Rams’ silver lining: Much improved run defense
Rams find success against the run for the first time this season.
They had very little success against rushing attacks in the first three games, but it was a different story against the Seahawks.
Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips can rest assured that he won’t have to answer the same question at his weekly news conference.
“Why can’t the Rams stop the run?”
For the first time in three games, the Rams stopped the run and slowed Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
But it wasn’t enough to offset five turnovers in a 16-10 loss at the Coliseum on Sunday.
“It looked like our guys were flying around pretty good defensively,” coach Sean McVay said, adding, “I was pretty pleased with the defensive effort we gave as a whole.”
Wilson spent most of the game under pressure and scrambling. The Rams sacked him three times and hit him 11 times.
“We just rallied,” defensive tackle Michael Brockers said, adding that the defense loaded the box to slow the run.
The Seahawks rushed for only 62 yards, averaging 2.5 yards per carry.
Outside linebacker Matt Longacre said the defense built on a strong second-half performance in last week’s win over the Dallas Cowboys, and made some adjustments in anticipation of facing Wilson, a mobile quarterback who can make plays on the go.
“It was a little different than what we’ve done in the past,” said Longacre, who took down Wilson for his team-best third sack of the season. “It was more, kind of contain him, make sure he can’t get out of the pocket.”
Brockers echoed Longacre, saying the defense made minor adjustments to improve against the run.
“We just had a great plan,” Brockers said. “We prepared very well and we kind of knew these guys, so I just chalk it up to preparation.”
Wilson passed for 198 yards and a touchdown, with an interception.
“You know playing against Russell that he’s going to make some plays, which he did,” outside linebacker Robert Quinn said. “We had a good game plan. We just didn’t execute it as well as we needed to.”
After sitting out of training camp and the season opener, Aaron Donald appeared in midseason form.
Donald was a constant presence in the backfield, once tackling Eddie Lacy for a four-yard loss that made the 5-foot-11, 250-pound running back appear more like a rag doll. Donald finished with five quarterback hits and two tackles for losses.
Quinn did not count the effort as a moral victory, despite giving up a season-low 16 points.
“We had some chances to make some stops,” Quinn said. “But they made plays when they needed to. We missed some key opportunities.”
Quinn recorded a sack, two quarterback hits and a tackle for a loss.
Brockers said the defense would build off its performance as it prepares for a long stand away from Los Angeles. The Rams face the Jaguars next Sunday in Jacksonville, where they will remain during the week before traveling to London to face the Arizona Cardinals.
“You build on anything positive,” Brockers said. “You don’t want to linger on the bad stuff, on the negative things, you always want to be on the positive things and get better.
“That’s what we’re going to do is take away from (this) the things we did great and move forward.”