The defense

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dang

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So thru the first 5 games the Rams defense has been much better in the 2nd half than the 1st half. Pts given up by quarter:

Q1 - 27 pts
Q2 - 36 pts
Q3 - 29 pts
Q4 - 6 pts - Unbelievable. Reasons: Coach Wade's halftime adjustments, opponents wearing down keeping pace with Rams offense, conditioning???

The defense has an Achilles heal however: inability to stop opponents from scoring on long TD passes (20 yds, 42, 45, 39, 30). If Coach Wade can figure this out (Edge Rush, Blitz, coverage) - there will not be an opponent that will be able to keep up with the Rams scoring pace.
 

Farr Be It

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So thru the first 5 games the Rams defense has been much better in the 2nd half than the 1st half. Pts given up by quarter:

Q1 - 27 pts
Q2 - 36 pts
Q3 - 29 pts
Q4 - 6 pts - Unbelievable. Reasons: Coach Wade's halftime adjustments, opponents wearing down keeping pace with Rams offense, conditioning???

The defense has an Achilles heal however: inability to stop opponents from scoring on long TD passes (20 yds, 42, 45, 39, 30). If Coach Wade can figure this out (Edge Rush, Blitz, coverage) - there will not be an opponent that will be able to keep up with the Rams scoring pace.
Dang. 6pts in the 4th quarter. We need to get to the quarterback. As frustrating as it is to see the blatant holding, we need to suck it up and get in off the edge.
 

WestCoastRam

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I'd like to see us play Denver this week and see how the defense does before I'm going to jump off a bridge. We've had a lot of injuries and by now we'll probably have done most of our adjustments to them going forward. (Hill over Shields, Suh and Littleton at DE at times) - I'll be curious once we settle into new personnel and maybe even heal up a touch (Barron and Peters) to then judge where we're at.
 

kurtfaulk

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Not get out our gaps hmmm

Sometimes i wonder what the lbers are seeing. Plug the holes. Where were they when the rbs were speeding through the gaps. Isn't that where the lbers should be attacking as well?

.
 

hotanez

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Sometimes i wonder what the lbers are seeing. Plug the holes. Where were they when the rbs were speeding through the gaps. Isn't that where the lbers should be attacking as well?

.
I don't think it's just the LBs Kurt, I'm thinking its everyone doing a little to much freelancing. The defense needs to be more desplined. But at the same time we have so many new and 2nd year starters on defense that it's going to take time. It will take time for them to play as one unit. I have this gut feeling come the end of the season this defense is going to be hitting on all cylinders
 

bubbaramfan

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No TD's and only two FG's in the 4th qtr. and D gets most of their sacks. Gotta give Ted Rath and his assistants Kudo's for their condition program.
 

payote75

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NEWS BULLETIN


Our D is 8th in the league in scoring D (98 points)

We lead the league in points differential, a + 75. The closest to us is the Ravens at +57.

I think we are OK!!!!!!!!!!! :fighting:

Yea those are all good numbers and I'm proud of this team but I worry again 29th against the run makes our defense worse than last year that should not be the case. Hopefully they fix these "little" problems but numbers can be looked at from all angles. Hey man I want you to be right trust me but the fact are the facts and they are worrisome. If we score 35 every week and that's a guarantee from now til the end of the Super Bowl then I like our chance but I'm sure this ain't your first rodeo you know we could go 16-0 but then that one team somewhere in the playoffs figures something out or get one or two extra stops on us and we are done. Also some of those numbers are scewed because of that shutout but I hear you and prey you are seeing something I'm not.
 

payote75

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I also fear that our inside rush is very good but our weak tackling and lack of edge pressure containment and overall linebacker play will cost us when teams start to run draws/delayed draws. Watch the whole slime go by the rb and then what that worries me big time seems like it has not been done a lot so far but Seattle di it once I think and it shred us for a large gain.
 

