The Los Angeles Rams fell in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs last season, on the road in a blizzard against the Philadelphia Eagles. But it wasn’t Mother Nature that beat them — it was the unstoppable running of Eagles star Saquon Barkley. That performance has stuck with the Rams defenders and Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula ever since.
I wouldn’t call it depression, disappointment, or frustration. It’s more like a mental search to crack the code of Barkley’s running. Like an NFL version of a Rubik’s cube, the Rams defense has spent plenty of time thinking about how to counter that offensive line and relentless ground game they couldn’t stop last season.