So, I am rewatching the Lions game to decipher exactly what they did defensively to slow us down and "provide a blueprint' to the rest of the league.
I'm two plays in and can tell you McVay instantly adjusted to what they were doing.
Play 1 1st and 10
Lions in a Cover 4 shell, Nickel personnel. Rams 11 personnel.
Rams run mid, Whit missed a block, small gain.
What else do I see on the tape?
Lions were playing Cover 3 with the weak side safety playing a rover and jumping the in breaking routes.
Lions did not react at all to pre and post snap motion. Rams faked a wr end around and the mlb never looked away from Gurley. They didnt care.
Ansah, the weak side DE, was left unblocked and played the boot the whole time. He did not take one step towards Goff or Gurley until well after the ball was handed off.
Play 2 2 and 8
Same looks on Defense(Cover 4, man lined up on slot and followed motion); and Offense 11 personnel.
Cooks attacks the left third deep,and then stops after 15 yards. Goff play actions and hits Cooks about as wide open as any player I've ever seen(when he throws the ball). Cooks pulls the Safety coverage over the middle on a crosser. Gurley, after the fake, slowly attacks the flat.
Perfect adjustment. The CB has no help and must play Cooks deep first. The shallow CB, originally on the slot, stays shallow on Gurley.