And it’s not as easy as many are making it out to be.
The Los Angeles Rams signed OL Austin Blythe in May of 2017. And through organized team activities and minicamp and the 2017 preseason, he remained a backup.
RG Jamon Brown, though, started. Sandwiched between C John Sullivan and RT Rob Havenstein, Brown started every game including the Week 17 game in which the other four offensive line starters sat out.
I think it’s fair to suggest then that the coaching staff preferred Brown to the backup options. For whatever reason, and there could have been many.
This year, Brown has missed the first two games due to a suspension for having weed in his car in February 2017. In his stead, Blythe filled in.
And has been stupendous.
Austin Blythe has been impressive for the Rams so far this year. pic.twitter.com/wf2MUc76ho
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) September 18, 2018
Austin Blythe (RG) was a problem for real, look at the size of this hole he creates pic.twitter.com/2GQ5E1VqXc
— Sosa (@QBsMVP) September 18, 2018
Which sets up a very interesting decision for Head Coach Sean McVay and the rest of the offensive staff involved in the decision of who to start in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers and beyond.
Yes, recency bias and Blythe’s performances will likely have most people clamoring for him to be in the lineup on Sunday. But things aren’t ever that easy. Nor should they be.
Obviously as fans, we’re going to lean into game performances especially the most recent. It’s the fallacy at work every preseason when one good play trumps the thousands of moments in practice for thinking about the 53-man roster.
So while most will likely lean into Blythe as the near automatic decision, keep in mind the practices we don’t see and the work from Brown that we don’t see.
And the fact that he was the starting right guard all last year while Blythe watched him from the bench.
It’s a much more difficult decision that many are acknowledging right now.
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