The greatest challenge facing this young LA Rams defense in Week 1

The LA Rams are about to embark on another season's worth of NFL competition. While this season has many of the characteristics of previous seasons, it has many differences as well. Of course, the GM and head coach are the same. And that will remain the same for many years.

But thanks to the constraints of a 53-man active roster, an annual salary cap, and the annual depletion of talent on the coaching staff and roster due to more money and better titles elsewhere, the group of people making the journey are never the same. That creates challenges. Challenges, in turn, distract from the overall goal of winning the next Super Bowl.

So how can this team, this new group of coaches and players, keep their collective eyes on the prize? Well, for now, it's simply a matter of building trust. And trust comes from repetitious drills, practices, and playing alongside one another. Whether it's military training, firefighting, law enforcement, or professional sports teams, the first and most important goal is to get the group working as a team.

To do that, separate persons must learn to trust one another:

Have the LA Rams young players grown to a point of trusting one another?

I'd say that they have.

Why make such a big deal out of such a simple step? Well, it's the foundation of everything else that comes next. No defensive lineman willingly accepts double-team blocking without trusting that a teammate will get to the quarterback and make the sack. No offensive lineman will block relentlessly without the trust that his running back can grind out the tough yards for a first down. No quarterback will thread the needle without believing the receiver can catch the pass.

And no cornerback will attempt to pick off a pass without trusting a safety to apply blanket pass coverage.

It's simply a matter of trust. And what the LA Rams young defense must maintain is that trust in one another. It's not simply a wise path, but rather a must-have. Even All-Pro elite players make mistakes at times. But as long as the Rams defense continues to swarm and gang tackle, this group will be far better than expected.

As always, thanks for reading.