Wildflecken’s positional Analysis: The Defensive Front Seven...

Here’s Wildflecken...

1.) Absolutely love the Veteran Savvy of Wade Phillips. Wade being the Defensive Coordinator is the number one reason I am so pumped to watch the 2018 version of the Rams Defense in action.

If you read my posts you know I use the term scheme fit often and my philosophy on why so many teams fail is because they ask players to perform tasks they are simply not suited to perform well on game day. In fact I used the addition of Jimmy Graham in Seattle as a poor scheme fit addition just yesterday in my TE thread. Jimmy Graham is an elite Y/move TE, period. Ask him to be an inline TE and he becomes pedestrian. Poor scheme fit.

With Wade Phillips as your defensive coordinator, throw the term poor scheme fit out the window. Wade Phillips is unique. He designs his defensive scheme to suit the talent he has on his roster, to utilize their strengths and turn them into schematic advantages on game day.

With Wade Phillips as your D/C, you don't have to settle for a mediocre talent addition in the offseason merely because the elite talent available plays the same position as the best defensive player on your existing roster. Wade Phillips loves that very challenge.

You see Wade learned long ago you win in this league by having elite talent on your roster who simply are better than the players they will be facing on game day, period. It is the coaches job to design the defensive packages that puts these elite talents in the best position to use their individual strengths.

And that is exactly what Wade does, he puts his players in the best position possible to play to their strengths on game day, he exposes the weaknesses in the opponents roster and maybe most importantly, he lets his players have fun doing so. He understands the mental make up of elite talent and knows they thrive on making plays and winning. They thrive on the media attention that results from success.

2.) The Rams front seven is going to fun to watch in 2018. Les and Wade have assembled an unique group of talent and their is not patch quicker to the opposing qb than the direct path, right up the gut. With Mark Barron a level behind them, and Wade giving him the freedom to green dog, I truly wonder how many opposing quarterbacks will actually finish the game when facing the Rams defense.

And don't underestimate the Rams resigning Easley. If he can finally stay healthy, I can already envision a package where Wade aligns four DT's as his front four (Donald, Suh, Easley and Brockers, a former DT moved by Wade to DE)

3.) The additions of Micah Kiser and Ramik Wilson were sorely needed. Two linebackers who should thrive defending the run inside behind Donald/Suh, whose presence should result in more often than not no offensive lineman getting to second level for them to concern themselves with resulting in a direct path to the rb. Both should thrive in this environment.

As should Cory Littleton, who is returning for his second season under Wade. Rams having the talent inside up front they do, should make the inside linebackers job all that easier in 2018. After all who likes to have to shed blocks and fight way to running back (attempt at dry humor based on projected fact)

4.) This defense is loaded amongst the front seven. Here are the players not name Donald or Suh:
Brockers, Westbrooks, Morgan Fox, Easley, Smart, Meyers, Young, Lawler, Wilson, Scales, OO, Kiser, Barron, Hagar, Longacre, Ebukam, Littleton, and three other DT's I assume are camp bodies since I highly doubt Suh or Donald see any preseason snaps.

Two things are certain, with Wade's ability to disguise the 4th pass rusher before sending extra pressure is even a consideration, the opposing offenses dilemma with Suh and Donald inside, well the DE's and EDGE rushers are going to see some very favorable matchups.

The other certain fact is not as welcoming. When final cuts are made the Rams could be saying goodbye to a veteran player or two. While I hope it is not the case, the numbers simply suggest it is a strong probability.

5.) The number of sacks, qb hits, pressures, hurries could be stunning in 2018. The talent up front is very impressive and we have not yet considered the additions to the back seven, you know the talents who can produce a term known as a coverage sack.

Some could feel almost downright sorry for the offense who has to face this defense on game day. Not me. I am going to enjoy the ride. I never wish injury on any player, even those I am not particularly fond of. But I certainly do not mind a bone jarring hit, the kind the knocks a player from the game, the kind in which the recovery time is 61 minutes of game time.