8-game trend of Rams' defensive struggles is becoming a concern for Chris Shula

It didn't take long for NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky to take aim at Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula and paint him as the scapegoat of LA's Week 1 humiliating 27-7 loss. It comes as no surprise. After leading a band of bargain-basement defenses for two seasons, Shula finally had his chance work with elite playmakers.

But the defense failed to show up.

"I'm concerned about their defensive coordinator," Orlovsky said in highlighting Shula as the team's weak spot. "In the last four games that this Rams defense has been on the field they've been gutted by Bryce Young, Caleb Williams, Sam Darnold and Brock Purdy. … Myles Garrett was completely ghosted by Kyle Shanahan and there was nothing done by Chris Shula, the defensive coordinator, to change things up or try to create some form of an advantage."

Orlovsky also noted that, on third down in the same span, the Rams have allowed a 98.3 QBR and recorded one sack. Not good.

Orlovsky's criticisms are hard to deny. Go back even further: in eight games since defeating the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 41-17 on December 7, 2025, the Rams have struggled defensively, ending with the Week 1 disaster in Melbourne.

Just to be clear, let's break down how opposing quarterbacks have fared against Shula's defense since that Cardinals game:

• Week 15 - Detroit Lions Jared Goff | 25 of 41 | 338 yards | 3 TDs | 0 Ints
• Week 16 - Seattle Seahawks Sam Darnold | 22 of 34 | 270 yards | 2 TDs | 2 Ints
• Week 17 - Atlanta Falcons Kirk Cousins | 13 of 20 | 126 yards | 1 TD | 0 Ints PLUS RB Bijon Robinson | 22 carries | 195 yards | 1 TD
• Week 18 - Arizona Cardinals Jacoby Brissett | 22 of 31 | 243 yards | 2 TDs | 1 Int
• Wild Card - Carolina Panthers Bryce Young | 21 of 40 | 264 yards | 1 TD | 1 Int
• Division - Chicago Bears Caleb Williams | 23 of 42 | 257 yards | 2 TDs | 3 Ints
• NFC Championship - Seattle Seahawks Sam Darnold | 25 of 36 | 346 yards | 3 TDs | 0 Ints
• Week 1 - San Francisco 49ers Brock Purdy | 25 of 34 | 205 yards | 3 TDs | 1 Int

While some quarterbacks were certainly accomplished, none were particularly elite. And it really didn't matter which offense LA faced. All scored plenty of points, forcing Matthew Stafford to bail his team out with ever more impressive performances.

In Week 1, Stafford didn't have it in him.

Rams DC Chris Shula might need to figure out a solution

It may have been a matter of jet lag, shortcomings in preparation, a lack of chemistry, or the uncertainty of whether Aaron Donald would or wouldn't play in the season opener. But with the Rams having invested so heavily in his defense, Shula faces unprecedented scrutiny.

Nor did it help that his former mentor, 49ers coordinator Raheem Morris, deployed the perfect game plan to grind LA's high-octane offense to a screeching halt.

Orlovsky's point is the fact that the last four opposing quarterbacks have been nearly perfect against the Horns. Two of those quarterbacks play in the NFC West in Darnold and Purdy.

If this keeps up, the Rams' defensive troubles have just begun.

Against the 49ers on Thursday, they couldn't get a sack to save their lives. The defensive front could not stuff the run. San Francisco converted seven of twelve third downs. The Niners cashed in two of three red-zone appearances for touchdowns. They only punted twice in the entire game.

Worst of all, they had complete command of the game clock.

Shula's defense fell flat on the biggest stage in front of an international audience. Can they regroup? Of course they can. But Shula will have to figure something out.

Hopefully, he can make the necessary adjustments. Hopefully, it was just a one-week catastrophe for the current group. But the trend since December is becoming a concern, and it will continue to be one until Shula's 2026 defense turns the corner.

As always, thanks for reading.

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