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Shane Gray provides special Rams commentaries on 101sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ShaneGmoSTLRams.
A season ago, the St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos each posted 52 sacks to lead the NFL in the aforementioned category.
The Rams accomplished this feat in spite of the fact that they faced the challenge of implementing a new defense after abandoning the Steve Spagnuolo scheme in favor of the more consistent and balanced system long utilized by St. Louis head coach Jeff Fisher.
In 2012, the Rams elevated their sack total by 25 percent after posting 39 in the prior campaign. In fact, St. Louis’ 52 sacks were the most by any Rams team since 1999 – a year in which 57 were amassed.
Impressively, last season’s sack total was the league’s 11th-best since 2000. To put the 52 sacks into further perspective, the number would have led the NFL in seven of this century’s first 13 seasons.
What is most encouraging about last season’s mark is that these lofty numbers were not largely compiled by almost over-the-hill veterans or by defenders who departed in the offseason. No, they were posted by young players who will return hungry for more – much more. They were accomplished by players who were still ascending and/or just entering their prime (Chris Long, William Hayes, Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Eugene Sims), were just beginning to realize their potential (the then-22-year-old Robert Quinn), had made an offseason position switch (Kendall Langford) or were in their rookie year and battling through injury (Michael Brockers).
Take, for instance, the 23-year-old defensive end Quinn, who told me the following during camp last year.
(Hope each of you greatly enjoy the full read here):
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.101sports.com/2013/06/04/132858/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.101sports.com/2013/06/04/132858/</a>
A season ago, the St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos each posted 52 sacks to lead the NFL in the aforementioned category.
The Rams accomplished this feat in spite of the fact that they faced the challenge of implementing a new defense after abandoning the Steve Spagnuolo scheme in favor of the more consistent and balanced system long utilized by St. Louis head coach Jeff Fisher.
In 2012, the Rams elevated their sack total by 25 percent after posting 39 in the prior campaign. In fact, St. Louis’ 52 sacks were the most by any Rams team since 1999 – a year in which 57 were amassed.
Impressively, last season’s sack total was the league’s 11th-best since 2000. To put the 52 sacks into further perspective, the number would have led the NFL in seven of this century’s first 13 seasons.
What is most encouraging about last season’s mark is that these lofty numbers were not largely compiled by almost over-the-hill veterans or by defenders who departed in the offseason. No, they were posted by young players who will return hungry for more – much more. They were accomplished by players who were still ascending and/or just entering their prime (Chris Long, William Hayes, Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Eugene Sims), were just beginning to realize their potential (the then-22-year-old Robert Quinn), had made an offseason position switch (Kendall Langford) or were in their rookie year and battling through injury (Michael Brockers).
Take, for instance, the 23-year-old defensive end Quinn, who told me the following during camp last year.
(Hope each of you greatly enjoy the full read here):
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.101sports.com/2013/06/04/132858/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.101sports.com/2013/06/04/132858/</a>
