The Rams Defense

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Our players are not suited for a 3 - 4 scheme. We have an all-star pass rushing squad, and line backers that were previously strong safeties. We need to go back to our ball hawking 4 - 3, because it is what best suits the talent that we have acquired. What do you guys think?
 

RamBall

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If WPs D was a typical 2 gap system I would agree, but WPs is closer to the 4-3 the Rams played last year than it to a 2 gap 3-4 system. The only difference is that WP calls 1 of the DEs anOLB instead of a DE.
 

Farr Be It

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I think if Barwin were a bit better and the carcass formerly known as Robert Quinn weren’t a shell of himself, our run D would be better, and our edge pressure would be getting more pressures and sacks.

I’m curious what our numbers are on 3 and outs, and allowing 3rd down conversions. Donald’s talents are suffering.
 

Soul Surfer

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LOL, the carcass formerly known as robert quinn lmao. THREAD WINNER!
How long are the coaches going to let this go on?

I understand they are trying to give him time to get back to his former self I just don't see it happening.
 

TexasRam

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Actual footage of Robert Quinn in warmups before last weeks game

zombie12.gif
 

Angry Ram

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A week ago the defense was an improving unit and now they players "aren't a fit"?

It was doing just fine against Minnesota until the CBs got hurt.
 
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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
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Zero, sacks this game. It is very hard for a 4 - 3 pass rushing defensive end to perform in the in the 3 - 4, especially when that D end suddenly has coverage responsibility added into his reads post snap. You have to remember that defense is a very much a reactive technique, the more you have to read and react too the slower you have to play. As you can see this does not lead to an effective Pass Rush. In order to play 3 - 4 everyone must have a significantly high football IQ and honestly I don't that's what we have in terms a talent. I think what he have is more of a Power Defense, we are athletically superior. Mentally... not so much.
 

jrry32

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Our players are suited just fine for Wade's scheme. We just are lacking in certain areas.
 

StealYoGurley

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Disagree. We currently don't have a NT mainly because Brockers was expected to play there, but with Easily going down Brockers ended up excelling 5 tech leaving a hole at NT. AD is still playing mostly 3 technique and dominating

Would like a more stout mike than Tree, but Barron has been solid at the Mo. Barron has been good covering TEs, but Tree has taken a huge step back in coverage especially covering RBs. Coverage used to be a relative strength in Tree's game I don't know what happened to him.

Barwin and Quinn fit, but they aren't the players they used to be. Quinn is frustrating because all he does is that outside speed rush and since he's not as explosive as he used to be it never gets home. Its astounding to me how he doesn't have more moves in his pass rush repertoire.

People have complained about the front 7 not being a fit, but the real mismatch is in the secondary particularly the outside corners. Remember early in the offseason when Snead said they franchised Tru because they wanted to see how he fit in the new scheme? Safe to say he shouldn't be in a scheme with so much man coverage especially when he spends alot of the time trailing the other teams number 1. I would prefer Webster be the number 3 CB, but i guess you can get by with him at the 2.

CBs and edge rushers probably the two areas in dire need of outside upgrade this offseason. Especially when you consider the top 2 guys at those spots are likely gone in Tru and Quinn.
 

Akrasian

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Zero, sacks this game. It is very hard for a 4 - 3 pass rushing defensive end to perform in the in the 3 - 4,

The Rams had a bad game. They are in the top third in sacks, and only Jacksonville and Pittsburgh have appreciably more. They are fine. They had some in-game injuries to their CBs, which made it harder to limit time to throw. They'll be fine. No need to panic.
 

jrry32

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Disagree. We currently don't have a NT mainly because Brockers was expected to play there, but with Easily going down Brockers ended up excelling 5 tech leaving a hole at NT. AD is still playing mostly 3 technique and dominating

Would like a more stout mike than Tree, but Barron has been solid at the Mo. Barron has been good covering TEs, but Tree has taken a huge step back in coverage especially covering RBs. Coverage used to be a relative strength in Tree's game I don't know what happened to him.

Barwin and Quinn fit, but they aren't the players they used to be. Quinn is frustrating because all he does is that outside speed rush and since he's not as explosive as he used to be it never gets home. Its astounding to me how he doesn't have more moves in his pass rush repertoire.

People have complained about the front 7 not being a fit, but the real mismatch is in the secondary particularly the outside corners. Remember early in the offseason when Snead said they franchised Tru because they wanted to see how he fit in the new scheme? Safe to say he shouldn't be in a scheme with so much man coverage especially when he spends alot of the time trailing the other teams number 1. I would prefer Webster be the number 3 CB, but i guess you can get by with him at the 2.

