Clash of the Titans: Eagles at Rams in Week 12 hinges on line of scrimmage

Rams DL recap

The LA Rams defense is built a bit similarly to the Eagles defense. After all, the basic premise of this defense began with DC Wade Phillips, but has been modified with the one-hit wonder Brandon Staley as he took over as defensive coordinator in 2020. As such, many of the Vic Fangio defensive principles have remained through both Raheem Morris and now even to new Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula.

With no All-Pro veterans anywhere to be found in the Rams defense, the basic philosophy of this defense has fixated on a swarming defense that creates turnovers. And this ball-hawking secondary has been vital in determining the outcome of several Rams victories. And its that ability to create turnovers (15 in 10 games) that could hold the key to a Rams win.

Even as the Eagles defense has eight players who boast 2.0+ quarterback sacks, the Rams defense boasts five pass rushers with 3.0+ sacks. And the Rams are led by second-year OLB Byron Young, who also has 6.0 quarterback sacks. But he is joined by teammate Kobie Turner (5.0 sacks), rookie DT Braden Fiske (5.0 sacks) and rookie OLB Jared Verse (4.5 sacks). It's that parity among the Rams four pass rushers that makes this defense so dangerous.

While the Rams defense has struggled at shutting down opposing running backs, it has upgraded at run defense by inserting undrafted LSU linebacker Omar Speights. While still learning his role, Speights has added both snarl and bite to the team. And that has rapidly improved the Rams run defense from dead last to 18th-ranked.