St. Louis Rams Defense

The St. Louis Rams Defense & Company

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Rams Defense... Secondary

32 Bradley Fletcher CB

Defensive coordinator: Secondary will be different. He will use man-to-man and mixed coverages similar to Belichick's New England complicated coverage schemes. The Rams defensive backs will now be more aggressive and competitive. A huge blitzing package with corners and safeties.

The Rams' defensive backs not only make big plays but take the opponents wide receivers out of the game. He will also improve the Rams' defensive backs in press coverages, making them physical with wide receivers.

Safeties will be playing the deep half of the field, playing center field in the cover 2 . Safeties will be used for physical play and intimidation.

He will tighten up the middle of the field. He will also make the secondary be at - best by trying to hold opposing offenses making touchdowns deep in the red zone.

Strongside cornerback: "Rolls up"- steps forward into the strongside, where either the fullback, flanker or the tight end might be running their pass patterns. Strongside cornerback, a pivotal roll - mix coverages.

A further note on the Rams defensive backs [db].

The Rams defensive corners can knock the wide receivers off their routes at the line. After they do that the Rams defensive corners can run downfield with the opposing wide receivers. What I mean is the Rams cornerbacks must mix it up around the line of scrimmage. The cornerbacks must start hammering opposing wide receivers on the line of scrimmage. The Rams cornerbacks must play the bump-and-run. The Rams cornerbacks have the speed to get down the field with the fastest of receivers, after the Rams cornerbacks first hit the receivers on the line of scrimmage during the same play.

The net is the Rams cornerbacks must jam the receivers at the line of scrimmage and then turn and run with them [receivers] down the field. Again, the cornerbacks have the speed to run down with receivers after they hit [jam] the receivers.

One example is Rams defensive back 24 Ron Bartell is 6'1". Bartell has great speed. Bartell glides in and out of his pass drops. Bartell also has great speed to change directions. All Bartell must do is be physical with the receivers on the line of scrimmage. The Rams are playing against the Arizona Cardinals. The receivers on the Cardinals are tall and physical, this means opposing defensive backs must be physical with the Cardinals wide receivers on the line of scrimmage.

Example of physical, or being a physical defensive back...
You want hard work ethic and preparation? Then go back to the old film when the Patriots beat the Rams in the Super Bowl. You will see why the Patriots cornerbacks played a big role in that game. They were physical with the Rams big guns, the Rams wide receivers. This is a good example of work ethic and preparation for defensive backs.

Rams Defense... Linebackers

Defensive coordinator: Linebackers will still stress speed, but with power and pursuit. The middle linebacker and strongside linebacker will work together.
The middle linebacker will stop the run and punish receivers who come over the middle.

Laurinaitis has rare overall athletic for a middle linebacker. Laurinaitis did an exceptional job of filling holes and taking on lead blockers in the running game. Laurinaitis chased down ballcarriers sideline to sideline. Laurinaitis defended the pass well and showed the ability to get out of his pass drops smoothly. Laurinaitis plays the game with a throwback mentality.

The middle linebacker plays with a throwback mentality and the strongside linebacker can now be free to go after the quarterback and free to cause damage.
The key, what makes it all work... middle linebacker must stop the point of attack.
The middle linebacker must stop run. He must shed guards and the center that are blocking right him. The middle linebacker sets up the strongside linebacker.

The weakside linebacker use on pass coverages. He stays on the field in both nickel and dime situations. Middle linebacker most of the times comes out on passing downs.

51 Brady Poppinga SLB
51 Brady Poppinga was acquired by the Rams in 2011. He played OLB with the Green Bay in a 3-4 system. He can both 4-3 and 3-4 Defense.

Poppinga even played OLB for two years at BYU in a 3-4 defense.

Poppinga was Green Bays #4 Draft Choice in 2005.
That year [2008] Poppinga had a total of 69 tackles.
With the Rams Poppinga will play the weakside linebacker position. But the Rams can use Poppinga in nickel and dime situations as a pass rusher.

50 Bryan Kehl SLB
50 Bryan Kehl WLB was acquired by the Rams in 2010. He played WLB with the Giants in a 4-3 Defense. The Giants liked Kehl to the point they were going to try him at the Middle Linebacker position. Kehl was Giants #4 Draft Choice in 2008. That year [2008] Kehl had a total of 35 tackles.

Kehl had a speed of 4.56.

The Rams now have a deep linebacker unit.
With his unit Williams will use personnel groupings or schemes.
Starting loading linebackers on the line of scrimmage.

51 Brady Poppinga SLB
55 James Laurinaitis MLB

57 Chris Chamberlain WLB

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Personnel grouping means replacing linebacker with a defensive lineman to give a look, the appearance of a 3-4 defense. Weakside linebacker used - blitzing off corners.

Rams can use more linebackers in different coverage scheme: Standard 4-3 "rotation" zone and 5-2 called the "double zone" or the "double rotation."
Even a 4-1-6 zone defense. In this scheme you have four defensive linemen, one linebacker and six defensive backs. The team will use the weakside linebacker, only true linebacker is this alignment. Now with a premium of weakside linebackers, you can add more linebackers to the 4-1-6 zone defense.

Williams linebackers unit will hit and attack [swarm] with great force.
The linebackers will hit very similar like 1970's Rams LB Jack Reynolds.

Rams Defense... Line

Defensive coordinator: Defensive tackles will be used mainly in one-gap scheme [upfield tackles]. Tackles will be splitting gaps and penetrating into the backfield. Defensive ends bring the speed on the outside to go upfield, and used mainly in one-gap scheme. Ends will be stunting and versatile ends on certain downs could line up over guards and penetrate gaps. Versatile swingman starts at end, then plays tackle and slide inside on passing downs.

Gregg Williams will make this defensive line very aggressive. A very hard hitting line. Very similar to the late 1970's and early 1980's. You had on the Rams defensive line Jack Youngblood at defensive end and two defensive tackles Larry Brooks and Mike Fanning.

Note: in one-gap scheme [upfield tackles].

A classic hard worker, over [achiever].
A second-effort type of players, with a relentless work ethic.

Quickness off the snap and the incomparable, excellent field vision, the ability to see what's happening in front of him. In one-gap scheme [upfield tackles] aggressive scheme again which takes full advantage of the defensive lineman to make plays both on the move and get upfield.

A "Two-Gap Tackle" over 315 at times focus on collapsing the middle and stopping the run. Also used for clogging the offensive line - to free the middle linebacker. This means controlling the line of scrimmage. Some schemes they will play over the center, to create a bull rush up the middle. But more between the center and guard, means tackles will play "shade".

96 James Hall DE

91 Chris Long DE

Summary for the defensive line:

Splitting gaps and penetrating into the backfield.
Tackle and ends will be running line stunts and loops.
To generate more speed, some schemes will have a defensive lineman playing what is called 3 - technique. Defensive lineman playing over the shoulder of the guard.
Always playing intimating aggressive football.

Rams Defense... Linemen and Notes

Gregg Williams Defensive Coordinator will continue to brings a mean vicious hitting game to this Rams Defense. Williams will let his players use their nature ability to play their position.

He will bring leadership to the defense.
He make his defense play like a team, a total defense.
He make his linebackers a hitting and gang tackling unit.

Just like in the late 1970's the Rams Defense were hard hitting vicious defense.
The bottom line Gregg Williams will make his players... be motivated and make them play hard, with a winning attitude and make the Rams one of the top Defenses in NFL.

The Rams Defense will set a new standard in NFL.
The Rams Defense will play intimating aggressive football.

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