Monday Wrap-Up: Defensive Line Flexible in Victory

Monday Wrap-Up: Defensive Line Flexible in Victory

By Myles Simmons

[www.therams.com]

The Rams’ defensive line was up to a significant challenge during Sunday’s 37-32 victory over the Buccaneers. With injuries and an ejection to deal with, the nine-man rotation quickly went down to seven. And given 90-degree temperatures with significant humidity, plus a slate of 90 plays to defend, there was a lot the line had to deal with.

Los Angeles usually designates one of its nine defensive linemen inactive, and that player on Sunday was end Matt Longacre. Thus, when fellow end William Hayes went down with an ankle injury, it meant others would have play more snaps in his place.

And then L.A. lost defensive end Eugene Sims to an ejection, inducing head coach Jeff Fisher and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to come up with a plan to compensate for the shorthanded line.

“It was difficult. Gregg and I talked and we had some other packages,” Fisher said at his Monday press conference. “We had a three-man-line package, and we brought some extra DBs in. And, fortunately, the game was such where they weren’t just pounding the ball, running the ball. So we tried to give them an ever-changing look, but it was not easy for the defensive line.”

While the club used different packages, Williams also deployed defensive tackle Aaron Donald at a spot other than his usual three-technique. The Rams have used Donald at defensive end in the past, but that, for the most part, has been in a three-man front. This was different, as the Pitt product was lining up on the outside in the Rams’ four-man front.


“Just like playing D-tackle — just lined up different,” Donald said after the game. “But it was good, anything I have to do to make sure we come out on top. And I know we had some guys that went down and things like that and just needed to move around a little bit more.”

Playing two positions, Donald ended up on the field for 77 of the Rams’ 90 defensive snaps (86 percent). One of the other healthy ends, Ethan Westbrooks, played 73 (81 percent) — unusually high numbers for a pair of linemen.

“When you take into consideration that Aaron got so many snaps at both ends, and then Ethan was playing both sides and moving down inside to rush,” Fisher said.

Defensive end Robert Quinn, who made two key plays with a sack/fumble and the game-ending tackle on quarterback Jameis Winston, was in for 64 percent of the defensive snaps. Defensive tackles Michael Brockers (53 percent), Dominique Easley (38 percent), and Cam Thomas (28 percent) helped as well on the line. Fisher was particularly impressed with Easley’s performance.

“Dominique played really well,” Fisher said. “We needed him. He needed to step up because we needed to bounce Aaron outside. And he played really well inside. So, yeah, it was a tremendous effort there.”

And even after Hayes’ injury, the defensive lineman did his best to come back on the field to contribute. He ended up playing 19 snaps.

“You know I have total respect for Will Hayes. And there’s no way he should’ve returned,” Fisher said. “Will was in the locker room with the ankle injury and when Eugene walked in the locker room after being ejected, Will just said, ‘I’ve got to go out. I’ve got to go.’ So he came out and helped us.”

The weather conditions made the performance that much more challenging, which Fisher acknowledged for both sides.

“I mentioned last night — it was a test of wills. It was hot, it was humid,” Fisher said. “Both teams — you could see the fatigue factor kicking in. And both teams battled. It was not easy."

“THIS STUFF HAS TO STOP”

Sims’ ejection for a personal foul in the second quarter marked the second defensive player in three weeks to be disqualified from a contest mid-game.

So what happened on the extra point that resulted in Sims having to watch the rest of the game from the locker room?

“There was some stuff that was going on up front,” Fisher said. “It wasn’t a defensive play, it was post extra point. And something was said and he retaliated.

“No place for it — no place for it at all,” Fisher continued. “He knows and was remorseful after the game. He apologized to his teammates, he apologized to me. It’s going to be addressed tomorrow.”

Fisher added that these are the kind of pre- and post-snap penalties that particularly irritate coaches. And fouls that lead to ejections are not acceptable.

“We’re on pace right now, from a penalty standpoint [that] doesn’t look good,” Fisher said. “So we’ve addressed that, but we’ll continue to address it. Pre-snap, post-snap — we eliminate those, we’re fine. Those are under our control.

“And as I told the staff, I can’t remember in my career having a defensive player ejected, let alone had two in three weeks,” Fisher said. “So that stuff has to stop.”

INJURY UPDATES

Fisher said cornerback E.J. Gaines has a “really good chance this week. He’s feeling good, which is good for the defense.”

Gaines was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, but ended up being inactive.

As for rookie wide receivers Pharoh Cooper and Nelson Spruce, Fisher said both will be back on the practice field. That, however, does not guarantee anything for their Sunday status for the game at Arizona.