[Elvis]

Rams Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley – Media Availability – October 22, 2020

(On what DL A'Shawn Robinson can bring to the defense)
“He's an experienced player in the league. We feel like he fits our style of defensive lineman that we're looking for. A guy that can really play. He can play nose, he can play defensive end in our base packages, he can also play either the two defensive tackle spots and sub defense, so we feel like he gives us some versatility, gives us some size and some experience. I'm certainly excited to have him back and what a great story, him really just competing so hard to get back. It's been a long journey, just really proud of the way he's competed to get back and it's never easy when you're going through something like that, where there's a lot of unknowns and just a big thanks to (Vice President, Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie Scott, (Manager, Sports Science/ Assistant Athletic Trainer) Tyler (Williams), all those guys, all of our training staff for getting him back well."

(On if he had this game circled in his calendar for a while or if he is trying to stay in a tunnel this week)
"This isn't uncommon in the NFL, where you go play teams that you've been a part of before. I think in the NFL, every week is so important, regardless of who you play. I know it'll be good to see a lot of those guys, the players that I was fortunate to coach because, the truth is, they're one of the biggest reasons why I'm in this role. Guys like (DT) Akiem Hicks, (DB) Kyle Fuller, (LB) Khalil Mack, (LB) Danny Trevathan (LB) Roquan Smith, (DB) Eddie Jackson, all those guys are deeply responsible for me having this opportunity. I love those guys. I have the utmost respect for them and it's going to be exciting to compete against them."

(On the Rams offense having trouble against the Bears in the past and if he feels his presence on the staff will alleviate that)
"No, I don't think (Head Coach) Sean (McVay) needs a lot of help from me. I just need to do my part as the defensive coordinator. I would say that, that game that people allude to in 2018, that was a great ball game. That happens in the NFL when you have two teams like that playing in the cold. It was a defensive game that night and I think that we certainly played a really good game that night. I think that last year, I'm not privy to everything that went into that game, but I know that it was a hard fought game and that big games in the NFL tend to go like that when you've got two great teams going against each other. Not every game is going to be a high fly, high-wire act. They're tough, tight games and I think that that's kind of what happened in both those games that I was a part of and then last year against this team. It's a really good defense. They've got tremendous personnel, guys that have played a lot together and that's how it is sometimes. You get into these low scoring games, but excited to see what we can do this week."

(On the defense allowing fewer points in the second half and what has allowed the defensive coaching staff to make those adjustments at halftime)
"Yeah, just credit to our players. I think we've executed at a high level coming out of the second half. I think sometimes when you get to see an offense for a half, you get a real strong sense of how they're trying to attack you and then now you're able to apply the game plan, maybe flip the script a little bit, get to some things that maybe you weren't able to get to in the first half, but it comes down to execution of your assignment and your technique. I think that we've got a group of players that is very confident in one another. They know that it's a long game. I think that they trust our preparation and training during the week. We've been able to go out in the second half of games and really play winning football and that's kind of what you're after, is as a competitor to play your best at the end and we've been able to do that to this point."

(On tackling)
"We've got to be more aggressive, I think. We certainly emphasize it, we drill it. I think we've had guys in position, so I don't think it's a schematic deal. I just think we've got to be a little bit more aggressive at the finish. I think that that mindset of really being physical on the finish, getting as many guys as we can to the football, so if a guy misses, we're there for another physical finish, but I think we've just got to be more aggressive. I think at the beginning of that game, we were a little off and didn't have the same energy that our entire team is capable of having, that we've displayed, and I think that it showed in that first half. But just I think being aggressive and playing with energy will fix a lot of those issues."

