no more incompletes" for Bradford is based on the big picture.
I am assuming the following:
1. The defense under Williams, with all that talent, and the younger guys, like Brockers, Jenkins, Ogletree, and McDonald improving, and expectedly the best DL in the NFL, will do more than their share to make this a playoff team. It will not be the defense that we saw at the beginning of 2013 when Bradford was playing. He will now have the benefit of a better defense than even Clemens had later in the 2013 season.
2. The OL with the addition of Robinson and retention of Saffold in combination with Stacy, Mason and company will provide a top 10 running game. I also am assuming that the OL will not be hit with a rash of injuries to key players.
3. The Special Teams with Legatron, Hekker, Tavon, and company will be one of the leagues best.
I believe all 3 of those assumptions are highly likely and my expectations for Bradford are based on those assumptions being fulfilled.
Someone needs to tell me when was the last time a team had all 3 of the above assumptions come to fruition AND a QB that was playing lights out AND the team did not make the playoffs?
It's a simple question. And it has a simple answer. NEVER.
So I maintain, this is it for Bradford based on what I expect are highly likely 2014 performances from other aspects of the team.