7 solid reasons why LA Rams win NFC West next season

Reason 2 – Rams defense will defend both the pass and the run

Wade Phillips is a venerable savvy NFL defensive coordinator. He has that “touch” of getting the best play out of his veterans, and using just enough youth to sustain the defense’s energy at a high level throughout the entire game.  He prides his defense for using the 3-4 formation, insisting that it generates the most pressure on opposing quarterbacks.   He’s right about that.

But the Rams did not do well against the run last season, nor has the team stopped rushing offenses very well for several years. For all the solid defenses coached by Wade Phillips, perhaps that is his one Achilles heel.  Of course, the scheme only does so much, and it’s the players themselves who must make the plays.  Under head coach Sean McVay, the Rams scored enough points on offense to mitigate the ball control run-heavy offenses of opponents.  The Rams run-pass option offense scored a lot of point, forcing even run heavy opponents to pass to try to keep up.

“For us, I think Fangio and the Bears did an outstanding job of a sound scheme with versatility mixed with great players,” McVay said via Lorin Cox interview from nbcsports.com

That all changed in 2019.  And perhaps a bit in the post-season as well.  The Rams were involved in close games, defensive struggles, and their defense simply could not come up with the stop despite the down and distance.  So when the Rams needed a new defensive coordinator, head coach Sean McVay sought a protege to the toughest defense he faced – that of Vic Fangio.

Denver Broncos OLB coach Brandon Staley was that protege’.  He followed Fangio from Chicago to Denver, and welcomed the sage advice from Fangio whenever it was offered.  Much like offensive coordinators who run far different plays based on defenders’ reactions, Fangio runs far different plays based on what defenders see unfold in front of them. The results are uncannily effective, and deceptive.

Fangio, and Staley, mix coverages. Zone defense linebackers is a subtle way to disguise man coverage on the corners. Showing blitz from one position, but rolling back to coverage and blitzing elsewhere is incredibly effective too.

Perhaps most of all, It is the design of that defensive scheme for defensive linemen to occupy blockers, while edge rushers must win their single block and sack the quarterback. This is the ideal scheme for a young defensive lineman like NT Greg Gaines, who has specialized in doing that very thing.