Ramhusker

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Yea those are all good numbers and I'm proud of this team but I worry again 29th against the run makes our defense worse than last year that should not be the case. Hopefully they fix these "little" problems but numbers can be looked at from all angles. Hey man I want you to be right trust me but the fact are the facts and they are worrisome. If we score 35 every week and that's a guarantee from now til the end of the Super Bowl then I like our chance but I'm sure this ain't your first rodeo you know we could go 16-0 but then that one team somewhere in the playoffs figures something out or get one or two extra stops on us and we are done. Also some of those numbers are scewed because of that shutout but I hear you and prey you are seeing something I'm not.
I get your concern but I think there are multiple dynamics at play. One, it's still relatively early and we've got pieces still learning to mesh. Two, you now have a league that is scoring a lot of points. You can say that is for a lot of reasons, offensive styles, strategies, player safety,and the fact the league evidently is letting OLs hold a lot more. Three, could it be our D has great confidence in our O and may be feeling their opponents out a bit early in games, saving energy, and getting serious when they have to in the 4th qtr? Seems the stats may support that crazy theory. The game is definitely changing and the norms we are used to just might not ever be the same. Yes, I'd love to see a dominant run stuffing D that pitches shutouts and stacks sacks up like cord wood but that's just not us at this stage of the season. But, I get the feeling we are in it for the long run and just might be pacing ourselves at the moment.
 

“Turbo set!”

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I know this is a defense thread but our offense might be have to be at the same level as the GSOT for us to win a championship.
 

payote75

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I get your concern but I think there are multiple dynamics at play. One, it's still relatively early and we've got pieces still learning to mesh. Two, you now have a league that is scoring a lot of points. You can say that is for a lot of reasons, offensive styles, strategies, player safety,and the fact the league evidently is letting OLs hold a lot more. Three, could it be our D has great confidence in our O and may be feeling their opponents out a bit early in games, saving energy, and getting serious when they have to in the 4th qtr? Seems the stats may support that crazy theory. The game is definitely changing and the norms we are used to just might not ever be the same. Yes, I'd love to see a dominant run stuffing D that pitches shutouts and stacks sacks up like cord wood but that's just not us at this stage of the season. But, I get the feeling we are in it for the long run and just might be pacing ourselves at the moment.


I agree with a lot of what you say and its all valid but you can't play Russian roulette and think the offense will bail us out that's like jumping out of a plane and hoping your parachute opens. Early yes, more points yes, but in any of those 2 games if our offense trips up just once like a fumble or pick or God forbid a pick 6 we may be looking at a totally different situation record wise. If a pick 6 situation occurs for the opposite team even with a prolific offense if we can't stop someone we in trouble. I am aware Of the fourth quarter numbers but you live by the sword more than likely you will eventually die by the sword and regular season losses fine obviously not to many but fine but if the sword gets you in the playoffs which usually tends to happen we will be golfing. In addition, of course we all want 85 Bears defense and 99 Rams offense and we get the evolution of the game but a good team let alone what is supposed to be a great team cannot continue to play this way defensively. And I know one point that helps your arguement that you haven't even mentioned and I still take it into account is our defense may even get tired or overworked if we striking quickly on offense and they right back out there so even with that being said I'm still hoping for some shoring things up and fingers crossed someone can be brought in for the edge.
 

