The Defense

[Jacobarch]

McVay said it in the presser I believe. Reinjured clavicle.

Damn. That sucks

 

[OldSchool]

I know enough about football that if you have one of the best offenses in the NFL you want it on the field.... Not some hair brain game plan of keeping your defense on the field so the opposing offense can get in as many snaps as possible so we have chance at a turnover...... High School coaches don't even think like that..... My Pop Warner coaches didnt think like that. My college coaches didn't think like that...

Once again you are just reinforcing our opinions because literally nobody has said that and you are showing a complete lack of understanding here. Everytime you try to troll us with crap like this you just slide further and further down into the area where people will just ignore you.

 

[Steve808]

Just my observation but the defense dropped off when Forbes suddenly couldn’t cover anyone. He was balling out for the first 11 games or so then regressed. Lake is back which is good but the Rams still gave up big plays and 31 points

 

[OldSchool]

Look at this: we ranked 5th on the league for turnover differential and had 26 takeaways with only 15 giveaways. That means that our defensive philosophy actually put the ball back into our offense's hands 26 times this season.... Please tell me that you're not too dense to understand? Want to be nice to you even though you are just a stranger on the internet... This game is complicated but the more you know the more interested you become.
View attachment 74121

We were positive in time of possession. We were top 10 in scoring defense. We were 2nd in point differential. But somehow this troll thinks McVay wants to keep his offense off the field and keep the other team out there trying to score. Somehow in his limited understanding he is equating not wanting to give up big plays into he wants us to not force punts or create turnovers. Somehow not giving up big plays means you can't force teams to punt.

Now if this guy was actually able to understand this simple concept he'd try to tell us that the Rams 3rd down defense was terrible. When in fact it's 7th in the NFL. Somehow this soft defensive philosophy actually gets teams off the field at a high clip. The Rams were middle of the pack on giving up 1st downs and middle of the pack in yards given up per play. But hey McVay is stupid and wants his offense on the sideline.

 

[Steve808]

The reason why the Rams play the defense they do is because its what the talent level on Defense allows.... Plain and simple. The Rams are made to out score teams.

La Puente Pop Warner
William Workman High School
San Jose St. Spartans

Actually during the playoff game Shula’s theory was explained. They don’t want to give up big plays. Force the offense to work their way down the field and eventually the offense makes a mistake or the defense makes a play and the drive is stopped.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I agree. Look at what the Patriots did to the Chargers last night. They pressured Herbert all game long, lining up in different looks all the time. The Rams are so predictable it makes it easy on the OL to know who to block. I'm also wondering if McVay isn't behind the "bend but don't break" philosophy because Shula's defense is looking a lot like Raheem's.

The Chargers played with 29 unique Oline combinations this year.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Yep! Been saying this for a while now. The defense looks like the HC (and GM) want it to look.

After he fired Wade, it was reported that McVay wanted more personal involvement in the defense and he strongly favored the Vic Fangio defensive scheme, which is widely characterized as a "bend-but-don't-break" style. Its primary goal is to eliminate big, explosive plays by forcing offenses to execute long, methodical drives consisting of short passes and runs.

And I'll just add, the way our defense is constructed - cheaply and without every piece you need to make that defense sing - if our Dline does not get there our CBs can't cover for long leading to breakdowns and explosive plays.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Just curious, given our current personnel, what other defense do people want them playing exactly?

 

[DzRams]

The opposite of that is to then do what? Gamble with being super aggressive and then consistently get beat for TDs over the top because the coverage isn't now giving the pass rush time to get home?

They keep everything in front of them and then constantly rotate the coverage shells post snap. The QB is never seeing the same thing twice in a row from our defense.

They go as far as to follow the motion player across the field to look as if they are in man coverage to then actually be in zone or match zone once the ball snaps... Completely negating the pre-snap read that by all accounts and purposes should have indicated man coverage.

