LOS ANGELES — As the Rams prepare for Sunday’s season opener against the Detroit Lions, Chris Shula is still finding his sea legs ahead of his first game as defensive coordinator.
“You’re just getting into the flow,” Shula said. “Even last year, going into being the linebackers coach again, you just kind of get into the flow of the first couple weeks of the season, get into your routine, when you have certain things studied by, when you have things done by. All that type of stuff and just getting into the rhythm of it but enjoying every day.”
Shula, a mainstay of the Sean McVay era in Los Angeles, was elevated to defensive coordinator following Raheem Morris’ departure to be head coach of the Falcons. Shula served under Morris and predecessors Wade Phillips and Brandon Staley the past seven years, learning from their decisions as he waited for his turn.
But, as they say, experience is the best teacher. And as Shula reviewed his own play-call decisions following preseason games last month, some moments from the past gained newfound clarity.
“It’s a little different when you’re the guy suggesting the calls than when you’re the guy actually making the calls. You kind of realize that there’s a lot of ‘aha’ moments that I’ve seen of some quirks that Wade and Staley and Raheem have had,” Shula said. “And I’m like, ‘That’s definitely the reason why they did that thing,’ whether it’s in the preparation or in the game day. But it’s been fun.”
So what weapons does Shula have at his disposal as he leads the Rams’ defense into Detroit? Here’s a quick positional breakdown of the unit.
Defensive line: Kobie Turner, Bobby Brown III, Braden Fiske, Tyler Davis, Desjuan Johnson, Neville Gallimore
Voted a team captain by his teammates, Turner will try to build on his nine-sack season that left him as the runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Turner is expected to play more three- and four-technique this season after primarily…
Read the full article here
