LA Rams News: Sebastian Joseph Day breaks out in 2020

LA Rams News: Sebastian Joseph Day emerges as a defensive standout in 2020

Fortune favors the bold. The LA Rams need bold players, as the 2020 chapter is opening-up without defensive standouts like ILB Cory Littleton, OLB Dante Fowler Jr. or Clay Matthews, or S Eric Weddle. A new chapter means new stories will be written: stories about a new class of young men who will step up and force the NFL to recognize their talents, to tell their stories, to hold them up in the future as players who made a positive impact.

But the rules of NFL stardom remain the same, despite the upheaval of modern-day culture in response to the coronavirus pandemic. NFL players earn their reputation, respect, and his future contracts, on the football field. Any player who wants to claim a spotlight knows where it happens. Sebastian Joseph Day (SJD) is ready willing and able to show up in a big way for the Rams’ defense this year.

New defense

Here’s his reaction to the new defense scheme of newly arrived defensive coordinator Brandon Staley:

Theoretically, SJD faces a demotion, of sorts. After benefiting from Ndamukong Suh‘s departure to claim a starting role in 2019, the arrival of A’Shawn Robinson to the LA Rams defensive front may push SJD into a rotational role for 2020. That may actually help out SJD, as he will remain active on defensive snaps, but will come into the game fresher and have a greater chance to create positive impacts.

From off-field leader to on-field leader

Quite often, it is the leader on the field who then becomes a community leader off the field. But for the LA Rams young defensive lineman, it seems to work in the opposite direction as well. Amidst the heartbreaking news of 2020  and the realization of how healthcare workers struggled to save lives while caring for themselves, Sebastian Joseph Day led the way to help feed medical staff.  When the nation called for accountability and leadership among the nation’s police force, Sebastian Joseph Day led that dialogue as well. A young man of venerable perspective, he does not shy away from controversy, or an opportunity to make a positive difference.

Now comes time for football. For SJD, it’s only round two. After all, this young man was drafted at 195 in the 2018 NFL Draft by the LA Rams but did not see any NFL action in his rookies season. It was not until 2019 that he found the playing field, showing up for 44 percent of the defensive snaps and recording 44 tackles, five quarterback hits, five tackles for loss (TFL) and two quarterback sacks. He even accounted for one pass defense during his 15 starts. That is a pretty good debut for a defensive lineman.

Staley’s defense unlocks SJD

Sebastian Joseph Day is very athletic at 6-foot-4 and 310-pounds. He is tall enough for a role on the defensive line, or to roll out deceptively on pass defense. And for Brandon Staley’s defense, he may be called upon to do both.  We’d discussed the strategy of deception, and how that benefits a defense, but the focus to date has only touched upon defensive backs and All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald in a two-point stance as an edge rusher. Now how does that modify SJD’s role?

Well, if the 3-4 defense pulls SJD out in coverage, the team sends both Samson Ebukam and Leonard Floyd to rush the quarterback. Since offenses shift to block the weak side, this creates a lopsided offensive line, with two many defenders to offensive blockers. That either commits single blockers to Aaron Donald and A’Shawn Robinson or allows another defender to rush unscathed. In any case, the quarterback must release the ball nearly instantly, which is when interceptions occur. That is how defenses fool offenses, and it is a weekly cat-and-mouse game.

It also happens with defensive line stunts, where the end and nose tackle crisscross their gap assignments. It even happens as the Rams roll in for a 4-3 or 5-2 or even a 2-5 defensive configuration.  SJD is still improving, still learning, and still earning his place on the LA Rams roster. He had a taste of starting on the Rams defense in 2019 and will put in the time and effort to attain that role again. 2020 could be a big year for the LA Rams defense. It could also be a breakout year for defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph Day.