Full Transcript for Rams’ New Identity: Williams and Corum Lead the Cardinals Game Plan

do not automatically remove that designation. 32 00:01:52.590 --> 00:01:54.549 Let's get into the running game, and let's do it 33 00:01:54.609 --> 00:01:58.310 without reducing the whole conversation to running harder. Our Rams 34 00:01:58.349 --> 00:02:01.010 situation around our Rams leaning on Corrine Williams and Blake 35 00:02:01.049 --> 00:02:03.680 Corham amid receiver absences is a reminder that a rushing 36 00:02:03.719 --> 00:02:06.819 attack is a relationship between the front, the back, the formation, 37 00:02:06.980 --> 00:02:10.280 and the defensive response. A back needs vision, but he 38 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:13.919 also needs an honest landmark. A blocker needs strength, but 39 00:02:13.939 --> 00:02:17.000 he also needs timing and the correct angle. When those 40 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:19.759 pieces connect, an ordinary game can be a successful play 41 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:22.849 even if it doesn't make the highlight package. Start with 42 00:02:22.870 --> 00:02:24.949 the difference between the hole that's drawn and the space 43 00:02:24.990 --> 00:02:28.550 that actually opens. On a zone concept, the back often 44 00:02:28.590 --> 00:02:30.569 has to press a track long enough to make defenders 45 00:02:30.620 --> 00:02:33.960 commit before choosing the cut. If he cuts immediately because 46 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:36.020 he sees daylight, he may take the ball away from 47 00:02:36.060 --> 00:02:39.180 a block that was about to develop. On a gap concept, 48 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:41.900 the timing with a pulling blocker can be just as important. 49 00:02:42.840 --> 00:02:45.800 Outrunning the lead blocker is not always a sign of decisiveness. 50 00:02:46.819 --> 00:02:49.099 Sometimes it's a way of arriving alone at the defender 51 00:02:49.139 --> 00:02:53.139 the blocker was supposed to handle. I'm describing general concepts here, 52 00:02:53.400 --> 00:02:56.750 not claiming a particular call from our Rams playbook. The 53 00:02:56.780 --> 00:02:59.250 coaching application is that the right back for one assignment 54 00:02:59.310 --> 00:03:02.129 may not be the right back for every assignment. A 55 00:03:02.169 --> 00:03:04.889 change in personnel can affect the timing of the entire play. 56 00:03:05.789 --> 00:03:07.469 That's why I want to see how the staff builds 57 00:03:07.509 --> 00:03:11.069 the menu around the people actually available. Give a replacement 58 00:03:11.129 --> 00:03:13.740 a job he understands and can execute with conviction before 59 00:03:13.819 --> 00:03:16.500 asking him to reproduce every feature of somebody else's game. 60 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:20.889 Then there is the question of defensive numbers. A defense 61 00:03:20.930 --> 00:03:22.759 can bring a safety toward the box and make a 62 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:26.979 particular run more difficult. The offense has several possible responses, 63 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:30.259 change the direction, change the formation, use motion, or throw 64

00:03:30.300 --> 00:03:33.360 into the space the defender vacated. The answer is not 65 00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:36.550 always to call the same run louder. It's also not 66 00:03:36.650 --> 00:03:40.430 always to abandon the run. The quarterback, the coordinator, and 67 00:03:40.469 --> 00:03:42.710 the line need a shared understanding of what the defense 68 00:03:42.750 --> 00:03:45.590 is inviting and what it's trying to take away. For 69 00:03:45.629 --> 00:03:48.090 Matthew Stafford, the passing game can help the run without 70 00:03:48.129 --> 00:03:51.699 requiring a spectacular deep ball. A completion that makes a 71 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:54.740 linebacker hesitate or forces an outside defender to widen can 72 00:03:54.780 --> 00:03:58.939 change the next rushing opportunity. Conversely, a credible run action 73 00:03:58.990 --> 00:04:01.250 can influence a defender even when the ball is thrown. 74 00:04:02.110 --> 00:04:04.650 The two phases should support each other instead of operating 75 00:04:04.689 --> 00:04:08.069 like separate departments. That's one reason I care more about 76 00:04:08.110 --> 00:04:10.169 the sequence of calls than a neat percentage at the 77 00:04:10.229 --> 00:04:13.039 end of the game. Now think about the back without 78 00:04:13.099 --> 00:04:17.180 the ball. Can he identify a pressure? Does he sell 79 00:04:17.220 --> 00:04:20.259 an action that holds a defender? Does he finish a 80 00:04:20.300 --> 00:04:23.579 route at the right depth? Those jobs matter in evaluating 81 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:26.170 our Rams leaning on Corrine Williams and Blake Corum amid 82 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:29.670 receiver absences. A roster decision that looks like a simple 83 00:04:29.730 --> 00:04:31.910 change in carries may alter the third down package or 84 00:04:31.930 --> 00:04:35.410 the staff's willingness to use a particular personnel group. That's 85 00:04:35.430 --> 00:04:37.329 where a coach has to plan the whole game, not 86 00:04:37.370 --> 00:04:41.850 just a fantasy stat line. What should Rams fans watch? First, 87 00:04:42.110 --> 00:04:45.600 look at where contact occurs. A back being met immediately 88 00:04:45.629 --> 00:04:47.860 behind the line faces a different problem from a back 89 00:04:47.899 --> 00:04:51.420 missing a clean crease. Second, look at the defense after 90 00:04:51.459 --> 00:04:54.939 an early successful run. Does it add a defender, shift 91 00:04:54.959 --> 00:04:58.930 its front, or change the fit? Third, watch the offense's counter. 92 00:04:59.850 --> 00:05:02.550 The first successful play is interesting, the answer after the 93 00:05:02.589 --> 00:05:05.949 opponent adjusts is often more revealing. My view is that 94 00:05:05.990 --> 00:05:09.529 a good running game creates repeatable answers. It doesn't have 95 00:05:09.550 --> 00:05:11.870 to look identical on every drive, and it doesn't have 96 00:05:11.910 --> 00:05:15.189 to win every snap. It needs to keep the offense connected,

