— Just to be clear
Cory James Jersey , Matt LaFleur has called plays in NFL games as an offensive coordinator.
Sean McVay let him call plays for six quarters last year with the Los Angeles Rams — all in the preseason.
“I called the fourth preseason game actually in Green Bay and I called the second half of the Oakland game last year …,” LaFleur said Monday. “Every
opportunity you get to go out and do that, situations arise. You’ve got to think
quickly on your feet. The more experience you get, I think the more calm you’ll
remain in those situations and be able to give the guys a better call.”
LaFleur, 38, has had to be a quick study, taking advantage of each opportunity to learn to call plays since Mike Vrabel hired him as offensive
coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. LaFleur has immersed himself into it
through the offseason program, through live periods and during the first 10 days
of training camp.
His first big test comes Thursday night when the Titans visit the Green Bay Packers for the preseason opener for both teams. Vrabel knows what he wants to
see from LaFleur.
“Efficiency, making sure that we got clean operation getting the guys in and out of the huddle,” Vrabel said. “Whatever personnel group we’re going with,
let’s go with it. Let’s make a call and make sure we give these guys a chance to
line up and make a play.”
LaFleur has worked with some dynamic play-callers in the NFL, including Gary Kubiak in Houston, Mike Shanahan in Washington, Kyle Shanahan while coaching
quarterbacks with the Atlanta Falcons and McVay in 2017 as coordinator when the
Los Angeles Rams led the NFL in points scored.
Now it’s LaFleur, who also interviewed for the head coaching job that went to Vrabel , in position to call the offensive plays that he’s been installing with
quarterback Marcus Mariota.
“We as coaches, we try to prepare for every situation so you’re ready for that moment
Kyzir White Jersey ,” LaFleur said. “But inevitably every week when you watch games something occurs like, ‘Wow. I may not have thought about that before.’
It’s just trying to do the best you can to prepare for every moment. But
inevitably you’re going to have to think on your feet at some point and time in
the game.”
Calling plays, which McVay handles with the Rams, was the big draw for LaFleur to Tennessee. He also has Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in 2015, and
running back Derrick Henry as a pair of Heisman Trophy winners to work with
along with an offensive line returning each starter.
Even with all that talent, the Titans have plenty of room for improvement on offense. Tennessee ranked 23rd in total yards per game, 23rd in yards passing
and 19th in points per game. The Rams, with a second-year quarterback in Jared
Goff and NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley , ranked no lower than 10
in any of those categories with the biggest leap in scoring. The Rams went from
last in the NFL in points per game in 2016 to a league-best 29.8 points in
2017.
The key will be how quickly the Titans, particularly Mariota, learn the new scheme designed to take advantage of the quarterback’s mobility. LaFleur
believes the Titans have made a lot of progress since the offseason when the
defense got the best of the offense to now with practice more of a tug of war
between both units.
“We’ve got a great group of guys, and it is fun to watch these guys grow,” LaFleur said. “And I think we are improving on a daily basis.”
NOTES: WR Corey Davis did not practice after leaving Saturday’s practice early, but Vrabel said Davis will be fine. LB Brian Orakpo (shoulder), LB
Rashaan Evans, CB Demontre Hurst
Brett Favre Jersey , OL Kevin Pamphile, DL Bennie Logan and LB Sharif Finch also did not practice.
A ”culture reset” carried the Toronto Raptors to the top of the Eastern Conference for the first time this season.
Next, the Raptors will try to hit reset on their playoff history with the Washington Wizards.
After Cleveland swept the Raptors in the second round last spring, team president Masai Ujiri promised to change the culture surrounding the club.
That meant greater emphasis on ball movement and 3-point shooting, something the Raptors were able to execute immediately. Toronto had 67 games with at least
20 assists, up from 34 the previous year, and averaged 33 shots a game from
beyond the arc, third most in the NBA.
”We won 59 games,” All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan said. ”I think that speaks for itself. We know what works for us, what got us here, and what’s going to
take us even further.”
Thanks to the offensive overhaul, this Raptors team is far removed from the one swept in the first round in 2015, a series in which the Wizards won by an
average of 14 points.
”That’s old news, it’s years ago,” All-Star guard Kyle Lowry said. ”We’re a different team, different style of play, different people
Kurt Coleman Jersey , different egos.”
Raptors coach Dwane Casey said the humiliating sweep helped sow the seeds for Ujiri’s reset.
”That’s one reason why we did change things,” Casey said. ”To give us some other options in the playoffs when teams do try to take away DeMar and
Kyle.”
Toronto may have retooled its way to the top of the East, but the Raptors still face a tough first-round test against Washington’s tandem of All-Star
guards, John Wall and Bradley Beal.
The speedy Wall averaged 19.4 points and 9.6 assists this season. He would have ranked second in the NBA in assists but was limited to 41 games because of
injuries, too few to qualify.
”We’re not going to look at them like they’re the eighth seed because we understand what this team is capable of,” DeRozan said.
Still, the Wizards lost five of their final six games, including defeats to Chicago, Atlanta and Orlando, the three worst teams in the East.
Some other things to watch in the series:
GAME 1 BLUES
The Raptors have lost 10 straight opening games in playoff series, six at home. Toronto has played 13 series in franchise history and won one Game 1,
beating Philadelphia in the second round in 2001. ”We’ve lost a lot of Game 1s,”
said Lowry, who has been part of the past seven defeats. ”We have to play it
like a Game 7.”
WHERE’S WALL?
Toronto and Washington split their four games this season, but Wall missed them all because of injuries. Facing the Wizards with Wall is ”a whole new
dynamic,” DeRozan said. Wall returned March 31 after being sidelined for more
than two months because of left-knee surgery and was held out on the second
night of back-to-backs down the stretch. Wall will have plenty of time to rest
in this series, with two days off between Games 1 and 2
Adam Thielen Jersey , two more before Game 3 and, if necessary, two days off between Games 4 and 5.
BENCH MOB
Toronto’s bench averaged 42 points a game this season, tied with San Antonio for fourth most in the NBA. Led by guards Delon Wright and Fred VanVleet,
forwards C.J. Miles and Pascal Siakam, and center Jakob Poeltl, Toronto’s bench
posted an NBA-best plus-minus of 3.6, easily outpacing second-place Houston
(2.3). Casey said he doesn’t want to be bound by traditional basketball thinking
in which starters play more and reserves less in the postseason. ”They’re a huge
part of who we are,” Casey said. ”We’re going in making sure we try to keep our
second unit intact.” VanVleet, however, is questionable for Game 1 because of a
bruised right shoulder.
ROSTER REPORT
Toronto F Serge Ibaka left Wednesday’s season finale after being elbowed in the mouth but is expected to start Saturday. … Washington F Otto Porter is
questionable for Game 1 because of a strained right calf. He sat out Wednesday.
… Wizards F Mike Scott (concussion protocol) could miss Game 1 after being hit
in the head Wednesday. … Washington G Jodie Meeks will miss the series after
being suspended 25 games Friday for a drug violation. … The Wizards added depth
Thursday by signing G Ty Lawson. The 30-year-old Lawson played most recently in
the Chinese Basketball Association.
LEBRON LOOMS
The series winner will face Cleveland or Indiana. That likely means a matchup with LeBron, whose team has represented the East in seven straight NBA Finals.
James and the Cavs have eliminated Toronto from the playoffs two straight years,
including a conference finals defeat in 2016. Toronto is seeded first and had
hoped it could steer clear of James & Co. until the conference finals. But
Philadelphia’s season-ending 16-game winning streak vaulted the 76ers past
Cleveland.
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