5 reasons to look for much better LA Rams defense in 2023

The LA Rams defense was not THE problem in 2022, but in the optics of the season that was already tainted by substandard play on the offensive side of the ball, the Rams defensive fortitude had many questioning whether the unit could play better. Or, was that simply as good as it got with the group?

However you may believe the LA Rams defense to be positioned for the 2023 NFL season, be prepared to change that opinion for the better. After all, the LA Rams seemed to have everything fall into place for their Super Bowl LVI victory, and then have everything fall out of place throughout the course of the 2022 NFL season. Not just injuries, but in projected extensions never happening, in a draft class that never really got on track, and in returning young veteran player regress to the point of being released outright mid-season.

Rams 3-year cycle

The LA Rams have been quite successful as an professional football team because of all of the hard work and preparation that goes into the design of each new football season. Twice in the history of the LA Rams tenure of head coach Sean McVay, the Rams have failed to meet expectations. And on both occasions, 2019 and 2022, the LA Rams season followed a Super Bowl appearance. In 2019, the LA Rams were coming off a loss to the New England Patriots by a disappointing score of 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII. In 2022, the Rams were coming off a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals by a score of 23-20, and the celebration that followed lasted for weeks.

So if the pattern is indeed cyclical, then what should fans expect this season? Well, the Rams have historically bounced back stronger than ever after a down season, and that should mean that 2023 is going to lead to a better performance all around. But it won't happen on its own. To turn the corner in 2023, just like in 2020, the LA Rams are starting with their coaching staff. And just like in 2020, the Rams have a mixed assortment of new coaches arriving to give this team a fresh take on the roster, and the plans to achieve success in 2023.