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Takeaways and field goals the right recipe for Rams' defense
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...field-goals-the-right-recipe-for-rams-defense
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- St. Louis Rams middle linebacker James Laurinaitis doesn't care much for numbers. He didn't have much of a reaction last week when he became the franchise's all-time leading tackler and regularly says he'd trade whatever individual accomplishments he's had for victories.
There are, however, a select few statistics to which Laurinaitis pays attention. Two to be exact.
"I’m not big on a lot of stats, but I’m big on scoring, things like field goals over touchdowns, I believe that’s huge, red-zone defense," Laurinaitis said. "And I believe turnover margin is huge."
Before the Rams offense came alive in the second half of Sunday's 24-22 win against the Arizona Cardinals, those two numbers almost single-handedly kept the Rams in a game that was lopsided in just about every other category.
On a day when the Rams yielded 447 total yards to Arizona's high-octane offense, that total was far from the most important number in the stat book. In fact, it was the digits that Laurinaitis mentioned that had the greatest bearing on the game's outcome.
Entering Sunday's game, the Cardinals had scored touchdowns on 11 of their 12 trips to the red zone, a 92 percent conversion rate that was the best in the NFL. Likewise, Arizona was tied for sixth in the NFL with a plus-three turnover margin and hadn't had a negative turnover differential in any of the first three weeks.
With an offense struggling to find first downs, let alone points, in the first half, the Rams defense, with an assist to the special teams, did enough to turn both areas in their favor.
As cliche as it might be, the idea of turnover margin being the most important statistic in the NFL is cliche for a reason: it's often true. During the week, linebacker Alec Ogletree challenged his defensive teammates to come up with six takeaways. It didn't happen, but they weren't that far off.
The Rams wasted no time getting their first one Sunday as safety Mark Barron forced a fumble on the opening kickoff, with linebacker Daren Bates recovering.
Later, the Rams added an interception from cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who conjured memories of Giants receiver David Tyree by pinning the ball against his helmet on the same field as that Super Bowl play, and safety Rodney McLeod forced a Larry Fitzgerald fumble that cornerback Trumaine Johnson recovered.
"That’s huge," quarterback Nick Foles said. "Our defense came up big today with some turnovers and some huge stops. It was a great team win, and when we get a short field, especially on the road like when we are in the red zone, we have got to come away with touchdowns."
That's exactly what the Rams did after the two fumble recoveries, and the offense converted the three takeaways into 17 points while offering no giveaways of their own. Before Sunday, the Cardinals had allowed just six points off four turnovers.
When the Cardinals weren't turning it over, they were sending kicker Chandler Catanzaro in to boot field goals. Catanzaro accounted for Arizona's first 15 points with five field goals, surpassing the four he hit the last time the teams met in 2014.
Most of those kicks came from short distances because Arizona simply couldn't get the Rams defense to do more than bend. The Cardinals ventured into the Rams' red zone five times. Only once did they score a touchdown.
Against an offense as dynamic as Carson Palmer and the Cardinals, the Rams knew they would give up some yards, but coach Jeff Fisher and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams reminded the team all week that field goals are always better than touchdowns.
"When you are playing someone like Carson with the athletes they have and as well coached as they are, you go in saying they are going to get down there but field goals are going to be wins for your defense," Fisher said. "If you can hold them to three instead of seven, you feel pretty good about it."
One at a time, those small defensive wins ultimately turned into one big win for the entire team.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...field-goals-the-right-recipe-for-rams-defense
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- St. Louis Rams middle linebacker James Laurinaitis doesn't care much for numbers. He didn't have much of a reaction last week when he became the franchise's all-time leading tackler and regularly says he'd trade whatever individual accomplishments he's had for victories.
There are, however, a select few statistics to which Laurinaitis pays attention. Two to be exact.
"I’m not big on a lot of stats, but I’m big on scoring, things like field goals over touchdowns, I believe that’s huge, red-zone defense," Laurinaitis said. "And I believe turnover margin is huge."
Before the Rams offense came alive in the second half of Sunday's 24-22 win against the Arizona Cardinals, those two numbers almost single-handedly kept the Rams in a game that was lopsided in just about every other category.
On a day when the Rams yielded 447 total yards to Arizona's high-octane offense, that total was far from the most important number in the stat book. In fact, it was the digits that Laurinaitis mentioned that had the greatest bearing on the game's outcome.
Entering Sunday's game, the Cardinals had scored touchdowns on 11 of their 12 trips to the red zone, a 92 percent conversion rate that was the best in the NFL. Likewise, Arizona was tied for sixth in the NFL with a plus-three turnover margin and hadn't had a negative turnover differential in any of the first three weeks.
With an offense struggling to find first downs, let alone points, in the first half, the Rams defense, with an assist to the special teams, did enough to turn both areas in their favor.
As cliche as it might be, the idea of turnover margin being the most important statistic in the NFL is cliche for a reason: it's often true. During the week, linebacker Alec Ogletree challenged his defensive teammates to come up with six takeaways. It didn't happen, but they weren't that far off.
The Rams wasted no time getting their first one Sunday as safety Mark Barron forced a fumble on the opening kickoff, with linebacker Daren Bates recovering.
Later, the Rams added an interception from cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who conjured memories of Giants receiver David Tyree by pinning the ball against his helmet on the same field as that Super Bowl play, and safety Rodney McLeod forced a Larry Fitzgerald fumble that cornerback Trumaine Johnson recovered.
"That’s huge," quarterback Nick Foles said. "Our defense came up big today with some turnovers and some huge stops. It was a great team win, and when we get a short field, especially on the road like when we are in the red zone, we have got to come away with touchdowns."
That's exactly what the Rams did after the two fumble recoveries, and the offense converted the three takeaways into 17 points while offering no giveaways of their own. Before Sunday, the Cardinals had allowed just six points off four turnovers.
When the Cardinals weren't turning it over, they were sending kicker Chandler Catanzaro in to boot field goals. Catanzaro accounted for Arizona's first 15 points with five field goals, surpassing the four he hit the last time the teams met in 2014.
Most of those kicks came from short distances because Arizona simply couldn't get the Rams defense to do more than bend. The Cardinals ventured into the Rams' red zone five times. Only once did they score a touchdown.
Against an offense as dynamic as Carson Palmer and the Cardinals, the Rams knew they would give up some yards, but coach Jeff Fisher and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams reminded the team all week that field goals are always better than touchdowns.
"When you are playing someone like Carson with the athletes they have and as well coached as they are, you go in saying they are going to get down there but field goals are going to be wins for your defense," Fisher said. "If you can hold them to three instead of seven, you feel pretty good about it."
One at a time, those small defensive wins ultimately turned into one big win for the entire team.
