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znModeratorfrom off the net
—aeneas1
Aaron Donald
the gang at pff has donald ranked first among all defensive tackles with a score of 32.4 through week 15 – the 32.4 would be the 8th highest year-end score pff has ever given a dt since it set up shop in 2007. also, fwiw, 6 of the 7 defensive tackles that finished the season ranked first on pff’s scorecard made the pro bowl the same year, while 5 of the 7 have been given all pro nods at some point in their career.
one of the things that jumps out the most when looking at donald’s pff profile is his consistent play from game to game – it’s not uncommon to find players with good pff scores that have booked bad games, but their strong play in other games masks their bad outings when looking at their overall score. but that’s not the case with donald, he’s played well all year, he’s been the model of solid play and consistency.
in fact donald only played 43% of the snaps defended in games 1-4. but from game 5 on he’s been the primary defensive tackle, the guy with the most snaps.you have to wonder if donald would have been given the chance to play as much as he has since game 4 had carrington not been slowed with a bad knee and inactive for game 5.
December 19, 2014 at 5:26 pm in reply to: 101, 12/20 … Wagoner, Billick. 920, 12/19 … Cosell, Thomas #14245znModeratorJim Thomas
Friday, December 19, 2014JT starts at about 2:40 in
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch joins the show, will the Rams possibly pull out of St. Louis, the league can’t make Kroenke fund a new stadium, long term benefits in L.A., Shaun Hill has a lot to play for, not much talk about resigning, trading up to get a higher draft pick, chances of picking up Jay Cutler
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Greg Cosell
Friday, December 19, 2014Cosell starts at about 6:32 in
znModeratoro what does all this mean about Brockers? He isn’t really our future nose tackle is he?
Sure, why not.
znModeratorBut i cant help thinking about that
Philip Rivers game. The Rams D
didnt look so good against Rivers
on the road and the run game gashed
them pretty good if i remember right.That just happens.
Right now the 2nd ranked defense is Seattle.
Yet–
Seattle allowed this: loss to SD, 30-24, SD w/ 385 combined yards including 101 yards rushing. Rivers with 3 TDs.
znModeratorfrom off the net
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alyoshamucciHundley can’t do more than 2 reads,If he could, he would have learned by now. He’ll bet eaten alive as a starter in the NFL. He’s a career backup unless that magically disappears.
znModeratorIs Quinn still the best player on this defense?
—
Yes.
w
v—
I would answer it this way.
Is Quinn the Rams best defensive player?
Yes.
Is Donald the Rams best defensive player?
Yes.
znModeratorWhy would campuses be getting worse?
Schools seem to be doing better
on bullying, i thot.w
vSome grade schools and high schools were doing well on bullying for a while, but I think that backslid.
Either way, universities and colleges have infamously backslid on sexual assault. A simple search would reveal this. It’s national level concern.
znModeratorIs this a trade down year?
That is, are the positions the Rams interested in deep enough so that they can go down a few notches in round 1.
There’s 2 models for that.
1. The Donald model. As in, Donald is there…do NOT trade down. So if a player you REALLY like is there you take him.
2. The Ogletree model. As in, we can get this lower. Trade down. Pick up another 3rd round pick or something.
znModeratorMayock’s Slant: Aaron Donald tackles to the top
Mike Mayock takes a look at St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s rookie season to see why he has been so explosive.
znModeratorAnd here’s a link to the New York Times article about how the investigation into the rape charges was completely mishandled:
That, unfortunately, is not a link to the article mentioned, it’s just a link to the front page of the Times. As a rule, links on herd board posts don’t work here. You have to go get the link on a case by case basis yourself.
Nevertheless, I know a bit about that story. It’s actually part of a national issue. Campuses all across the country have gotten worse and worse at handling rape and sexual assault charges, not just with football players.
I thought this issue was deserving of its own thread btw so voila.
