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Monday Wrap-Up: What's Working on Defense
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Monday-Wrap-Up-Whats-Working-on-Defense/7f665614-58a0-4dfb-b39e-1ee95c726504
The Rams have completed two consecutive performances in which they’ve allowed only six points. That’s not easy to do in the NFL, where only five of 32 teams are averaging under 20.0 points per game.
Following Sunday’s 27-6 win over San Francisco, St. Louis’ defense in now among the league’s top 10 in points per game (No. 4), sacks (tied for No. 2), total yards per game (No. 6), rushing yards per game (No. 9), and passing yards per game (No. 10). The unit is also No. 1 in red zone scoring percentage.
“Unfortunately we didn’t get any turnovers, but we got off the field on third down, tackled well, pressured the quarterback well, and played the run pretty well,” head coach Jeff Fisher said Monday.
“San Fran had a drive where they drove the ball a little bit and got in the red zone and we stopped them. That's a momentum booster for us,” defensive tackle Michael Brockers said Sunday. “We feel like when the field gets smaller and shrinks that no one should score on us, because we have good red-zone defense. We don't want people scoring on us.”
One of the reasons why the defense has been so effective is its depth. Fisher pointed to how the Rams have been able to withstand the significant injury to linebacker Alec Ogletree as an example of how well coordinator Gregg Williams has led the unit.
“Alec Ogletree was playing really good football. And we’ve been able to, not replace him, but get by,” Fisher said. “Mark [Barron is] playing really good ‘ball right now, as is Akeem [Ayers.]
“The depth is showing up,” Fisher continued. “And that’s a tribute to Gregg and the staff and what they’re doing on the field, preparing everybody from top to bottom just to be prepared to go out and play when called upon.”
According to linebacker James Laurinaitis, the biggest key has just been the unit playing smart, disciplined football. Players are trusting their teammates, and not trying to do anything outside of their assignment.
“Plays come to you instead of you just chasing them,” Laurinaitis said on Sunday. “We’ve just been practicing well, we have a good vibe going when we meet together. And guys are just worried about Ws instead of individual statistics.”
That’s part of why Laurinaitis said he thinks there’s been a different sort of mentality around the team this year.
“It feels different. During the week, it even felt different,” Laurinaitis said. “The way people approach practice, the way they went about their work. Maybe in years past, you’d have to try to chase guys down after a win to keep the same routine. Now you don’t have to.”
Brockers had a similar assessment, saying defensive preparation has been even more on point this season than before.
“It's how hard we work,” Brockers said. “We don't take any days off. We are trying to make plays so it can transfer over to the game.
“I think it shows how prepared and good this team is,” Brockers continued. “We have a lot of young guys, but we still feel we can make things happen. Everyone is taking initiative to get it right and get it rolling.”
Laurinaitis said the shift may stem from the fact that while the team is still young, everyone now knows just how hard it is to get wins in the league.
“We’ve been trying to chip at this thing for a while, and kind of keep swinging away, swinging away,” Laurinaitis said. “And so you have a lot of guys who are more experienced and more mature, and they realize it now.”
That’s why the longtime Rams’ middle linebacker was, as he put it, cautiously optimistic the gut feeling he had heading into Sunday was correct.
“You don’t want to be like, ‘Oh yeah, this is going to be different,’ and then come out here and lay an egg,” Laurinaitis said. “The really good teams -- something that we have the capability to be if we want -- … will rattle off wins back, to back, to back, to back and stack them.”
Now, the Rams don’t want to just maintain the same level of play in order to continue getting victories -- they want to elevate it. That’s why Fisher said it’s not enough to just hold opponents to 12 points over the last two games.
“That’s the approach you have to take from a defensive standpoint,” Fisher said. “You strive to play that perfect game.”
IMPROVING ON THIRD DOWN
After Sunday’s victory, St. Louis offense is now just 2-of-21 on third down over the last two games. It’s a glaring stat, and Fisher said the team simply has not been good enough in those situations.
“Third down is an issue,” Fisher said. “You look at those numbers closely, we’ve got to do much better there. We can’t win games -- especially at this time of year -- when we’re not converting third downs on offense. That’s just a matter of practice.”
As for the drops, Fisher said he’s not too concerned about them at this point. But it’s another area in which St. Louis must improve.
“Guys don’t drop the ball on purpose,” Fisher said. “If it keeps happening, then you’ve got to start making changes. But I’m not concerned. The guys are practicing well.”
“Obviously, we’ve got to do a better job with that,” Fisher added. “But it’s not an epidemic right now.”
What’s nice about the last couple weeks, however, is that the Rams have been able to go over corrections after wins rather than losses.
“It’s nice to have discussions with the staff and the players over the last two weeks when you’ve scored 51 points and you give up 12, and you’re being very, very constructively criticized,” Fisher said. “We want to get better. That’s what this is about.”