97 00:05:15.449 --> 00:05:18.829 make favorable situations more manageable, and give the quarterback options. 98 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:22.399 When our Rams get those details right, the benefit reaches 99 00:05:22.459 --> 00:05:25.810 well beyond the player carrying the ball. Let's move outside 100 00:05:25.850 --> 00:05:28.569 and talk about how this Rams passing game creates usable space. 101 00:05:29.509 --> 00:05:31.850 The story around our Rams leaning on Corrine Williams and 102 00:05:31.889 --> 00:05:34.550 Blake Corum amid receiver absences is a good starting point, 103 00:05:34.870 --> 00:05:37.129 because a receiver's value is not just what happens when 104 00:05:37.149 --> 00:05:40.910 he catches the ball. Alignment, releases, route depth, and the 105 00:05:40.949 --> 00:05:43.959 way one route influences another all affect the quarterback's options. 106 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:47.319 I love a spectacular catch as much as anybody. but 107 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:49.680 a receiver can make a vital contribution by clearing a 108 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:52.699 defender away from a teammate. You have to watch the 109 00:05:52.740 --> 00:05:54.699 pattern as a group to see that part of the game. 110 00:05:55.639 --> 00:05:59.560 Imagine two receivers working the same side. One pushes vertically 111 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:03.019 while the other breaks underneath. If the vertical route doesn't 112 00:06:03.060 --> 00:06:06.670 threaten the defender, the underneath window may never open. If 113 00:06:06.689 --> 00:06:08.949 the underneath route arrives at the wrong depth, it can 114 00:06:08.970 --> 00:06:11.470 pull a defender into the space the offense wanted to create. 115 00:06:12.370 --> 00:06:14.730 That's why timing matters even on a throw that looks easy. 116 00:06:15.709 --> 00:06:17.910 A clean completion can be the result of three people 117 00:06:17.949 --> 00:06:20.370 doing their jobs before the camera focuses on the catch. 118 00:06:21.310 --> 00:06:24.569 For Matthew Stafford, a dependable landmark is a form of protection. 119 00:06:25.490 --> 00:06:27.480 Knowing where a receiver will be allows the ball to 120 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:31.060 leave before pressure becomes a crisis. That doesn't mean every 121 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:35.319 route is rigid. Some concepts require an adjustment based on coverage. 122 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:39.019 The important part is that the quarterback and receiver interpret 123 00:06:39.060 --> 00:06:42.430 the same signal the same way. A talented receiver making 124 00:06:42.470 --> 00:06:44.529 the wrong adjustment can be less useful on a crucial 125 00:06:44.569 --> 00:06:47.230 down than a less explosive player who sees the picture correctly. 126 00:06:48.129 --> 00:06:50.850 This connects directly to our Rams leaning on Corrine Williams 127 00:06:50.910 --> 00:06:54.920 and Blake Corum amid receiver absences. When availability changes or 128 00:06:54.949 --> 00:06:57.079 a player enters a new system, the staff has to 129 00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:59.920 decide which combinations can be trusted immediately and which need 130 00:06:59.939 --> 00:07:03.240 more practice. I'd rather introduce a small set of clear 131 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:06.379 responsibilities than create a giant menu that leads to hesitation. 132 00:07:07.339 --> 00:07:10.610 Once the player shows command, build from there. You can 133 00:07:10.689 --> 00:07:13.850 use formations and motion to make those responsibilities less predictable 134 00:07:13.889 --> 00:07:16.529 without asking the player to learn the entire offense overnight. 135 00:07:17.470 --> 00:07:21.329 Against tight coverage, watch the release. Does the receiver protect 136 00:07:21.370 --> 00:07:23.629 the timing of the route, or does the defender force 137 00:07:23.670 --> 00:07:27.050 him off schedule? Against a zone, watch where he settles 138 00:07:27.129 --> 00:07:30.670 relative to the nearest two defenders. Being technically open is 139 00:07:30.709 --> 00:07:33.829 not the same as presenting a clear throwing window. The 140 00:07:33.870 --> 00:07:36.269 quarterback needs a lane, the right depth, and enough time 141 00:07:36.310 --> 00:07:39.579 for the ball to arrive before another defender closes. Good 142 00:07:39.610 --> 00:07:43.230 spacing creates that lane. Poor spacing can turn an apparently 143 00:07:43.290 --> 00:07:46.629 favorable matchup into a difficult throw. There is also a 144 00:07:46.670 --> 00:07:49.110 tendency to assume that a star's return solves the whole 145 00:07:49.149 --> 00:07:53.959 passing game. It can change the defensive response, certainly. But 146 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:56.319 a returning player still needs to fit within the timing 147 00:07:56.360 --> 00:07:59.620 and responsibilities of the group. The staff may manage the 148 00:07:59.639 --> 00:08:03.519 workload or use specific packages. A player being active doesn't 149 00:08:03.540 --> 00:08:05.689 tell us the snap count, and a limited snap count 150 00:08:05.730 --> 00:08:08.089 doesn't by itself tell us how effective those snaps can be. 151 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:12.209 we need to watch the actual role. For Rams fans, 152 00:08:12.430 --> 00:08:14.689 here's a way to evaluate the next game beyond targets 153 00:08:14.730 --> 00:08:17.870 and catches. On an important third down, look at the 154 00:08:17.910 --> 00:08:21.470 receiver who doesn't get the ball. Did he occupy the safety, 155 00:08:21.610 --> 00:08:24.110 force a defender to travel, or create a legal traffic 156 00:08:24.149 --> 00:08:27.339 problem in the middle? On the next passing play, watch 157 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:29.879 whether the offense uses a similar alignment to produce a 158 00:08:29.899 --> 00:08:34.039 different route. That's how coordinators create uncertainty without rebuilding the 159 00:08:34.100 --> 00:08:37.879 entire offense. My expectation is not that every pass catcher 160 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:41.399 wins every

