Why LA Rams base 3-4 defense means very little

Goals

So what are the defensive goals of Staley’s defense? His mentor, Vic Fangio, focused on points allowed, turnovers, and then yards allowed.  The Rams are coming off the 2019 season where the defense was ranked 17th in the league for points allowed, and tied for 15th in the league in the takeaway/giveaway ratio. So there is definitely some ground to make up.

While the LA Rams were ranked 12th in pass defense in 2019, their run defense was ranked 19th in the NFL. That’s concerning, as the offense was able to score points. The Rams have taken strides to bolster their run defense in free agency by adding OLB Leonard Floyd and NT A’Shawn Robinson while re-signing DE Michael Brockers. All three will contribute to creating a solid run defense.

What are the takeaways from this Rams defense?

While the Rams defense has little to do with giveaways, the team will most certainly emphasize takeaways in 2020.  The Rams did a good job in 2019, ranking 12th in interceptions and seventh in fumble recoveries. Can the Rams do more in 2020? Likely so. The Rams boasted six different defensive backs with two interceptions each.  While the Rams no longer have either Marcus Peters or Cory Littleton, the Rams will not struggle with swapping out both starting cornerbacks in mid-season this year.

As the Rams emphasize deception, the likelihood of mistakes committed by the offense increases exponentially.  A stiffer defense also plays into giving the offense opportunities to play higher percentages. In 2019, the Rams lost four times by double digits. Falling behind by that much in a game forces higher risk plays by the offense. That gives the offense better options to move the ball.  Meanwhile, the defense focuses upon stopping the run, generating turnovers, and preventing scores. Strip away everything else, and the LA Rams are simply going to create unspeakable headaches for offenses in 2020. And their pain is the LA Rams gain.