(Poll) If I were ____________, I'd be ticked about....
- By Ram65
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 28 Replies
Route running has the potential to change that equation for him. That is my entire point, that trying to scheme him open has failed because teams simply focus or over/under him in coverage even if the play is designed to go to him.
The way forward is that he's just another wideout who runs good routes and gets enormous separation with those routes and his natural speed. The reason his speed hasn't played is because he rounds off routes, is a poor route technician, and DBs read him. Change that equation and you change everything. That, IMO, is where McVay is going with him, and if he doesn't improve he's gone next year.
I was surprised when one analyst (last year or year before) said that Austin surprisingly was running good routes. I don't know because I don't see the 22 film and they don't show him isolated on TV. The smoke screens and short passes have been too predictable and forced as you say. I think McVay will use him in those bunch formations trying get him isolated. The way McVay and his staff like to teach technique may help improve the route running. Sending him deep will help too. For whatever reason I don't think he was sent deep enough in past. Better routes, execution, some scheming and sending him deep could really open things up for Tavon.