A couple things that stood out to me

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Rams43
Raheem Morris ranked as 7th-best defensive coordinator entering 2023 season

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Cameron DaSilva

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Raheem Morris is a polarizing figure in Los Angeles. Despite being a big part of the Rams’ Super Bowl run in 2021, fans remain frustrated by his defensive scheme. It calls for a lot of soft coverages – even on third-and-3 – and a concerted effort to prevent big plays over the top of the defense, but for the most part, it works.

Pro Football Focus thinks highly of Morris despite his detractors, ranking him as one of the best defensive coordinators. He cracked the site’s top 10, coming in at No. 7 on the list.

After being put in what looked to be a lose-lose situation as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009 as just a 32-year-old, Morris climbed back up the NFL coaching ladder to now be one of the league’s more respected defensive coaches. As the Rams’ defensive coordinator since 2021, Morris helped orchestrate a defense that won a Super Bowl in his first season there. In his two seasons helming the defense in LA, the Rams’ 88.2 overall defensive grade ranks second in the league and their 90.0 run-defense grade is far and away the best mark.

As frustrating as the Rams’ coverage assignments can be sometimes, there’s no denying the effect Morris has had on the run defense. As PFF points out, the Rams rank first in the NFL in run defense grade since Morris took over in 2021, dominating in that phase of the game.

It would be a major accomplishment for Los Angeles to once again rank at the top with its current roster, missing key run defenders such as A’Shawn Robinson, Greg Gaines, Bobby Wagner and Jalen Ramsey. Even Taylor Rapp and Nick Scott were relatively effective in that department last season.

It’ll be a challenge coverage-wise this season, too. The Rams will have one of the youngest secondaries in the NFL, led by players such as Cobie Durant, Jordan Fuller, Derion Kendrick and potentially Russ Yeast.

If the rams are even above-average defensively in 2023, Morris should garner even more head-coaching consideration.

A few things that stood out to me...

1) Morris has more "detractors" than some here will want you to believe. lol

The list of Morris detractors is actually quite large. This is just another example of someone pointing that out. Yes, he did help win a SB but he also had 3 HOF'ers and a very talented offense that could score points too. How many Super Bowls has he won WITHOUT 3 HOF'ers on his squad? Has even gotten close to the SB?

2) Morris's scheme has been good against the run and stops big plays. That is very true. That's what a Prevent defense is designed to do. I will give Morris credit for running the Prevent Defense better than most other DC's have done although I can't recall any DC's running it 95% of the time like Morris does.

3) Another HC opportunity? If the best Morris could do with 3 HOF'ers was a "middle of the pack" ranking then excuse me for being a little concerned he can do it without those 3 HOF'ers.

IMO, if Morris hasn't received ANY offers (maybe 1-2 lol ) in the last 14 years, I just don't see it happening now all of a sudden even if he DOES manage another middle of the pack defense.

The Book of Morris has been written and read by the entire NFL. They know EXACTLY what he is and IMO, and apparently every other team in the NFL's opinion, and it isn't a HC.

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#HelmetHornsMatter

“Well, the color is good, I like the metallic blue,” Youngblood recently said while laughing, via NFL Journal. “The horn is terrible. It looks like a ‘C.’ When I first saw it on the logo I honestly thought it was a Charger logo.

“Now when I see it on the helmet, it just isn’t a ram horn. There is no distinct curl like a mature ram horn. I don’t know how the Rams could get that wrong. That is your symbol and it has been for what? Seventy years or more? Longer than I have been alive? It’s just not us, it’s not the Rams.”---Mr. Ram Jack Youngblood