LOS ANGELES — On the few occasions this year when Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula had to address his young defense after a no-two-ways-about-it, disappointing performance, he’s never felt like he’s had to deviate from his usual, soft-spoken approach at the lectern.
“This isn’t a group that you feel like you have to go in and get after them so much because they want to do so well,” Shula explained. “They want to play so well and it’s about us just kind of working with them, trying to put them in the best position, and coming up with the best game plan possible.”
Three times this season, the Rams have allowed opponents to score 30 or more points. After the first, they held the 49ers to 24 points and earned their first win of the season. After the second, they limited the Saints to two touchdowns in a bounce-back win. After the third, they kept the Niners out of the end zone.
With that latter performance, the Rams (8-6) extended their current winning streak to three games, and claimed a share of the NFC West lead.
As the Rams look to continue their playoff push Sunday against the New York Jets (4-10), it’s hard to overlook the young defense’s resilience as a factor for why this team is in this position. As the offense struggled to string together consistent performances in the early weeks of the season, Shula’s group never allowed their own growing pains to snowball into an irrevocable disaster.
“I think a lot of it comes to trust within our own ability, trust within each other and then trust within the coaches putting us in great positions to make plays,” safety Quentin Lake said. “We had our ups and downs, but coming after, let’s say, a performance that we didn’t really like, how can we lock in on the week that we have at hand? We’ve kind of taken that to heart and really trust in all aspects of it.”
Entering the last three games of the season, the defense will start out with a unique challenge against the Jets.
Despite its record, New York is not in need of playmakers. Breece Hall is one of the preeminent running backs in the NFL today. Garrett Wilson is one of the more talented receivers out there, and he lines up alongside the veteran Davante Adams, an elite route runner.
Running the show is former MVP Aaron Rodgers. The veteran quarterback looked like he was still playing himself into game shape early in the season, a year removed from an Achilles tear.
But the past two weeks, Rodgers has started to look closer to his old self. He’s completed 62.3% of his passes for 628 yards and four touchdowns, without an interception. And he’s started to flash his ability to create outside of the pocket.
“Obviously the off-schedule stuff has always been a big part of his game, and it looks like definitely these last three weeks he’s really moving around a lot better,” Shula said. “Kind of looks like himself and it’s going to be a great challenge. You can see he’s feeling good, he’s fine.”
Coming into the game, the Rams have a clean bill of the health. Not a single player is listed as even questionable this weekend, a dramatic turn of events given how crowded the team’s injured reserve list looked in September.
“You don’t take it for granted,” head coach Sean McVay said.
With all options on the table, the Rams defense will be ready for whatever Rodgers and the Jets have in store, and to respond if they have to make up for earlier mistakes.
“They just stay locked in,” Shula said. “It’s a young group but it’s a mature group that wants to prepare, wants to go out and play hard, and do everything to put themselves in a position to play good defense.”
RAMS (8-6) at NEW YORK JETS (4-10)
When: 10 a.m. PT Sunday
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
TV/Radio: CBS Ch. 2/710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 385, 230