I’m not sure how often I said it during the regular season, but as players walked to the locker room at halftime, I regularly thought to myself "The Defense is keeping us in this game." Rightfully so. Even with a five win swing in the final standings, the Rams offense is certainly no juggernaut, and limiting the damage on the scoreboard was the most likely way of making a game winnable.
The free agency acquisition of former Pro-Bowler Cortland Finnegan was just the first piece to improving 2011’s 22nd ranked defense. Outside linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar was a pleasant - Gregg Williams induced - surprise, and Kendall Langford was brought in from Miami to shore up a defensive front that already had Chris Long and Robert Quinn as bookends.
Add in immediate impact players like 2012’s 14th overall selection Michael Brockers, and Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate [at least as far as I’m concerned] Janoris Jenkins, and you’re looking at a very respectable defensive unit.
So how do the 2011 and 2012 defensive units compare? Clearly, a team that mustered seven wins would dominate in most categories…right? Take a gander:
St. Louis Rams Defense
|
2012
|
2011
|
Total Number of Plays |
1,041 [22nd]
|
1,033 [19th]
|
Opp’s Time of Possession |
31:19 [26th]
|
31:56 [29th]
|
YPG Allowed |
342.6 [14th]
|
358.4 [22nd]
|
Points per Game Allowed |
21.8 [14th]
|
25.4 [26th]
|
TD’s Allowed |
34
|
38
|
Penalties |
90 [T-8th]
|
111 [25th]
|
Penalty Yards |
758 [T-8th]
|
951 [26th]
|
Sacks |
52 [T-1st]
|
39 [15th]
|
Interceptions |
17 [T-11th]
|
12 [23rd]
|
Forced Fumbles |
12 [T-23rd]
|
16 [10th]
|
Defensive Touchdowns |
5 [T-4th]
|
1 [T-31st]
|
Opp’s 1st Downs/Game |
20.4 [22nd]
|
19.6 [18th]
|
Opp’s 3rd Down Conv./G |
5.0 [13th]
|
5.2 [22nd]
|
Opp’s 3rd Down Conv. % |
37.56% [13th]
|
38.60% [19th]
|
Opp’s Punts per Game |
4.6 [12th]
|
5.1 [T-14th]
|