The young Los Angeles Rams defensive front was a force to be reckoned with last season….That is unless teams were running the ball against them. They were the 20th-ranked run defense by both EPA per play and success rate and 21st by DVOA. Even more to the point than advanced metrics, the Rams got destroyed by the Philadelphia Eagles with Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts running the ball. Twice.
While some point to the linebacking corps as the culprit, the Rams addressed this glaring need by adding Poona Ford — the 5’11”, 310-pound defensive tackle who dominated running backs last season for the Los Angeles Chargers. Pro Football Focus graded Ford as the third-best run defender among all interior defensive linemen, behind only Calais Campbell and Dexter Lawrence.
DT Braden Fiske Names Missing Piece At Los Angeles Rams Training Camp
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This wasn’t lost on his new linemate, Braden Fiske. “That guy’s awesome. He works hard, and his film speaks for itself. He’s dominant in the run game. He could be a key piece — maybe even the missing piece we needed. I’m just looking forward to working with him through training camp and seeing what he brings.”
As the old football saying goes, ‘you earn the right to rush the passer by stopping the run.’ Last year, the Rams attempted to do just the opposite, resulting in some tough situations, particularly in high-leverage situations. The defense was ranked 25th on third downs, allowing a success rate of 60 percent on rushing attempts.
But from Fiske’s perspective, Ford also brings a pass rush expertise that may have flown under the radar
“He’s got some juice in the pass game — which I think people overlook. He’s twitchy, he moves well as a rusher, and I’m excited to add him to this front. “
Last year, Ford racked up 25 pressures and three sacks, in addition to his 23 defensive STOPs, tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense.
If the Rams can get back in alignment with stopping the run, it will open up more opportunities for Jared Verse, Kobie Turner, and Fiske to rush the passer — and ultimately that will be a transformative move.