individual matchup. It's that the group creates a 161 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:46.019 coherent picture for its quarterback. Good releases, disciplined spacing, and 162 00:08:46.059 --> 00:08:49.679 shared adjustments make talent easier to use. Those details are 163 00:08:49.700 --> 00:08:52.080 why a roster headline about our Rams leaning on Corrine 164 00:08:52.100 --> 00:08:54.740 Williams and Blake Corum amid receiver absences can become a 165 00:08:54.779 --> 00:08:58.159 much bigger story about how the whole offense functions. Let's 166 00:08:58.179 --> 00:09:01.029 get into the quarterback room, because Matthew Stafford is central 167 00:09:01.049 --> 00:09:04.250 to the way I'd evaluate this Rams offense. Start with 168 00:09:04.269 --> 00:09:06.669 the distinction between a good result and a good decision. 169 00:09:07.580 --> 00:09:10.440 A receiver can make a spectacular catch on a dangerous throw. 170 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:15.259 A defender can drop an interception. Neither changes the quality 171 00:09:15.299 --> 00:09:18.440 of the decision that created the opportunity. So when I 172 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:20.559 watch a possession, I want to know what information the 173 00:09:20.600 --> 00:09:23.419 quarterback had, how quickly the picture changed, and whether the 174 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:27.320 response matched the situation. That's a much more useful conversation 175 00:09:27.340 --> 00:09:30.440 than calling every completion brilliant and every incompletion a mistake. 176 00:09:31.379 --> 00:09:35.539 Here is a hypothetical example. the offense faces second and six. 177 00:09:36.539 --> 00:09:39.460 A safety rotates toward the line, a linebacker threatens the middle, 178 00:09:39.659 --> 00:09:42.899 and an outside receiver has space before the corner. One 179 00:09:42.950 --> 00:09:46.309 response might be a quick throw outside. Another might be 180 00:09:46.350 --> 00:09:49.009 a protection adjustment that buys time for the original play. 181 00:09:49.909 --> 00:09:52.490 Which one is right depends on the actual call, the leverage, 182 00:09:52.710 --> 00:09:55.990 and the receiver's assignment. We don't have our Rams playbook, 183 00:09:56.190 --> 00:09:58.690 so I'm evaluating the relationship between what we can see 184 00:09:58.740 --> 00:10:01.799 in the outcome not pretending to know the call watch 185 00:10:01.860 --> 00:10:05.019 the quarterback's feet if the concept is designed for a 186 00:10:05.059 --> 00:10:07.710 rhythm throw a hesitation can close a window that looked 187 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:10.909 open a moment earlier but if a receiver is rerouted 188 00:10:10.970 --> 00:10:13.470 or a defender gets a free path the quarterback may 189 00:10:13.509 --> 00:10:16.710 need to reset that's why a frozen screenshot can be 190 00:10:16.750 --> 00:10:19.830 misleading The game is moving, and timing is part of 191 00:10:19.870 --> 00:10:23.710 the play. Now, for Matthew Stafford, my coaching checklist begins 192 00:10:23.750 --> 00:10:26.950 before the throw. Did the offense get aligned without burning 193 00:10:26.990 --> 00:10:30.750 a timeout? Did the protection account for the most immediate threat? 194 00:10:31.649 --> 00:10:33.909 Was the first read available, and if not, did the 195 00:10:33.960 --> 00:10:36.559 quarterback find the next answer without letting the pocket turn 196 00:10:36.600 --> 00:10:39.639 into a trap? None of those things alone guarantees a 197 00:10:39.659 --> 00:10:42.340 winning drive, but together they tell you whether the operation 198 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:46.440 is sustainable. You also have to distinguish aggressiveness from impatience. 199 00:10:47.450 --> 00:10:49.570 I love a quarterback who believes he can make a play. 200 00:10:50.509 --> 00:10:54.269 Football would be pretty dull without that confidence. But confidence 201 00:10:54.330 --> 00:10:58.070 needs a boundary. On first down near midfield, a calculated 202 00:10:58.110 --> 00:11:00.980 shot has one cost. On third down in your own 203 00:11:01.029 --> 00:11:03.179 end with a close score, the same attempted throw may 204 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:06.299 have a very different cost. The quarterback has to play 205 00:11:06.340 --> 00:11:10.000 the situation, not just the coverage. For our Rams, this 206 00:11:10.039 --> 00:11:12.720 connects directly to today's discussion of our Rams leaning on 207 00:11:12.759 --> 00:11:16.590 Corrine Williams and Blake Corum amid receiver absences. The staff 208 00:11:16.629 --> 00:11:19.429 needs the right balance between protecting the operation and giving 209 00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:22.980 its quarterback a chance to create. Making the plan smaller 210 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:26.539 is not automatically a lack of trust. Sometimes it makes 211 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:30.480 the answers clearer and lets the quarterback play faster. Expanding 212 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:32.519 it can be the right choice too, if the players 213 00:11:32.539 --> 00:11:35.929 have shown they can handle the communication. My favorite sign 214 00:11:35.950 --> 00:11:38.769 of progress is a quarterback correcting the same defensive problem 215 00:11:38.830 --> 00:11:42.230 on the next possession. Maybe the opponent disguised pressure the 216 00:11:42.269 --> 00:11:45.419 first time and got home. If the offense recognizes it 217 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:48.139 later and finds the built-in answer, that tells you preparation 218 00:11:48.210 --> 00:11:51.409 is becoming usable knowledge. It's not just chalk on a 219 00:11:51.450 --> 00:11:54.350 board anymore. That's the kind of development I want to 220 00:11:54.370 --> 00:11:57.629 see from this offense, recognition, response, and the confidence to 221 00:11:57.669 --> 00:12:00.419 make the next decision without carrying the previous mistake into it. 222 00:12:01.330 --> 00:12:03.889 For your own viewing, pick one drive and track those steps. 223 00:12:04.809 --> 00:12:08.289 Don't count only the final

