Rams Defensive Depth Chart

[Iron Mike]

We may be looking at some familiar faces come Sunday.....


LDE

Chris Long C.J. Ah You

LDT

Fred Robbins Darell Scott

RDT

Justin Bannan Gary Gibson

RDE

James Hall Eugene Sims Robert Quinn

SLB

Brady Poppinga Bryan Kehl


MLB

James Laurinaitis Josh Hull

WLB

Ben Leber Chris Chamberlain Jabara Williams

LCB

Justin King Josh Gordy Rod Hood

RCB

Al Harris

SS

Craig Dahl Darian Stewart

FS

Quintin Mikell James Butler

[hoosier]

Poppinga trying to cover Finley, Al trying to cover Jennings. Yikes.

[bobblehead]

I'm cheering for an Al Harris shutting down GJ while we still run up 50 points against the rest of the rams defense.

[vince]

Al should get some serious props from the GB faithful and the players before the game. He'll always be a great Packer. During the game, not so much.

[sheepshead]

Matt Flynn will torch this group.

[Joemailman]

Rams biggest problem has been their run defense. Worst in the league at about 180 YPG. They've held opposing QB's to 54% completion percentage, although they've given up 8 TD passes vs. just 3 INT's.

[vince]

Rams biggest problem has been their run defense. Worst in the league at about 180 YPG. They've held opposing QB's to 54% completion percentage, although they've given up 8 TD passes vs. just 3 INT's.
Joe bringin' it. Thanks man.

[Upnorth]

Al should get some serious props from the GB faithful and the players before the game. He'll always be a great Packer. During the game, not so much.

I hope there is a ton of respect given this packer great.

[hoosier]

Rams biggest problem has been their run defense. Worst in the league at about 180 YPG. They've held opposing QB's to 54% completion percentage, although they've given up 8 TD passes vs. just 3 INT's.

True, but we should also look at who they've played and situations. Both Vick and Grossman had mediocre passing days against them, whereas Eli and Flacco had good success (Manning completed two thirds of his attempts, Flacco threw for almost 400). If things go as expected for the Packers, Rodgers probably won't put up big numbers either.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Matt Flynn will torch this group.

El Oh El

[Fritz]

The Packer faithful will give it up big for Al before the game, then boo lustily as he grabs Greg Jennings during a route.

[Joemailman]

True, but we should also look at who they've played and situations. Both Vick and Grossman had mediocre passing days against them, whereas Eli and Flacco had good success (Manning completed two thirds of his attempts, Flacco threw for almost 400). If things go as expected for the Packers, Rodgers probably won't put up big numbers either.

On paper, it looks like an easy day for the Packer offense. How do you stop Finley if the LB's and SS are concerned about the run threat? And we saw against Denver what when a defense concentrates on Finley.

[Pugger]

I hope there is a ton of respect given this packer great.

I'm sure he'll get a warm reception from Packer nation. :-)

[rbaloha1]

Poppinga trying to cover Finley, Al trying to cover Jennings. Yikes.

Agreed. Expect the Packers to exploit.

BP is playing better -- scheme seems to fit BP's play.

[ThunderDan]

Agreed. Expect the Packers to exploit.

BP is playing better -- scheme seems to fit BP's play.

I agree.

Poop plays much better as a 4-3 Sam than a 3-4 OLB.

[Fritz]

So is this the game in which MM has so much confidence in his team's superior talent that he works on the running game by calling it oftener than he has? For the obvious purpose of exploiting another team's weakness, but for the less obvious purpose of practicing the run-blocking and the - what the hell do they call it now? - "capturing of aiming points"?

What the hell does that mean, anyway?

[KYPack]

So is this the game in which MM has so much confidence in his team's superior talent that he works on the running game by calling it oftener than he has? For the obvious purpose of exploiting another team's weakness, but for the less obvious purpose of practicing the run-blocking and the - what the hell do they call it now? - "capturing of aiming points"?

What the hell does that mean, anyway?

