Rams hope their defensive chemistry experiment will be explosive in the right way
Lindsay H. Jones
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Wade Phillips stands in the middle of the Los Angeles Rams’ practice field, turning slowly to watch a group of defensive linemen going through drills near one end zone.
Phillips turns, shifting his gaze to the linebackers, near midfield, working on force fumble drill, and finally to the defensive backs, who are practicing catching interceptions by the far sideline.
Phillips, the Rams’ 70-year-old defensive coordinator, raises his right arm in the air and spins his right finger. “Rotate!” Phillips yells, then animatedly claps his hands as players trot past him.
The Rams’ defense has the potential to be one of the most entertaining shows in the NFL this year after the additions of cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and Phillips is the ringmaster.
“That's what keeps you young, coaching-wise, is new challenges, and new players, new players that you get to work with. And when you get to work with great players? That's really fun,” Phillips told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday.
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Perhaps the most distinct challenge for Phillips, however, is the chemistry experiment of melding Talib, Peters and Suh with the existing group. Each player, while possessing stellar on-field resumes – a combined 12 Pro Bowls and five first-team all-pro nods among them – also have fiery on-field demeanors. Talib and Suh have each been previously been suspended by the NFL for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Peters was banned for one game by Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid after a blowup last year.
For now, the Rams are betting that they can maintain order with the arrival of those players. Some of that confidence stems from the presence of Phillips, who coached Talib previously in Denver and earned the respect of Rams players shortly after joining head coach Sean McVay’s staff last year.
“You have no choice but to respect what he brings to the table,” safety Lamarcus Joyner told USA TODAY Sports. “He respects you. This isn't daycare to him. He's not trying to treat you like you need any special attention. He sets the platform of trust, and gives you the accountability to be able to trust you, and players, we hone in on stuff like that. We respect the fact that he respects us as human beings and as people.”
But maintaining composure will also fall to the players themselves. Peters said Rams coaches have not asked players to rein in their contentiousness at all, instead instructing them to play aggressive without crossing a line.
“It ain't about what previous coaches were letting me do" Peters told USA TODAY Sports. "It's about what my coaching staff is doing, but it's not just me. It's the whole team, and that's the best part about it. They're coaching everybody the same. You know what you're going to get. That's the best thing about it."
Talib knows he has no margin for error when it comes to discipline after last year’s suspension following his fight with former Raiders receiver Michael Crabtree. Yet he pointed to the Broncos’ 2015 defense, which tied for third in the league with 13 penalties for unnecessary roughness, as proof that a team can thrive with a playing style that tests boundaries.
“We all know the rules, and what you're going to get in trouble for. I swing on Crabtree, I know what's going to happen,” Talib said. “Either you're worried about it, or you ain’t worried about it. We know where that line is. We're all grown, we're all vets.”
For now, the Rams' new additions have earned nothing but positive reviews from their teammates. Talib in particular is emerging as a vocal leader, in large part because of the credibility he already has with Phillips. The 11th-year veteran hasn’t been afraid to push his new teammates in meeting rooms and on the practice field. He’s taken an extra mentorship role with Peters, who he said reminds him of himself at age 25 – brash and confident, if somewhat unpolished.
“I've been in some great, great secondaries, but top to bottom, with depth, this is probably the best one I've played in,” Talib said. “The sky’s the limit, we just have to be on our stuff. Be in meetings on time, get sleep at night. The talent is there, you just have to do the extra stuff.”
Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones.
