The RAMS Forum

Given what the Rams have to defend in the secondary & our recent loss to Carolina, what approach may Shula employ on Saturday ? We tackled poorly vs the run in the first game loss and our CB repeatedly were beaten by taller Carolina WR ( twice for TD in 4th down throws). They also played keep away with our O by employing a very solid run game and winning TOP. Not a time to talk about what we are lacking in our D - but what changes are needed ? Our CB are short ,slow and do not cover or tackle very well - they have a deep group of TALL jump ball winning WRs and a few hard running RB. I assume we will play better @ LOS , tackle better & do a better job getting them off the field on 3rd downs - but - anyone see a different approach available to Shula that he may actually employ ? Weather long range does not appear to be a huge factor.

Start with zone-match. If this falls apart go to cover 1. The point is does the zone coverage work? Or has it worked? Nickel and or dime appears soft especially with quick pass game. Are we too focused on preventing big pass play as we are picked apart.

You tell me can a secondary that utilizes zone 70-80% of time change to man-to-man approach.

the answer is for our offense to get a lead and play off that

Too late in the season for a Defensive schematic adjustment; as you noted, CBs must make tackles. DL must not take any plays off.

We need to put their QB on the turf.

Our Offense must score in the Red Zone; enter Adams.

It depends, Shula will made a call. More likely cover 3 zone, or Tampa cover 2 and Q makes what ever adjustments that are needed to counter what ever Carolina audibles into.

This is where Q with the green dot is so important. He has to get everyone lined up so no one is covering grass

They killed us on 3rd down conversion rate and we turned the ball over 3 times. They had zero TO's. And we almost beat them. Tighten up on 3rd down and don't turn the ball over and we should win easy. Like all 5 of our loses - we beat ourselves. If we don't shoot ourselves in the foot we should be good to go...

Claremontram wrote: ↑January 6th, 2026, 8:26 pm Too late in the season for a Defensive schematic adjustment; as you noted, CBs must make tackles. DL must not take any plays off.

We need to put their QB on the turf.

Our Offense must score in the Red Zone; enter Adams.

This^ in regards to there isn’t going to be all of a sudden this new scheme.

The “scheme” is going to be stop the run like you have most of the season other than against this team, contain Young as a runner, get to him as much as possible, because your secondary isn’t going to all of a sudden become good coverage players. We need to come to the realization this secondary is going to continue to give it up. Again it is not a scheme issue but a talent issue……….

Offense must score period……..

I’m pretty sure the game plan is called “don’t play like crap again.”

Might be that simple Big K - clearly we are in the “new” season and working with what we have is all you can do. I am of the school of thought that feels Lake can be a very big plus with his savvy presence back there.

We will play to not give up the big play...that's all these guys can do back there. It failed last time and they were torched. I expect to give a big cushion and play zone. See if Bryce can pick us apart with 10 yard passes. I think it will be very hard to watch- that's what I expect. We just need to score and keep long drives going. Keep TOP and of course, limit turnovers. This will be the theme. Win a shootout, keep the D off the field, and protect the ball. Not a very far fetched idea. But I do expect to be picked apart on short/mid passes.

They had two BS 4th and shorts converted into long TDs on us. Was a flukey game. Those TDs, pick 6, two other turnovers including one. In end zone on a deflection.

It seems like they wanted to run and get Young in manageable distances.

crazy-legs wrote: ↑January 6th, 2026, 9:06 pm They killed us on 3rd down conversion rate and we turned the ball over 3 times. They had zero TO's. And we almost beat them. Tighten up on 3rd down and don't turn the ball over and we should win easy. Like all 5 of our loses - we beat ourselves. If we don't shoot ourselves in the foot we should be good to go...

You are right we beat ourselves 4 out of the 5 games ATL wasn't missed FGs, ST breakdowns or Ints/Fumbles but we cant let teams back when we are up by 14 or 16 in the 3rd or 4th.

We won't need the D if we don't turn it over. Carolina averages 18 points a game or something like that and won't outscore us if we play clean.
I doubt they're going to get all the breaks they did last meeting too, 3 TO's including a Pick Six, two 4th down gambles that got them two 40+ yard TD's, and starting every drive on the 35 because our kicker was instructed to boot it into the EZ or so it seems. Only once did that happen last week. We actually kept the Cards inside the 30, 3 times on KO's including once inside the 20. We'll see what the Panthers got now.
Stuff the run and their O is done! I'll bet we have more motivation then them because of that disastrous last meeting.
The Panthers are gonna get spanked imo.

Rampager66 wrote: ↑January 7th, 2026, 1:01 pm We won't need the D if we don't turn it over. Carolina averages 18 points a game or something like that and won't outscore us if we play clean.
I doubt they're going to get all the breaks they did last meeting too, 3 TO's including a Pick Six, two 4th down gambles that got them two 40+ yard TD's, and starting every drive on the 35 because our kicker was instructed to boot it into the EZ or so it seems. Only once did that happen last week. We actually kept the Cards inside the 30, 3 times on KO's including once inside the 20. We'll see what the Panthers got now.
Stuff the run and their O is done! I'll bet we have more motivation then them because of that disastrous last meeting.
The Panthers are gonna get spanked imo.

“ Only once did that happen last week. We actually kept the Cards inside the 30, 3 times on KO's including once inside the 20. ”

This^ is so damn important…………….