Pieces fit for Rams, Phillips
Despite key losses, defense has what it needs to thrive
LOS ANGELES — Rams players are not the only ones getting into shape for the season.
During training camp, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has walked more than three miles from the team hotel in Newport Beach to the practice fields at UC Irvine several times. Phillips, 72, appears trimmed down from last season.
“Somebody told me the other day, ‘Hey, you lost some lbs, huh?’ ” Phillips said Friday. “I said, ‘We didn’t lose any linebackers, did we?’ ”
The Rams hadn’t lost any defensive players ahead of Saturday’s joint practice with the Chargers, but they’re replacing three starters from a defense that experienced highs and lows last season before playing well in the Rams’ 13-3 Super Bowl loss to the Patriots.
Lineman Ndamukong Suh signed with the Buccaneers, linebacker Mark Barron the Steelers and safety Lamarcus Joyner the Raiders.
The Rams re-signed edge rushing linebacker Dante Fowler and added veteran linebacker Clay Matthews and safety Eric Weddle. Phillips will find a way to get the most out of his players, said tackle Aaron Donald, the twotime NFL defensive player of the year.
“He puts his guys in great positions to have success,” Donald said, “and if you got to tweak a couple things here and there for a guy to be that much better, he’ll do it.”
The Rams expect marked improvement from last season. The defense ranked 19th in the NFL, giving up 358.6 yards per game. The Rams ranked 14th in passing defense (236.2 yards per game) and 23rd in rushing defense (122.3 ypg). They were 20th in scoring defense, giving up 24 points per game.
Donald, voted the No. 1 player in the NFL in balloting by league players, anchors a line that also features veteran Michael Brockers. Second-year pro Sebastian Joseph-Day is working with the starters at nose tackle.
“He’s seen the opportunity and seized it,” Phillips said of Joseph-Day.
Cory Littleton, a Pro Bowl selection last season, returns at inside linebacker. Second-year pro Micah Kiser is competing to fill the other inside spot. Weddle joined a secondary that includes safety John Johnson and cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters.
The defense mostly fared well Thursday when the Rams first practiced with the Chargers.
“They ran a lot of plays teams had run against us last year that had been successful, and they weren’t,” Phillips said. “That was a good sign.”
Asked if he finally has all the pieces in place to play the way he envisions, Phillips sounded cautiously optimistic.
“We’ll see,” Phillips said. “Like everybody, we have high hopes and high standards right now.
“To play a 3-4 (defense) you have to have really good outside backers and I think we sealed that now with Clay Matthews. I think the secondary’s a really key situation. We got secondary players that can play.
“So I things.”
Phillips, however, does not sound certain that he can maintain his training camp diet and fitness regimen plan.
“Every year I think you do the same thing,” he said, “and then during the season you get nervous and start eating.” look for good