Just how good is the Rams Defense?

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The more I think about the Rams Defense going into the 2015 Season it is pretty scary (For opposing Teams!)!

I can't imagine any team in the NFL having a better DL (Chris Long, Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Nick Fairley, etc) than the Rams. Gregg Williams should have a challenging (And, FUN!) time coming up ways to use this group!

I think the Rams LB position is in pretty good shape with James Laurinaitis, Alec Ogletree, Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Akeem Ayers, Daren Bates, etc. But, if the Rams could add Shaq Thompson (Don't think he will be available when the Rams pick in the 2nd round but it is possible), Paul Dawson or Eric Kendricks with their 2nd round pick then I think their LB position would go from pretty good to really good! I might be wrong but even though I think both Dawson and Kendricks are both more thought of as MLB's I think they could play the OLB position until Laurinaitis retires.

And, I might be in the minority but I think the Rams secondary is in good shape with Gaines, Jenkins, Johnson, Roberson, McDonald, Barron (Can't wait to see how the Rams use him next season/He should be a Beast!), Joyner (If healthy I think all Rams fans will like this player!), Alexander, McLeod, etc. It won't surprise me to see the Rams trying to improve the secondary if the right player becomes available (Draft, FA, Trade, etc) but I do think this unit has a chance to be a really good group!

I really think the Rams Defense has a great chance of being elite this coming season especially if they get some help from their offense!

 

[Boston Ram]

I agree with just about everything you mentioned. If the Rams could get Marcus Peters in the 2nd that could not only be an upgrade at one of the corner spots but also a solution heading into next year as both Johnson and Jenkins may not be able to be resigned.

I hope this defense comes out of the gate like they ended and play like that all year. That defense that ended the season was a championship level defense!

 

[Faceplant]

Agreed. As usual, it is the offense that worries me. 24PPG from them and this defense eats every week.

 

[brokeu91]

The more I think about the Rams Defense going into the 2015 Season it is pretty scary (For opposing Teams!)!

I can't imagine any team in the NFL having a better DL (Chris Long, Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Nick Fairley, etc) than the Rams. Gregg Williams should have a challenging (And, FUN!) time coming up ways to use this group!

I think the Rams LB position is in pretty good shape with James Laurinaitis, Alec Ogletree, Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Akeem Ayers, Daren Bates, etc. But, if the Rams could add Shaq Thompson (Don't think he will be available when the Rams pick in the 2nd round but it is possible), Paul Dawson or Eric Kendricks with their 2nd round pick then I think their LB position would go from pretty good to really good! I might be wrong but even though I think both Dawson and Kendricks are both more thought of as MLB's I think they could play the OLB position until Laurinaitis retires.

And, I might be in the minority but I think the Rams secondary is in good shape with Gaines, Jenkins, Johnson, Roberson, McDonald, Barron (Can't wait to see how the Rams use him next season/He should be a Beast!), Joyner (If healthy I think all Rams fans will like this player!), Alexander, McLeod, etc. It won't surprise me to see the Rams trying to improve the secondary if the right player becomes available (Draft, FA, Trade, etc) but I do think this unit has a chance to be a really good group!

I really think the Rams Defense has a great chance of being elite this coming season especially if they get some help from their offense!

I tend to agree, but I thought basically the same exact thing last year, and the defense wasn't as good as I thought. They did play well down the stretch, but let's face it we weren't playing too many offensive juggernauts down the stretch (the big exception being Denver). The defense needs to cut down on mistakes. Jenkins needs to stop being faked out on double moves. Donald needs to continue to excel even after they have tape on him and have been studying to stop him. Fairley has to be healthy and not lazy. Chris Long needs to stay healthy this year. JL also does because despite signing Ayers we don't have much depth at MLB. And the defense needs to understand Williams plays backwards and forwards. If we do that, then yes, it will be elite, (top 3 defense elite).

If the offense can run the ball and hold onto the ball that will only help the defense

 

[Legatron4]

I hope we draft Thompson(my last name) so I can buy his jersey and pretend I play for the Rams.

 

[mr.stlouis]

Now, imagine it with Vic Beasly.:heh:

 

[tahoe]

Now, imagine it with Vic Beasly.:heh:

I dont want to imagine that nor any other defensive pick. Id be very happy if they drafted nothing but offense. Knowing Fisher that will never happen as he will continue to ignore the offense.