yardage. Watch how the quarterback 224 00:12:08.330 --> 00:12:10.230 gets from the huddle to the snap, and from the 225 00:12:10.269 --> 00:12:13.580 snap to the decision. you'll start seeing the game underneath 226 00:12:13.620 --> 00:12:16.419 the headline. Now let's talk about the part of the 227 00:12:16.500 --> 00:12:19.879 offense that usually gets attention only when something goes wrong, protection. 228 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:23.460 Today's Rams story about our Rams leaning on Corrine Williams 229 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:26.440 and Blake Corum amid receiver absences makes this worth unpacking. 230 00:12:27.340 --> 00:12:30.340 A pass protection is a coordinated answer to a defensive problem. 231 00:12:31.259 --> 00:12:33.490 It includes the line, often a back or tight end, 232 00:12:33.659 --> 00:12:36.529 the quarterback's understanding of an unblocked threat, and the timing 233 00:12:36.549 --> 00:12:39.320 of the route. When any one of those pieces is late, 234 00:12:39.559 --> 00:12:42.299 the replay may make an individual lineman look responsible for 235 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:46.220 a much larger communication failure. That doesn't mean we excuse 236 00:12:46.259 --> 00:12:49.970 poor blocking. It means we identify the actual problem before 237 00:12:50.019 --> 00:12:54.029 prescribing a fix. Imagine a defense places two linebackers near 238 00:12:54.070 --> 00:12:56.409 the center, shows pressure from the edge, and leaves a 239 00:12:56.450 --> 00:13:01.049 corner playing tight outside. That presentation forces the offense to communicate. 240 00:13:01.950 --> 00:13:05.320 The protection might slide one way. A back might scan 241 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:08.779 from an interior threat to an outside threat. the quarterback 242 00:13:08.820 --> 00:13:11.070 might know a particular rusher can't be blocked and that 243 00:13:11.110 --> 00:13:14.049 the ball has to leave quickly. If the receiver runs 244 00:13:14.110 --> 00:13:16.509 a route that takes too long, the answer disappears even 245 00:13:16.549 --> 00:13:20.090 if the line handles its assignment. For Matthew Stafford, that 246 00:13:20.129 --> 00:13:22.809 relationship matters more than an argument about whether the offense 247 00:13:22.830 --> 00:13:26.250 should always use five blockers or always use seven. More 248 00:13:26.269 --> 00:13:28.779 blockers can create a cleaner pocket, but they also leave 249 00:13:28.820 --> 00:13:32.240 fewer receivers in the pattern. Fewer blockers can spread a 250 00:13:32.259 --> 00:13:35.980 defense out, but they demand a fast, accurate answer. Those 251 00:13:36.019 --> 00:13:39.309 are tradeoffs, not slogans. What I want from our Rams 252 00:13:39.370 --> 00:13:41.570 is a plan that fits the available personnel and the 253 00:13:41.610 --> 00:13:46.809 opponent's pressure presentation. Footwork is the next detail. An offensive 254 00:13:46.850 --> 00:13:49.889 tackle can't simply chase a speed rusher farther and farther outside. 255 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:53.200 If he opens his hips too early, the inside counter 256 00:13:53.220 --> 00:13:57.279 becomes available. If an interior blocker lunges, a defender can 257 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:00.919 use that momentum against him. For fans, watch the distance 258 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:04.419 between blockers as the play develops. Large gaps can give 259 00:14:04.460 --> 00:14:07.909 a looping defender room to come free. A disciplined pocket 260 00:14:08.009 --> 00:14:10.789 often looks quiet because the blockers are working together instead 261 00:14:10.830 --> 00:14:13.970 of each fighting a separate emergency. There is a coaching 262 00:14:14.009 --> 00:14:17.730 decision here about help. A tight end can chip before releasing. 263 00:14:18.649 --> 00:14:21.710 A back can stay in. The formation can change the 264 00:14:21.789 --> 00:14:25.059 angle a rusher has to take. But every solution costs 265 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:28.620 something elsewhere. If you chip with a receiver's nearest teammate, 266 00:14:28.779 --> 00:14:31.980 that teammate may arrive late to the route combination. If 267 00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:34.440 you leave a back in, the quarterback loses a check down. 268 00:14:35.409 --> 00:14:37.889 The useful question is whether the benefits worth that cost 269 00:14:37.950 --> 00:14:41.210 on this particular down. That's where our Rams leaning on 270 00:14:41.269 --> 00:14:44.350 Corrine Williams and Blake Corum amid receiver absences becomes more 271 00:14:44.370 --> 00:14:48.049 than a personnel headline. It changes which combinations the staff 272 00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:50.299 can trust and how much the quarterback has to manage. 273 00:14:51.299 --> 00:14:54.159 NT respond by demanding that the team abandon every longer 274 00:14:54.200 --> 00:14:57.399 developing play. I'd ask which ones are supported by the 275 00:14:57.440 --> 00:14:59.419 protection and which ones are asking the group to do 276 00:14:59.460 --> 00:15:02.250 something it hasn't shown it can do. You can still 277 00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:06.049 be aggressive while being realistic. Here's what I'll be watching next. 278 00:15:07.049 --> 00:15:09.600 On three obvious passing downs, watch the back instead of 279 00:15:09.629 --> 00:15:13.720 following the football. Does he release immediately, check an interior threat, 280 00:15:13.940 --> 00:15:16.879 or cross the formation to help? Then watch whether the 281 00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:20.340 quarterback's timing matches that choice. You don't need to know 282 00:15:20.379 --> 00:15:24.600 the exact play name to understand the relationship. Finally, separate 283 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:28.080 pressure from sacks. A quarterback can avoid a sack and 284 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:31.240 still have his decision hurried. A defender can create a 285 00:15:31.259 --> 00:15:33.899 sack by forcing the quarterback toward a teammate without getting 286 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:37.750 the statistic. Good analysis credits