December 19, 2014 at 9:04 am in reply to: What's your "bet"? (feeling) (analysis)–Rams beat Giants? #14202znModeratorThe more I look into the Giants, the more I think this is an interesting test for the defense. They can throw and they can pass block.
It’s also a test for the OL. The Giants can rush the passer, too. So was looking THAT BAD against ARz just one particularly bad game (short week with banged up starters + a rookie) or is the OL really as consistently bad as it was in that one game.
Giants are 30th in rushing defense though. Which leaves us with a big mystery about how the Rams offense will play them.
Okay. Good pass rush, lousy run D.
How do you attack that? Hmmmmm.
znModeratorCoughlin, Manning have experienced highs and lows with Giants
• By Joe Lyons
The New York Giants football careers of coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning began in 2004.
After a year away from football following an eight-year stint with the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars, Coughlin was hired to replace Jim Fassel as head coach. That spring, after a standout career at the University of Mississippi, Manning was selected by San Diego with the first overall pick of the draft and then traded to the Giants in exchange for the No. 4 overall pick that year, quarterback Philip Rivers, and two more draft picks.
In their 11th season together, Coughlin and Manning are third all-time in NFL starts with 165, trailing only New England’s Bill Belichick/Tom Brady (205) and Dan Marino/Don Shula (184). Manning’s 165 consecutive starts is the league’s longest active streak — Rivers is No. 2 at 145 — and the third-longest in history behind Brett Favre (297) and Eli’s older brother Peyton (208).
“I really just want to be there for my teammates, to be there week in and week out,” Eli Manning said of the streak. “I know I’ve got a lot of teammates who are playing injured and playing through pain. … I just take pride being out there and being accountable.”
Coughlin and Manning, who helped guide the Giants to Super Bowl titles following the 2007 and 2011 seasons, have a special bond.
“Eli’s a guy what works his tail off. He always has,” said Coughlin, 68. “He loves to play. He loves to compete and this is very important to him. He’s all that you would like to have in any young man in terms of his work ethic, his focus, and his desire to be the best.”
And the feeling is mutual.
“I think Coach Coughlin and I get along very well,” Manning, 33, said. “I have great respect for him and his work ethic, his commitment to football, (and) how he gets us mentally prepared to play each game.”
The Giants, who suffered through a seven-game losing streak this season, will carry a 5-9 record into Sunday’s 3:05 p.m. game against the Rams (6-8) at the Edward Jones Dome. New York enters with back-to-back wins, but some believe Coughlin is on the hot seat after the team finished 9-7 in 2012 and 7-9 a year ago.
“You never want to see that or hear that because it means I’m not doing my job very well,” Manning said of the coaching-change talk. “I think Coach Coughlin has done a great job. He’s done a great job of talking to the players and telling us not to worry about any distractions. Just worry about this next game and getting a win.”
Coughlin added: “I focus on my team and trying to be the very best we can be and making sure that we all combine to make a great effort. That’s where my thoughts go.”
Coming off wins against Tennessee and Washington, the Giants have quieted some of the critics. But the focus now is the Rams.
“I know they’re aggressive on defense,” Coughlin said. “They show a diversity of looks and different kinds of pressures. They play well together, they’re physical (and) they’ve collected some very good football players.
“Offensively, they’ve got a number of skill players, guys that can put the ball in the end zone at any time.”
Manning, who holds virtually every Giants’ passing record, has enjoyed success in three previous victories over the Rams, completing 61.7 percent of his passes for 779 yards with nine touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 115.5.
“I think it’s a coincidence,” he said. “They’re playing good football right now with (defensive coordinator) Gregg Williams and Coach (Jeff) Fisher. … They’re just not giving up many big plays. They’re getting great pressure on the quarterback (and) teams aren’t running the ball well against them. They’re playing fast and aggressive.”
Injuries have been a problem this season for the Giants, who have 22 players on the season-ending injured reserve list.
