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Practice Report 9/18: Preparing for Cousins, Washington
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-practicereport/Practice-Report-918-Preparing-for-Cousins-Washington/4f26cece-e9e6-4e47-b058-1a8510d194b7
Last week, the Rams used a complete team performance to defeat the Seahawks in the season opener. On Friday, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said he was pleased with the way his unit performed.
“When we’re playing that tight coverage and we’re forcing them to do the right kind of things there, the pass rush has got to help the coverage and those guys can do an awful lot of good things in the pass rush,” Williams said. “It’s fun for me to have the chance where I don’t have to pressure as much.”
“But I can’t not pressure,” he added with a wry smile. “We’ll always pressure.”
While the Rams got to Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson for six sacks, Williams said there were certainly aspects of the performance the team can improve upon this week.
“I thought we upper-body tackled way too much in that ball game,” Williams said, “but we brought a lot of people to the point.”
St. Louis’ defense will have to attack running back Alfred Morris in a similar manner. Williams said tackling low and gang tackling will be key to slowing down Morris, who had 121 yards on 25 carries last week.
“He’s another great running back,” Williams said.
The defensive coordinator also had praise for Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins. Williams called him a smart QB, who has been executing head coach Jay Gruden’s scheme well.
“We’re going to have to try and disrupt the timing of things as much as we can,” Williams said. “Any quarterback becomes more human when you can disrupt the timing of it and try to move him off the spot in the pocket.”
Two of the players who will be integral in doing so are defensive tackles Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers. Donald, of course, was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for recording 11 tackles and 2.0 sacks against the Seahawks.
“Aaron played very well and I think he’d be the first to tell you -- don’t take this the wrong way --but he thinks he can play better,” Williams said. “That’s why it’s fun to coach him.”
“There are always things you can fix, and you try to build off the things you did right,” Donald said after Friday’s practice. “At the same time, I’m paying attention to the things I did wrong and trying to fix them. So, like I said, I still don’t feel like I’ve played my best football yet.”
The defensive coordinator was quick to give credit to Brockers as well.
“An unsung hero that’s kind of going unnoticed this week, is kind of how well Michael Brockers played,” Williams said. “Michael Brockers has been playing outstanding and allows Aaron to even have more freedom to do the things that he can do that I can’t coach.”
“He’s the guy in there doing all the dirty work,” Donald said of Brockers. “We’re always talking to each other. We watch film with each other a lot. We have a lot of chemistry together, and we can do some special things as a defensive tackle unit and as a team overall.”
One other player Williams talked about on Friday is safety Mark Barron. Picked up in a trade with Tampa Bay in the middle of last season, the Alabama product now has a full offseason with St. Louis under his belt. And based on the way Williams described his play, it shows.
The defensive coordinator started with one word when asked about Barron: “Wow.”
“Not only can he play the safety position, he can play the linebacker position,” Williams said. “He basically plays like a linebacker because he has the size and the strength and the burst to do that, too. And then he does a lot of the things that a nickel and a safety does.
“I thought he played very, very well,” Williams continued, “and I’m challenged each and every week to make sure I give him enough reps.”
INJURY UPDATES
The running back position should have some of its depth restored between Tre Mason (thigh) and Todd Gurley (knee). Though both are listed as questionable, Fisher said he expects Mason will play, and Gurley will be a game-time decision.
“We’ll see how things go during the warm-ups,” Fisher said. “The two situations are completely different. You’ve got a guy coming off a season-ending ACL injury, and you’ve got a guy coming off a three-week hamstring, so they’re completely different. But they both practiced full speed the last two days, which would reflect Wednesday and today. So that’s encouraging.”
Cornerback Trumaine Johnson has passed the concussion protocol tests, and has been medically cleared to play. He’s listed as probable.
Linebacker Daren Bates (knee) was a full participant in practice all week and is listed as probable. He should slide in on special teams for Chase Reynolds (knee) who will be out this week. Defensive end Eugene Sims (knee) will also be out on Sunday.
GURLEY WATCH
While Fisher said whether or not Gurley plays will be a game-time decision, the running back said Friday he will not lobby the coaches or training staff to get out there.
“I won’t do any of that,” Gurley said Friday. “We will come to an agreement and talk about it and go from there.”
Still, if the running back does play, he knows taking that first carry will be special.
“It’s definitely going to be an exciting moment,” Gurley said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life, and it’s definitely coming soon. I’m just excited to be a part of the Rams organization and when that time comes and I play, I’ll be happy.”
FEATS OF STRENGTH
Donald’s work ethic is well known, as it’s one of the factors that has made him dominant with his level of experience in the league. On Friday, he told reporters just how hard he’d been working in the offseason. He began the period benching 460 pounds. That, as you could probably guess, increased. By a lot.
“I came back a lot stronger,” Donald said. “I bench 500 pounds, my squat is probably 700-plus pounds.”
One reporter then quipped Donald could be the strongest on the team, to which the defensive tackle replied, “I’m pretty strong, but I don’t know about the strongest. We are all pretty strong.”
How did the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year make all those gains?
“I worked my butt off,” Donald said. “I stayed in the weight room, conditioned myself, worked on my get off and explosiveness. Just watching film on myself to try and fix things that I felt like I struggled with last year.”
With Donald always striving to improve, there could be plenty more Defensive Player of the Week awards in his future.
