Kobie Turner says what fans never expected to hear after upset loss to Panthers

The 10-3 Los Angeles Rams are back on track. But that was not a certainty after the team suffered a mild loss at the hands of the desperate Carolina Panthers. But it was a game decided by just three points and three turnovers. All three turnovers were gifted by the Rams and veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, including a pick-six that proved to be the game's margin of victory.

That proved to be the margin of victory for the Panthers.

One player who was not overly exasperated after the loss was defensive lineman Kobie Turner. He has been with this team during both 10-7 seasons, and has a reputation as a stout defender who is extremely versatile. While his quarterback-sacking skills have waned slightly this season, he has been an integral part of one of the stingiest defenses in the NFL.

His reaction to the loss was a bit of a surprise:

"Honestly, I'm excited about where we go from here. Gives you a little extra motivation to make it right this next week. I feel sorry for who we (have) got next week."

This story sat in the vault for nearly two weeks, as the team had to play the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14. We all know how that turned out.

The Conductor is soft spoken but dominating

Los Angeles' defense has managed to perform the impossible. After getting shredded in the running game last season, the Rams beefed up their run-stuffing with veteran nose tackle Poona Ford and inside linebacker Nate Landman. Still, it would not be enough without Turner's ability to shift his role from quarterback pursuer to dominating defender.

After allowing 22.7 points per game last season, defensive coordinator Chris Shula has galvanized his troops to tighten up and allow only 17.5 points per game after 13 games this season. That's a reduction of 5.2 points per game, which is nearly a full touchdown's improvement.

The Rams have not accomplished this feat against bad teams. Since LA has played a first-place team's schedule, this has come at the expense of the best teams in the NFL. And Kobie Turner has been at the heart of defense.

Turner does not make brash claims. But he does put on quite a show as soon as he steps onto the football field. He put up one of three quarterback sacks in Week 14. Will he be able to show up in grand fashion against the Detroit Lions? Fans are smart enough to avoid betting against him.

As always, thanks for reading.