Ty Simpson silenced lots of critics Saturday in his Los Angeles Rams NFL Preseason debut. The former Alabama Crimson Tide star left many fans and analysts believing he was a reach at No. 13 overall in the draft. Yet Simpson looked masterful operating the Sean McVay offense versus the Kansas City Chiefs.
And won over a retired 11-year NFL veteran in the process.
Simpson showed strong eyes, pocket awareness and composure in engineering the Rams’ offense for the first time in a live setting. He ended the afternoon hitting 21-of-25 passes for 190 yards and tossing two touchdowns.
McVay raved about Simpson’s play after the game. But same with a renown analyst who compartmentalized Simpson’s strong outing in the 20-12 road win.
Analyst who Raved About Ty Simpson’s Play
Longtime NFL Network analyst and past offensive lineman Brian Baldinger broke down Simpson’s outing with zeal.
“Baldy” declared that Simpson “made it look easy” while facing the Chiefs’ defense. Plus pinpointed when Simpson looked at his best.
“The Ty Simpson era started in the first play of the second quarter,” Baldinger said. “Like it was very simple. A lot of bootlegs right here and throw to the rookie tight end Max Klare.”
Baldinger liked how McVay allowed Simpson to execute bootlegs. But the analyst also loved how Simpson organized guys at the line of scrimmage. He then raved about Simpson’s throw when he faked the bubble screen and hit Dean Connors for the first touchdown pass.
“Very efficient; very accurate…made it look easy. Strong debut,” Baldinger added.
Ty Simpson wins Over Rams Legend too
Simpson received one backer on the Rams’ legacy side. Though one who believed in the pick long before Saturday arrived.
Former Rams quarterback Jim Everett, who’s also an analyst for CBS Los Angeles, believed the rookie shut a lot of critics up.
“Where are the ‘why didn’t my Rams draft a WR [wide receiver] with the first pick now? Ty is on fire,” Everett said via the social media website X, formerly known as Twitter.
Indeed multiple Rams fans felt a wide receiver should’ve been taken over Simpson. USC standout Makai Lemon rose as a potential local get for the Rams, especially having starred at Los Alamitos High before the Trojans. But Lemon fell past the top 15 and landed with the Philadelphia Eagles.
So now Simpson’s debut is making general manager Les Snead look more like a genius with taking Simpson. The recent Alabama star returned the favor by looking surgical against a Chiefs team featuring a multiple Super Bowl winning defensive coordinator in Steve Spagnuolo.
Ty Simpson Keeps Himself Humble
Simpson sparked trending reactions on social media. Plus earned strong backers in “Baldy” and the late 1980s/early 1990s Rams star Everett.
But he kept himself humble after the game.
“I got a lot to learn,” Simpson began in his postgame presser. “A lot of learning opps [opportunities] in that game right there. And, hopefully I’m going to keep growing. I’m not looking for perfection, I’m looking for progress, and, you know, excited for the next up.”
Now he’ll enter the “Rams House” next Saturday against the New Orleans Saints.
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