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-practicereport/Practice-Report-918-Preparing-for-Cousins-Washington/4f26cece-e9e6-4e47-b058-1a8510d194b7
Last week, the Rams used a complete team performance to defeat the Seahawks in the season opener. On Friday, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said he was pleased with the way his unit performed.
“When we’re playing that tight coverage and we’re forcing them to do the right kind of things there, the pass rush has got to help the coverage and those guys can do an awful lot of good things in the pass rush,” Williams said. “It’s fun for me to have the chance where I don’t have to pressure as much.”
“But I can’t not pressure,” he added with a wry smile. “We’ll always pressure.”
While the Rams got to Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson for six sacks, Williams said there were certainly aspects of the performance the team can improve upon this week.
“I thought we upper-body tackled way too much in that ball game,” Williams said, “but we brought a lot of people to the point.”
St. Louis’ defense will have to attack running back Alfred Morris in a similar manner. Williams said tackling low and gang tackling will be key to slowing down Morris, who had 121 yards on 25 carries last week.
“He’s another great running back,” Williams said.
The defensive coordinator also had praise for Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins. Williams called him a smart QB, who has been executing head coach Jay Gruden’s scheme well.
“We’re going to have to try and disrupt the timing of things as much as we can,” Williams said. “Any quarterback becomes more human when you can disrupt the timing of it and try to move him off the spot in the pocket.”
Two of the players who will be integral in doing so are defensive tackles Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers. Donald, of course, was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for recording 11 tackles and 2.0 sacks against the Seahawks.
“Aaron played very well and I think he’d be the first to tell you -- don’t take this the wrong way --but he thinks he can play better,” Williams said. “That’s why it’s fun to coach him.”
“There are always things you can fix, and you try to build off the things you did right,” Donald said after Friday’s practice. “At the same time, I’m paying attention to the things I did wrong and trying to fix them. So, like I said, I still don’t feel like I’ve played my best football yet.”
The defensive coordinator was quick to give credit to Brockers as well.
“An unsung hero that’s kind of going unnoticed this week, is kind of how well Michael Brockers played,” Williams said. “Michael Brockers has been playing outstanding and allows Aaron to even have more freedom to do the things that he can do that I can’t coach.”
“He’s the guy in there doing all the dirty work,” Donald said of Brockers. “We’re always talking to each other. We watch film with each other a lot. We have a lot of chemistry together, and we can do some special things as a defensive tackle unit and as a team overall.”
One other player Williams talked about on Friday is safety Mark Barron. Picked up in a trade with Tampa Bay in the middle of last season, the Alabama product now has a full offseason with St. Louis under his belt. And based on the way Williams described his play, it shows.
The defensive coordinator started with one word when asked about Barron: “Wow.”
“Not only can he play the safety position, he can play the linebacker position,” Williams said. “He basically plays like a linebacker because he has the size and the strength and the burst to do that, too. And then he does a lot of the things that a nickel and a safety does.
“I thought he played very, very well,” Williams continued, “and I’m challenged each and every week to make sure I give him enough reps.”
INJURY UPDATES
The running back position should have some of its depth restored between Tre Mason (thigh) and Todd Gurley (knee). Though both are listed as questionable, Fisher said he expects Mason will play, and Gurley will be a game-time decision.
“We’ll see how things go during the warm-ups,” Fisher said. “The two situations are completely different. You’ve got a guy coming off a season-ending ACL injury, and you’ve got a guy coming off a three-week hamstring, so they’re completely different. But they both practiced full speed the last two days, which would reflect Wednesday and today. So that’s encouraging.”
Cornerback Trumaine Johnson has passed the concussion protocol tests, and has been medically cleared to play. He’s listed as probable.
Linebacker Daren Bates (knee) was a full participant in practice all week and is listed as probable. He should slide in on special teams for Chase Reynolds (knee) who will be out this week. Defensive end Eugene Sims (knee) will also be out on Sunday.
GURLEY WATCH
While Fisher said whether or not Gurley plays will be a game-time decision, the running back said Friday he will not lobby the coaches or training staff to get out there.
“I won’t do any of that,” Gurley said Friday. “We will come to an agreement and talk about it and go from there.”
Still, if the running back does play, he knows taking that first carry will be special.
“It’s definitely going to be an exciting moment,” Gurley said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life, and it’s definitely coming soon. I’m just excited to be a part of the Rams organization and when that time comes and I play, I’ll be happy.”
FEATS OF STRENGTH
Donald’s work ethic is well known, as it’s one of the factors that has made him dominant with his level of experience in the league. On Friday, he told reporters just how hard he’d been working in the offseason. He began the period benching 460 pounds. That, as you could probably guess, increased. By a lot.
“I came back a lot stronger,” Donald said. “I bench 500 pounds, my squat is probably 700-plus pounds.”
One reporter then quipped Donald could be the strongest on the team, to which the defensive tackle replied, “I’m pretty strong, but I don’t know about the strongest. We are all pretty strong.”
How did the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year make all those gains?
“I worked my butt off,” Donald said. “I stayed in the weight room, conditioned myself, worked on my get off and explosiveness. Just watching film on myself to try and fix things that I felt like I struggled with last year.”
With Donald always striving to improve, there could be plenty more Defensive Player of the Week awards in his future.
