Gordon: Williams & his D doing their best to spice things up in camp

Gordon: Rams “D” challenges the offense to respond

• By Jeff Gordon

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/jeff-gordon/gordon-rams-d-challenges-the-offense-to-respond/article_3d8b6e49-c6b3-5bfb-9102-bd70770d62e7.html

Under the old rules in the NFL’s more barbaric past, this Rams training camp would have been something to behold.

This defense wants to wreak this season with aggressive coordinator Gregg Williams back in charge. While gearing up to do that, this rambunctious unit is helping toughen up the Rams offense.

This process would have been far more colorful in the good (bad?) old days. Preseason practice sessions used to be a test of will. The two-a-day practices were punishing.

Rookies made their claim for work and veterans tried to put them in their place. Hitting was fierce. Tempers flared and players fought.

“We used to kill each other in camp,” former NFL linebacker Garry Cobb recalled for ESPN.com. “Buddy (Ryan) worked us so hard that veteran players sometimes wanted to quit right there on the field. It was grueling. We left a lot of years on that practice field in training camp. Many of us could’ve played longer in the NFL if we didn’t hit that much in camp.”

Training camps are more sane these days. There are fewer players, fewer exhibition games and much less violence.

Teams want to protect their assets these days and the NFL Players Association wants to protect their members.

But you still see some yelling, shoving and the occasional scuffle out at Rams Park this summer. Williams and his charges are doing their best to spice things up.

They are trying install an aggressive scheme and instill a more ferocious attitude. They have plenty of explosive athletes to work with a few combustible personalities as well.

Linebacker Ray Ray Armstrong has generated some ill will with the offensive unit during drills. So has rookie cornerback Lamarcus Joyner, the oh-so-willing heir apparent to Cortland Finnegan’s agitator role.

Noisy wide receiver Kenny Britt is responding in kind from his side of the ball. “That’s just how he is,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said last week. “He has fun with it and they all have fun with it.

“He’s very emotional, he loves playing the game, he feels good and he’s making a lot of plays for us.”

Quieter players like receiver Austin Pettis, running back Zac Stacy and blocking tight end Cory Harkey stepped up their physical play Monday, giving back what they received. At one point, an aggravated Pettis threw down with the feisty Joyner.

Fisher was pleased with Monday’s combative practice tone as the Rams prepared for their preseason opener. The coaching staff put the Rams offense on a collision course with the defense by focusing on running plays and screen passes much of the afternoon.

“Yesterday was a day off and they know that we have today with shoulder pads, we’ve got tomorrow and then we’ve got special teams practice on Wednesday. And then before you know it we’re preparing for the ball game, so we need to get out of it what we got out of it today,” Fisher said after Monday’s practice. “We worked on the run game early in practice which was good, they protected each other using their pads.”

We have a pretty good idea where all of this will lead the defense. Williams hasn’t toned down his act much despite his “Bountygate” suspension.

He wants his unit blitzing often, hitting hard and forcing turnovers. The Rams defenders are warming to the challenge at the expense of their offensive teammates.

And that should be a good thing, assuming things don’t get out of hand. The Rams want to build upon the power running game their established last season.

They have invested a ton in their offensive line, which now features bulldozing rookie Greg Robinson at left guard. Rookie running back Tre Mason is trying to work into the rotation, but he faces stiff competition from incumbent Benny Cunningham.

All the running backs are working to improve their blitz blocking — a tough chore against this defense — and Fisher wants better blocking from his tight ends as well.

In short, the Rams want to lean on teams on both sides of the ball this season. To do that they must lean on each other first.