Wade Phillips’ defense can’t be trusted week-to-week

The Rams defense has been wildly inconsistent under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. You never know which unit will show up. Last week, they looked like one of the best units in the NFL. This week, they were one of the worst.

Not only did Ezekiel Elliot run all over the Rams defense on Sunday, but even backup running back Tony Pollard piled up 131 yards on 12 rushes. Dak Prescott didn’t have to do much in Sunday’s win, but he still completed 15 of his 23 passes, threw two touchdowns, didn’t turn the ball over and was never sacked. It was a walk in the park for an offense that had been struggling mightily heading into this game.

The defense comes to play more often than not under Wade Phillips. But you simply can’t expect them to be elite every single week. This is the second time in four weeks that they’ve been lifeless. They could lose the game for the Rams on any given Sunday.