NFL’s No. 7 defense faces major test in Dallas

[RamWraith]

By Bill Coats 09/28/2007 2:33 pm



The Rams’ defense is ranked seventh in the NFL, but that statistic is a bit misleading. Of the first three foes, only Carolina (12th) ranks in the top half of the league in total offense. Tampa Bay is 22nd and San Francisco 31st.

On Sunday in Dallas, the Rams will square off with the league leader in scoring (38.7 points) and the No. 2 squad in total offense.

“We’ve got a great challenge, because the team we’re playing, they’ve got it all,” defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said. “They can run the ball, they can throw it, they’ve got a great quarterback, two good running backs, good tight ends and receivers. We’ll see where we are after this week.”

***

Coach Scott Linehan bristled slightly when it was suggested earlier this week that his modus operandi on offense is to play it safe.

“I don’t know if my M.O. is to play safe; I think it’s to play smart,” Linehan said. “You have to do both. There’s a happy medium in protecting your quarterback, running the football and being aggressive. We certainly have not achieved that. . . .

“We want to be smart, efficient and explosive. That’s our goal on offense. We have moved the football. We have not put points on the board for a number of reasons. . . . We have to get the ball in the end zone. We’re not looking for field goals. We have to finish the drive with a kick. . . .

“We were one of the better teams scoring in the red zone (in 2006). We finished second in the league scoring inside the red zone. We have not passed that test this year.”

***

Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, who will suit up this week after missing two games with a sprained ankle, gets a kick out of listening to Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens yap during a game. Asked what Owens says, Tinoisamoa said:

“What doesn’t he say? It ranges. If he’s doing good, you’re going to hear a lot from him. When he’s not doing good, you don’t hear from him. Maybe his own teammates might hear from him.”

Tinoisamoa say he limits his barking to his pals in blue and gold. “When I talk, it’s definitely not to the other team. I talk to my own teammates,” he said.

***

Notes & quotes:

>>The Rams haven’t opened 0-4 since 2002. They finished 7-9 that year.

>>CB Fakhir Brown returns next week after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. DT Claude Wroten, banned for the same indiscretion, is back after the Arizona game Oct. 7.

>>WR Torry Holt, on team morale: “I think the atmosphere is really good, very positive. Guys know what we have to do. They understand where we are right now, that we’re 0-3. It’s not a good feeling and everybody wants to extend their play to get things turned around. It’s just a matter of going out on Sundays and making it a reality.”

>>Linehan, on the Cowboys being favored by almost two touchdowns: “We know that we’re heavy underdogs and we’re using that for motivation to go in there and give a great effort. We expect to go down there and be successful.”

All for now. .

[laram0]

1. Panthers = average offense
2. Whiners= less than average offense
3. Buccaneers= somewhere in between the Panthers and Whiners


This will be our first game against a better than average Offense. True yest for our Defense, indeed.

:r:l

[Guam rammer]

That D is supposed to bwe pretty good against the run too!!!

[Goldenfleece]

In week 2, the Buccaneers put up 31 points, 243 yards passing and 87 yards rushing. Their offensive ranking lowered after they played us. Now people are saying that the stats are misleading because their ranking is so low...and their ranking is so low in no small part because they played us. See where I'm going with this?

[Truth]

Coach Scott Linehan
“We want to be smart, efficient and explosive. That’s our goal on offense...

Good thing this isn't baseball. That would be 3 strikes.

[Ram Dragoon]

There is one simple fact of football strategy. Offense wins you the game and the defense keeps you from loosing it, baring a few exceptions here and there to that rule.

The offense hasn't won anything, so the defense hasn't hand anything to prevent. Now if the Rams O scores points and gets a fair lead, then its up to the D to keep that lead. Its football 101 basics

[supachump]

my faith in Linehan drops after just about every quote I read from him.

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

Rams are 7th overall in yards allowed, BUT

28th against the run

21st in points allowed

Being 3rd against the pass is what made us look this good.

I have a bad feeling our rank will drop down quite a bit this week...this cowgirls game could get ugly fast. :\

[RamsFanSam]

I say just shut up and WIN!

[UtterBlitz]

statistics are misleading, but fun to play with. #7 defense means nothing at this point

[Javaman]

The Rams don't have anyone that can cover Owens. Even with the 2 starting corners they would have trouble. Brown would probably be the best match up. I can't imagine with 3,4 & 5. I fear Owens is going to make a hi-lite reel out of this game and there isn't a thing the Rams can do to stop it.