Safety play

[rdlkgliders]

Am I the only one who thinks we're playing better on the back end with Nick Scott and Eric Weddle at safety? What is McVay going to do when Taylor Rapp is available in the Super Bowl? I remember a few weeks ago Jalen and Rapp getting into it during the game. I have a feeling Jalen is more comfortable with Weddle back there. I think the only weak spot we have in the secondary is Darius Williams. Personally, I think Deayon is playing better in that spot.

Love Deayon and Williams has had his difficulties however Williams role is expanded well beyond what Deayon does. Williams plays some slot, star and out on an island

I find it hard to believe Rapp has been out 3 wks due to concussion protocol. I think there is more to it than that and don't expect Rapp to play in the Super bowl.

Concussions can be tricky. It is certainly lengthy but not unheard of. The symptoms need to be completely gone. A second injury to the head before you are 100% recovered can be catastrophic long term and the NFL is very conscientious of this and wants to mitigate potential damages.

 

[Merlin]

Concussions can be tricky. It is certainly lengthy but not unheard of. The symptoms need to be completely gone. A second injury to the head before you are 100% recovered can be catastrophic long term and the NFL is very conscientious of this and wants to mitigate potential damages.

I suspect the Rams are not in a hurry to get him back. And this two week window will force their hand.

Plan will be to trade him this offseason IMO.

 

[rdlkgliders]

I suspect the Rams are not in a hurry to get him back. And this two week window will force their hand.

Plan will be to trade him this offseason IMO.

Agree, although I do think they would rather have him eligible
I think he is one of those players that isn't a great fit in our defensive scheme and agree he looks like a trade candidate. I could see us attempting to tailor that secondary with some moves to get the personnel we want.

 

[Mackeyser]

I had a concussion where I lost vision in my right eye... and it didn't return for six days.

I had obvious symptoms for weeks, so no, it doesn't surprise me at all that Rapp may be taking longer.

I'm mostly shocked at how fast some guys come back from concussion and I feel pretty safe in saying that many of those guys are back too soon.

 

[BonifayRam]

Jordan Fuller would be an easy replacement for Taylor Rapp as the primary up close safety. Nick Scott would replace Weddle. Of all the safeties DC Morris started the season with on the active roster it is Nick Scott (3rd yr pro)that has outshined them all.

All season many of us here, have had many questions about (2nd yr pro) safety Terrell Burgess & the lack of improvement.....with the implant for the playoffs with retired Weddle .....IMO it would indicate something is wrong with Burgess or our DC & DB coaches can not get him up to par.

Seems that the Rams have a bunch of hybrid SS/WSLB'er type of defenders on the roster with Travin Howard, Antonie Brooks Jr., Taylor Rapp & Jake Gervase. The upcoming draft should turn up some new blood of free & deep safety types to be brought in, no Strong Safeties are needed.

It would appear to me that Morris/Evero have found one of corner David Long's better skills on the field.....secure tackling going forward in run support has proved to be solid.

Long still struggles in single deep coverage & even trailing as the Nickle-Back. What I saw was Long being used to filling the critical role in run support particularly often in that last 9er game. I have been very critical in my post in a negative way on Long (a 3rd yr pro)but IMO, Long played his best game as a pro last Sunday.

 

[HitStick]

Wasn’t it Scott who delivers a ball separating hit on Green from the Cardinals in the first playoff game? The one that Sean had to challenge as an incompletion?

Yes. That and the Deebo hit…they definitely need him to really set the tone for the middle of the field.

 

[Merlin]

Jordan Fuller would be an easy replacement for Taylor Rapp as the primary up close safety. Nick Scott would replace Weddle. Of all the safeties DC Morris started the season with on the active roster it is Nick Scott (3rd yr pro)that has outshined them all.

All season many of us here, have had many questions about (2nd yr pro) safety Terrell Burgess & the lack of improvement.....with the implant for the playoffs with retired Weddle .....IMO it would indicate something is wrong with Burgess or our DC & DB coaches can not get him up to par.

Seems that the Rams have a bunch of hybrid SS/WSLB'er type of defenders on the roster with Travin Howard, Antonie Brooks Jr., Taylor Rapp & Jake Gervase. The upcoming draft should turn up some new blood of free & deep safety types to be brought in, no Strong Safeties are needed.

It would appear to me that Morris/Evero have found one of corner David Long's better skills on the field.....secure tackling going forward in run support has proved to be solid.

Long still struggles in single deep coverage & even trailing as the Nickle-Back. What I saw was Long being used to filling the critical role in run support particularly often in that last 9er game. I have been very critical in my post in a negative way on Long (a 3rd yr pro)but IMO, Long played his best game as a pro last Sunday.

Yeah I think we might get lucky here and finish by winning it all due to the excellence of our defensive front. But Snead has a lot of work to do on the defensive backfield. Interior OL too. Those are the two areas I'd be most concerned with.

I'm with you though that we need a true FS type. Fuller could still be that guy I suppose but he's dipped quite a bit without JJ back there with him making the calls. Either way Scott really needs to be paired with a rangy/smart ballhawk type.

