* Rams' decision to sit Hill and the rookie Holcombe is costly as Moore fumbles three times in a 24-17 loss to the lowly New Orleans Saints.
Dick Vermeil's area of expertise is offense, but he spent much of Monday playing defense. Namely, defending his decision to bench Greg Hill and Robert Holcombe for the New Orleans game Sunday.
Vermeil said a decision concerning the running back situation was made Monday, but the staff still had to discuss it more among themselves and with the running back corps.
But don't bet on Jerald Moore starting next weekend against the Minnesota Vikings. Moore's three fumbles against the Saints, including one that was brought back for a touchdown in a 24-17 loss, undoubtedly will make the final decision easier.
"I know what Jerald Moore can do when he holds on to the football," Vermeil said. "But he didn't hold on to the football. And he's fumbled before."
Moore fumbled four times last season in 112 "touches" - 104 carries and eight receptions.
"There's something wrong with his mechanics or concentration," Vermeil said.
Hill, who is the likely successor to Moore at running back, has fumbled only five times in his four-year NFL career - encompassing 626 "touches" (588 carries and 38 receptions).
Going into the Saints game, Vermeil considered Hill the team's second-best runner, and top home-run threat in terms of breaking off a long run.
"But in terms of the offensive package and everything, being newer to it, he wasn't as far along," Vermeil said. "I didn't really feel comfortable, nor did all the coaches feel comfortable, putting him in on third down when we go to two backs.
"And if Amp Lee got hurt, then we would really have to have a receiving-type back at that position. We didn't think Greg Hill was ready to do that yet. I don't think it, I know it."
Vermeil considers Henley the team's second-best receiving back, and felt more comfortable with Henley's ability to pick up the blitz and pass block. So he went with Henley and Moore, placing Hill and Holcombe on his pregame list of seven inactive players.
When told most fans seemed outraged at that decision, Vermeil said, "I don't base decisions on trying to please fans. And you can't do it based on pleasing the individual football player.
"When you're on the field every day with people, and you see them in intense situations, and you see them in mental situations, and you see them do things pro and con, that's how you add up making decisions.
"Greg Hill was disappointed by it. I don't blame him, I'd be disappointed by it. If we didn't have the 46-man roster rule, he would have gone into the game at the running back position prior to June Henley - just to run the football."
(Per league rule, teams can dress only 46 of their 53 players each week.)
Similar reasoning - as twisted as it may seem - went into the decision to sit Holcombe. Remember, the Rams did fine last season with one back - Lee - in the backfield in obvious passing situations.
"If he's ready to play, I'd put him in and play him," Vermeil said of Holcombe. "But I did not read him as ready for a lot of the same reasons, especially in the `nickel' pass protection situations."
Hill and Holcombe weren't on the sidelines Sunday with the rest of the Rams
inactives and practice-squad players. "They don't have to be there," Vermeil
said.
|
ARCHIVE
HOME