Los Angeles Rams rookie quarterback Ty Simpson absolutely crushed his first NFL game, leading the squad to a win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday. This first-round pick was accurate on over 90% of his throws, showing off a level of mobility that’s been kinda foreign to recent Rams quarterbacks. Simpson’s arm strength was a visible notch above Stetson Bennett’s, his rival for the backup role behind Matthew Stafford. Sure, the offense with Simpson at the helm wasn’t exactly “world-beating,” especially since he was surrounded by guys on the fringes of LA’s roster, and it felt super conservative early on. But man, as the game went on, Simpson got more comfortable and aggressive. We’ve got to break down what actually happened and bust some myths that popped up.
Myth Busting Ty Simpson’s First Game
First up, the talk about Simpson being “Captain Checkdown.” Verdict? Somewhat true, but there’s more to it. His average depth of target (ADOT) clocked in at 5.3 yards on 25 passes, which is definitely conservative by NFL standards. But hey, that’s still significantly higher than Bennett’s 3.2 yards from the same game, even if Bennett only had two drives. Important context here: Simpson actually made two throws *behind* the line of scrimmage, including one targeted seven yards deep into the backfield. Those plays can totally skew an average when you’re looking at a small sample size. So, yeah, he hit those shorter throws, but don’t let that tell the whole story.
Unpacking the Play Action and Deep Throws
Next myth: Simpson was overly reliant on play action. False! Only eight of Simpson’s 25 dropbacks (32%) featured play action. Most of those came early, a clear plan to help the rookie settle in. On those play-action throws, Simpson had an ADOT of 6.6 yards with an adjusted completion rate of 87.5%. A lot of these were rollouts, which are basically cheat codes to simplify reads. Good coaching move there. But the cool part? They ditched that crutch later in the game, leaning into more traditional drop-back passing. Simpson looked totally comfortable, hanging tough in the pocket and pushing the ball downfield. So, while it was a tool, it wasn’t the *only* reason he looked good.
Finally, the “Simpson didn’t have a single deep throw” myth. True. He didn’t attempt anything over 20 yards. BUT, he did complete all six of his attempts within the 10-19 yard range, racking up 108 yards total. And get this, he earned an “elite” PFF grade of 92.1 on those plays! His average depth of target on those six throws was 14.7 yards, and every single one was converted for a first down. That’s clutch.
So what’s next for Simpson? This dude is battling Stetson Bennett for the backup spot behind Matthew Stafford. With numbers like these, especially those clutch 10-19 yard completions and that elite PFF grade, he’s definitely making a strong case for himself. The Rams have to be feeling good about what they saw. It’s early, but this kid’s showing he’s got the goods to be a real player.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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