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That's not accurate. If there is one thing know it is DB's. Alexander is the gel in the back seven. The LB's are the joke. TJ McDonald is is disaster if the ball goes more than 8 yards. Alexander has one of the best efficiency ratings of any safety in football. Higher than McC. He gives up less yards per man than anyone not named Earl Thomas. Those are KC Joyner defensive grade stats.
With the LB corps lost more often than not and TJ essentially being a fourth LB the Rams simply can't do some things due to the lack of diagnosis by our MLB. Alexander has become the diagnoser. He and Joyner have literally become the vocal men and the setup guys on that defense.
First, let me say that Alexander is doing very well with the role he’s been assigned. And that’s pretty much all he can do. But GW hasn’t entrusted him with the same amount of responsibility that he did with McLeod.
Govane pointed this out above. The Rams are playing more Cover 2 than last year because Alexander is back there and not Mcleod.
There was an article about it a month or so ago that detailed the number of snaps GW is employing 2 deep safeties versus last year (I think it’s inappropriately labeled Cover 2 but the point still stands). It’s a dramatic increase.
If both McLeod and Alexander have high efficiency ratings but Alexander is only entrusted with half of what McLeod was, then he is not on the same level. And the consequence for having to have 2 deep safeties back is getting gashed in the run game more often.