“Obviously, it can be difficult, especially when you lose some key guys,” said Manning, who has completed 63.2 percent of his passes this season for 3,590 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. “But we’ve also had some young guys step up and contribute.”
With the offseason just two games away, Manning said it’s about maintaining focus.
“We don’t have the record that we want, but we’ve been playing better,” he said. “I think you have to be professional about it and understand these games; they’re still important to us. We’re going to fight our tails off, and we’re going to try and get a win and try to feel good that we’re getting better. … We know we’re going against a tough team in the Rams, a team that’s probably playing its best football.”
Coughlin added: “We know this is pretty much about pride, but it’s also an opportunity because we have many young people who have a chance to play and contribute. It’s very important to finish as strong as possible because you’re also looking toward the future.”
znModerator
Beckham Jr. will test much-improved Rams secondaryBy Jim Thomas
Perhaps the Rams’ most improved unit from the start of the season to now has been the secondary. Missed tackles are down. Coverage has been generally tighter. And busted plays don’t happen very often these days.
Going back half a season — the last eight games — the Rams have allowed only four touchdown passes, the second-lowest total in the NFL over that span.
But with the New York Giants coming to town for Sunday’s 3:05 p.m. kickoff at the Edward Jones Dome, that improvement will be put to the test by one man. Namely, the man, the myth, the rookie sensation that is Odell Beckham Jr.
As much as the New York sports media can pile on when things are going badly for a team or individual, the hype can be out of control when the opposite is the case. So, yes, Beckham is getting all sorts of attention in Gotham.
Then again, what’s not to like with Beckham, who has been a ray of light — and occasional fireworks — in an otherwise drab and disappointing season for the 5-9 Giants.
In what has been a banner year for rookie wide receivers in the NFL, Beckham is at the head of the class with his 71 catches for 972 yards and nine TDs. And keep in mind, he’s done all that in just 10 games, having missed the Giants’ first four games with a hamstring injury.
“He’s come in and made a lot of plays,” Giants quarterback Eli Manning told St. Louis reporters on a conference call. “He’s got the big-play potential. He catches the ball very naturally. He’s got great speed and burst.”
Make no mistake, the Rams have noticed.
“He’s a very explosive player; makes a lot of great catches,” free safety Rodney McLeod said. “A playmaker for their offensive unit over there. You definitely take notice of him on film as someone that we have to worry about on Sunday.”
After Beckham Jr. returned from the injury, the Giants and new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo have gradually expanded his role. It has reached the point where he runs just about every route imaginable, be it short, intermediate, or deep. Bubble screens, slants, comebacks, crossing patterns, go routes.
As McLeod says, “The guy runs the whole route tree.”
He’ll line up both on the outside and in the slot. You can find him the backfield once in a while, and he’s even thrown a pass this season.
“They ran a reverse pass, and he threw the ball 40, 50 yards,” said coach Jeff Fisher, who appreciates the well-executed trick play. “They tell us that he throws with either arm.”
The Rams showed interest in Beckham Jr. during the pre-draft process. There has been some post-draft speculation that the Rams might have taken the LSU product last May at No. 13 overall had the Giants not nabbed him one pick earlier.
In doing so, the Rams would’ve passed on defensive tackle Aaron Donald, a leading contender for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
“We spent a lot of time with him,” Fisher said. “Really liked him. Knew he was going to be a real good pro.”
Considered the favorite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Beckham has been just — a real good pro. And maybe a little bit more.
“As good a receiver out-of-frame as you’ll see, especially at a young age,” Fisher said. “The run-after-catch ability is off the charts. He’s an outstanding athlete.”
The ultimate out-of-frame catch by Beckham Jr. came against Dallas on Nov. 23, when he made like Gumby, bending backwards to make a one-handed leaping catch for a touchdown. The catch garnered instant national acclaim, and there’s probably not a serious NFL fan that hasn’t seen the replay at least once or twice.