the process on both sides. 287 00:15:38.710 --> 00:15:41.100 For this offense, the goal is not a magical pocket 288 00:15:41.129 --> 00:15:44.559 that lasts forever. It's enough coordinated time for the called 289 00:15:44.580 --> 00:15:47.159 concept to work, plus a clear emergency answer when the 290 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:52.200 defense wins. That's football you can build on. Quick halftime timeout, 291 00:15:52.419 --> 00:15:56.200 football family. This episode is sponsored by the NFL Picks 292 00:15:56.259 --> 00:15:58.919 at the nflpicks.com. Think you know who's getting the win 293 00:15:58.940 --> 00:16:02.019 this week? Put those football opinions to work in their 294 00:16:02.059 --> 00:16:06.190 free weekly NFL Pick-Em. There's no purchase and no entry fee. 295 00:16:07.090 --> 00:16:09.409 Choose the winner of each game before kickoff, get a 296 00:16:09.450 --> 00:16:11.929 point for every correct pick, and follow your progress in 297 00:16:11.950 --> 00:16:15.659 the weekly standings and season rankings. Cash prizes are on 298 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:18.919 the line, along with the bragging rights every football fan understands. 299 00:16:19.899 --> 00:16:22.100 So get your picks locked in before each game starts 300 00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:25.919 and give yourself a chance to win. Head to TheNFLPicks.com, 301 00:16:26.139 --> 00:16:30.620 sign in free, and make your calls. That's TheNFLPicks.com, thanks 302 00:16:30.659 --> 00:16:34.110 to The NFL Picks for supporting the show. Now, let's 303 00:16:34.129 --> 00:16:36.850 get back to our team. Let's get down into the 304 00:16:36.889 --> 00:16:39.909 defensive front, because Miles Garrett and our Rams' other defensive 305 00:16:39.950 --> 00:16:42.669 availability questions is part of a bigger question for our Rams, 306 00:16:42.990 --> 00:16:45.289 how do you create disruption without opening an escape route 307 00:16:45.330 --> 00:16:48.700 somewhere else? A pass rush is not just four individual 308 00:16:48.740 --> 00:16:53.379 races to the quarterback. The rushers influence one another. An 309 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:56.120 edge player getting too far upfield can create a lane inside. 310 00:16:57.019 --> 00:16:59.639 An interior defender losing balance can open a route for 311 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:02.919 a quarterback who was supposed to be contained. The finish 312 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:05.440 may show up as somebody else's tackle, but the structure 313 00:17:05.460 --> 00:17:08.529 of the rush begins before that moment. I start by 314 00:17:08.609 --> 00:17:10.910 asking what the front is trying to accomplish on the down. 315 00:17:11.869 --> 00:17:13.990 Against a quick throw, a rusher may not have time 316 00:17:14.029 --> 00:17:17.029 to win with a long sequence of moves. Against a 317 00:17:17.069 --> 00:17:20.809 deeper drop, the pocket can be attacked differently. Against a 318 00:17:20.849 --> 00:17:25.509 mobile quarterback, the distance between rushers becomes especially important. You 319 00:17:25.529 --> 00:17:27.470 can have an impressive first step and still make the 320 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:29.440 defense worse if that first step takes you out of 321 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:34.009 the plan. Controlled aggression is still aggression. It simply has 322 00:17:34.049 --> 00:17:37.150 a purpose. This is where I separate pressures from the 323 00:17:37.210 --> 00:17:40.509 final sack number. A defender can force a hurried throw 324 00:17:40.569 --> 00:17:43.009 or move the quarterback off his intended launch point without 325 00:17:43.049 --> 00:17:46.400 touching him. Another defender can collect a sack after a 326 00:17:46.410 --> 00:17:50.240 teammate does the difficult work. We should credit the entire action. 327 00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:53.440 At the same time, pressure that arrives after the ball 328 00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:55.640 has comfortably left is not the same as pressure that 329 00:17:55.660 --> 00:17:59.640 changes the decision. Timing matters, and a useful evaluation needs 330 00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:03.099 both the disruption and the situation. For our Rams, the 331 00:18:03.140 --> 00:18:06.269 reporting about Miles Garrett and our Rams' other defensive availability 332 00:18:06.309 --> 00:18:10.529 questions raises questions about rotation and responsibility. If a player 333 00:18:10.589 --> 00:18:13.509 is unavailable, who takes those snaps, and does that replacement 334 00:18:13.529 --> 00:18:16.809 change the way the staff can attack? If a player returns, 335 00:18:17.029 --> 00:18:19.829 does he handle an immediate full workload or a selected role? 336 00:18:20.750 --> 00:18:23.009 We should not guess a snap count from an activation. 337 00:18:23.930 --> 00:18:26.589 Watch the actual deployment, especially on the downs where the 338 00:18:26.630 --> 00:18:30.289 staff needs its most trusted combination. Run defense is the 339 00:18:30.369 --> 00:18:33.880 other half of this conversation. An interior defender may have 340 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:35.700 a job that asks him to hold his ground and 341 00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:39.849 keep a linebacker clean. That can be valuable without looking dramatic. 342 00:18:40.769 --> 00:18:42.609 A defensive end may need to keep the ball from 343 00:18:42.650 --> 00:18:45.470 escaping outside rather than chasing the back across the formation. 344 00:18:46.329 --> 00:18:48.670 When fans say the defense needs more effort, I always 345 00:18:48.710 --> 00:18:50.930 want to know whether the real issue is effort, technique, 346 00:18:51.109 --> 00:18:53.250 or a player abandoning his assignment in an attempt to 347 00:18:53.289 --> 00:18:58.059 make a play. They require different corrections. Here's a hypothetical 348 00:18:58.099 --> 00:19:01.890 adjustment worth watching for. An offense uses motion to change 349 00:19:01.930 --> 00:19:03.869 the strength of a formation and then runs behind a 350 00:19:03.910 --> 00:19:07.589 pulling blocker. Does the

