Tag: Rams Secondary

Rams secondary could be the big-play Packers’ kryptonite

As good as the Packers are at creating big plays, the Rams are equally great at preventing them.

The Green Bay Packers did a lot of things well on offense during the regular season. Not only did they lead the league in scoring with an average of 31.8 points per game, but they also had the fewest turnovers, scored on an NFL-high 49.7% of their drives and were the most efficient team in the red zone, finding the end zone 80% of the time when reaching the opponent’s 20-yard line.

The Packers also created the most big plays through the air of any team in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers completed 14 passes that went for at least 40 yards, tied for the most in football with the Cardinals. Additionally, they scored 13 touchdowns of at least 20 yards, which was tied for sixth-most in the league.

This big-play offense could meet its match on Saturday afternoon, though, when the Los Angeles Rams visit Lambeau Field. No team was better at preventing big plays through the air than the Rams.

During the regular season, the Rams allowed only two passing touchdowns longer than 20 yards. That’s the fewest in the league, one fewer than the Saints and three fewer than every other team.

According to Pro Football Focus, neither of those touchdown passes were given up by the cornerbacks, which gives the Rams the only cornerback unit not to allow a 20-yard touchdown pass this season.

One was a 44-yarder to George Kittle, and the other was a 59-yarder to Dan Arnold on a blown coverage.

Additionally, the Rams only gave up four passes of at least 40 yards, which is yet another example of how good they are at preventing big plays downfield. That was tied for the fewest in the league with the Ravens.

The Packers are a really tough offense to match up against. They obviously move the ball well through the air thanks to Aaron Rodgers, who’s the likely NFL MVP, but they can also produce on the ground, as evidenced by their eighth-ranked rushing offense.

But as good as Green Bay is offensively, the Rams have the skill players and scheme on defense to ground the high-flying Packers. If any team is capable of doing it, it’s the Rams.

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Rams secondary has potential to be one of NFL’s best in 2020

With Jalen Ramsey leading the group, the Rams secondary has a high ceiling this season.

No position group has undergone more changes for the Rams in the last three years than the secondary. Since the 2017 season, they’ve had 12 different players start for them at cornerback or safety, nine of which made at least 10 starts.

Among the players the Rams have moved on from include Trumaine Johnson, Lamarcus Joyner, Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters and Kayvon Webster, while Eric Weddle retired this offseason. Now, the Rams are looking to Jalen Ramsey, Troy Hill, John Johnson and Taylor Rapp to lead the secondary in 2020, which is certainly a promising group of defenders.

But what is its ceiling? Could the Rams have one of the best secondaries in football this season? With Ramsey as the No. 1 cornerback and two quality starters at safety, the sky is the limit for Los Angeles. And that’s without even mentioning Hill, who was great as a No. 2 cornerback in the second half of last season.

Pro Football Focus has fairly high expectations for this group, ranking the Rams’ secondary ninth in the NFL heading into the 2020 season. PFF’s Steve Palazzolo highlighted Hill’s play and Ramsey’s improvement as the season went on, with Ramsey allowing more than 12 yards in coverage only once after Week 11.

Darious Williams, David Long Jr. and Donte Deayon were also mentioned in the rankings. Williams had two interceptions and two pass breakups on only 16 targets and Palazzolo likes his potential as a slot corner in place of Nickell Robey-Coleman.

The four primary starters across the secondary seem set with Ramsey, Hill, Johnson and Rapp, but the Rams utilize nickel packages often on defense, which means a fifth defensive back will be on the field a lot. It could be Williams, Long or Deayon, but don’t rule out rookie Terrell Burgess, either.

Burgess has the potential to put this secondary over the top thanks to his versatility and tackling ability. At Utah, he played all over the defense, be it at outside cornerback, free safety, nickel cornerback or linebacker.

We don’t yet know how the Rams will deploy him in 2020, but assuming he gets on the field as a rookie, he’s going to contribute and probably make some key plays. If Burgess can play at a similar level to the way Rapp performed last season, the Rams will be poised to have an elite secondary.

But on the flip side, if Hill can’t maintain his play from last season, or if the Rams struggle to replace Robey-Coleman, this secondary may fall short of expectations.