 

[Cjcinec]

I think Rapp will be limited if he plays at all. I believe that the Rams will try to trade Rapp in the offseason because he’s just not a fit in their scheme. He’s a better player closer to the ball and is out of place in the backend. Rams will likely get very little for Rapp maybe a 6 th or 7 th round pick. Rapp could still be productive in the right scheme but he needs a change of scenery.

 

[fanotodd]

I like having Scott back there moving forward, but Weddle is short term—realizing a ring is right around the corner has reinvigorated. He was obviously through when asked to play a whole season—hence his retirement.

Fuller: are we just gonna forget about him? He’s a good player. He’s led the team in tackles in several games also—that’s just not always a good thing for a defense.

Rapp: I just don’t like him in deep coverage/in space. Much like the departed joyner, his skill set just doesn’t line up with the job and he gets exposed.
Lining up in the box, playing in tight, he’s got a nose for the ball.

Howard: between him, Reeder, and Jones, the Rams have a lot of flexibility at ILB, but Howard is clearly the best in coverage. A talented player. I can now see why the Rams waited/kept him.

 

[Merlin]

Fuller: are we just gonna forget about him? He’s a good player. He’s led the team in tackles in several games also—that’s just not always a good thing for a defense.

I would guess they give him every shot next year to be the guy. Maybe they draft a safety they like midrounds too, someone who complements Scott.

You want that competition in camp too. So being 3 deep at safety would be nice.

Re: Rapp it is possible this staff thinks they can coach him up to play coverage better but at this point he's long in the tooth in that rook contract too. So new blood is needed I think.

 

[Kupped]

I would guess they give him every shot next year to be the guy. Maybe they draft a safety they like midrounds too, someone who complements Scott.

You want that competition in camp too. So being 3 deep at safety would be nice.

Re: Rapp it is possible this staff thinks they can coach him up to play coverage better but at this point he's long in the tooth in that rook contract too. So new blood is needed I think.

Scott putting himself in the conversation to be one of the two starting safeties has been one of the more surprising developments in these playoffs.
He's got crazy athleticism and, obviously, loves to play football. Couldn't root for a guy more.
His traits would seem to blend really well with Fuller.. and Rapp would be depth and/or a rotational guy to play underneath.
Agree, 100% that they should bring another in.

 

[Malibu]

Fuller hasn't been great in Morris's D imo he was better in Staley's as a rookie. He seems to not be there to back up the DBs on deep balls meaning not rangey enough. Same can be said for Scott in by opinion. We need a super fast rangey safety.

People forget an early deep seam route to Kittle that he just missed catching Scott had a bad angle and was out of place it was a sure TD that can't happen we got super lucky on that play.

 

[Merlin]

It's been noted on the Athletic that most of Morris' calls have been Cover 3, which doesn't surprise me, that sounds right judging from the looks at all 22 I have made myself endure (due to how shitty all 22 is this year), as well as the fact that it's the look he knows best. Fuller of course was identified by Staley and drafted for two deep looks and in the other looks he's not as smooth. Rams still play those cover 4/6 looks but at a lesser percentage with Morris. So there's adjustment factor there, the flavor of usage, which means Fuller can still develop into a more complete safety who can show out in different looks. He has to. Because that's what McVay has said he wants: a diverse defense capable of adjusting its scheme to a given opponent.

Looking ahead to this Super Bowl game the Rams are going to need to run two deep looks because it makes it that much harder on the QB and in this case the QB is the threat. It is unlikely they kill us on the ground as we should win those matchups early and often even if the box is light. At the least you start out that way and adjust as you go.

And if Morris does what he's done all season it should be hard for this young QB to put up a big game. For all his warts Morris has been very tough on QBs with a top 5 passer rating against all season long.

 

[BonifayRam]

It's been noted on the Athletic that most of Morris' calls have been Cover 3, which doesn't surprise me, that sounds right judging from the looks at all 22 I have made myself endure (due to how shitty all 22 is this year), as well as the fact that it's the look he knows best. Fuller of course was identified by Staley and drafted for two deep looks and in the other looks he's not as smooth. Rams still play those cover 4/6 looks but at a lesser percentage with Morris. So there's adjustment factor there, the flavor of usage, which means Fuller can still develop into a more complete safety who can show out in different looks. He has to. Because that's what McVay has said he wants: a diverse defense capable of adjusting its scheme to a given opponent.

Looking ahead to this Super Bowl game the Rams are going to need to run two deep looks because it makes it that much harder on the QB and in this case the QB is the threat. It is unlikely they kill us on the ground as we should win those matchups early and often even if the box is light. At the least you start out that way and adjust as you go.

And if Morris does what he's done all season it should be hard for this young QB to put up a big game. For all his warts Morris has been very tough on QBs with a top 5 passer rating against all season long.

View attachment 51876

The last week playoff games rating speaks volumes........

Regular season with safeties Rapp/ Fuller starting with Scott as a reserve. 81.1%

Postseason with safeties starting reserve Scott/ (ex retired )Weddle with Burgess as a reserve. 67.0 % without Rapp & Fuller. 67 % is UNBELIEVABLE! How can this be?

This fact figure shines a very bright light on where this Ram team needs to strongly consider making some changes in the future 2022 season to be better because Weddle is playing his last game this Sunday.

One thing is clear it is not a positive on our two 2021 starters Rapp/Fuller & the way they were positioned & how they performed this past regular season.