Rams defense reaches top 10 status
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ce3cdefd-db1b-5e4c-bcc3-5d61532d89bb.html
After holding San Francisco to 189 yards in Sunday's 27-6 victory, the Rams have moved up to sixth in the NFL in total defense. It has been 12 years since the Rams have been ranked that highly this late into a season.
Total defense ranks teams according to yards allowed per game, and the Rams are allowing 328.1 yards per game through seven contests.
The Rams haven't been ranked as highly in total defense since the 2005 team was ranked fourth, but that was only after Week 1. One must go back a couple of seasons further for a truer indication of defensive rank. In Week 11 of the '03 season _ the Rams' last winning season _ the team ranked 6th in total defense.
The 2015 Rams also rank fourth in the NFL in scoring defense (17.9 points per game), first in red zone defense (31.3 percent TD rate), eighth in third-down conversion defense (34.0 percent), and are tied for second in sacks (26).
Some other statistical notes for the Rams:
• Running back Todd Gurley has moved up to fifth in the NFL in rushing yards with 575, and the Rams rank third in the league in rushing offense. Gurley has four of the NFL's top 20 rushing games this season.
• Johnny Hekker is sixth in the league in gross punting (48.8 yards) and third in net punting (43.7 yards).
• Tavon Austin is tied for second in the NFL for scoring among non-kickers with 42 points on seven touchdowns.
• The Rams rank last in the league in passing offense (179.6 yards) and are last in third-down conversion offense (25.9).
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ce3cdefd-db1b-5e4c-bcc3-5d61532d89bb.html
After holding San Francisco to 189 yards in Sunday's 27-6 victory, the Rams have moved up to sixth in the NFL in total defense. It has been 12 years since the Rams have been ranked that highly this late into a season.
Total defense ranks teams according to yards allowed per game, and the Rams are allowing 328.1 yards per game through seven contests.
The Rams haven't been ranked as highly in total defense since the 2005 team was ranked fourth, but that was only after Week 1. One must go back a couple of seasons further for a truer indication of defensive rank. In Week 11 of the '03 season _ the Rams' last winning season _ the team ranked 6th in total defense.
The 2015 Rams also rank fourth in the NFL in scoring defense (17.9 points per game), first in red zone defense (31.3 percent TD rate), eighth in third-down conversion defense (34.0 percent), and are tied for second in sacks (26).
Some other statistical notes for the Rams:
• Running back Todd Gurley has moved up to fifth in the NFL in rushing yards with 575, and the Rams rank third in the league in rushing offense. Gurley has four of the NFL's top 20 rushing games this season.
• Johnny Hekker is sixth in the league in gross punting (48.8 yards) and third in net punting (43.7 yards).
• Tavon Austin is tied for second in the NFL for scoring among non-kickers with 42 points on seven touchdowns.
• The Rams rank last in the league in passing offense (179.6 yards) and are last in third-down conversion offense (25.9).
