Holt “surprised, frustrated” about his scaled-back role
Seven-time Pro Bowler Torry Holt is on pace for 59 receptions and 660 yards this season — just about half of his normal annual production over his 10-year career. The Rams are going more and more to young wide receivers Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton, and Holt expressed his unhappiness at the situation Friday. Here are some excerpts:
*Are you surprised that you’re not getting the ball more?
“Yeah, absolutely, I’m surprised. But I guess they feel that Donnie obviously has been stepping up and making some huge plays, and they want to continue to get him the football.”
*Are you frustrated?
“Absolutely. When you go from getting as many opportunities and touches that I’ve had in the past to not nearly as many, yeah, there’s definitely a sense of frustration.”
*Have you talked to the coaches about it?
“No, I don’t feel like I need to speak to anybody about that. My body of work speaks for itself. I’m not going to make a stink about it.”
*Are you still the same player?
“Yeah, I think so. I think I’m still getting open. I don’t think you can go from what I did last year and the years before and just be (lousy). I don’t think it happens that way, not with the way I work and how passionate I am about the game of football. Obviously, I’m getting doubled, but I’ve beaten double-teams plenty of times throughout the course of my career.”
*Do you feel like you’re being phased out?
“At times, I do. Who knows? We’ve still got eight more games left, and we’ll see how those eight games go. Once the season’s over with, then come back and ask me and we’ll see how I feel.”
*When you are getting the ball, it’s mostly short stuff. Isn’t that unusual for you?
“It’s obvious that I’m not doing the things in the passing game that I’ve done in the past. My game has always been, I’m a vertical guy, getting in and out of breaks, running deeper routes. I’ve been doing some of that, but not a great deal of it.”
You can read more on Holt’s comments from my colleague, Jim Thomas, in Saturday’s Post-Dispatch.
All for now . . .
If he would run with the ball after he catches it. That was always Bruce and Holts downfall after the SB win. Catch the ball and fall down…no yards after the catch.