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It's clear to anyone who follows the Rams that Jeff Fisher has been building a defensive powerhouse since coming to St. Louis. Fisher has used every opportunity to upgrade his defensive unit - sometimes neglecting other needs in the process. The process is starting to pay off though, as the Rams are starting to get recognition for having one of the premier Defenses in the NFL.
Yesterday, Fansided power ranked every defense in the NFL. The Rams came in behind the Sehawks (1), Chiefs (2), Bills (3), and Jets (4). While I don't agree with the Bills being above the Rams, it's tough to complain about being 5th. Here is what they had to say about the Rams D.
5. St. Louis Rams
Every year, the Rams are one of the teams that everyone talks about as a darkhorse pick. St. Louis has that tag again after acquiring Nick Foles and subsequently signing him to a two-year extension worth $24 million. However, if the Rams are finally going to get back to the playoffs for the first time in a decade, it must be on the back of their stellar defense.
Everything centers around the front four. While Alec Ogletree, James Laurinaitis and Jo-Lunn Dunbar are a fine trio of linebackers, they are allowed to roam because of the line. Robert Quinn and Chris Long are two of the finest defensive ends in the business. Long only played in one game last year before landing on injured reserve, so getting him back is a huge plus. On the interior, general manager Les Snead signed Nick Fairley to a one-year deal, only getting stronger with second-year star Aaron Donald next to him.
This group will need to dominate and get to quarterbacks in short order, because the secondary is young and still very inconsistent. T.J. McDonald shows flashes with good athleticism but needs work, while Janoris Jenkins is very much a feast or famine player. Still, the Rams are in great shape with a dominant front.
The primary argument for having the Rams higher would be their depth. The Rams arguably have the deepest defensive depth chart in the league. Save for Safety, they have backups capable of starting at every position. Toss in that this group is still extremely young and developing their craft, they could very well end up higher than 5th by the end of the 2015 season.