(On how you infuse that aggressiveness)
"I think during the week, making sure during the week that our guys are fresh and energized. So much of the NFL, when you go through parts of the season like this, it's just these guys feeling well rested and healthy and then just feeling really confident in the game plan. It's just a combination of things and then our guys have got to bring it. We all have got to bring it when the lights go on and so I think that we've got to be tapped in. When you play a really good opponent, like we played last Sunday night, you've got to be tapped in from the beginning and I think that there is no margin for error when you play against great teams and I think that when got off to that slow start, it could be traced back to the energy and we know that that's a big component of getting off to a good start, is just coming out with the right energy, with the right mindset, not trying to feel your way at the beginning of the game. You make sure that you're going to happen to the beginning of the game, not let the game happen to you. It will be a point of emphasis for sure this week."

(On what opponents do to try to limit DL Aaron Donald)
"You take each individual opponent and you kind of say, ‘Okay, this is their style of play. These are the runs, the protection schemes that we think they could deploy to try and mitigate some of the risks of having (DL) Aaron (Donald) impact the game.’ So, every week, you’ve got to take the identity of that opponent and say, ‘Okay, these are the ways that we think that they're going to try and mitigate the risk of Aaron Donald making a bunch of plays.’ Last week was (San Francisco 49ers), I think we had a really strong sense that there were going to be a lot of perimeter runs away from him and a lot of quick passing game early, screens, things of that nature. That’s exactly what we faced. I think in the second half, when we were able to get into rhythm, we were able to get him a lot more opportunities. We did get him isolated in pass protection several times when it became more of a third-down game in the second half. I thought he played a nice game against the run. We needed to play better around him in the run game in the first part of that game in the first and second quarter. It would have created more opportunities for him. Unfortunately, we didn't get that done, but we spent a lot of time thinking about that for sure.”

(On if he has ever coached someone who has received a similar amount of attention)
“(Bears OLB) Kahlil (Mack) and (Broncos LB) Von (Miller) certainly garner that type of attention. It's a little bit different on the perimeter. They actually can take care of an edge player a little bit more easily than an inside guy. So, where you see a lot of the scheme for Aaron is in the run game. He sees more scheme in the run game than an edge player would. Where an edge player gets more passing-game attention than maybe an inside guy would. But certainly, we’re aware of all the ways different teams have tried to block them. You have an inventory of his whole career now, certainly the last three or four years since he's been the premier player in the league. So, you just study that really closely and every week that's the fight is trying to get him as many opportunities as possible.”

(On Head Coach Sean McVay joking about his use of 2018 film as teach tapes)
“He's really tough on himself about that night. As you know, he takes full ownership for everything that happens and that's one of the strengths of him as a leader. That's why it's so amazing to work with someone like that as the full ownership that he has, in the good times and the bad times. But specifically, in the tough times, I know the ownership that he took from a game like that. I think that as a competitor, you're always trying to learn from your experiences. I think that night, he learned a lot about himself. He learned a lot about his team, and I know that after that game, the Rams played really, really well and ended up getting into the playoffs and going to the Super Bowl. I would say that he learned quite well from that night and put his team in a position to be successful. I think that what you saw, as much as (Head Coach) Sean (McVay) impacted the league or offensively, what he's done is impacted the game defensively. People engineering an entire defensive structure to try and stop him. It's no easy task when every week you're facing possibly a new defense that’s trying to stop you. I think that’s the great thing about working with him is just that collaborative, that creative process, ‘Hey, how can we put our guys in the best positions to be successful?’ I think that ultimately that's what brought us together.”

(On his week of preparation when facing the Rams in 2018)
“It was stressful, I know that. It was a stressful week of practice. That’s the best way I can say it. It was stressful. It was a hard week of preparation. We knew that between the scheme and the players that we were going to have to defend, that we were going to have to be up against it. When you're going against guys like (Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach) Aaron Kromer and their offensive line, (Tight Ends Coach) Wes Phillips and his tight ends, and then (Wide Receivers Coach) Eric Yarber, his receivers, (RB Todd) Gurley (II) running the ball, (QB) Jared (Goff) throwing it. I mean, we knew we were up against it. But, the key to that game was our players. When you have Kahlil Mack, when you have (DL) Akiem Hicks, (DL) Eddie Goldman, (Bears CB) Kyle Fuller, (Bears S) Eddie Jackson, (Bears LB) Roquan Smith, (Bears OLB) Danny Trevathan, our players came to play that night. This is a players’ league. Our players rose to the occasion that night. That's the key to any game, is your players playing at a high level.”

