I loved Spags' D too - particularly the fact that he didn't wait until halftime to start making adjustments. He started moving the chess pieces around after that first drive, and eventually, as game time elapsed and fatigue set in on both sides of the ball, hemodified his calls to maximize what he had.
To do that, you need what I called sticky cornerbacks in another thread - and to that I'd add: fast safeties. Vacate an area of the field on a LB blitz and you'd better - damned fast - have a safety there or the hot read on a choice route and experienced quarterback will eat that blitz alive.
Safety blitz? Adrian Wilson of the Cards a few years ago would sprint unexpectedly from his safety slot, with no pre-snap giveaways, hit a hole and be in the QB's lap for a sack or disrupted play a couple of times a game. Sometimes he'd fake it and drop into coverage - wnhatever, the opposing OC had to think about him.
Risk and reward - and the risk ain't worth it unless you have the defensive backfield to make it work.
And the Rams don't. Tomlinson could be that sticky CB
IF he (ever) learns not to be an overly aggressive penalty generator. Last year he was - what - i penalty per six snaps? Can't have that.
We'll see how much Shula can do with what he has, and how much personnel help he gets in the off season.