It is much better to give yourself a better statistical chance at forcing a turnover or punt to give the ball to your offense an extra one or two times per game than it is to invite quick strike plays that get you down quick and make you one dimensional.

Or strategy works for us because of the simple fact that our offense absolutely can consistently put together along methodical drives without making a mistake while ALSO having that big play ability.

Agree with everything you're saying.

I would add, that even with an offense as good as ours, when we start off with a penalty, it's often a drive killer. It makes no sense for a defense to be so aggressive that they allow quick strike, GSOT style 2 play scores.

It's frustrating as a fan to see them allow 11+ play drives for scores but not many offenses can do that without making an error.

The other key is, the defense must be amongst the best in the league at only allowing FGs instead of TDs once they enter the RZ. Guess who's #4 in the league at Opponent RZ TD Scoring Percentage? The Rams at 50%. Additionally, they were rated #2 at 42.8% seven weeks ago when Lake went down.

 

[KA210927]

Rams need an Eric Weddle type of signing at CB

 

[PARAM]

You're probably a shadow niners or Seattle Seahawks fan who knows the writing is on the wall so you come here to flame.

Dude claims to "also" be a Denver fan. But sure, that could be cover too. Didn't know what year Corum was in. Kinda odd for a Ram fan eh? Yeah, Seattle, SF.....really fits.

 

[PARAM]

You answered my question

Rams offensive time of possession is by far the most important aspect to the Rams game plan.... Not the defense staying the field in hopes for a TO Captain Obvious.

Talk about Captain Obvious!!! TOP and Points are the most important aspect of EVERY teams gameplan. Here's tip. You've been exposed, so do the right thing. STOP.

 

[Merlin]

Not wanting teams to beat us over the top doesn't mean we want them to beat us underneath or nickle and dime us to death

Williams, Spoon are in need of upgrading, who knows what we have in McCreary yet

I would love a longer more physical CB and I think that would help Forbes and Durant or Mcreary and the issue of receivers running free.
1 good CB will make a difference, yes two would be better

Lake is fine and really our safeties play isn't bad and with a solid #1 CB we would see a pretty big improvement.

I also wonder how Shula will call it when he's got better corners. Suspect he might be more aggressive.

 

[Ramit]

I also wonder how Shula will call it when he's got better corners. Suspect he might be more aggressive.

Having a true number 1 CB you can trust on an island in man for 3 seconds certainly makes it easier to dial up some blitzes!

 

[rdlkgliders]

I also wonder how Shula will call it when he's got better corners. Suspect he might be more aggressive.

At least situationally and the better play will make it more productive when he does. I would love a long boundary guy that can run and tackle.

 

[Merlin]

Have a true number 1 CB you can trust on an island in man for 3 seconds certainly makes it easier to dial up some blitzes!

Precisely. I suspect he wants to unleash the hounds, but it's hard to when your corners are the keystone cops.

 

[Merlin]

I would love a long boundary guy that can run and tackle.

Yes we need a field side corner who can smother top draws. That would completely change everything.

Fresh room is my hope, again. Load it up and let's build an elite defense that can keep an opposing offense on the bus.

 

[Ramit]

Precisely. I suspect he wants to unleash the hounds, but it's hard to when your corners are the keystone cops.

Durant and Forbes out there looking like the kids from the Sandlot!

 

[El Chapo Jr]

We need so put some more $$ into the defense next year.

We have a plus defensive line,.... average lb and below average secondary.

We have and will continue to with some of those contracts we got coming up.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

Next year:
Draft CB in 1st round;
Trade a future 3rd for a vet CB;
Draft a 2nd CB day 3 Snead special to develop.
Keep Forbes and Mccreary (maybe Durant too if price is right)

Crazy part is this a position we thought the Rams would hit on last draft and they totally ignored it. Its possible that the Rams don't address it early too. I hope I'm wrong, but they haven't seemed to value that position recently in the draft.