defense reset its fits before the snap? 351 00:19:08.470 --> 00:19:11.730 Does the edge keep the play inside? Does the linebacker 352 00:19:11.750 --> 00:19:14.690 meet the block at the right depth? If two defenders 353 00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:18.700 chase the same gap, somebody else's area becomes available. You 354 00:19:18.740 --> 00:19:21.019 can't solve that by telling one player to be tougher. 355 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:25.680 You solve it through shared recognition and coordinated action. For 356 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:28.339 your next Rams game, follow one defensive lineman for an 357 00:19:28.380 --> 00:19:31.640 entire series. Notice whether he is still fresh enough to 358 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:34.819 maintain leverage on the final snap. Look at whether the 359 00:19:34.900 --> 00:19:37.400 offense runs toward him, away from him, or changes its 360 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:40.380 protection to account for him. That tells you how the 361 00:19:40.420 --> 00:19:43.869 opponent values his presence. My coaching lens is that the 362 00:19:43.910 --> 00:19:46.130 front should make the quarterback and the running back solve 363 00:19:46.170 --> 00:19:50.279 connected problems. Compress the space, keep the rush coordinated. and 364 00:19:50.339 --> 00:19:53.819 finish the play without surrendering the assignment when that happens 365 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:56.579 the secondary's job gets easier and the whole defense gains 366 00:19:56.619 --> 00:19:59.440 more options that's the kind of impact i want us 367 00:19:59.480 --> 00:20:03.009 discussing when the next headline about this group arrives now 368 00:20:03.049 --> 00:20:04.990 let's turn the picture around and look at our ram 369 00:20:05.029 --> 00:20:08.650 secondary Today's discussion of Miles Garrett and our Rams' other 370 00:20:08.690 --> 00:20:11.410 defensive availability questions gives us a real reason to talk 371 00:20:11.450 --> 00:20:14.750 about communication, leverage, and the difference between changing a lineup 372 00:20:14.809 --> 00:20:18.069 and changing a coverage plan. A defense isn't simply putting 373 00:20:18.109 --> 00:20:20.609 its best athlete across from the opponent's best athlete and 374 00:20:20.650 --> 00:20:23.809 hoping for the best. The location of the safeties, the 375 00:20:23.849 --> 00:20:26.339 underneath help, the pass rush, and the down and distance 376 00:20:26.390 --> 00:20:28.950 all shape what an individual defender can reasonably be asked 377 00:20:28.970 --> 00:20:33.019 to do. Start with leverage. If a corner is aligned 378 00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:35.519 to discourage an outside release, he may be relying on 379 00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:38.630 help inside. If that help is late or gets pulled away, 380 00:20:38.910 --> 00:20:41.430 the completed pass might look like an isolated defeat when 381 00:20:41.450 --> 00:20:45.069 the larger structure has broken down. The reverse can happen too, 382 00:20:45.250 --> 00:20:47.630 the coverage may be sound, but a defender loses the 383 00:20:47.670 --> 00:20:50.950 leverage he was supposed to maintain. We have to distinguish 384 00:20:50.990 --> 00:20:53.849 those failures before declaring that a particular scheme or player 385 00:20:53.930 --> 00:20:57.329 is the whole problem. Motion makes this even more interesting. 386 00:20:58.230 --> 00:21:00.450 An offense can move a receiver to force the defense 387 00:21:00.490 --> 00:21:04.019 to reveal how it handles the adjustment. Does a defender travel? 388 00:21:04.970 --> 00:21:08.509 Does the secondary pass the assignment across? Does the front 389 00:21:08.549 --> 00:21:11.869 have to reset its strength? There are several valid answers, 390 00:21:12.130 --> 00:21:14.289 but they only work when everybody knows which one is 391 00:21:14.329 --> 00:21:17.730 being used. That's why a personnel change in the secondary 392 00:21:17.750 --> 00:21:20.549 can have consequences that extend to the linebackers and the front. 393 00:21:21.490 --> 00:21:24.150 For our Rams, I'd evaluate Miles Garrett and our Rams' 394 00:21:24.230 --> 00:21:27.509 other defensive availability questions in terms of responsibility as well 395 00:21:27.549 --> 00:21:30.890 as individual talent. Is the new or returning player being 396 00:21:30.950 --> 00:21:33.789 asked to make calls, cover a particular matchup, or handle 397 00:21:33.829 --> 00:21:38.279 a narrower package? Those are different tasks. A veteran may 398 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:41.319 understand the broad concept while still learning the team's terminology 399 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:44.500 and checks. A younger player may know the language well 400 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:48.849 but need help recognizing the opponent's disguise. Good coaching identifies 401 00:21:48.890 --> 00:21:52.609 which challenge is actually present. Now think about the relationship 402 00:21:52.650 --> 00:21:55.730 with the pass rush. A defense that expects the ball 403 00:21:55.769 --> 00:21:58.380 to leave quickly may structure its underneath coverage to crowd 404 00:21:58.410 --> 00:22:01.720 the first window. A defense that needs to protect against 405 00:22:01.779 --> 00:22:03.799 a deep shot may give up a shorter completion and 406 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:07.940 rely on tackling. Neither choice is automatically passive or aggressive. 