clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

The 2012 St. Louis Rams Will Stalk Mediocrity The Defensive Way

The St. Louis Rams are going to try to boring their way into competition on the back of their defense in 2012.

By Dan Moore
June 12, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long (91) during minicamp at ContinuityX Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE
June 12, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long (91) during minicamp at ContinuityX Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

In the absence of more convincing news to the contrary, I'm willing to go out on a limb and posit that the St. Louis Rams' strategy for the 2012 season is a lot like the one I employ when I'm outclassed in a sport, or a videogame, or a videogame sport: Stall. Hold the ball, play defense as stiflingly as possible, and hope that when the clock runs mercifully down the other team had one fewer opportunity to score than you did. Jeff Fisher (and Steve Spagnuolo) have built up a critical mass of young defensive competence, headed by Chris Long and joined most recently by NFL Draft picks Janoris Jenkins and Michael Brockers and free agent acquisition Cortland Finnegan.

It makes sense. These guys are going to be on the field a lot, if last year is any indication, so they'll get plenty of experience. And in general, if your offense isn't as good as your competitors' it makes sense to reduce the opportunities each side has and hope luck takes its course.

Of course, it's also going to be excruciatingly boring, but as much as I was in favor of the Rams hiring Josh McDaniels last year, I have to admit that a boring 8-8 team would be more interesting, in the short term, than an exciting 4-12 team.