(On how similar the Rams defense compared to his time with the Bears)
“I didn't get the chance to study them that closely last year. Certainly, with (OLB) Leonard (Floyd) being here, I'm aware of maybe a couple of the differences. I know (Broncos Head Coach) Vic (Fangio) and (Bears Defensive Coordinator) Chuck (Pagano) worked together in the past. I think that they're stylistically going to be different. They're different people and so certainly, there are going to be some changes. I would say that the strength of our team when I was there was those players. Those players are all still there. So, I think stylistically, there are certainly some similarities. I think at the heart of the success, our success, when I was there are these guys and it's a really outstanding group of players.”

(On whether scheme doesn’t matter as much as personnel)
“No, I think obviously it’s a combination of both. I think that those guys are well coached with that group. I mean, they were really good last season on defense and they're really good this season on defense. So certainly, that group of defensive coaches is doing an outstanding job coaching them and those players have bought completely into whatever it is new that that they're doing. But I think they've got a really good culture there on defense. I think that that's as responsible for anything.”

(On how QB Nick Foles has impacted the Bears offense)
“He's really experienced. He's been through a lot as an NFL player. Been through a lot of different teams, played in a lot of different systems. Certainly, his playoff experience. I think that he's steady, calm. You can see that he operates that system with confidence, because he's been in that offense before at two different organizations. He has a relationship with the head coach and play caller. So, I think that he just gives them that steady, calm presence. He’s certainly operating well since he's taken over as the starter and you can see that offense is playing with confidence.”

(On takeaways from the 2018 matchup between Rams and Bears)
“There were a lot of good plays that night for us. I think that we try to take plays from all the good games that we play, or all the teachable moments, good and bad. They had some plays open now in that game too that they missed and it could have gone different had they hit them. I think that that's something that you also are aware of, ‘Hey, that result may have been than what it was, but there were a lot of things on that tape that we didn't like that we had to correct moving forward.’ Certainly, there was something to learn from that game. It was a big game and certainly because of Sean and that offense. You could because so much of the league has trended towards how Sean is playing. There was a lot to teach off of him from that game and we were fortunate to play well in that.”

[Elvis]

[aeneas1]

well 179 of the 265 "experts" have weighed in so far and 75% pick the rams over the bears...

[aeneas1]

the 7-6 rams hosted the 11-2 bears on mnf in 1988 and took them to the woodshed 23-3 even tho slim jim threw 3 picks and booked a 52.7 qb rating:

[Hacksaw]

Nice pass from "Slim" Jim

[snackdaddy]

I'll be honest, I think this is the week we finally find out who this years Rams really are.

At this point I have no idea who we really are. Are we the team that was a questionable pass interference call from starting 5-0? Or are we the team that was another questionable pass interference call from being 3-3?

Are we the team that put up 32 second half points against Buffalo? Or are we the team that gave up 28 first half points against Buffalo? Are we the team that pressured Washington's quarterbacks all day? Or are we the team that couldn't tackle 49er ball carriers?

I don't know if we can beat the Bears. Our offense struggles at times. Bears have a good defense. Our defense struggles at times. Bears don't have a good offense. But if the Rams tackle like they did against SF it will be a long day.

Bottom line, our defense cannot get off to a slow start like they've done several times this season. Playing catch up will play right into the teeth of the Bears defense.

[Hacksaw]

After Sunday's NFCW results, it's a must win for the Rams on MNF. No more crapping the bed on National TV thanks.

A tie tonight would have made for an even more interesting division.

[ramsman34]

Ya. I was hoping for the tie. Oh well. Seattle coming back to the pack is a good thing.

[Elvis]

[Elvis]