John Johnson

[Prime Time]

https://www.therams.com/news/john-j...tay-ahead-of-the-curve-and-get-ready-for-the-

John Johnson: "We're just trying to stay ahead of the curve and get ready for the game."
Myles Simmons

Safety John Johnson has a bit of a unique perspective as a drafted defensive player for the Rams in that he’s only known success.

This is a franchise that had a long playoff drought, but that’s now over as the Rams have won back-to-back division titles for the first time since 1978 and 1979 — well before any of Los Angeles’ current players (or its head coach, for that matter) were even born.

But even in these two seasons, Johnson recognizes that this upcoming postseason has a different feel than the last.

“Yeah, this time around we’ve got a bye now, so we can rest, watch the other teams play while we get ready,” Johnson said on Thursday. “And just looking forward to it — it’s a new year, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Having the bye week has allowed the Rams to get as healthy as possible for the playoffs. And while Johnson doesn’t have any major issues, he’s been grateful for the time to get into the best shape possible for a potential championship run.

“I feel good, but I could feel even better. So I’m just trying to get my body right, stay on top of those things, hydration — stuff like that,” Johnson said.

And on the field?

“DBs, we’re just working on small technique stuff, getting in and out of breaks and stuff like that. But nothing too crazy,” Johnson said. “We’re just trying to stay ahead of the curve and get ready for the game.”

Johnson said he will monitor this weekend’s playoff games, but won’t be watching too closely. He said that the studying will come more when he’s in the building with a specific opponent and a gameplan in mind.

“Definitely as just seeing how the game, how the flow is going to go,” Johnson said. “Teams want to bring out different things for the playoffs, so I mean, I just want to watch as — just to get a feel, just to get comfortable. The TV copy — the announcers have different things to say about certain people. So I’m going to watch it as, I guess, kind of a mixture.”

And in some ways, it does help that of the three teams the Rams could face in the opening round of the postseason — Chicago, Dallas, and Seattle — Los Angeles has faced two of them. Really, the only postseason team L.A. hasn’t faced this year is Dallas, with Philadelphia and New Orleans being the two teams the Rams definitely will not see in the Divisional round.

“Yeah, I said it earlier, it’s not really revenge but a lot of those teams beat us,” Johnson said. “So, I mean, it’s definitely going to feel good to play them again and have a chance to get back.”

Clarence Dennis contributed reporting.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Johnson has been coming on and getting better as the season has worn on. Barron just played his best game of the season vs Frisco. Now if the Rams can get Joyner to play like he did at the end of last season, along with Barron, the Rams D should be at its best for their 1st playoff game.

 

[Ram65]

"What's as impressive as anything is just his football IQ," McVay said. "He's got great recognition."

Before the season, Johnson made a point to improve his anticipation. He once studied film for the sake of studying, but he has since narrowed his focus."I would study, but I didn't even know what I was looking at, so I would say it's more purposeful studying, what teams based on their personnel," Johnson said. "If they don't have a fast guy, they're not going to run certain plays where they need a fast guy to run, so just being around the game is slowing down." Joyner, a fifth-year pro and Johnson's quieter counterpart in the secondary, said Johnson's confidence has noticeably grown since last season."There's no hesitation in his game," Joyner said. "He's just diagnosing the formation and just great film study. He's a very intelligent player."

He is in the right place a lot of the time. Wish the rest of the defense was too.

 

[8to12]

Resign him now, young guy has been balling out since he was put in the lineup last year.

Joyner has been disappointing this season

Not sure why you sign a player to a new contract 2 years into a 4 year rookie contract

 

[Prime Time]

https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...lved-into-a-dynamic-cover-safety-for-the-rams

John Johnson III has evolved into a dynamic cover safety for the Rams
BY BEN COOPER

Sep 16, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Aqib Talib (21) and safety John Johnson III (43) celebrate during the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Following a college career with 797 yards surrendered on 61 receptions — including an 11.5 yards per reception average in his final year at Boston College that ranked just 121st — John Johnson III was certainly hoping to up his coverage game in his time in the NFL. He wasn’t particularly atrocious in college, earning a decent but not great 64.2 coverage grade, but there was clearly room for improvement.

