5 ways the LA Rams now playing like a champion should

4. Little things added together to a great win

Yes, the LA Rams have made some big plays to win games. But little things add up too. And little plays help to form the best units in the NFL.  The LA Rams defensive line is a perfect example of how this all works.  After all, the Rams three down lineman are led by All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald. In past years, the remaining defensive linemen have fallen into the ‘all others’ category. Not so much this year.

Three of the Rams’ Top-Four in quarterback sacks are defensive linemen.  Aaron Donald leads the team with 12.5 QB sacks. Defensive lineman Michael Brockers is third with five sacks. Finally, defensive end Morgan Fox is fourth with four quarterback sacks. Even stocky nose tackle Greg Gaines has been in on the act, with 0.5 sacks.

It all adds up

All of this adds up to the LA Rams fielding the top-ranked defensive line in the entire NFL per Sportsnaut.com. That’s quite the honor for a team that had flirted with the top spot in the past. Strength upfront helps the Rams limit the amount of time required for the secondary need to adhere to receivers as they run their routes. It also allows the team to be a bit creative when designing the pass rush from the edge and run support in the middle.

You cannot measure just how effective an offense or defense is with the currently accepted statistics. Rams linebacker Kenny Young’s recent pick-six of Patriots’ quarterback Cam Newton illustrates this perfectly. Statistically, the Rams recorded one interception and a touchdown. But practically speaking, the play involved the heads up play of at least four different defenders, who all made that interception possible. Not one of the other three players will be tracked for their contribution. But that is how champions win.