Although not nearly as spectacular, Beckham Jr. made a couple of leaping grabs last week vs. Washington. That makes him a much bigger target than his frame (5-11, 198) would indicate.
“One of our coaches compared him to a young Steve Smith,” said linebacker James Laurinaitis. “To where he’s so competitive that when he catches the ball, the run after the catch is very impressive. And we all know about how good his hands are.”
Coincidentally, Beckham Jr. attended the same high school as Eli Manning in New Orleans — Isidore Newman High — 11 years apart. A soccer phenom growing up, Beckham had the potential to be a world-class performer in that sport, but opted for American football instead.
His godfather is none other than Shaquille O’Neal, the former LSU basketball great and NBA star. Beckham’s father, who played running back at LSU, was O’Neal’s roommate in college.
Trivia aside, the Rams want to make sure Beckham Jr. doesn’t single-handedly wreck the game for them, which he basically did last week against Washington, when he caught 12 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns. Beckham also gave the Giants an additional 40 yards by drawing two penalties for pass interference.
And what would’ve been a fourth TD catch was called back because of an offensive holding penalty against the Giants.
It’s unrealistic to think that the Rams can totally shut down Beckham Jr. They just don’t need him to set any records against them on Sunday.
znModeratorWe have to be able to discuss this without the harsh language and sniping at posters. I think calling someone “a delusional rube” is pushing that line. I think we can make all our points on even the most controversial topics without doing that kind of thing.
znModeratorRamBill
Schotty:Robinson Better Than D’Brickashaw Ferguson as Rookie
Brian Schottenheimer discusses the progress of current players on the Rams roster.
Listen to Schotty’s Comments
znModeratorThanks for posting that. A while back, as wv mentions, we had a long thread on Strode, including scenes from Sergeant Rutledge and of course Spartacus. It came on the heels of Fisher talking about the Rams history and signing Strode. Maybe I will find that thread some day and apend it to this one.
znModeratorBTW I corrected the spelling on the title to this article.
Originally it was:
Altered roll has Brockers playing nose tackle/PD
What’s an altered roll?
I guess you use less butter.
znModeratorI think it is just cause they have more injuries and who else is there? But, he might be able to do it.
Maybe. I think his future is center. He just has to prove he can stayed healthy and bulked up.
znModeratorThe Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas and CineSport’s Brian Clark preview the Rams’ home finale against the Giants and discuss Aaron Donald’s Defensive Rookie of the Year case.
http://cinesport.stltoday.com/saint-louis-sports/thomas-can-rams-stop-odell-beckham/
znModerator
Giants vs. Rams previewBy Nick Wagoner and Dan Graziano
ESPN.com
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/14731/giants-vs-rams-preview
When: 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis TV: FOX
The St. Louis Rams and New York Giants have both been eliminated from playoff contention and neither enters Sunday’s matchup with much to play for.
But neither team has looked like it is ready to close up shop for the rest of the season, either, which could make this at least a mildly interesting game for the football diehards.
ESPN Rams reporter Nick Wagoner and ESPN Giants reporter Dan Graziano discuss Sunday’s game:
Wagoner: Dan, I’m sure you’re getting a lot of questions about Odell Beckham Jr., but let’s be real, he’s going to be the most exciting player on the field Sunday. What is it about him that’s allowed him to have such success, and is he as fun to watch up close as he is from a distance?
Graziano: Nick, I don’t want to overstate the case here. But what we’re watching with Beckham on a weekly basis (a daily one, in fact, when you take into account his practice antics) is a player gifted with such raw athleticism that he stands out on a field whose other occupants are also world-class athletes. He’s impressive in all facets. He runs great routes. He has great hands. He plays bigger than his 5-foot-11 size would indicate, because he has the ability to outjump defenders and locate the ball in the air before they do. He has the blazing speed you’ve seen. Really, from a raw talent standpoint, he’s the total package. What he’s doing is even more incredible due to the facts that he missed all of training camp and the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury, and that he and Victor Cruz played only two games together. Eli Manning is targeting Beckham pretty much all the time, and it’s working. Expect to see a lot of him.