407 00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:10.880 The useful question is what the defense is trying to 408 00:22:10.920 --> 00:22:13.000 make the offense do, and whether it can live with 409 00:22:13.019 --> 00:22:16.000 that outcome. If it invites a short throw but misses 410 00:22:16.039 --> 00:22:18.839 the tackle, the original plan no longer looks so sensible. 411 00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:21.779 I also want fans to be careful with the phrase 412 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:27.009 busted coverage. Sometimes it's accurate. Sometimes a quarterback makes an 413 00:22:27.069 --> 00:22:31.190 outstanding throw against the intended coverage. Sometimes two routes stress 414

00:22:31.230 --> 00:22:33.630 a defender so effectively that there is no easy answer. 415 00:22:34.569 --> 00:22:37.109 Without the call sheet, we should describe the visible result 416 00:22:37.170 --> 00:22:40.130 and the likely stress rather than pretending certainty about the assignment. 417 00:22:41.069 --> 00:22:43.650 That doesn't make the analysis weaker, it makes the argument 418 00:22:43.670 --> 00:22:48.140 more honest. Here's my viewing challenge. Pick one scoring drive 419 00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:51.119 against our Rams and watch the defense immediately before each snap. 420 00:22:52.059 --> 00:22:55.440 Are players communicating calmly, or are several pointing and shifting late? 421 00:22:56.420 --> 00:22:59.819 After a completion, does the next alignment change? When the 422 00:22:59.900 --> 00:23:03.000 offense repeats a formation, does the defense have a prepared response? 423 00:23:03.970 --> 00:23:06.009 Those clues can tell you whether the group is solving 424 00:23:06.049 --> 00:23:09.549 problems or merely reacting to them. My coaching priority is 425 00:23:09.589 --> 00:23:12.930 to eliminate preventable confusion before chasing a perfect coverage call. 426 00:23:13.869 --> 00:23:16.579 A clear, well-executed answer can be more valuable than an 427 00:23:16.630 --> 00:23:20.299 exotic call that the players can't communicate under pressure. With 428 00:23:20.339 --> 00:23:23.279 Miles Garrett and our Rams' other defensive availability questions in 429 00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:27.279 the news, that's the standard I'd use, clear responsibilities, discipline leverage, 430 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:29.900 and tackling that finishes the job the coverage was designed 431 00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:33.450 to create. Let's finish the deeper analysis with a question 432 00:23:33.490 --> 00:23:35.849 I think every Rams fan can use, what evidence would 433 00:23:35.910 --> 00:23:39.559 actually change your mind? Football conversations get stuck when we 434 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:41.839 decide the answer first and then collect only the plays 435 00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:44.680 that support it. A daily show should help us do 436 00:23:44.700 --> 00:23:48.000 better than that. Today's reporting about our Rams leaning on 437 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:50.859 Corrine Williams and Blake Corum amid receiver absences gives us 438 00:23:50.900 --> 00:23:53.349 specific things to watch, but we need a fair standard 439 00:23:53.380 --> 00:23:56.950 for judging what follows. Start by separating the result from 440 00:23:56.970 --> 00:24:00.750 the process without pretending the result doesn't matter. Wins are 441 00:24:00.809 --> 00:24:04.349 the point. But a narrow win with repeated protection failures 442 00:24:04.390 --> 00:24:08.069 can contain a warning. A narrow loss with improved communication 443 00:24:08.130 --> 00:24:13.289 can contain progress. Neither observation erases the scoreboard. It helps 444 00:24:13.349 --> 00:24:16.630 explain what might happen next. If we only react to 445 00:24:16.650 --> 00:24:19.130 the final score, we lose the chance to understand which 446 00:24:19.190 --> 00:24:23.769 parts of the performance are repeatable. Context matters too. A 447 00:24:23.809 --> 00:24:26.470 player facing a backup is not necessarily proving the same 448 00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:29.730 thing as a player succeeding against a top opponent. A 449 00:24:29.769 --> 00:24:33.690 defense protecting a lead may invite certain completions. An offense 450 00:24:33.730 --> 00:24:36.789 chasing a large deficit may accumulate yards after the competitive 451 00:24:36.809 --> 00:24:40.519 situation has changed. That doesn't mean the snaps are worthless. 452 00:24:41.490 --> 00:24:44.099 It means we should describe the circumstances before turning the 453 00:24:44.140 --> 00:24:47.940 numbers into a sweeping conclusion. For Matthew Stafford, I'd build 454 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:51.779 a small, practical checklist. Was the ball delivered on time 455 00:24:51.819 --> 00:24:55.130 when the first answer was available? Did the offense handle 456 00:24:55.170 --> 00:24:58.519 a repeated pressure more effectively later in the game? Were 457 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:01.960 the negative plays isolated individual defeats or recurring problems that 458 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:05.059 kept appearing? The checklist should be narrow enough that you 459 00:25:05.079 --> 00:25:07.059 can actually track it instead of ending the game with 460 00:25:07.059 --> 00:25:11.220 20 vague impressions. On defense, connect the front and the coverage. 