The Los Angeles Rams defense went back to school this offseason. They took graduate-level classes on fronts and coverages, received their diploma and have now taken the league by storm with a modern, almost collegiate, approach to defense.
Brandon Staley, who served as a college defensive coordinator as recently as 2016, was brought in during the offseason to replace the veteran Wade Phillips, and the results have been stunning so far. They have suffocated offenses en route to a 5-2 record and are the NFL's third-ranked defense in expected points added (EPA) allowed per play.