It's new terminology for an ancient concept.

One safety is the deepest of the deep. It's his job to make a pre-snap read. Are they gonna run or pass? Which way are they gonna do that? Then the safety gets the boys lined up.

At the snap, you read your keys, the TE, the backs, and the QB, if you have that much time. Then, you commit yourself. Support the run, give help, or cover.

We used to call it "Read your keys, then play the reads". Don't second guess yourself, do the right thing and make it snappy.

Now they call it aiming points, referring to committing yourself to your reads.

Like... read, aim, fire.

Or something like that.

[pbmax]

Al Harris IS the depth chart at RCB. I have this hope that Al will be a Rams Captain and get an introduction at Lambeau so the crowd can give him some proper respect.

KY, I think Fritz was recalling an article about Starks hitting his aiming points, meaning, run where you are supposed to and stop dancing and wanting to be cute. And like aiming points for KY's safety, that means knowing the play call, the D front, the steps you are supposed to run toward and along the line, then read the blocking to either press play side or cut back.

The press the line is what Grant still does better than Starks. If he can't find a cutback, he presses into the line very close to the O lineman and pushes til a crease appears and then wedges into it. Kind of like a burrowing rodent, but I mean that with a tremendous positive connotation. :)

[rbaloha1]

Starks leaves too many yards on the field. Needs to slow down and read blocks better. After watching recent AP highlights, Starks should not be in a conversation comparing to AP.

[KYPack]

Al Harris IS the depth chart at RCB. I have this hope that Al will be a Rams Captain and get an introduction at Lambeau so the crowd can give him some proper respect.

KY, I think Fritz was recalling an article about Starks hitting his aiming points, meaning, run where you are supposed to and stop dancing and wanting to be cute. And like aiming points for KY's safety, that means knowing the play call, the D front, the steps you are supposed to run toward and along the line, then read the blocking to either press play side or cut back.

The press the line is what Grant still does better than Starks. If he can't find a cutback, he presses into the line very close to the O lineman and pushes til a crease appears and then wedges into it. Kind of like a burrowing rodent, but I mean that with a tremendous positive connotation. :)


I saw the terminolgy used in an article in JSO about Burnette. Morgan stated he was trying to improve hitting his aiming points. It could be used on either side of the ball. Back in the ancient time I played, they talked about hitting your run fills. Now they call it "run fits". Most of the game is the same, the terms change to keep it fresh, I guess.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The press the line is what Grant still does better than Starks. If he can't find a cutback, he presses into the line very close to the O lineman and pushes til a crease appears and then wedges into it. I think Starks does OK with this, although maybe I underpreciate Grant's mole talents that you so admire. Where Grant appears to have the edge is getting to the hole quicker. Starks is still thinking too much. If Starks does get through the defensive line, he seems to run on instinct and do fine.

[Fritz]

I was just thinking about the furor over Al Harris's release last year, and the clamoring to re-sign him as the dime back. The thinking against it was that it was a bad idea because Harris does not play Special Teams.

So riddle me this: If you rate them strictly as defensive backs and how they are playing right now, who would you rather have as your dime back: Al Harris or Jarrett Bush???

[SkinBasket]

Why would Al Harris sign to play dime when he can start somewhere else?

[Fritz]

That's not the question. Answer the question! Answer me! Answer me!

[rbaloha1]

Releasing AH was obviously the correct decision. Tramon and Sam were ready for prime time and played at a high level.

[CaliforniaCheez]

I like to see former Packers employed in the NFL when they are no longer good enough to still be Packers.

[rbaloha1]

I was just thinking about the furor over Al Harris's release last year, and the clamoring to re-sign him as the dime back. The thinking against it was that it was a bad idea because Harris does not play Special Teams.

So riddle me this: If you rate them strictly as defensive backs and how they are playing right now, who would you rather have as your dime back: Al Harris or Jarrett Bush???

Lets wait until after the game. Its tough to answer since AH is better in press coverage and JB is better in zones.