Chris Shula finally has his defense, and Rams fans should enjoy it before he's gone

In 2025, the Los Angeles Rams concentrated their efforts on stuffing the run. It was urgently needed after a season in which Eagles running back Saquon Barkley gashed LA twice, including in the playoffs, for a gazillion yards. The Rams responded with two modest additions, signing nose tackle Poona Ford and inside linebacker Nate Landman.

Minor changes made major improvements. A year after allowing Barkley to average 230 rushing yards and two touchdowns a game, the Rams smothered him to 46 yards and no TDs in the teams' one meeting in 2025. Quite an upgrade.

But even as the run defense drastically improved, the secondary wore down over the season. By the playoffs, the unit had withered. This offseason, LA turned its focus to the pass defense.

Unlike in 2025, the Rams made lavish investments to upgrade coordinator Chrisa Shula's squad: Jaylen Watson in free agency and Trent McDuffie plus Myles Garrett in blockbuster trades. Now Shula has the pass coverage to complement his pass rush.

Chris Shula may be working with one of Rams' best defenses

Rams fans have come to understand that as soon as a coordinator or positional coach begins to endear himself, he is almost always plucked from LA's staff to take on a larger role elsewhere. So far, that hasn't happened to Shula, but the third-year DC's time in LA is likely running out.

The defense has finally been constructed to his specifications. Shula has it all: a sturdy run defense, a daunting pass rush, and smothering pass coverage. He'll be hired away somewhere. Tick tock.

LA's defensive construction is a masterpiece of potential synergy. And McDuffie and Garrett are hardly all there is to this defense. Somewhere, Shula is grinning like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

Imagining an elite Rams defense isn't difficult. The only way to beat a quick and powerful pass rush is to shorten receivers' routes and run the football. The Rams can already stuff the run. McDuffie and Watson will disrupt receivers' timing even on short-area throws. Garrett is a pass rush unto himself, to say nothing of his teammates on the defensive front.

Advantage: LA Rams.

Not to put the cart before the horse, of course. The season must be played. The defense will have to adapt to offensive countermeasures. But if you like the job that Shula has done thus far, enjoy this season as much as you can. He will almost certainly be offered a head-coaching job at season's end. Tick tock.

As always, thanks for reading.

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