461 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:14.400 If the quarterback had to move, where did he move 462 00:25:14.460 --> 00:25:17.440 and what happened to the throwing window? If a completion 463 00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:19.799 became a large gain, did the coverage concede the short 464 00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:21.900 throw as part of the plan, or was the receiver 465 00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:25.480 open immediately because of confusion? Then look at the tackle. 466 00:25:26.450 --> 00:25:28.950 The same final yardage can come from very different failures, 467 00:25:29.230 --> 00:25:32.789 and those failures demand different corrections. This is also how 468 00:25:32.869 --> 00:25:36.049 I approach rumors. A report about interest is not a 469 00:25:36.089 --> 00:25:40.049 completed transaction. A commentator suggesting a fit's not proof of 470 00:25:40.089 --> 00:25:44.490 a conversation between teams. An anonymous post repeating another anonymous 471 00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:47.279 post doesn't become stronger because it appears in more places. 472 00:25:48.299 --> 00:25:50.579 I want an original reporter, a date, and a clear 473 00:25:50.619 --> 00:25:54.279 statement of what is actually being claimed. If that isn't available, 474 00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:57.019 we can discuss the football idea as our own speculation 475 00:25:57.059 --> 00:26:00.109 without dressing it up as news. The trade deadline has 476

00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:04.289 already passed, which matters when evaluating recycled trade talk. A 477 00:26:04.329 --> 00:26:06.690 story written before the deadline may explain a decision that 478 00:26:06.730 --> 00:26:09.130 was considered then, it doesn't establish that a new trade 479 00:26:09.150 --> 00:26:12.890 can happen now. Contract discussions and future roster planning have 480 00:26:12.910 --> 00:26:15.910 their own timelines. We need to keep the time frame 481 00:26:15.970 --> 00:26:19.769 attached to the claim. That's particularly important for a daily show, 482 00:26:20.109 --> 00:26:22.349 because an old headline can feel new when somebody shares 483 00:26:22.390 --> 00:26:25.480 it again. For our Rams, my current position is that 484 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:28.000 our Rams leaning on Corrine Williams and Blake Corum amid 485 00:26:28.039 --> 00:26:31.319 receiver absences should be judged through the actual role, the execution, 486 00:26:31.480 --> 00:26:34.799 and the response from opponents. If those improve, I will 487 00:26:34.839 --> 00:26:37.859 say so. If a concern keeps showing up, I will 488 00:26:37.900 --> 00:26:41.480 say that too. Excitement about football doesn't require us to 489 00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:44.880 pretend every development is good news. It means we care 490 00:26:44.920 --> 00:26:48.240 enough to examine it properly. Bring that approach into the 491 00:26:48.299 --> 00:26:52.049 next game. Choose a few observable questions, look for evidence 492 00:26:52.109 --> 00:26:54.569 on both sides, and be willing to update the conclusion. 493 00:26:55.470 --> 00:26:58.289 That's how we keep this conversation sharp, useful, and worth 494 00:26:58.349 --> 00:27:01.799 returning to tomorrow. We can love the team, enjoy the drama, 495 00:27:02.019 --> 00:27:05.460 and still demand a clear football argument. That's the standard 496 00:27:05.500 --> 00:27:08.819 Coach Rowe is bringing to this microphone. Let's bring this 497 00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:12.200 back to the Rams before we wrap up. Today's confirmed 498 00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:15.549 developments are the starting point. The deeper question is how 499 00:27:15.609 --> 00:27:18.150 the Rams' leaning on Corrine Williams and Blake Corum amid 500 00:27:18.190 --> 00:27:22.309 receiver absences changes the responsibilities around it. For the offense, 501 00:27:22.529 --> 00:27:25.640 watch the relationship between Matthew Stafford, the protection, and the 502 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:29.200 timing of the receivers. For the defense, watch Miles Garrett 503 00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:32.099 and the Rams' other defensive availability questions, then look at 504 00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:35.480 whether the front-end coverage are solving the same problem. Don't 505 00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:38.309 judge a personnel move by the excitement of the announcement alone. 506 00:27:39.230 --> 00:27:41.609 Judge the role, the execution, and the way the staff 507 00:27:41.650 --> 00:27:45.160 responds when the opponent adjusts. my three questions for the 508 00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:49.500 next edition are straightforward what changed after the final availability 509 00:27:49.539 --> 00:27:54.069 decisions which adjustment became visible on the field and what 510 00:27:54.089 --> 00:27:57.490 did we learn that should change our expectations those are 511 00:27:57.529 --> 00:28:00.930 questions worth following every day if you're talking about this 512 00:28:00.990 --> 00:28:03.529 episode with another fan pick the one decision you think 513 00:28:03.569 --> 00:28:07.130 matters most and explain why that's a much better conversation 514 00:28:07.150 --> 00:28:09.599 than simply predicting that everything will go right or everything 515 00:28:09.619 --> 00:28:13.460 will go wrong Follow NFL Talk, Los Angeles Rams, so 516 00:28:13.480 --> 00:28:15.460 the next Coach Rowe episode is ready when you are. 517 00:28:16.380 --> 00:28:19.259 This is an independent team football discussion, with the original 518 00:28:19.299 --> 00:28:22.190 reporting linked in the notes and coaching opinions clearly separated 519 00:28:22.250 --> 00:28:25.690 from it. I'm Coach Rowe, your fictional football host bringing 520 00:28:25.730 --> 00:28:27.849 a veteran coaching perspective and a whole lot of love 521 00:28:27.890 --> 00:28:31.150 for this game. Keep the passion, keep asking good questions, 522 00:28:31.410 --> 00:28:32.910 and Rams family, let's get to work.