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Monday-Wrap-Up-Whats-Working-on-Defense/7f665614-58a0-4dfb-b39e-1ee95c726504
The Rams have completed two consecutive performances in which they’ve allowed only six points. That’s not easy to do in the NFL, where only five of 32 teams are averaging under 20.0 points per game.
Following Sunday’s 27-6 win over San Francisco, St. Louis’ defense in now among the league’s top 10 in points per game (No. 4), sacks (tied for No. 2), total yards per game (No. 6), rushing yards per game (No. 9), and passing yards per game (No. 10). The unit is also No. 1 in red zone scoring percentage.
“Unfortunately we didn’t get any turnovers, but we got off the field on third down, tackled well, pressured the quarterback well, and played the run pretty well,” head coach Jeff Fisher said Monday.
“San Fran had a drive where they drove the ball a little bit and got in the red zone and we stopped them. That's a momentum booster for us,” defensive tackle Michael Brockers said Sunday. “We feel like when the field gets smaller and shrinks that no one should score on us, because we have good red-zone defense. We don't want people scoring on us.”
One of the reasons why the defense has been so effective is its depth. Fisher pointed to how the Rams have been able to withstand the significant injury to linebacker Alec Ogletree as an example of how well coordinator Gregg Williams has led the unit.
“Alec Ogletree was playing really good football. And we’ve been able to, not replace him, but get by,” Fisher said. “Mark [Barron is] playing really good ‘ball right now, as is Akeem [Ayers.]
“The depth is showing up,” Fisher continued. “And that’s a tribute to Gregg and the staff and what they’re doing on the field, preparing everybody from top to bottom just to be prepared to go out and play when called upon.”
According to linebacker James Laurinaitis, the biggest key has just been the unit playing smart, disciplined football. Players are trusting their teammates, and not trying to do anything outside of their assignment.
“Plays come to you instead of you just chasing them,” Laurinaitis said on Sunday. “We’ve just been practicing well, we have a good vibe going when we meet together. And guys are just worried about Ws instead of individual statistics.”
That’s part of why Laurinaitis said he thinks there’s been a different sort of mentality around the team this year.
“It feels different. During the week, it even felt different,” Laurinaitis said. “The way people approach practice, the way they went about their work. Maybe in years past, you’d have to try to chase guys down after a win to keep the same routine. Now you don’t have to.”
Brockers had a similar assessment, saying defensive preparation has been even more on point this season than before.
“It's how hard we work,” Brockers said. “We don't take any days off. We are trying to make plays so it can transfer over to the game.
“I think it shows how prepared and good this team is,” Brockers continued. “We have a lot of young guys, but we still feel we can make things happen. Everyone is taking initiative to get it right and get it rolling.”
Laurinaitis said the shift may stem from the fact that while the team is still young, everyone now knows just how hard it is to get wins in the league.
“We’ve been trying to chip at this thing for a while, and kind of keep swinging away, swinging away,” Laurinaitis said. “And so you have a lot of guys who are more experienced and more mature, and they realize it now.”
That’s why the longtime Rams’ middle linebacker was, as he put it, cautiously optimistic the gut feeling he had heading into Sunday was correct.
“You don’t want to be like, ‘Oh yeah, this is going to be different,’ and then come out here and lay an egg,” Laurinaitis said. “The really good teams -- something that we have the capability to be if we want -- … will rattle off wins back, to back, to back, to back and stack them.”
Now, the Rams don’t want to just maintain the same level of play in order to continue getting victories -- they want to elevate it. That’s why Fisher said it’s not enough to just hold opponents to 12 points over the last two games.
“That’s the approach you have to take from a defensive standpoint,” Fisher said. “You strive to play that perfect game.”
IMPROVING ON THIRD DOWN
After Sunday’s victory, St. Louis offense is now just 2-of-21 on third down over the last two games. It’s a glaring stat, and Fisher said the team simply has not been good enough in those situations.
“Third down is an issue,” Fisher said. “You look at those numbers closely, we’ve got to do much better there. We can’t win games -- especially at this time of year -- when we’re not converting third downs on offense. That’s just a matter of practice.”
As for the drops, Fisher said he’s not too concerned about them at this point. But it’s another area in which St. Louis must improve.
“Guys don’t drop the ball on purpose,” Fisher said. “If it keeps happening, then you’ve got to start making changes. But I’m not concerned. The guys are practicing well.”
“Obviously, we’ve got to do a better job with that,” Fisher added. “But it’s not an epidemic right now.”
What’s nice about the last couple weeks, however, is that the Rams have been able to go over corrections after wins rather than losses.
“It’s nice to have discussions with the staff and the players over the last two weeks when you’ve scored 51 points and you give up 12, and you’re being very, very constructively criticized,” Fisher said. “We want to get better. That’s what this is about.”