Darious Williams

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    Rams’ Darious Williams makes noise

    Jourdan Rodrigue

    https://theathletic.com/2199700/2020/11/16/rams-seahawks-darious-williams-jared-goff-jalen-ramsey/?source=emp_shared_article

    INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Something interesting happens within the silence that has become a constant in SoFi Stadium on Sundays. It occurs when a Rams player does something almost too incredible to believe, and it’s never better demonstrated more than by cornerback Darious Williams.

    Williams has four interceptions in just nine games this season to go with 11 defended passes. Two interceptions, and three defended passes, came Sunday in the Rams’ 23-16 win against Seattle in which the Rams held the No. 1 offense in the NFL in check, including only three points in the second half.

    But it’s the manner in which Williams makes these plays that is so mesmerizing and electric. Not only are they consistently in crucial moments — he saved at least two touchdowns on Sunday — but as Williams moves toward the interception or deflection point, he does so in an attacking manner, as if enraged that a quarterback would throw his way. As he launches into the air, anger turns to grace.

    Consider his deflection in the end zone with under a minute to play in the fourth quarter. Williams, only 5-foot-9, stretched from his toes to his fingertips to get to the ball, and he pushed all of his effort and energy up through his fingers to knock it away from intended receiver Tyler Lockett, who has at least two inches on him. Another interception came against 6-5 tight end Greg Olsen, and again, Williams fully stretched to make the play.

    And it’s strange, because in a normal season, the manner in which Williams aggressively floats — is that phrase even possible? — toward the ball would inspire a crowd to swell and swell as he stretched out, parallel to the ground, and explode in celebration as he made the play, like he’s the needle and they are a balloon full of noise.

    Instead, Williams floats through the silence. The play feels like a held breath. And without a crowd punctuating his biggest moments, they simply stand alone for what they are.

    Isn’t that sort of fitting? Williams was undrafted in 2018 and has been unheralded and under the radar, even this year. He drew the straw of becoming “the guy who gets picked on because no quarterback wants to throw Jalen Ramsey’s way.” He is confident in his abilities but keeps it low-key around media, politely declining to talk to much about himself. His play does the talking.

    Well, and Ramsey does, too.

    “Cool, they don’t want to target me a lot?” Ramsey said. “Y’all go the opposite way and target D-Will, and he’s going to make you pay. … He had a great game.

    “I think he balled. I think it’s time to start talking about D-Will in this league as a household name, as a guy who can potentially be an All-Pro, as a guy who should be a Pro Bowler. He’s that type of guy.”

    Welcome to The Pile. The Rams are 6-3 after a decisive win against Seattle, and the NFC West is off to the races with a three-way tie at the top between the Rams, Seahawks and Cardinals. Let’s start poking around.

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