The Rams’ defense has allowed a total of 12 points over its past three games. What’s behind the surge?
Wagoner: There are plenty of reasons for the surge, up to and including taking advantage of a bit of a break in the schedule in terms of opponents. But make no mistake: The Rams’ defensive surge is real. They held the high-powered Broncos to seven points, the fewest since Peyton Manning took over at quarterback. The intangible part of it is the defense has finally gotten comfortable with Gregg Williams as coordinator and vice versa. Williams now knows the best way to deploy his players and they now know what is expected of them. That’s manifested into a defense that’s doing a bit of everything well. The Rams had a disappointing performance last week in stopping Arizona’s run game, but their better efforts start with stopping the run. When the Rams stop the run consistently and force opponents into second- and third-and-long, their vaunted pass rush can be as good as advertised. It doesn’t hurt that end Robert Quinn and tackle Aaron Donald form one of the most dynamic inside out duos in the league, either. But really, they’re getting better performances across the board with the defense.
While we’re on defense, I noticed that since Week 7, the Rams and Giants rank first and third in the league in sacks, respectively. What’s been the cause of the uprising from New York’s pass rush?
Graziano: The Giants had 19 sacks in their first 11 games of the season and have picked up 22 in their past three games. A lot of that has to do with their opponents — Jacksonville, Tennessee and Washington. But in terms of what they’re doing to take advantage of the matchups, they’re getting contributions from all over. Jason Pierre-Paul has six sacks in those three games, but rookie defensive end Kerry Wynn is making a contribution. Rookie linebacker Devon Kennard, who was NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 14, has been a factor in the pass rush. Second-year defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is up to seven sacks for the season. The Giants are getting a variety of help in the pass rush, which is especially important with defensive ends Mathias Kiwanuka and Robert Ayers among the 22 Giants currently on injured reserve. They’ll blitz a linebacker or a safety or a cornerback in key times. Basically, since the schedule turned around for them, they’ve been taking advantage of their matchups at a high level and in a variety of ways.
I know the quarterback situation has been a muddle, but why do the Rams still have so many unanswered questions at the other offensive skill positions? Receiver and running back?
Wagoner: Well, I think they’ve at least finally settled on Tre Mason as their primary ball carrier for the future, though I suppose we thought the same thing last year at this time with Zac Stacy. Mason’s not getting the vast majority of the snaps right now because he’s still not up to speed in pass protection, but if and when that happens, his snap count will only increase. In the meantime, he’s the first option running the ball and Benny Cunningham is next in line to handle the dirty work. I think Mason will be the main guy going forward, but judging the Rams’ recent knack for drafting running backs earlier than expected, maybe that should be considered a year-to-year proposition until they go with the same guy for two consecutive seasons. At receiver, they seem to have finally settled into using Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin. If Brian Quick comes back from a devastating shoulder injury and they re-sign Britt, they should be pretty solid. I’d argue they could still use a true No. 1 guy like the Giants have with Beckham, but it’s not the pressing need it was coming into the season. They just need to find someone who can more consistently get them the ball.
Sticking to quarterbacks, what do you make of Eli Manning at this point in his career? He’s obviously had great success but also some clunkers. With so few decent quarterbacks around, there’s no way the Giants would look elsewhere at that position, is there?
Graziano: No way. Other than the horrible five-interception game against the 49ers in Week 11, Manning has operated the new offense smoothly and efficiently in the first year under new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. He’s protecting the ball well, making good decisions, relying on shorter, higher-percentage stuff than he did earlier in his career. Considering they have four wide receivers and three running backs on injured reserve, and that the offensive line has struggled all year to protect him, I think Manning’s doing fine and is among the very least of their problems.
