3-4 Defense & Defensive Line

Tyrunn Walker has been a pleasant surprise with his new role at Nose Tackle.




I am adjusting to this defense as the Rams have run the 4-3 for a very long time (since 1991) when John Robinson brought in Jeff Fisher to switch the Rams to a 4-3 and the Rams have been running it ever sense...So this has been an adjustment and it seems the Los Angeles Rams have been tweaking the defensive line each week as well. My issue with the 3-4 is that you can gash that defense with the run, however, when the scheme is running correctly, it seems to create more opportunities for turnovers so there are a few things I want to focus on:

The defensive line IMO, is better with Donald, Walker & Brockers starting up front. Donald is on another level and as @Juice posted in another thread I truly hope the contract gets worked out as he should always be donning horns. Michael Brockers has been outstanding this year and I'm glad that DL Coach Bill Johnson & DC Wade Phillips realized that Brockers can be better utilized outside and that has freed up the big man to make more plays and not be clogged up at Nose Tackle. Which brings us to that position and many have posted that in Phillips' Scheme, it does not require a big ugly at NT, however, I feel much better with Tyrunn Walker at that position than Tanzel Smart. Smart is a diminutive defensive tackle and relies on his quickness, but at 290lbs (and that is being generous) seems to get engulfed at the point of attack, that run by Prescott for the two point conversion against Travis Frederick was an excellent example although holding was called, albeit questionable.

Tyrunn Walker much bigger at 305, but at 27 more developed and seems a better fit for the scheme and was with DL Coach Bill Johnson in New Orleans, so he understands what Johnson is looking for and has been one of those under the radar additions that has benefited the Rams in many ways with giving them the ability to move Brockers outside. Seems once Walker came in at NT after the run by Fournette the line played much better, Smart just seems like he should back up Donald IMO. Also Ethan Westbrooks really has not showcased much, in fact, Morgan Fox makes more plays when given the opportunity so although Westbrooks has avoided having debris tossed his way from former defensive line coach Mike Waufle, he has not truly made any plays so far this season. That rounds out the DL as I expect next season the Rams to bring Walker back and to draft a bigger NT later moving Smart to back up Donald or Brockers and replace Westbrooks with another draft choice or low budget signing.

Now just a quick synopsis at linebacker at OLB the Rams have two in Barwin & Quinn that are pass rushers first and linebackers second. If you go back to the days under Fritz Shurmur the Rams had Kevin Greene & Mike Wilcher with Greene being the pass rusher and Wicher the linebacker first and pass rusher second, however, Wilcher very good rusher in his own right. Quinn seems like a fish out of water in this scheme as on run plays, he can't seem to hold the edge and I feel much better with Matt Longacre or Samson Ebukam on the field on run downs, Barwin had his best game last week, but one would surmise, he is most likely one and done with the Los Angeles Rams this year, albeit, Barwin has been better than Quinn against the run, but not that much better.

I look for major changes at that position next season with Quinn & Barwin not being part of the group with the possibility of Ebukam starting on one side and either a draft choice or major free agent signing being on the other side as well. Overall it has been an adjustment not only moving to the 3-4, but adjusting to the personalities of Wade Phillips & Bill Johnson over the likes of Gregg Williams & Mike Waufle. I understand the Millennials respond much better to self discovery and encouragement as opposed to the KITA (kick in the ass) method of supervision or management, but once in a while, you have to challenge the group and I'm sure with the success of Phillips that is happening and the defense has been improving, but with many challenges looming on the horizon one would hope that this unit has still not played there best game yet.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/18/2017 04:27AM by den-the-coach.