Statistically, the Los Angeles Rams had the best defense in the NFL last season. They ranked first in yards allowed, points against, first downs allowed, passing yards and touchdowns allowed, average opponent drive time and yards per drive. It’s clear as day that there was no defense better than Brandon Staley’s last year.
But with Staley gone and Raheem Morris stepping into his role as defensive coordinator, Morris isn’t worried about numbers and stats. He wants his players making “M.A.D. plays,” as he calls them.
It stands for “make a difference plays,” which every defense (and offense) wants. They’re impactful plays that can change a game and be the difference between winning or losing. Putting up big numbers obviously helps, but Morris wants his guys making game-changing plays this season.
This was Morris’ assessment of the defense after Wednesday’s practice.
“It’s really hard to say where you’re at on defense. You’ve got to go play against some other people,” he said. “But I like where we’re at with the energy. I like where we’re at from a learning curve. I like where we’re at from a mentality standpoint. And the guys buying into what we’re trying to sell. We got to go out there and we got to make those splash plays and those plays that make a difference in the game. We like to call them M.A.D. plays. ‘Make A Difference’ plays, right? So, if you go out and you establish that culture and you establish those things, you’ll be the best defense. Statistically, everybody gets caught up in those things. My saying is ‘stats are for losers.’ But if we can go out and make those memorable plays, those plays that make a difference in the game to help us win football games, that’s all I’m here for and that’s all I care about.”
It’s easy to see where Morris is coming from and why he thinks the way he does. If an opponent drives 65 yards down the field on the Rams’ defense but Jalen Ramsey picks off the quarterback and returns it 40 yards, the stats will say it was a poor defensive drive by Los Angeles. But Ramsey’s difference-making play took points off the board for the opposing team and probably helped the Rams score.
Rushing the quarterback is one of the best ways to create game-changing plays, either by getting sacks, forcing fumbles or pressuring the quarterback into a bad throw that leads to an interception.
Morris likes what he’s seen from the Rams’ edge defenders, calling Leonard Floyd a “special player” and a leader among the young pass rushers.
“You definitely want pass-rush and you definitely want to use the other factors,” Morris said. “You definitely want to use that brutal force, that ability to set edges. And you definitely want to go out there and be able to have a little bit of coverage and be able to drop and do some different things, right? Those unique players on defense make you special. When they have the ability to do everything, it’s really nice. And we have the ability to rush the passers, they’re dominant.”
The Rams want to rank among the best defenses in the NFL again, but for Morris, he wants to see his guys making impactful plays that change a game.