The Los Angeles Rams set out this offseason to fortify their pass defense, and through four games, that plan has held up even with the injury list chewing away at the roster.
The names you’d expect to be carrying the load have barely been available. Myles Garret has appeared in just one game.
Aaron Donald has played twice. Kam Kinchens has been on the field for only two games.
Jaylen Watson went down with an injury in Week 3. None of that has stopped Chris Shula’s defense from stacking up with the league’s best against the pass.
By yardage, the Rams rank second in the NFL behind only the Seattle Seahawks, allowing 145.5 passing yards per game. On top of that, only the Vikings have been better at keeping quarterbacks from completing throws. Opponents have connected on just 53.5 percent of their passes against Los Angeles.
For a defense missing that much talent, those numbers are eye-catching. Shula deserves real credit for keeping the unit steady and effective while the roster has been in flux.
The production has also come from places the Rams absolutely needed it to come from. Undrafted cornerback Josh Wallace has held opponents to a 50 percent completion rate when targeted.
He has one interception, and another was taken away by bad officiating. Quarterbacks have managed only a 27.6 passer rating when throwing his way.
Rookie edge rusher Wesley Bailey has logged 61 defensive snaps and made them count, finishing with four tackles and a sack. In coverage, he has allowed just one catch on three targets.
Shaun Dolac, who contributes on special teams and at linebacker, also gave the Rams useful work in his lone defensive appearance. He played 19 snaps, made six tackles, and allowed two catches for 17 yards. That kind of depth matters behind starters Nate Landman and Omar Speights.
The one area that still hasn’t fully shown up is the pass rush. The Rams have only seven sacks in four games.
Even so, they did get four against the Eagles, which at least hints at what this front can do when it gets rolling. The defense is also hoping to get both Donald and Garrett back soon.
And while the offense keeps handing the ball over, the defense is doing enough to keep Los Angeles in games. That was on display in Philadelphia, where the Rams’ defense helped make winning possible.
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Donald has appeared in two games this season while working his way back and producing only limited statistics, a reminder that the Rams are managing both his health and his place on the roster with care. For a player of his importance, every administrative detail matters almost as much as the injury report, and this setup gave the club a way to protect both its star and the money attached to him while he recovered. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Rainy Loss Sparked A Viral Moment Fans Didn't See
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For the Rams, the conditions only added to a comeback win that stood out for more than the scoreboard. Kyren Williams was a big part of the rally and later spoke with Andrews afterward, praising his team in an interview that fit the mood of a victory earned the hard way, on a night when even the broadcast booth had to fight through the elements. [Read more 🡒]