The defense

[bubbaramfan]

It's concerning yes, but the Rams keep coming up with wins, and the D stiffens just enough late in the game. I think Wade is still figuring out what works best with what players, and I also think he doesn't have all the players he would like and is making do with what he has.

One problem he needs to deal with right now is a free lancing Peters.

 

[Ram65]

Last year for the season a grand total of 3 teams averaged over 25 PPG for the season. Last year 5 teams averaged over 375 YPG for the season

This year so far there are 13 teams averaging over 25 PPG for the season. This year there are 17 teams (including the freaking Browns) averaging over 375 YPG for the season.

Eventually maybe fans will acknowledge these simple facts and calm down a bit. I'm not saying the defense couldn't be better. But a little bit of context instead of 20 threads about the sky falling and our defensive players suck would maybe be in order. Throw in the fact that Talib is out, who we planned on heavily, Peters is banged up and Barron was on his first game back and I have a feeling we'll be fine going forward.

Good answer below.

I’m not panicking, OldSchool. Not even close to it.

But I am pointing out something that should not be at all controversial.

A team that holds SB aspirations cannot continue hemorrhaging plays allowed, 1st downs, and points like the Rams gave for the last 3 games.

Heavy investments were made in this D and much is therefore expected. This D can, and must do better.

Don’t know about you, but I expected a helluva lot more out of this group. Hell, I would go so far as to say that only Littleton and Barron (one game) have really exceeded my expectations.

The Hags ran the ball down the Rams throat for 6 yards a pop. That something to be concerned about. Not to mention the long passes and TDs allowed. The defense has been poor.

 

[Florida_Ram]

I think the D steps it up this week with Wade’s return to Denver. I’m sure he will have an excellent game plan and the D will want to make Wade look good in his return.

Wade does seem to get his defensive players extra prepared when he's facing the teams that have fired him. It could just be a coincidence but he seems to get more fired up facing his old teams.

Phillips went from Super Bowl hero to goat in just a short time.

 

[André]

This season does have a little flavor of that in 2000, where almost all games were shootouts and the last one with the ball could win. The defense is a little better now, but since week three, not much.

I was going to post exactly this. It feels a lot like easily in that 2000 season.

Let's hope no one gets hurt (a la Warner breaking his hand), and that we can put things together by playoff time.

 

[PhillyRam]

Good answer below.



The Hags ran the ball down the Rams throat for 6 yard a pop. That something to be concerned about. Not to mention the long passes and TDs allowed. The defense has been poor.

Yep, SB winners stop the run and make teams more one dimensional. I can understand under today's rules if the pass D isn't great, but you have to stop the run and make teams more predictable, especially with our inside pass rush.

If they struggle against the run, it allows teams to keep our offense off the field, much like Atlanta did last year in the playoffs. That is how great offenses get beat and you can see examples of that going all the way back to the Giants/Bills SB.

 

[OldSchool]

I’m not panicking, OldSchool. Not even close to it.

But I am pointing out something that should not be at all controversial.

A team that holds SB aspirations cannot continue hemorrhaging plays allowed, 1st downs, and points like the Rams gave for the last 3 games.

Heavy investments were made in this D and much is therefore expected. This D can, and must do better.

Don’t know about you, but I expected a helluva lot more out of this group. Hell, I would go so far as to say that only Littleton and Barron (one game) have really exceeded my expectations.

Every week, this week included there will be four or five posts about our defense and how it needs to be fixed by you. Right now there are 2 on the front page of the Rams/NFL section. There will be another half dozen or more by other members about the very same topics. There will be at least 10 if not more posts worrying about our defense, this for a defense that is currently 6th in scoring defense only 2 PPG behind the Jags. I provided some very simple and extremely telling stats that should shed some light on the fact that offense is up in this years NFL.

If the numbers aren't enough you only have to look at the way the game is being officiated and the messages coming from the league and it's officials.They want offense. They're officiating the game to boost offense. These things are going to happen because they think, and history has shown this to be true, viewership and ratings go up with an increase in scoring!

I'm not saying don't post things that would be foolish and hypocritical of me. But every week whether it was a good or bad performance by our defense this forum turns into several days of the same thing. Random posts about how bad our defense is. In spite of the fact that overall the numbers tell a different tale.

Good answer below.



The Hags ran the ball down the Rams throat for 6 yard a pop. That something to be concerned about. Not to mention the long passes and TDs allowed. The defense has been poor.

