Jeff Fisher's teams have the reputation of playing physical, tough football. The offense has been cast as something from the football stone age, with forceful running backs hammering away at the defense for hard-fought yards and leaving a trail of blood on the return to the huddle.
The bruising nature of the Fisher offense has been so exaggerated that I almost expect the Rams to switch to leather helmets for 2012. But I am here to tell you that there's no need for a change in equipment.
Yes, there is a role for the quarterback in the Fisher plan. And the QB is actually allowed to throw the football down the field in an attempt to score touchdowns. And believe it or not, Fisher also believes in having a quarterbacks coach!
Some of what Fisher likes to do is, indeed, old-fashioned when compared to the recent high-scoring trend that's turning NFL games into sessions of "Madden 12" on the Xbox. Fisher does like to run the football and control the game. He does believe in having competitive, somewhat unruly men doing the blocking up front. He would like to see his guys punish opponents. He does not object to seeing opponents limping away in pain.
It's the kind of "outdated" football that has the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants in the four-team field for Sunday's conference championship games.
Despite the efforts to turn the modern NFL into exhibitions of dazzling flag football, there's still a prominent place for some roughhousing. But if you fear that Fisher's offense will be one-dimensional and predictable, then relax. The rep doesn't match the reality. We'll get to that in a minute.
No wonder Rams quarterback Sam Bradford was so happy Tuesday as he watched Fisher introduced as the team's new head coach. Fisher should be very good for Bradford's physical and mental health and overall development. If the Rams can find a playmaker or two, Bradford should rebound from the battering he absorbed in 2011.
In explaining his decision Tuesday, Fisher cited Bradford's presence as a prime factor in wanting to take the Rams job. For the first time in a long while, Bradford smiled.
"It gives me a lot of confidence anytime you hear something like that," Bradford said. "Especially coming from him, because he wasn't the coach that brought me here. You never know how a new coach is going to feel, and whether they want to bring in their own guy to play quarterback. But to hear him say those things definitely gives me all of the confidence in the world. I am really looking forward to playing for him."
The 2011 Rams gave up more sacks than any NFL team. During coach Steve Spagnuolo's three seasons, only two NFL teams allowed more sacks than the Rams. Bradford was sacked 36 times in his 10 starts and pressured on 35 percent of his dropbacks. That's an alarming figure.
It's unlikely to happen with Fisher in charge. In his full 16 seasons as the head coach in Houston/Tennessee, Fisher's teams had the league's third-lowest sack rate. In quarterback Steve McNair's time as the starter for Fisher, the Titans ranked among the league's top 10 for fewest sacks allowed in six of nine seasons.
When Fisher informed Bradford that pass protection would be a top priority in 2012, the third-year quarterback was grateful. "Very reassuring," Bradford said.
Bradford will also discover that he'll be given a lot of chances to make plays downfield. Fisher's passing game in Tennessee was more effective than given credit for.
As Fisher's starter from 1997-2005 McNair was voted the NFL's co-MVP in 2003 and made it to three Pro Bowls. Tennessee's passing numbers won't be mistaken for the video-game stats put by Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. But there was a lot to like.
Over McNair's nine seasons the Titans ranked 10th among 32 teams in passing yards, 12th in touchdown passes, 10th in yards per attempt, 10th in completion percentage, 10th in passer rating, fifth in average yards at the point of the catch. They also had the NFL's third-lowest interception rate.
If you condense the numbers to McNair's peak years — 1999 through 2005 — it's even better. Over those seven seasons the Titans were seventh in passing yards, sixth in TD passes, fifth in passer rating, sixth in yards per attempt, seventh in completion percentage, fourth in average yards at the point of the catch. Tennessee had the fifth-lowest INT rate, and was ninth in passing plays that gained 25 or more yards.
It's more impressive considering the Titans' cast of receivers. There were no superstars on the list of the top producers of the McNair era: wideouts Derrick Mason, Kevin Dyson, Drew Bennett and Yancey Thigpen and tight end Frank Wycheck. And the Titans still aired it out.
This was hardly Cro-Magnon football. Besides, a stronger running game and improved pass protection can only help Bradford. So will a QB coach, which Bradford didn't have in 2011. (I still cannot believe that. What was Steve Spagnuolo thinking?)
We don't know if Fisher plans to modify his approach in St. Louis; it may depend on his choice of an offensive coordinator. I doubt we'll see a radical deviation from his philosophy in Tennessee. We can expect a power running game and play-action passes.
This much seems certain: Fisher will do what's best for Bradford.