As for quarterback, what do you expect them to do this offseason? Bring back Bradford? Move up in the draft? What?
Wagoner: At this point, the expectation remains that the Rams will try to bring Sam Bradford back at a reduced rate with incentives built in, and spend a high draft pick (first three rounds) on a quarterback. I’ve been writing that for the past month or so and I stand by the assertion until I hear something different. Of course, that still depends on how big the pay cut would be and whether Bradford’s representation wants to explore the market. Even with his injury issues, he could become a hot commodity in such a quarterback-needy market. Moving up sounds good on paper, but I’m not sure they have the ammunition or the desire to make such a move. They could also look to bring Shaun Hill back as a backup option for Bradford and/or the new draft pick. Either way, it’s the one thing holding this team back from being a legitimate playoff contender. The only problem is that it’s also the most difficult problem to fix.
Giants at Rams: Stats of the Week
1
That’s how many times an opponent has managed to drive inside the Rams’ 20-yard line in the past three games. And that one trip came after Arizona recovered a fumble at the Rams’ 27.
63.2
Eli Manning’s completion percentage for the season, which would be a career high if it lasted through the end of the season. He is also on pace for a career-high 590 pass attempts.
znModeratorOn Jones. Picking up on something I was saying. It;s all IMO. –>
I think there’s a complete misunderstanding about what is going on with Jones. Some think he has been moved to tackle. I think that’s just convenient hole-plugging in the background, because according to his own view of it, he’s not in shape to play. So they make use of a body where they need one on the scout team.
So to me, he is filling in at tackle on the scout team, which means they have pretty much relegated him to the bottom rung and are just making use of him there, so other guys like Person can get in practice with the real squad.
This year is lost for him, because the back surgery means he lost the weight and strength he had gained.
From JT:
The injury and resulting surgery “definitely set me back a lot,” Jones said. He couldn’t do any weight training for a couple of months following the surgery, so he lost some of the weight and strength he had worked hard to add over the offseason.
I take all this as meaning he is just filling a hole at RT for now, considering that he is pretty much otherwise useless until he gets a solid off-season. One that is not subtracted by a new injury. That is, he wasn’t movef to RT in the sense that he can develop there, he was just a body that wasn’t physically up to playing so they figure, what the hell we could use someone to practice at tackle for the scout team. He filled a hole in the meanwhile. That way he’s not completely useless to them.
but for much of the second half of this season he has been working out at right tackle with the second-team offense and the scout team.
znModerator48 million seems kind of light. What is Urban Meyer getting from Ohio State?
Grits
It’s around twice as much as Meyer.
Meyer will become one of the highest-paid coaches in college football, along with Alabama’s Nick Saban and Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops and Texas’ Mack Brown. He was given a six-year contract that pays $4 million annually, plus another $2.4 million total in “retention payments.” He also can qualify for supplemental bonuses
znModeratorWell, Devin Hester has been doing well as a receiver lately, actually.
And Austin has Schotty as an OC who asks rookies to work into his offense moreso than works with their talents, so Tavon Austin’s head was swimming a bit.
Then again, Schotty’s offense is pretty difficult for WRs in general and when he left, the WRs were all too happy to see him go.
Point taken about the D.
Disagree about why RG3 and Kaepernick aren’t panning out. Both are run first QBs who never really learned to READ DEFENSES. RG3 got hurt and he’s physically never going to be as explosive, thus not the threat he was and Kaepernick is still fast, but it’s no longer a secret that he’s only working with half the field which is a HUGE advantage for the D. Running QBs tend to be “found out” in the NFL by their 2nd or 3rd year.
Russell Wilson is still on the fence. Seattle keeps his attempts down and he’s very smart about WHEN to run and protecting himself. That said, without Lynch, that offense won’t be the same and they won’t be able to just “throw more” because that would expose Wilson.
I think the analyst is just dead wrong on Bradford.
