its no longer debatable whether this defense might be...

[hawkfan68]

The LOB had an insane amount of takeaways too (picks and FFs). Led the league with 2.4 per game that season:

View attachment 76203

The LOB was excellent at creating turnovers. This is where this team is a bit behind them. They have some individuals that have been great at it - Dlaw, Ernest Jones, and Bryant. But not like the LOB was.
The starting LOB secondary was made up of players who were ballhawks - Sherman, Thomas, Kam, and Maxwell. I can't point to any player in the secondary and say he's a bonafide ballhawk. Not one. Love is the closest but he's nowhere near Kam or Thomas' category. Witherspoon for all the great things he does, doesn't even have one INT. So far in his career, he only has one INT. He got that in 2023 his rookie year. That's not a ballhawk.

 

[Sperrydogg]

I disagree with your assessment on this. From watching his interviews and radio show, it seems like Mike is setting the direction that he wants the offense to go. He's been pretty clear when the OC wasn't calling plays that fit that direction. No, he's not micromanaging the OC, but he is definitely giving feedback in and after games about the playstyle and he's been very involved in training camp and such directing the overall style.

Grubb didn't follow directions. Grubb is gone.

This ^^^ is what I hope, that Mike does have a vision and the coordinator sees it too, but the creativity and nuances are what the oc brings and so what will it be like changing after good times? How long if we’re successful do we still have Kubiak? And then we start over? I don’t know, I guess that’s just football

 

[sutz]

For something that was supposedly "not really debatable" we have 4+ pages so far.

 

[Hawkstud]

Woah ! Pump the brakes! They are no where near the LOB stat wise. It’s debatable whether they are even the best defense in the league . And they have just faced the murderers row of cam ward and the 32 ranked offense and max brosmer and the 29 ranked offense

I get your enthusiasm , but the LOB was one of the best defenses of all time

Your azz, maybe the secondary isn't laying the wood like the LOB but the defense OVERALL is playing every bit as aggressively.
Given the NOW rules of engagement, Mike Macdonald's defensive scheme and overall aggressiveness is right up there with getting the same results = WINS.

 

[Palmegranite]

The last 4 weeks of the season will be the true tell of the tape. Heck if they can dominate the colts it will be the real barometer

Not really much of a barometer, the Colts losing 3 of their last 4 games.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

But if the Rams or Niners beat the Colts...."great win"

WYKYK

 

[94Smith]

Not really much of a barometer, the Colts losing 3 of their last 4 games.

They are the number one offense. More if the defense could hold them to less than 20

 

[94Smith]

But if the Rams or Niners beat the Colts...."great win"

WYKYK

 

[SoulfishHawk]

 

[RolandDeschain]

View attachment 76219

I don't necessarily disagree with your reaction, but I will point out that you either don't know what it's like when your team isn't one of the few "favorite legacy" teams under the NFL's "darling umbrella", or if you are old enough to have been a teenager or adult fan for the 49ers before Bill Walsh entered the scene, then you've since forgotten how much bias there is to the "golden boys" in the NFL. (Or maybe that era was before this kind of thing really was prevalent, I'm not sure.)

 

[SoulfishHawk]

30 years without a title. F the Niners.

 

[TwistedHusky]

The LOB was unmatched. I read some crazy stat that 25% of opposing drives ended in a turnover. Not sure what time frame or years they measured but if true, that is rare air.

This is a verging on great defense, maybe even great. The LOB was one of the greatest ever.

 

[keasley45]

For something that was supposedly "not really debatable" we have 4+ pages so far.

Just because it's not debatable doesn't mean that people won't debate it. ;-)

 

[themunn]

One thing about the LOB is that I think we were relatively lucky to have few injuries and no major injuries throughout 2012-2014 really.

This year it feels like nearly every player has missed some amount of time - I think maybe B.Murph, Big Cat and Bryant are the only 3 starters to have played all 12 games. Love and Emmanwori have only been on field together for 4 snaps in the first game of the season!

 

[Ramfan128]

Through 12 games, the Rams have allowed less points than Seattle - we've already played the Colts, Niners twice, and we had to play the Eagles while the Seahawks got the Commanders, Seattle has played Arizona twice and we have yet to play them once. The Rams have played 8 games against teams that would currently be in the playoffs (and are 6-2), Seattle has played 4 (and are 1-3)

I don't think its a slam dunk that Seattle has the best defense in the NFC West.

 

[Ramfan128]

This Seahawks defense is nowhere near the LOB and that's not even a reasonable comparison. Given the rule changes between the 80s/90s and 2010s, the LOB is probably the best defense in NFL history

 

[hox]

Through 12 games, the Rams have allowed less points than Seattle - we've already played the Colts, Niners twice, and we had to play the Eagles while the Seahawks got the Commanders, Seattle has played Arizona twice and we have yet to play them once. The Rams have played 8 games against teams that would currently be in the playoffs (and are 6-2), Seattle has played 4 (and are 1-3)

I don't think its a slam dunk that Seattle has the best defense in the NFC West.

While your redzone defense is good, your rush Defense is mid. It can be ran on like we saw in the Panthers game.

 

[Ruminator]

Per PFF, top five defenses in getting the most pressure on opposing QBs. Falcons have to be feeling rather sacrificial this weekend.

 

[Ramfan128]

While your redzone defense is good, your rush Defense is mid. It can be ran on like we saw in the Panthers game.

They do have a solid run game, as does Indy. Two teams the Rams have played that Seattle hasn't. For the season:

Seattle - 23.3 carries for 88.8 YPG, 3.8 YPC
LA - 27.4 carries for 107.8 YPG, 3.9 YPC

For YPC, Seattle is 4th, LA is 9th.

And Seattle has allowed more rushing TDs on the season. Factor in that the Rams have played against Johnathan Taylor who has been an OPOY candidate, Derek Henry and Rico Dowdle - all of whom are in the top ten in rushing yards, while Seattle hasn't played anyone in the top 10 except CMC - who Seattle played once, the Rams have played twice.

 

[hox]

They do have a solid run game, as does Indy. Two teams the Rams have played that Seattle hasn't. For the season:

Seattle - 23.3 carries for 88.8 YPG, 3.8 YPC
LA - 27.4 carries for 107.8 YPG, 3.9 YPC

For YPC, Seattle is 4th, LA is 9th.

And Seattle has allowed more rushing TDs on the season. Factor in that the Rams have played against Johnathan Taylor who has been an OPOY candidate, Derek Henry and Rico Dowdle - all of whom are in the top ten in rushing yards, while Seattle hasn't played anyone in the top 10 except CMC - who Seattle played once, the Rams have played twice.

To your point, we do have Bijan, Taylor and CMC upcoming but I'm not really worried with the way our front has been dominating.

Looking at overall rush yards given up per game including all rushers: