LA Rams defense worth more than individual player stats

Secondary second-to-none

Now we have a chance to begin evaluating the individual grades for players from the LA Rams secondary unit’s performance. Defensive back Jalen Ramsey has earned a pff grade of 72.1, which is surprisingly close to that 70.4 awarded to Sebastian Joseph Day. Teammate Darious Williams is actually graded better than Ramsey, coming in at a grade of 73.7 so far this season. The third and final cornerback to be graded is LA Rams Troy Hill, who comes in with a surprisingly low grade of just 56.5 so far this season.

The Rams safeties are the last, but not least, to be examined. Rookie Jordan Fuller has an outstanding grade of 72.4 for his rookie season. Teammate Taylor Rapp is in close pursuit, coming in at a solid 68.5 in the Rams defense. Finally, veteran safety John Johnson III comes in best of all, second to just Aaron Donald on defense, with an incredible grade of 74.7.

Sum of parts less than the whole

Winners of a Nascar race do not break down individual vehicle parts performance. It’s the performance of the entire vehicle that delivers the victory.  So too is the Rams defense right now. The defense depends heavily upon communication and players filling their roles. I’ll stand behind each player on this defense. Some can argue over the attributes of other players as better fits, but who can truly argue about just how effective this LA Rams defense has been this year?

Sometimes the sum of individual parts is far less than the whole. That’s the magic of this LA Rams defense. I am okay to be alone when I believe that the Rams depend upon each and every player on the field.  Jalen Ramsey is a superstar, not just for what he does, but for the way he forces quarterbacks to throw the ball elsewhere.  You can argue that Michael Brockers does not generate enough quarterback sacks. But tell Aaron Donald that he no longer can line up next to his friend and longtime teammate.  There is a chemistry, a trust, on this defense that cannot be measured but should never be ignored.

Sometimes the best method of analyzing something is to simply observe the overall performance. This defense is absolutely for real. If you don’t believe me, rewind games and watch how difficult they make it for opponents to score in the second half.