Nailed it.
znModeratorhttp://theramshuddle.com/topic/altered-roll-has-brockers-playing-nose-tackle/
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.
znModeratorI don’t think it helps anybody to start Wells and Joseph. imo
I think ARz game was far worse than usual and that they won’t be that bad this week.
Against Seattle, I make no promises.
znModeratorFisher revealed that Wells takes a day of practice off once a week. He’s banged up. Same with Joseph. Takes a day off a week–banged up. Saffold is playing hurt, and GR is a rookie.
Doesn’t sound like the kind of group you want going against a tough and physical division foe on a short week.
znModeratorI think the Rams can win with GW, but i doubt the D
is ever really consistent, and they need
a complementary O. (kinda stating the obvious)He didn’t have the players in N.O. as Ryan is proving now (31st on D).
The last time Wms did have some players as a coordinator was in Washington. That D was top 10 3 out of 4 years, and in that period the offense ranked 30th, 11th, and 14th. So in 2004, they had a D ranked 3rd and an offense ranked 30th.
And although he had decent players in Washington, it wasn’t a who’s who. Their best pass rusher in that period was Andre Carter (10.5 in 2007).
The reason, IMO, that this D does not feel “right” yet is that it still makes big mistakes in coverage.
Manning is getting sacked at a 5% rate which is 14th in the league. 5% is pretty good. This game, actually, is kind of a test for the Rams defense. The Giants can’t run but they hold up passing regardless.
znModeratorRemember when AD stood for Austin Davis?
lol
znModeratorfrom Defensive rookie of the year candidates
By Marty Callinan, ESPN Stats & Information
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/100173/defensive-rookie-of-the-year-candidates
Rams DT Aaron Donald leads an impressive group of Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates. As the NFL season closes in on the end of the regular season, ESPN Stats & Info looks at some of the leading candidates for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
DT Aaron Donald, Rams
Forget about Defensive Rookie of the Year for a minute. Donald has been one of the best defensive tackles in all of football this season.
Donald has 8.0 sacks while lined up as an interior pass rusher, trailing only Gerald McCoy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the most in the NFL this season (8.5) and Ndamukong Suh for the most by a rookie in the last seven seasons (10.0 in 2010).
Opponents have a Total QBR of 44 against the Rams in 388 dropbacks with Donald on the field. That would rank fourth in the NFL. The Rams have allowed a Total QBR of 74 in 147 dropbacks with Donald off the field, which would rank 31st.
Signature play: With just less than two minutes remaining in a Week 14 matchup against the Washington Redskins, Donald lined up as the left defensive tackle against right guard Chris Chester. Donald pushed Chester straight back eight yards as if the veteran weren’t even there and sacked Robert Griffin III.
znModeratorI dunno that. So I can’t say if what he did was irresponsible or not. But… I can say that his defense is now working, so we know it works with this crew.
Hindsight is 20:20. Losing your franchise QB before the season starts will effect the defense. Losing Chris Long affects the defense too. Starting three rookies in the secondary will affect the defense. Can’t disagree more with the OP’s assessment of JF and GW.
I agree with both of those statements…and will add this: this is the first time Wms as a defensive coordinator installed his system under the new CBA rules limiting off-season practices and especially practices in pads.
There was an interview with McDonald a while back where he said they spent a lot of time in extra meetings well into the season trying to get the defense down.
To me, early on, it looked a lot like 2011 when the offense was trying to play in the new system McD brought. This time of course it was the defense. They looked out of sync, uncomfortable, and of course made multiple game-killing errors.
There was a switch around the Denver game where players talked about getting the defense by then and playing fast without having to think.
Could WMS have cut it down? Maybe but then…that depends on whether your’re thinking longterm or short term. It seems to me that the Fisher Rams always make the longterm choice. For example, the draft–Matthews was presumed to be the better short term answer but he did not have Robinson’s longterm possibilities.
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