Yes he quoted me you don't need to point it out to me I get this nice alert about it

Yes our defense didn't play well yesterday. I think I've said this several times now and I'm guessing this will be the last time I bother to point it out. Anybody who thought yesterday was going to be a cakewalk and was a sure fired blow out for the Rams in waiting hasn't watched football for that long. These kind of games happen. Last year the Rams had a serious problem in run defense. This year it's been hit or miss. After yesterday teams might try to exploit it like happened yesterday. It was Barron's first game of the year and I seem to remember people bragging about his run defense grading in the off season when I thought he could possibly be a cap casualty. It might take a couple games for him to get up to speed and the other LB's to get used to working with him. JJ has been less effective in supporting the run and this is Littleton's first year starting. We might have a few more games this year where good teams gash us a bit in the run game. Might want to prepare for it. I trust in Wade and his staff to work to alleviate this. Then again I also saw that when the game was on the line and we needed things to happen defensively they had a total of 48 yards in the 4th quarter. That shows me something but it must not register to other people.

Trust in Wade.

 

[OldSchool]

Wade does seem to get his defensive players extra prepared when he's facing the teams that have fired him. It could just be a coincidence but he seems to get more fired up facing his old teams.

Phillips went from Super Bowl hero to goat in just a short time.

The majority of the NFL fans would kill to have this guy on their sidelines. Guess he's not good enough for Rams fans though

 

[payote75]

Guys look at the risk of sounding like a parrot I been saying it over and over on all different threads ....a defense works as a unit each position has a different job and even if one position is weaker than another you still man up and plug it. Unfortunately this team is short on containment/edge rushers even if Obo comes back you need a vet on the other side like Murphy from the bills who has always been my target or Ray from the Broncos. I think then and only the does this defense function I'm not saying it would be the 85 bears bout I'm saying at least the parts all would be working right now we have three good tires and a flat. If Obo comes back and we could get our hands on someone I think the car drive again lol. We did not spend 280 million to just say hey another game of bad defense they will be ok these issues tend to comeback to haunt your at the worst times. I totally trust in Wade totally but he needs that fourth tire it is a gaping hole right now and I'm not talking a superstar.

I'd also be willing to give Kizer a shot with Barron and have Littleton outside wth Obo and whoever else rotating for now but we need someone badly. It's very abc corners can jump routes if someone coming around the edge and our def line is collapsing the pocket those quick plays wouldn't work as well nor would long plays lol cause edge feeding d-line and vice versa then peters wouldn't look so bad.

They just said on nfl network they would roll with the Chiefs defense over Rams ....seriously???? That's like ultimate insult we need to step up.

 

[Corbin]

Any chance Wade overlooked the Seagulls and just been planning for the Broncos?

 

[Florida_Ram]

The majority of the NFL fans would kill to have this guy on their sidelines. Guess he's not good enough for Rams fans though

My quote said nothing of the sort about Wade not being good enough for Rams fans. I simply said Denver treated like a hero and then let him go like a scapegoat. Elway blew it and he knows it.

I trust in Wade and don't think he's called some of the more exotic blitz packages and even tinkered with his scheme like he will in the coming weeks.

Losing Talib and not having at least one consistent edge rushing OLB early in the season does handcuff him to an extent.

The 2018 Rams defense hasn't peaked yet.

In Wade We Trust

 

[PhillyRam]

My quote said nothing of the sort about Wade not being good enough for Rams fans. I simply said Denver treated like a hero and then let him go like a scapegoat. Elway blew it and he knows it.

I trust in Wade and don't think he's called some of the more exotic blitz packages and even tinkered with his scheme like he will in the coming weeks.

Losing Talib and not having at least one consistent edge rushing OLB early in the season does handcuff him to an extent.

The 2018 Rams defense hasn't peaked yet.

In Wade We Trust

He needs a couple of every down LB's that can stop the run and cover if needed

 

[Ram65]

Every week, this week included there will be four or five posts about our defense and how it needs to be fixed by you.

I don't think I have posted answer to the defenses problems. Nor do I start threads on the defensive problems I was questioning the pass rush. I haven't ignored the points the Rams have been allowing either just because the Rams won. Every time I or someone points out defensive flaws it's bushed aside by you that Wade will fix them. Same thing last year. I posted the run defense was not good and some gave me grief over it. It finally came out to haunt the Rams. They made moves to fix it and the defense that aren't completely working.

I'm not saying don't post things that would be foolish and hypocritical of me. But every week whether it was a good or bad performance by our defense this forum turns into several days of the same thing. Random posts about how bad our defense is. In spite of the fact that overall the numbers tell a different tale.

The defense played well in the first two weeks against weaker opponents the Raiders and the Bradford Cardinals. Pitching a shutout over the Cardinals does throw off the overall numbers.The last three opponents have been having success against the Rams defense. Here are the points allowed 13,0, 23, 31, 31.

Then again I also saw that when the game was on the line and we needed things to happen defensively they had a total of 48 yards in the 4th quarter. That shows me something but it must not register to other people.

