If the Rams’ D is going to improve significantly this year, it will be because…

[AvengerRam]

Most likely way the D improves by year end…

 

[Flatlyner]

Maybe Morris' scheme just isn't all that good, also. We play so far of WR's consistently.

 

[BonifayRam]

Snead & Mcvay make it clear that they are very disappointed in the play of his defense in the first 5 games.

That both of them demands his defense makes changes & becomes much more aggressive. Thus Morris needs to:

*Moves Taylor Rapp down closer to the LOS in the ILB'er posts in passing situations & removes him from starting strong safety position.

*Moves safety Jordan Fuller back to his rookie season position into the Taylor Rapp starting safety position. Still calling the defensive plays.

*Inserts a new starting deep/free safety in either Terrell Burgess or JuJu Hughes.

*Ensures CB David long gets as few snaps with the defense as he can.

*Increases ILB Ernest Jones snaps counts each week @ WSILB post behind Kenny young & MLB Troy Reeder in preparation to start in 2022.

*Increases OLB Chris Garretts snaps each week on the defense on 2nd & 3rd down passing situations. Due to the long injury history of both Terrell Lewis & Og Okoronkwo.

*Prioritizes & Plans each week with DL Coach Henderson to ensure to "free up" Aaron Donald for as many one-on-one situations inside & provide more often events where he lines up on the edges.

 

[Angry Ram]

I vote other....talent. Too good to not get better.

 

[dang]

I voted first/second year players improve but I would love to add a solid CB or ILB to the mix.

 

[RhodyRams]

I think it will be a combo of options 1 and 2

 

[Ram_Rally]

Maybe Morris' scheme just isn't all that good, also. We play so far of WR's consistently.

It's Staley's scheme mostly though. Morris is just making his own adjustments. Which could be bad to be fair.

Also I think Staley runs a lot of off coverage himself.

 

[Merlin]

I think the area we can improve the most is Morris and his grasp of the defense. He should get better as we go forward and he starts to get a good feel for it, so I am hopeful.

And of course wrt players I think he can adjust personnel a bit to help him out. But I am also hoping we see improvement in some of the guys who have struggled out there too thus far.

 

[thirteen28]

Snead & Mcvay make it clear that they are very disappointed in the play of his defense in the first 5 games.

That both of them demands his defense makes changes & becomes much more aggressive. Thus Morris needs to:

*Moves Taylor Rapp down closer to the LOS in the ILB'er posts in passing situations & removes him from starting strong safety position.

*Moves safety Jordan Fuller back to his rookie season position into the Taylor Rapp starting safety position. Still calling the defensive plays.

*Inserts a new starting deep/free safety in either Terrell Burgess or JuJu Hughes.

*Ensures CB David long gets as few snaps with the defense as he can.

*Increases ILB Ernest Jones snaps counts each week @ WSILB post behind Kenny young & MLB Troy Reeder in preparation to start in 2022.

*Increases OLB Chris Garretts snaps each week on the defense on 2nd & 3rd down passing situations. Due to the long injury history of both Terrell Lewis & Og Okoronkwo.

*Prioritizes & Plans each week with DL Coach Henderson to ensure to "free up" Aaron Donald for as many one-on-one situations inside & provide more often events where he lines up on the edges.

Great post. I would add that Morris needs to play the CBs more aggressively and reduce/eliminate the huge cushions. Our CBs are well suited for man coverage.

The basis theme of your post is "Morris needs to make adjustments," which wasn't one of the choices in the poll, but is one with which I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[oldnotdead]

Morris is only using the shell of Staley's scheme, but he's playing it passively. Staley was hyper-aggressive at times and he still is with the Chargers. He's doing more now with the Chargers than Morris with far superior talent. Right now Morris is playing his talent much like Kromer played the OL talent.

Carberry has the same talent Kromer had but they are playing at an elite level.

Staley had basically the same roster as Morris has and they were the #1 defense last year, and middle of the pack this year. It's all about coaching not just the scheme but how it's played. Morris played it aggressively on Thursday and shut down Wilson. But then he got ultra-conservative, i.e. scared and almost got beat by a freaking backup QB. What more evidence do people need?

