They had a halfback by committee unit that year and the WR by committee.
Cullen Bryant was the guy who started every game and didn't get a lot of breaks. But the Rams were the top
running team that year, and it opened up play actions for them. Ferregamo was pretty deft with the football and he was not afraid of an interception.
The rewards were worth the risk. Ferragamo threw a very high ball, easy to catch, compared to some other strong-armed QBs ... like Bert Jones --- Jones has a better arm but in 1982 when he came to the Rams he put it on a line.
When there was a running game and a healthy Ferragamo, he could get some production from those guys, and did in 1980 like had in 1979.
He was able to get some deep passes regularly and had a good role player in Willie Miller. Miller had good hands and was trusted
in the red zone ... guys of a "go to" -- he got 8 of the 22 TD passes to WRs... mostly short ones.
The next year with basically the same receivers they caught 7 with Haden -- there was also a lot wrong in 1981 with the protection
for Haden but with the handful of QBs those receivers were really less than average. Or -- however, someone wants to categorize them.
Like I said in a previous post, Dennard had some route running and hands .. Waddy and Hill could get deep ... and if the ball were on the money could catch it. In 1980 the Rams would also use 11 personnel more than they ever had. I even saw them with 4 WRs at times ... very un-Ram-like.
Like in 1979, when Ferragamo played those WRs could produce ... like they did, to a degree, in the 6-2 final 8 games ... and in 1980 ... but when with someone else they were JAGs ... I'd say Ferragamo elevated them from a C- grade as a group to maybe a B.
In 1979 the WR Corp under Haden and Rutledge averaged 15 yards a catch. With Ferragamo and Lee they averaged 22.5 yards a catch -- Lee was responsible for a few deep passes.
I have wondered once in a while what Ferregame might have been if he ever had a great receiver...his career started and then sputtered ... he was someone who was said be be somewhat of an airhead ... but he could throw well, with good touch but the consistency was lacking, partly due to circumstances but also that while he made guys around him better --- there was only so much you get get out of them.
Waddy and Smith were high picks but never amounted to much -- SMith went to SD and was no more than a 3rd 4th WR, would play when they went 3 wide ... then in Philly -- Waddy couldn't make the Raiders and did nothing in Min
Dennard, a UFA, left did so-so. Drew Hill, though hung around and proved later he was more than just a deep threat. He could get some stuff underneath. But if he could have had one really good WR he might have thrown 30 just to the WRs.
Maybe there have been worse WR corps in a Super Bowl, but really a bunch of JAGs -- but Vinnie did get the most of anyone out of them, other than Drew Hill ... and about all he could do in LA was 'go' routes