The Rams have been better later in games. If not for the offense things might be different as big leads helped in the Chargers and Vikings games. The Rams were a holding call away from losing the lead and maybe the game against the Hags.

Trust in Wade.

I'm having my doubts about Wade and the defense. I have stated that I thought they would improve but, the injuries to the Corner backs hurt the process.

 

[Adi]

They struggled, but the game was in Seattle and thats tough. If you take away the 2 big mistakes by Peter's, we are calling this a blowout.

I trust wade will fine tune this defense and they will be ready next week . Even that wade Broncos defense struggled again the run at times, what we cant have is corners giving up long td passes.

 

[FarNorth]

Last year they gave up 27 to WAS, 39 to SF, and 30 to DAL in weeks 2-4. This year they've given up 23 to LAC, 31 to MIN, and 31 to SEA. There's definitely room for improvement, but I don't think it's time to panic yet.

Too early. Let’s wait until we’re 8-0 to panic.

 

[FarNorth]

I wonder if that is to help tempt longer passes? I.e. counter the short passes we’ve been seeing.

Assume it is to stop the run, but it’s not meshing with Peters playing underneath on deep balls. Not clear from the outside who is presumably missing assignments, maybe everyone is, but they need better communication.

This is where we miss Talib, who could likely direct Wade’s D on his own. The good news is that meshing up the lb and cb assignments better could improve things a lot.

 

[Ken]

I believe that last 2 games is probably as bad as the D will look this season, I hope. I think they'll steadily improve the rest of the season. And, hopefully the Ram's won't face as blatantly homer refereeing as that Seattle game the rest of the season.

 

[jrry32]

Re: CBs my man... I don't trust Hill. I don't trust Shields. Both are inconsistent as F. If you want to think they're good or whatever, knock yourself out.

Re: Suh... Same deal. You and I disagreed on the Rams needing a NT two years ago. We still disagree, obviously. Cheers.

I think they were good yesterday, so I'm not going to criticize them for the Seattle game.

On the topic of Suh, I'm not telling you my preference. I'm telling you that is the system. If you want a big-bodied guy who will occupy space, you're going to be consistently left disappointed. That isn't how Wade does things. The only times I ever recall him having guys like that, they were athletic big men who could penetrate (ex. Jamal Williams). That's why I pushed for guys like Tim Settle and Derrick Nnadi this past off-season. They're two big-bodied guys who actually have the skill-set to play in this scheme.

 

[OldSchool]

I don't think I have posted answer to the defenses problems. Nor do I start threads on the defensive problems I was questioning the pass rush. I haven't ignored the points the Rams have been allowing either just because the Rams won. Every time I or someone points out defensive flaws it's bushed aside by you that Wade will fix them. Same thing last year. I posted the run defense was not good and some gave me grief over it. It finally came out to haunt the Rams. They made moves to fix it and the defense that aren't completely working.



The defense played well in the first two weeks against weaker opponents the Raiders and the Bradford Cardinals. Pitching a shutout over the Cardinals does throw off the overall numbers.The last three opponents have been having success against the Rams defense. Here are the points allowed 13,0, 23, 31, 31.



The Rams have been better later in games. If not for the offense things might be different as big leads helped in the Chargers and Vikings games. The Rams were a holding call away from losing the lead and maybe the game against the Hags.



I'm having my doubts about Wade and the defense. I have stated that I thought they would improve but, the injuries to the Corner backs hurt the process.

Thank you for taking comments posted to somebody else and thinking they were targeting you.

 

[MachS]

Pass defense aside, we know not having Talib is a huge blow. But how are we going to stop the run? Two consecutive years of shitty run D, with an entire off-season and draft to address personell and or develop our younger players. What progress has been made?

DJ Fluker came out after the game and said they kicked our ass up front (which they did), and that our players while talented up front, don't want to stop the run. If this is the case or how other teams are perceiving us, then I put that on Wade.

 

[Merlin]

I think they were good yesterday, so I'm not going to criticize them for the Seattle game.

On the topic of Suh, I'm not telling you my preference. I'm telling you that is the system. If you want a big-bodied guy who will occupy space, you're going to be consistently left disappointed. That isn't how Wade does things. The only times I ever recall him having guys like that, they were athletic big men who could penetrate (ex. Jamal Williams). That's why I pushed for guys like Tim Settle and Derrick Nnadi this past off-season. They're two big-bodied guys who actually have the skill-set to play in this scheme.

I know all about Wade's scheme Jrry. Not gonna go back and forth about it. Never said a 2 gap NT. Just a big dude who is hard to move is badly needed.

Suh has grown on me a bit. But I wasn't in favor of his signing at the time, and our need is still there at nose. Cheers man.