Brockers, Suh Building Camaraderie on Defensive Front

[den-the-coach]

Communication is often an overlooked aspect of defensive line play. While verbal contact between a quarterback and his receivers is much more visible, the connections along a defensive front — while less acknowledged — are equally as important.

For this reason, when defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh joined the Rams this offseason, one of his primary focuses was on building chemistry and communication with the players he would be lining up next to — namely fellow defensive tackle Michael Brockers.

“To play this game you have to have your teammates and they have to have you, so [it’s about] creating that camaraderie, being out there with Brockers and all the different guys,” Suh said recently. “You probably don’t see it as much as you see it from a quarterback’s perspective, but as a front, for us all to be on the same front, we have to communicate.”

In order to build up chemistry and be able to communicate effectively, it’s important to understand personalities off the field.

For Brockers, that meant looking past Suh’s reputation around the league, one that sometimes sold him as someone who could be a bit overly aggressive.

“You hear all the tabloids about him, being mean, tough. [But] if you get to know him, sit down and really just get to know him as a person, everybody enjoys him,” Brockers said. “He’s a smart guy, a great guy to be around, [and] a great guy to come into this building with, so it’s been awesome.”

But six weeks into working with each other, Brockers and Suh feel good about the foundation they have set between them. And as both look towards training camp in July, they recognize how important it will be to keep their conversations going.

“I would say [it’s about] overall communication,” Suh said. “Understanding where people are lining up, how things are going to move, how he likes to play, and different things of that nature. It’s pure communication at its best... Just finding opportunities to get better, building camaraderie, and finding ways to continue to be successful going into camp.”

[www.therams.com]

 

[den-the-coach]

Phillips: I Like Personalities because those Players are Independent

Since the Rams acquired cornerback Aqib Talib, cornerback Marcus Peters, and defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh during the offseason, reporters have raised question after question with head coach Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips about how the pair will manage those three strong personalities.

McVay has echoed Phillips on the subject more than once after the defensive coordinator told the media, “I don’t manage players, I don’t handle players. I just work with players.”

And after going through the majority of OTAs and minicamp with the new players, Phillips expressed how pleased he’d been with all three on the field and inside the building.

“I obviously knew Aqib on the field too, so really more Marcus and Ndamukong. They’re both really smart players. You don’t always know that, I mean sometimes a guy really talented, but these guys are really smart players and talented. They do things so easily, so naturally,” Phillips said. “Ndamukong has so much power, you can see it. Again, we don’t have pads to see how much, but he just holds a guy with one hand — those kind of things real easily.

“And then the movement skills of Marcus are outstanding,” Phillips continued. “He has great change of direction, has great hands, and Talib still has the same kind of movement skills and speed. All three of those guys look like they have been which that’s what they look like in practice and in the classroom.”

But then, of course, Phillips was asked once again about dealing with the strong personalities. And to that, he delivered his most thorough comments to date.

“[A]s far as strong personalities, I explain what I want done, how I want it done, and why we want it done that way. They understand those things,” Phillips said. “I like personalities because they’re independent enough to do things on their own and they’ve shown they’re independent enough to be great players too.

“[Y]ou don’t want a player who does everything you say, you want guys that have some initiative,” Phillips continued. “We tell them to do this and do that, but Marcus Peters [on] a couple plays last year … he’s playing man to man and they throw it to another player but he intercepts it. That’s what I’m talking about, [you don’t say], ‘No, you cover your man.’ Well, if you intercept it when they throw it to somebody else, that’s great.”

Phillips used Peters as an example — which makes sense, as the has 21 regular- and postseason interceptions since entering the league in 2015. But Talib and Suh have the same kind of playing style, to the tune of the corner’s 34 career interceptions — ranking No. 4 on the active list — and the defensive tackle’s 51.5 sacks.

“Those are the kinda guys they are,” Phillips said. “You want them to do all the right things and help them to be a better player, but you don’t want them to lose that initiative. That’s what they have and that’s the way I’ve always coached.”

[www.therams.com]

 

[den-the-coach]

Love McVay's quote...."I work with players." as opposed to manage or handling them, great insight as to why McVay is special. Some pundits feeling Rams will have issues in the locker room, especially if they lose a few in a row, I'm betting that McVay & Phillips can keep it together as IMHO, this is the most talented Rams team in the last several years.

 

[Psycho_X]

"Come at us NFL", Michael Brockers.

 

[bubbaramfan]

No mention of working with the other player he's lining up next to. I guess their
"communication" is non-existant or long distance.

 

[den-the-coach]

No mention of working with the other player he's lining up next to. I guess their
"communication" is non-existant or long distance.

Well, Donald has not been there, he's holding out.

 

[snackdaddy]

All I knew about Suh before he became a Ram was what I read. I thought he was more a thug. But when I hear him talk, read his comments, I get the impression the guy is actually more soft spoken with intelligence. Maybe his on field demeanor changes? I don't know. But I have a feeling he's not the locker room cancer some made him to be. If anything, he's probably more reserved than problematic.

 

[FarNorth]

All I knew about Suh before he became a Ram was what I read. I thought he was more a thug. But when I hear him talk, read his comments, I get the impression the guy is actually more soft spoken with intelligence. Maybe his on field demeanor changes? I don't know. But I have a feeling he's not the locker room cancer some made him to be. If anything, he's probably more reserved than problematic.

Suh may be the smartest guy on the team. He's certainly the most articulate, possibly including the coaches, and as thoughtful as anyone.

 

[TexasRam]

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

All I knew about Suh before he became a Ram was what I read. I thought he was more a thug. But when I hear him talk, read his comments, I get the impression the guy is actually more soft spoken with intelligence. Maybe his on field demeanor changes? I don't know. But I have a feeling he's not the locker room cancer some made him to be. If anything, he's probably more reserved than problematic.

Suh is just aggressive on the field, like Donald, except with the penalties of course. On the field, he just puts on the game face and plays with an edge.

None of our free agents are locker room cancers. Talib is well spoken as well. Peters may be the only "question" because he speaks his mind at times but that's it.

 

[RamFan503]

All I knew about Suh before he became a Ram was what I read. I thought he was more a thug. But when I hear him talk, read his comments, I get the impression the guy is actually more soft spoken with intelligence. Maybe his on field demeanor changes? I don't know. But I have a feeling he's not the locker room cancer some made him to be. If anything, he's probably more reserved than problematic.

I don’t recall him being a problem in HS in Portland or at Nebraska. He could have been coached up to be that guy in Detroit.

 

[Karate61]

All I knew about Suh before he became a Ram was what I read. I thought he was more a thug. But when I hear him talk, read his comments, I get the impression the guy is actually more soft spoken with intelligence. Maybe his on field demeanor changes? I don't know. But I have a feeling he's not the locker room cancer some made him to be. If anything, he's probably more reserved than problematic.

I've been impressed with Suh in all the off field interviews I've watched of him. I haven't seen them all over the years, but he always seems a bit on the side of soft spoken, intelligent, and friendly. Now, he's definitely been loopy and wild on the field of play at times, but I actually love that! I'm not gonna worry much this season when the yellow personal foul flags go flying. I expect to see some of that with this Rams defense. I don't think it will hurt the Rams a bit!

 

[fearsomefour]

I don’t recall him being a problem in HS in Portland or at Nebraska. He could have been coached up to be that guy in Detroit.

The Swartz effect?