Rams Defense shows up for first time in preseason

Defense shows up for first time in preseason
By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News

[www.dailynews.com]

DENVER >> It wasn’t like there was all-out panic going on, but it would be disingenuous to suggest there wasn’t some concern about the Rams’ defensive performance the first two weeks of the preseason.

Anger might be a better adjective — at least within the walls of the Rams training camp facility in Irvine.

And especially as it relates to the first-string defense.

A unit known for punching first, asking names later got out-muscled to start games against the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs.

It was a shock to the system and a blow to the egos.

“Letting teams score on the first drive, that’s not us,” said cornerback Trumaine Johnson.

It wasn’t a good look at all, not for a group that needs to perform if the Rams have any real chance of escaping the 7-9 purgatory they’ve been sentenced to the last few years.

And it certainly raised some red flags.

“We make stops, we force three-and-outs. that’s what we do. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to,” said defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

Inexplicably, that didn’t happen the first two weeks.

It’s only preseason, but the way the Rams got pushed around by the Cowboys and Chiefs on three long touchdown drives, there was concern.

The whoosh sound you just heard is the collective sigh of relief roaring across Santa Monica all the way to the Inland Empire after the Rams not only held their ground Saturday against the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, but darn near had their way with them during the first-team-against-first-team portion of the Broncos’ 17-9 win at Sports Authority Field.

The Rams made a loud and decisive statement by putting the clamp to the Broncos’ offense while allowing just 24 yards and one first down and forcing a pair of three-and-outs in the opening quarter.

And they finished their night with a fourth-down stand that pushed the Broncos back and gave the Rams’ offense the ball at the Bronco 45.

The starters were long gone by the time the Broncos pulled away for the win.

But by then, the message had been delivered and some order had been restored.

“That was our goal,” Johnson said. “The last two games, we started bad by letting them drive for touchdowns. We wanted to treat this like a regular game and compete. And we did that.”

After challenging themselves all week in practice to do better — bluntly, matter-of-factly and without regards to feelings or status — the Rams responded with a performance that should ease any concerns.

“For sure, we definitely stepped up as a unit,” Donald said. “Got some three-and-outs and got the offense the ball back right away.”

If you spend any time at all with the Rams defenders, you quickly understand they hold themselves and each other accountable.

And while the outsiders worried, the Rams themselves seethed.

“When we didn’t play to our expectations, it didn’t sit well with us.” Donald said.

They did something about it against the Broncos.

And just in the nick of time.

Saturday was the last real dress rehearsal before the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. If typical preseason protocol holds in Minnesota Thursday in the final preseason game against the Vikings, the Rams starters and key players will be bubble wrapped somewhere on the visiting sideline at US Bank Stadium.

They needed a bounce back performance in the worst way.

And they delivered one.

Buoyed by the return of defensive end Robert Quinn, who missed the last half of 2015 after undergoing back surgery and was held out of the first two preseason games for precautionary reasons, the defensive line was electric.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve played football, so it was great just to get out there and make some plays with the guys,” Quinn said. Quinn had 40 sacks between 2012 and 2014, and there’s every reason to believe he can be just as productive with the back injury now behind him. And now operating on a line that includes All-Pro Aaron Donald, fellow end William Hayes and underrated defensive tackle Michael Brockers, Quinn and the Rams have a chance to be special up front.

“I feel like we have the No. 1 defensive line in the league,” Johnson said.

They certainly played like it on Saturday, with Donald nearly unblockable while blowing up the Broncos’ interior line and Quinn playing fast and disruptive.

The Broncos managed just 13 first-quarter rushing yards, the seven times they challenged the Rams on the ground resulting in 1.9 yards per carry.

Hard to run when a brick wall is standing in front of you.

Behind them, the revamped starting secondary — even with safety Maurice Alexander sitting out his second straight game — played timely and productively.

E.J. Gaines — who missed all of last year with a foot injury — has worked and healed his way back into the starting lineup alongside Trumaine Johnson.

His return completes the Rams’ secondary puzzle, at least at cornerback, allowing Lamarcus Joyner to slide back to the slot, where he’s better suited against smaller, quicker receivers, and veteran Coty Sensabaugh to move across the field in various coverage packages.

The completeness and cohesiveness was evident Saturday, as the Rams pushed the Broncos around on a night they exorcised their demons against the Chiefs and Broncos.

It wasn’t like mass panic had broken out in Irvine, but for many reasons the Rams needed to redeem themselves against the Broncos.

“It was an improvement, and that’s encouraging,” Donald said. “We still have a lot of room for even more improvement, but this was a step in the right direction.”

It was only a preseason game, and Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian will never be mistaken for Peyton Manning, but for a unit that searched for answers all week and challenged itself to find them, the Rams left Denver late Saturday encouraged they were back on the right track.