 

[LesBaker]

I dont want to imagine that nor any other defensive pick. Id be very happy if they drafted nothing but offense. Knowing Fisher that will never happen as he will continue to ignore the offense.

How can you say that when during his time in STL he has spent the lions share of FA dollars on offense and just pulled off the biggest trade in the NFL in quite a long time, and he has drafted loads of players in the first three rounds on offense. TAustin, Pead, Robinson, Quick, Mason, Bailey. So out of 12 possible picks in the first three rounds he has used his first available twice and picked nearly half of the players on the O's side of the ball.

He's been doing a lot to fix the O. It's just not worked out the way we'd like. Yet.

 

[Dr C. Hill]

I agree with all of your points my Rams Brother. I would like to add that the guys in the secondary will all have had some PT and should continue to improve. I would not be surprised at all if they develop into an elite unit. I'm getting a Gaines jersey!

 

[RaminExile]

Our D is really good - top 5 or 7 maybe. But in reality its only going to be as good as our offense allows it to be. The Rams need to win time of possession this year to really let the D stifle teams. If we can, we'll see more shutouts, and dominant performances against even the best offenses - like Denver's last year.

I agree with all of your points my Rams Brother. I would like to add that the guys in the secondary will all have had some PT and should continue to improve. I would not be surprised at all if they develop into an elite unit. I'm getting a Gaines jersey!

Great idea on the Gaines jersey! What a stud he was last year. I hope he keeps improving and I expect to see a breakout year from Joyner as well. He started well - is a great tenacious tackler but got a bit lost at times.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Until I see it....all I can say is 17th in the league at this moment...The little improvement from late last year was washed away in the Giant debacle..

 

[snackdaddy]

I hope we draft Thompson(my last name) so I can buy his jersey and pretend I play for the Rams.

You can just have your name screen printed on any jersey. Wait, I tried and snackdaddy wouldn't fit. Nevermind.

 

[snackdaddy]

Until I see it....all I can say is 17th in the league at this moment...The little improvement from late last year was washed away in the Giant debacle..

That was the game that took the wind out of my sails. The Cards game the week before didn't help. Both games were winnable home games and we laid an egg. It especially hurt because of all the hype about us being the team playoff contenders didn't want to play. We were the ascending team. Ready to close out the season strong and go into next season like gangbusters. Now, we're sitting here with all these question marks.

 

[LesBaker]

Until I see it....all I can say is 17th in the league at this moment...The little improvement from late last year was washed away in the Giant debacle..

I just went and looked at the box score for that game.

The Giants racked up 514 yards. And believe it or not they were penalized 12 times for 149 yards.

I bet that happens about once in a blue moon.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Until I see it....all I can say is 17th in the league at this moment...The little improvement from late last year was washed away in the Giant debacle..

Yeah, that 3 games stretch vs. the vs. Oakland (rookie QB Carr), Washington (QB McCoy), and Arizona (QB whoever) prior to that Giants game had some believing the press clippings this defense has enjoyed but failed to live up to so far.

And no one want to hear it, but if McCleod doesn't knock out Emmanuel Sanders early in the 3rd Quarter vs. Denver, that's an entirely different game, IMO, because they had NO ANSWER for him otherwise.

The front seven needs to play lights out OR this team needs to find a shutdown type CB capable of taking away or doing a better job of limiting one of the opposing teams good WRs.

 

[mr.stlouis]

I dont want to imagine that nor any other defensive pick. Id be very happy if they drafted nothing but offense. Knowing Fisher that will never happen as he will continue to ignore the offense.

Offense is boring

We just needed a QB last year.

 

[MTRamsFan]

If Snead and Fisher ignore making our offense better through the draft, I will buy every ROD Member a round of drinks! (But you will need to come to Montana to claim it!)

 

[Tron]

I just went and looked at the box score for that game.

The Giants racked up 514 yards. And believe it or not they were penalized 12 times for 149 yards.

I bet that happens about once in a blue moon.

I just got sad reading that

 

[DaveFan'51]

I really think the Rams Defense has a great chance of being elite this coming season especially if they get some help from their offense!

This^ is it in a nut-shell!!

 

[Memento]

I just went and looked at the box score for that game.

The Giants racked up 514 yards. And believe it or not they were penalized 12 times for 149 yards.

I bet that happens about once in a blue moon.

And a ton of those penalties were bullshit. I was at the game, and the refs were completely babying OBJ.