Morris: drop, react style puts his guys at a disadvantage being a step behind. Too many missed tackles because the DB is rushing in but the receiver has time to react to the defender, instead of the defender being at the point of reception to contest the catch.

Staley: drop, read, anticipate (attack the play). Staley's DBs plaster the receiver entering the zone and play them in man coverage through the the play. Receivers are only handed off from LBs to safeties or other DBs or when multiple receivers enter into the same zone. The QB reads zone (such as quarters or cover 2) but it's played as man coverage, not a static zone. It forces the QB to hold the ball longer and it doesn't leave the short zone wide open for dump-offs to avoid the rush.

I've seen enough to know Morris' ultra-conservative passive zones don't work.

 

[bubbaramfan]

I pick "E": Morris gets hired away to be Raiders next HC.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

Where's
º More analysis of Staley's responses and halftime adjustments

 

[Dodgersrf]

Playing the Giants should make it APPEAR better.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Playing the Giants should make it APPEAR better.

And “potentially all solved” just because the opponent changes.

I think the unit gets better by familiarity, the players, Morris, etc.

But I also think top 10 is the target for this unit. Depending how we beat that, we get more consistent play.

 

[Dodgersrf]

And “potentially all solved” just because the opponent changes.

I think the unit gets better by familiarity, the players, Morris, etc.

But I also think top 10 is the target for this unit. Depending how we beat that, we get more consistent play.

I think they'll get better as they play more in this system.

Expecting them to be number one again is a tall order.
I'd be fine with top 10.

 

[Rams43]

Snead & Mcvay make it clear that they are very disappointed in the play of his defense in the first 5 games.

That both of them demands his defense makes changes & becomes much more aggressive. Thus Morris needs to:

*Moves Taylor Rapp down closer to the LOS in the ILB'er posts in passing situations & removes him from starting strong safety position.

*Moves safety Jordan Fuller back to his rookie season position into the Taylor Rapp starting safety position. Still calling the defensive plays.

*Inserts a new starting deep/free safety in either Terrell Burgess or JuJu Hughes.

*Ensures CB David long gets as few snaps with the defense as he can.

*Increases ILB Ernest Jones snaps counts each week @ WSILB post behind Kenny young & MLB Troy Reeder in preparation to start in 2022.

*Increases OLB Chris Garretts snaps each week on the defense on 2nd & 3rd down passing situations. Due to the long injury history of both Terrell Lewis & Og Okoronkwo.

*Prioritizes & Plans each week with DL Coach Henderson to ensure to "free up" Aaron Donald for as many one-on-one situations inside & provide more often events where he lines up on the edges.

I completely resonate with this post, Bonifay. Hell, it’s as if you were reading my mind. Lol.

 

[“Turbo set!”]

The offense gets better.

 

[Ramlock]

They settle in to Morris’ defense.

I thought they were better against Seattle and then went Prevent against Geno.

 

[Steve808]

They settle in to Morris’ defense.

I thought they were better against Seattle and then went Prevent against Geno.

Last year they had Ramsey cover DK Metcalf and DK was completely shut down. This season Metcalf got two TDs against the Rams defense. I think the talent is there but a more aggressive scheme is needed.

 

[tempests]

...if the pass rush compensates for a deficient secondary.

Lost in the offseason hype over the Stafford trade, we lost four starters plus Morgan Fox, plus Pleasant and Staley from last year's defense. That was a lot of talent, and experience, and knowledge, that went out the door. We lacked the resources to make upgrades in the offseason and are relying on younger, less experienced players to fill in the gap.

Last year there really was no weak spot for the QB to go to work on. It's a different story this year. For Morris to be deploying his defensive backs the way he does, he must've noticed something in training camp or during practices.

End of the day, it's the players that make a coach look good or bad. Must be nice for Staley to have Derwin James in his secondary. But they are missing their best run defender from last year, and that defense is giving up 5.6 yards a rush.