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For Rams, best defense against Packers is a good offense
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...est-defense-against-packers-is-a-good-offense
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The St. Louis Rams (2-2) and Green Bay Packers (4-0) kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Lambeau Field. Here are three things to watch:
1. The best defense ... : The Rams finally found some offensive success in the second half last week against Arizona, especially in the running game. Back Todd Gurley went for 106 yards in the fourth quarter alone and has practiced all week without a knee brace. He looks poised to build on that outing. And the Rams could really use it against the Packers.
It's cliche but it's cliche for a reason: Sometimes the best defense against a star quarterback like Aaron Rodgers is a good offense. You know, the kind of offense that consistently puts together long drives that eat up big chunks of the clock. That's been a major weakness for the Rams so far this year. They are 31st in the NFL in time of possession margin with opponents having the ball for nearly nine minutes more per game in the first four weeks. The Rams are last in the league in first downs with just 55, that's 14 less than Cleveland, the next closest team on the list. Taking it a step further, the Rams' longest drive this season is 4:47, and they are averaging just 4.57 plays per drive, last in the league.
By way of comparison, Green Bay averages 6.02 players per drive and has an average time of possession margin of almost six minutes in its favor. Last week was a step in the right direction for the Rams' offense, but the next step is for them to put drives together in which they regularly move the chains and keep the clock moving.
2. Staying disciplined: Earlier this week, I took a deeper look at the steps the Rams are taking to try to keep Rodgers from drawing them offsides and stealing big plays without any repercussions. It bears repeating here.
Through the first four games, Rodgers has drawn a league-high eight offside flags. Rodgers is taking those flags and rendering them pointless with what he does after they're thrown. On those eight plays, Rodgers is 5-for-5 for 164 yards and two touchdowns, good for a perfect 158.3 passer rating and 100.0 QBR.
The Rams, meanwhile, have jumped offside an NFL-high 36 times (with 20 accepted) since coach Jeff Fisher arrived in 2012. This week, it was air horns, music and quarterback Case Keenum attempting to force the Rams to stay disciplined. But the Rams aren't the first team to discuss the need to hold their water only to have Rodgers make them pay on Sunday. If they want to have a chance in this one, they must translate the lessons learned during the week to Sunday's game.
3. Takeaway time: It's no secret that Rodgers has an absolutely ridiculous streak going when it comes to avoiding interceptions at Lambeau Field. Dating to 2012, Rodgers has thrown 580 passes and 48 touchdowns without an interception at home (including playoffs). And while Rodgers is excellent at avoiding turnovers, so is everyone else on the offense. Green Bay has just one giveaway in the first four weeks, a James Starks fumble in Week 2 against Seattle.
The Rams have six takeaways this season, which puts them in the middle of the pack, but they were plus-three against Arizona last week, which ultimately made the different in a two-point game. It's a tall order, but they'll need a similar margin this week if they want to knock off an undefeated team on the road for the second consecutive week.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...est-defense-against-packers-is-a-good-offense
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The St. Louis Rams (2-2) and Green Bay Packers (4-0) kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Lambeau Field. Here are three things to watch:
1. The best defense ... : The Rams finally found some offensive success in the second half last week against Arizona, especially in the running game. Back Todd Gurley went for 106 yards in the fourth quarter alone and has practiced all week without a knee brace. He looks poised to build on that outing. And the Rams could really use it against the Packers.
It's cliche but it's cliche for a reason: Sometimes the best defense against a star quarterback like Aaron Rodgers is a good offense. You know, the kind of offense that consistently puts together long drives that eat up big chunks of the clock. That's been a major weakness for the Rams so far this year. They are 31st in the NFL in time of possession margin with opponents having the ball for nearly nine minutes more per game in the first four weeks. The Rams are last in the league in first downs with just 55, that's 14 less than Cleveland, the next closest team on the list. Taking it a step further, the Rams' longest drive this season is 4:47, and they are averaging just 4.57 plays per drive, last in the league.
By way of comparison, Green Bay averages 6.02 players per drive and has an average time of possession margin of almost six minutes in its favor. Last week was a step in the right direction for the Rams' offense, but the next step is for them to put drives together in which they regularly move the chains and keep the clock moving.
2. Staying disciplined: Earlier this week, I took a deeper look at the steps the Rams are taking to try to keep Rodgers from drawing them offsides and stealing big plays without any repercussions. It bears repeating here.
Through the first four games, Rodgers has drawn a league-high eight offside flags. Rodgers is taking those flags and rendering them pointless with what he does after they're thrown. On those eight plays, Rodgers is 5-for-5 for 164 yards and two touchdowns, good for a perfect 158.3 passer rating and 100.0 QBR.
The Rams, meanwhile, have jumped offside an NFL-high 36 times (with 20 accepted) since coach Jeff Fisher arrived in 2012. This week, it was air horns, music and quarterback Case Keenum attempting to force the Rams to stay disciplined. But the Rams aren't the first team to discuss the need to hold their water only to have Rodgers make them pay on Sunday. If they want to have a chance in this one, they must translate the lessons learned during the week to Sunday's game.
3. Takeaway time: It's no secret that Rodgers has an absolutely ridiculous streak going when it comes to avoiding interceptions at Lambeau Field. Dating to 2012, Rodgers has thrown 580 passes and 48 touchdowns without an interception at home (including playoffs). And while Rodgers is excellent at avoiding turnovers, so is everyone else on the offense. Green Bay has just one giveaway in the first four weeks, a James Starks fumble in Week 2 against Seattle.
The Rams have six takeaways this season, which puts them in the middle of the pack, but they were plus-three against Arizona last week, which ultimately made the different in a two-point game. It's a tall order, but they'll need a similar margin this week if they want to knock off an undefeated team on the road for the second consecutive week.
