Peters

Billy_T wrote:

Littleton’s surprisingly excellent play as a starter stabilizes one of the two inside positions, but they still need to figure out the other one.

One minor disagreement. I think Barron is exactly what they want at that spot. Wade has never gone the big run stuffer route. The Barron spot is always manned by a Barron-type. If they replace Barron it will always be by a Barron-type, a coverage LB who can blitz. Barron of course made one of their big plays yesterday when he got the safety. Not a bad big play in a game they won by a 2-point margin.

Speaking of LBs, Ebukam was starting on the defensive left or strong side this game. If I recall he was on the defensive right before this. If so that means they are not counting on him as the right-side pass rusher, which (unless I am just glitching about this) at the start of the season was supposed to be his role. He’s now in the Barwin spot, not the Quinn spot. Young is the guy they start on the right side now, if this game is any indication.

They did rush Littleton from the edge a couple of times too, in pass-rush sets. Littleton is a natural. More he is set up to make plays, the better.

Peters is up and down. He was fine last game. He was a problem several times this game.

….

zn wrote:

Billy_T wrote:

Littleton’s surprisingly excellent play as a starter stabilizes one of the two inside positions, but they still need to figure out the other one.

One minor disagreement. I think Barron is exactly what they want at that spot. Wade has never gone the big run stuffer route. The Barron spot is always manned by a Barron-type. If they replace Barron it will always be by a Barron-type, a coverage LB who can blitz. Barron of course made one of their big plays yesterday when he got the safety. Not a bad big play in a game they won by a 2-point margin.

I can see that. And their run-D has gotten better since he returned. But can they afford him? Isn’t he up for a new contract soon?

I think he’s good, but I also think the position can be upgraded. But, yeah, Phillips does seem like the converted safety type.

Speaking of which . . . he seems to run against so many conventions. Personally, I prefer a 4/3, but the usual 3/4 types are tall, speedy edge guys, bigger than 4/3 linebackers, but not quite as big as typical 4/3 ends, and then two shorter, but fairly big run-stuffers inside. Of course, he had to work with the guys he inherited, but it does seem he bucks convention when personnel is his call. The Rams really don’t have a true NT, for instance, and both ends are really DTs. Traditionally, the NT would be a guy like Ngata, a hogmolly, and one end would be a speed-rusher, with his DE mate especially good at stuffing the run and taking on the TE/OT blocks.

It seems to work, at least in the second half. But they do still have some kinks to iron out. Talib coming back will be huge . . .

Billy_T wrote:

But can they afford him? Isn’t he up for a new contract soon?

Barron is signed through 2020. His contract is on the Rams short list of “top contracts” (ie. deals worth more than 8 M). By 2021 when they pay Goff, they can have at best 8-9 top contract guys, so I don’t expect him to be back at that point. Before 2021 though they have cap space to burn so it’s not an issue…if they replace Barron sooner, it won’t be over cap issues necessarily.

My admittedly “didn’t research it” level impression is that the problem with the run in the Rams D is mostly the DL. Believe it or not.

InvaderRam wrote:

i hope it’s just injuries with peters. rams need him bad this season.

They already have him bad this season. They need him good this season.

I know. Sorry. Couldn;t resist.