Now, as he prepares for the final game of the 2018 season, the 2017 third-round pick is closing that gap between good and great at a rapid pace in his second season with the Los Angeles Rams.

In his first season with the Rams, Johnson III surpassed his college numbers in multiple facets. On 41 targets, he notched eight pass breakups, the same total he had at Boston College from 2014-2017 on 109 targets. In terms of yards per completion allowed, he reduced his three-year college average (13.1) to just 9.8 yards in his rookie year with the Rams.

The promise Johnson displayed in 2017 carried over to an even more impressive second year in 2018, a year that has pitted him among the NFL’s best cover safeties.

To the tune of an 86.1 coverage grade in the regular season (fifth among safeties who faced 20-plus targets), Johnson III allowed just 9.2 yards per reception in the regular season, a mark that ranked 15th among safeties who faced 20 or more targets.

Even when Johnson allowed completions in his coverage — which he did at a seemingly high, but normal rate for safeties (75.6%) — he rarely let the receiver out of his grasp. Only Harrison Smith had more snaps and a higher tackling grade than Johnson (88.2), and Johnson’s 12 total stops in coverage ranked 10th among players at the position.

The second-year safety has displayed the ball-hawk tendencies that every coach wants in a safety, while also proving himself as a sure-fire tackler. The Rams can’t ask for much more from a safety who is supposed to be still developing in his second season. Instead, he’s quietly taking the league by storm.

But it’s hard to stick out when you’re drafted among a slew of impressive safeties. Johnson III is joined by the New York Jets’ Jamal Adams, the Chicago Bears’ Eddie Jackson, and the Indianapolis Colts’ Malik Hooker, among other safeties, who have excelled in multiple phases of the game after being drafted in 2017, but it was Johnson who led that group in yards per reception allowed, stops and tackling efficiency this year.

Yet, he continues to fly under the radar, but it’s he who now gets to play for a Super Bowl. After covering opposing teams’ tight ends for much of the year, Johnson III will get one of the biggest tests of his young career against the daunting Rob Gronkowski.

 

[BonifayRam]

The Rams Run Defense will not improve unless the bring in a run stuffing NT (perhaps a beefed up Brockers??) and ILB. To maximize their pass rush I would keep Fowler but they need to find another Edge Rusher to complement him (perhaps Okoronkwo).

If JJ III replaces LJ as the Rams (most of the snaps) high safety its an improvement. This is not a hard decision because JJIII has played a ton of high safety when Wade orders it. Now the problem is finding an SS who can flip to high safety position some of the time. Hybrid ILB/Strong Safety Marqui Christian is not that safety. RFA safety Blake Countess might do for a period of time till a new Snead rookie drafted safety is ready to start with JJIII.

If defensive captain Cory Littleton slides over to the weak side ILB'er post in the position that the wore down WSILB Mark Barron played ...that would be a very BIG improvement. Once again the issue is 2nd yr MLB'er Micah Kiser [5-11 245 lb'er] be the run stuffering hole plugging LB'er this defense is in need off. Snead could also address this MLB'ing position once again in the draft on the 3rd day too.

I agree it would be very smart to give OLB'er Dante Fowler Jr. a contract for 2019 as our top edge rusher & work hard (Assist HC & LB coach Barry) to develop very young OLB/ER'ers Og Okoronkwo/ Trevon Young/ Justin Lawler/ Samson Ebukam & Garrett Sickels.

I am also in full agreement that Snead & Wade draft a talented (zero gap & 1 gap type ) Nose Tackle i.e.Dexter Lawrence/ Greg Gaines/ Daylon Mack & Olive Sagapolu! In addition, signing a veteran NT type i.e. Brandon Mebane/ Steve McLendon & Tyeler Davison to go with our only remaining Ram NT 2nd yr player Sebastian Joseph-Day. This would be a excellent improvement.