Ramhusker

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I agree with a lot of what you say and its all valid but you can't play Russian roulette and think the offense will bail us out that's like jumping out of a plane and hoping your parachute opens. Early yes, more points yes, but in any of those 2 games if our offense trips up just once like a fumble or pick or God forbid a pick 6 we may be looking at a totally different situation record wise. If a pick 6 situation occurs for the opposite team even with a prolific offense if we can't stop someone we in trouble. I am aware Of the fourth quarter numbers but you live by the sword more than likely you will eventually die by the sword and regular season losses fine obviously not to many but fine but if the sword gets you in the playoffs which usually tends to happen we will be golfing. In addition, of course we all want 85 Bears defense and 99 Rams offense and we get the evolution of the game but a good team let alone what is supposed to be a great team cannot continue to play this way defensively. And I know one point that helps your arguement that you haven't even mentioned and I still take it into account is our defense may even get tired or overworked if we striking quickly on offense and they right back out there so even with that being said I'm still hoping for some shoring things up and fingers crossed someone can be brought in for the edge.
I understand and I'd be lying if I said I too wasn't a tad bit concerned but I really think what we are seeing is the growing pains and evolution of a juggernaut. I think our D can stop anybody when it comes down to a necessity. I really think that is becoming their style. Come playoffs, I think they ratchet up their efforts. Is it playing with fire? Yes, probably so but it could have us fresher than most come crunch time. It might take a loss to see it change.
 

Steve808

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I understand and I'd be lying if I said I too wasn't a tad bit concerned but I really think what we are seeing is the growing pains and evolution of a juggernaut. I think our D can stop anybody when it comes down to a necessity. I really think that is becoming their style. Come playoffs, I think they ratchet up their efforts. Is it playing with fire? Yes, probably so but it could have us fresher than most come crunch time. It might take a loss to see it change.

I agree that there is some concern, but let's review what's going on with the Rams so far:
We are 5-0 and really, no reason other than beating ourselves, should be 7-0 playing Green Bay at home.
We lost our pro bowl kicker in game 2
We lost our pro bowl return man on opening day.
We lost our pro bowl return man's replacement shortly after.
We lost both of our pro bowl corner backs in game#3, although Peters is back
We lost 2 starting receivers against the sea pigeons, although it appears they are ok.
The refs are slow to call even what seems like obvious holding calls.
Mark Barron just returned to the line up.

I believe we will gel, and begin to peak and play outstanding when Aqib Talib returns late in the year. While he may not possess the physical skills he had a few years ago, the leadership he provides and his ability to make the defense gel is something that can propel us towards the super bowl and a Lombardi.
 

Psycho_X

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Just think, we lost one of our best players on defense and have a below average edge rush and we're still 6-0. Just think about how we'll be come playoff time once our best secondary player is back? It's the new NFL, other teams are going to score points. But I still think our defense is well above average for a super bowl run with this offense.


View: https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1052269711721938944
 

BonifayRam

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I agree that there is some concern, but let's review what's going on with the Rams so far:
We are 5-0 and really, no reason other than beating ourselves, should be 7-0 playing Green Bay at home.
We lost our pro bowl kicker in game 2
We lost our pro bowl return man on opening day.
We lost our pro bowl return man's replacement shortly after.
We lost both of our pro bowl corner backs in game#3, although Peters is back
We lost 2 starting receivers against the sea pigeons, although it appears they are ok.
The refs are slow to call even what seems like obvious holding calls.
Mark Barron just returned to the line up.

I believe we will gel, and begin to peak and play outstanding when Aqib Talib returns late in the year. While he may not possess the physical skills he had a few years ago, the leadership he provides and his ability to make the defense gel is something that can propel us towards the super bowl and a Lombardi.
The loss of Talib was H U G E !

I think Marcus Peters is totally lost without Talib to guide him each play. Troy Hill might be our best playing corner at the moment. Marcus Peters has been a big let down in my Ram world with KC looking very smart @ the moment.

Mark Barron is still trying to get his NFL legs back working & learning his new 3 starting LB'ers. I do expect Barron to get much better as the season moves on(y).

Matt Longacre's Back appears to be a lurking long term issue. On top of that I just saw that DL Micheal Brockers was dealing with a shoulder injury & now has a ACL injury issue too. I sure hope thats a mistake in print:unsure:

"Defensive lineman Michael Brockers has an ACL sprain."
https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/NFL...r-Kupp-expected-to-miss-Week-7/7391539693992/