Re: the defense was always going to get worse
|
|
Quote
LMU93
When you have the #1 defense in the NFL, you will get worse the following year. Unless you're the '85 Bears where arguably their defense was better in 1986... The question for the Rams was always not if they would decline but by how much.
I'm not saying there haven't been some maddening things about Morris and the defense overall- especially earlier in the season. But let's also not pretend like this isn't a good defense overall. It just is. The inconsistencies of the team- defense included- is what frustrates us all.
As far as actual points allowed by the defense (subtracting pick-6s, etc.), they were 5th in the league. 10th in yards/play. 8th in redzone scoring (better than in 2020). 5th in opposing passer rating. And they actually had more takeaways this year than last. Yards/completion allowed was worse- but still 10th in the league.
Where they mainly fell off vs. 2020 was 3rd down conversions (21st, vs. 4th last year), yards/pass (16th vs. 1st), and opponents' time of possession (25th vs. 5th), which of course relates to 3rd downs.
Football Outsiders and ESPN's NFL FPI both rate the Rams defense 5th for the season.
Good Points 93 but those areas where we "dropped" are huge differences. Especially against the better teams.
If you can't get off the other team off the field on 3rd down in the playoffs...it's over.
Going from 1rst to 16th in Yards/pass is also a huge drop that playoff teams will take advantage of.
I will also add that I think we are not as good at tackling this year. I bet we missed many more tackles this year than last.
Also seems like we are out of position more this year than last. Is this from confusion due to Morris's take on the Staley D?
Lastly, I just can't unsee Ramsey rapping Rapp in the head! Did that happen last year? When was the last time we saw our own players getting physical with each other? Not a good look at all IMO.
#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
