Altered role has Brockers playing nose tackle

Altered role has Brockers playing nose tackle

By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/altered-roll-has-brockers-playing-nose-tackle/article_5080a0d1-67be-5022-a56e-484dcb042cbe.html

By the numbers, this isn’t a season to remember for Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers. In fact, if the season ended today Brockers would have career lows in tackles (54) and sacks (two).

But a lot of that has to do with a role change for Brockers — one made to maximize the talents of rookie Aaron Donald.

Since Jeff Fisher came in as head coach in 2012, the Rams have played a left defensive tackle/right defensive tackle system, with Kendall Langford on the left and Brockers on the right.

“We’ve been established as a left and right defensive tackle scheme,” defensive line coach Mike Waufle said.

But with Donald emerging, the Rams switched Brockers to nose tackle, meaning he usually lines up over the center and takes on double-teams.

Meanwhile, Donald began playing the “three technique” — technically the gap between the offensive guard and offensive tackle — where he can make the most of his quickness and pass-rush skills.

“I knew the best thing for Aaron was to be in that three technique, like Warren Sapp, like John Randle,” Waufle said.

That’s two Hall of Famers, by the way, in Sapp and Randle.

“So we went through a hair-triggering transition there,” Waufle said. “Because those guys (Brockers and Langford) had been locked into playing left and right, and now they had to do something different. And the thing I really appreciate is that (defensive coordinator) Gregg Williams let me do it. Allowed me to make these changes — he just let me have free rein with it because I knew it was the right thing to do for Aaron.

“And the thing I take my hat off is that Brockers and Langford have been so unselfish, and they’ve accepted” Donald.

Combine the change in how the Rams aligned with the transition from an injured Chris Long to William Hayes at left end, and it explains to a degree the Rams’ slow start up front this season. (See: one sack in five games.)

Hayes was rusty early in the season after missing all of the June workouts and almost all of training camp and the preseason coming off multiple surgeries.

Brockers, who had career highs in tackles (75) and sacks (5½) last season, has taken his new role in stride.

“It’s a very humbling position,” Brockers said. “And for me, my attitude was great going into it. Because I’m a team guy. I’d do anything for this team. I’ll take on those double teams, and it’s been great. Our defense has been doing better with it like this, so let’s just keep it going.”

Brockers must be settling into the role because he has been playing better down the stretch. Even so, he realizes playing the nose isn’t the best way to get noticed in what he hoped would be a breakout year for him.

“I’ve been focusing on not expecting to get more sacks,” he said. “Or not focusing on any, you know, stat individually. I’ve just been trying to either get to the ball, try to make a play, get some good push. And do what I have to do.

“Because like you said, this position isn’t a very big stat position. But you need somebody to be in there, taking up some double-teams. When you’ve got three great pass-rushers in Aaron, Chris and Rob (Quinn), these guys need those one-on-ones to win.”

Usually, the nose tackle is the heaviest defensive lineman on a team. The extra girth comes in handy when taking on two blockers.

Brockers reported to camp in the best shape of his life, about 10 pounds lighter than his playing weight in 2013. He’s playing at about 315 pounds this year.

Even though Brockers is likely to find himself playing nose tackle again next season, he doesn’t think he has to bulk up for 2015.

“I feel great where I’m at,” Brockers said. “I think I’m very powerful for my size.”

And at the lighter weight, Brockers feels he has more stamina, or staying power if you will, during the course of a game.

“I can play a bunch of plays,” he said. “That’s the most important thing about losing weight, that you can just keep going.”

With the transition period over for Brockers and the defensive line as a whole, coupled with improved play in the secondary, Williams’ unit has been one of the league’s best since late October.

Over their past eight games the Rams have collected 32 sacks, the highest in the NFL over that span. They’ve also allowed the second-fewest points (15.1), third-fewest rushing yards (79.4), and second-fewest touchdown passes (four) during that period.

And their current string of 12 consecutive quarters without allowing a touchdown ties the franchise record, last set in 1939 when the team was based in Cleveland.

“We’re coming along very well,” Brockers said. “We can be better, which is crazy.”

Similarly, Fisher thinks Brockers — still only 24 and just six months older than Donald — is coming along well in his still-young NFL career.

“He’s dealt with some ankle injuries over the past couple years,” Fisher said. “He stayed healthy and his hands and upper-body strength has improved. I think he’s learning to anticipate things — blocking combinations and those things. He’s had a good, solid year.”