5 reasons LA Rams starting defensive line excels in 2020

V- Stop the run

The LA Rams run defense in 2019 was ranked 19th of 32 teams. You really do not need me to tell you that one of the goals for the 2020 Rams defense is to improve that ranking and that performance. With an NFC West of the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, and Seattle Seahawks all emphasizing running the ball more effectively, the Rams must counter by upping the defense against them. But that is not as easy of a task as it sounds.

The Rams do not have the necessary resources to target run defense specialists among the available veterans in the NFL Free Agency market.  And the Rams are not positioned in the NFL Draft at a place where top tier defenders will be there on the board when the Rams step up to the podium. So the Rams will need to use their imagination a bit.

One of the weaknesses of the 3-4 defense is the fact that four of the front seven stand behind the line, and must move several yards forward to stop a runner at the line of scrimmage for no gain. Former defensive coordinator Wade Phillips understood the weakness but accepted it. The Rams offense was so potent that most teams were forced out of the time-consuming ground game to convert to an aerial assault in hopes of keeping up with the Rams offense.  In 2019, teams played much closer games, and as a result, the Rams faced rushing offenses far longer in a game.

Staley’s approach when facing running offenses can be as simple as shading defensive linemen or lining them up to appear to be a one-gap responsibility. As the play progresses, each defensive lineman than drives right at the offensive lineman, stacking them at the line of scrimmage to read the play and shedding the blocker as the ball carrier commits to the hole that is no longer there.

Staley’s defense will borrow a great deal from his mentor Vic Fangio but can add some wrinkles of his own design. After all, Fangio never had an opportunity to coach a defensive lineman who played at the level of All-Pro Aaron Donald.