LA Rams: Kurt Warner’s Study Ball talks Rams repeating as top defense

Sitting down to get a defensive breakdown of an NFL defense by HOF quarterback Kurt Warner is always a ripe time to sit down, listen intently, and take copious notes. But when that same Kurt Warner is breaking down the LA Rams defense, now we’re talking about investing in an auto transcription service.  Warner is one of the brightest analysts out there, and he measures his words to have real meaning.

The LA Rams defense is ridiculously stacked, still.  Why does it seem to be so easy to forget that? The reason that this defense is still incredibly stout is the fact that in building it, the LA Rams have followed a very specific formula, made possible due to the presence of two All-Pro NFL players who are still very much in their prime: Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey.

That is not to say that the Rams defense is two stars and a cast of nobodies. The Rams defense is bursting with talent, both veteran and rookie, all over the lineup. But this is not a defense that is all pin-back-your-ears-and-sack-the-quarterback. If it were, they would struggle against the potent running attacks of the San Francisco 49ers, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Seattle Seahawks.

The SUV of NFL defenses

The Rams defense is built to be multi-faceted, much like a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). The Rams delight in disguising their defenses, showing a ton of looks that include cover-three, cover-two, and cover-one shells.  Just listen to Warner break down the wave after wave of video analysis.

The Rams may not have John Johnson III, Troy Hill, Morgan Fox, or Michael Brockers, but the defensive scheme is such that with the exception of Ramsey or Donald, defensive players are asked to play their role and individual responsibility.

Los Angeles Rams

The team returns both OLB Leonard Floyd and DB Darious Williams, two players who excelled in this defense. And they may not excel in other schemes, because this defense knows that Jalen Ramsey can shut down his guy and that Aaron Donald will get to the quarterback in three seconds or less. That puts all of the pressure on the offense, forcing the quarterback to read the same look that can morph into any number of cover schemes.

While I am not convinced that the defense will be as effective for new coordinator Raheem Morris, I will say that I love his chances after viewing Warner’s breakdown. Morris is incredibly versed in the Tampa-Two, Cover-1, or Cover-3 schemes.  With this template for the defense already in place, the Rams defense is not learning an entirely new defense this year. Rather, I’d say that the team will simply be adding more wrinkles to the coverages and the defensive front.

A very positive move was the Rams investing into the inside linebacker position. The Rams linebacker position will be a more integral role of the overall defense this year. More than a Non-Player Character (NPC), the role for 2021 will be far more proactive, both in pass coverage and in the pass rush.

While there are no guarantees that the Rams defense can repeat as the top NFL defense in 2021, I am more confident that the team will have a good chance of doing so. Unless the Rams throw everything out the window and start over from scratch, I believe that the coaching staff can see what did and did not work in 2020, and can tweak coverages and pass-rushing strategies to be more effective in 2021.

If this defense can play with the same effectiveness that they showed last year, and the offense can turn the corner on punching the football into the end zone, and the special teams’ units can rally to the Top-10 of the NFL, this Rams team will be devastatingly effective in 2021. Good enough to win the Super Bowl?

Now that is a tale for another time.