CBs and edge rushers probably the two areas in dire need of outside upgrade this offseason. Especially when you consider the top 2 guys at those spots are likely gone in Tru and Quinn.

I'm in total agreement. We should look to keep NRC this off-season. I would only keep Tru if he comes at a discount. Malcolm Butler is a CB I'd be very interested in for this scheme. As for Quinn, if he doesn't show something down the stretch, I'm moving on after the year. He looks like a shell of his former self. One guy who intrigues me as a reclamation project is Aaron Lynch, but we'd need something more proven if we're replacing Quinn.(but I'd still be interested in Lynch as depth and competition)

I was really hoping we'd have an opportunity to draft a LT in the first round (like Baby Zeus), but we may need to go pass rusher with that pick. I think Ebukam has a future as our SOLB, but he's such a raw kid that it's hard to see what his ultimate upside is as a pass rusher. I'm disappointed that Shaq Barrett is only a RFA. He'd have been a nice guy to scoop up if he was a UFA.
 

Ram77

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I was watching some 2013 Robert Quinn highlights on YouTube . The guy was unstoppable from the DE position. He just looked so fast and would blow by any OL in his way. He didn’t have many moves back then either, but he was an athletic freak. I did notice they did some stunts/loops where he came through the guard and center occasionally. I think Wade has to get more creative in order to use Quinn to his full capability. Why not let him rush with his hand on the ground? It can’t be any worse than now.
It’s so frustrating that this guy was on the verge of being great just a few years ago. Do you guys think the big contract he signed had something to do with his decline or is it just injuries/recovery from surgery ?
 

Angry Ram

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The Rams had a bad game. They are in the top third in sacks, and only Jacksonville and Pittsburgh have appreciably more. They are fine. They had some in-game injuries to their CBs, which made it harder to limit time to throw. They'll be fine. No need to panic.

It's times like these I'm so glad internet fans remain on the internet. The team would have a new roster after every loss.

Stay the course.

stay-the-course.jpg
 

DaveFan'51

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The Rams had a bad game. They are in the top third in sacks, and only Jacksonville and Pittsburgh have appreciably more. They are fine. They had some in-game injuries to their CBs, which made it harder to limit time to throw. They'll be fine. No need to panic.
Don't forget, our "D" is also way-up-there in the Takeaway Dept. too!(y);):D
 

fearsomefour

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After initially being down and against the switch to 3/4 I see nothing but optimism now.
The Rams have some great playmakers....guys that can fit in any scheme....Donald, Brockers, Ogletree, Barron, Tru....to me these are top level players.
With a full season to evaluate and adjust and cap room I expect the Rams to focus on the D this offseason to improve specific areas.
Personally, I would add a D lineman, a LB or two in FA, keep who we want of our own FA and designate that first round pick to a CB.
Better execution and performance out of the D line rotation and OLB with better DB depth and this D can be excellent.
The other benefit is the D being improved through the O. Having an O that can possess the ball and score just does wonders for any D. Let's say it saves the D two possessions a game on average. Fewer snaps to defend, fewer possible mix ups in coverage, fewer opportunities for the opposing O to adjust. If the Rams O is scoring the other team tends to become one dimensional as well which benefits the D.
With great foundations in place on both sides of the ball....nothing but optimism.
With some different personal at key spots and a little better depth.....and a little luck....the road is there to compete for titles.
Stay the course and tweek the 3/4.
 

fearsomefour

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I was watching some 2013 Robert Quinn highlights on YouTube . The guy was unstoppable from the DE position. He just looked so fast and would blow by any OL in his way. He didn’t have many moves back then either, but he was an athletic freak. I did notice they did some stunts/loops where he came through the guard and center occasionally. I think Wade has to get more creative in order to use Quinn to his full capability. Why not let him rush with his hand on the ground? It can’t be any worse than now.
It’s so frustrating that this guy was on the verge of being great just a few years ago. Do you guys think the big contract he signed had something to do with his decline or is it just injuries/recovery from surgery ?
No indication he has an attitude or isent a high effort guy. Sometimes injuries take a toll.
He was performing at the top of the game at his specialty skill. The 1% of the 1%. Meaning, by default, there was little room for error. A slight decline because of issues with injuries is the difference between 16 sacks a year and 6. The pressures go down effectiveness across the board goes down.
A guy goes from a "must sign" to overpaid.