After setting the record for the most losses by a defending Super Bowl champion last season, the Los Angeles Rams clinched a playoff spot this season with a 10-7 mark.
And a lot of the team’s success is due to the surprising play by the team’s young defense.
The Rams’ defense had a lot of key performers this season, many of whom were kids.
Rookie defensive tackle Kobie Turner tied Aaron Donald for the rookie franchise record for sacks in a season.
And third-year linebacker Ernest Jones set the franchise record for total tackles in a season.
All of this was not necessarily expected, and is due in no small part to defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.
It’s been awesome because we kind of started the process, right?” Morris said recently.
“Last year at the end we got to see some young people go out there and play with the same football team that we planned coming up here.
Some of those guys have emerged as…whether we want to call it leaders, or guys that kind of hold the banner high.
And to watch those guys grow in the offseason and to watch them really earn their respect from themselves, from their teammates, from their coaches, to put themselves in the position to go out there and play, it has been absolutely outstanding.”
