The Fight for L.A. is off to a terrific start, for the Los Angeles Rams.
Spanos executives in San Diego coined and trumpeted the Fight For L.A. slogan last year upon announcing relocation of their NFL team north, but it was the Rams who reached the Super Bowl tournament while Team Spanos fell short for the seventh time in eight years.
Not only were the Rams good enough to win the NFC West under a rookie head coach, they put on an exciting show at 30 points per game, best in the league.
How good would the Rams be, if their defense could earn its keep?
Rams opponents may found out this season now that General Manager Les Snead has acquired defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and other notable defenders.
Suh, who reached terms on a contract Monday, was a cut above average last year, as was Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters, the cornerbacks Snead traded for this month.
They join a defense headed by Aaron Donald, widely considered the best defensive tackle in the league.
Coordinator Wade Phillips, entering his second season in L.A., is the defensive schemer who oversaw a Denver defense that led the Broncos to a Super Bowl upset victory three years ago.
With tackles Donald and Suh working side by side, the Rams should mount the up-the-gut pressure that quarterbacks say is the threat most difficult to counter, said former NFL guard and tackle Rich Ohrnberger.
The former blocker deemed Suh, due to strong hips that power a renowned bull rush, “impossible” for most blockers to stop cold.
“You are going to be retreating in some fashion,” said the former New England Patriots and Chargers player. “He is such a ferocious guy. And that motor comes into play. If there is an opportunity, he will find a way to disengage.”
More disruptive than Suh as a pass rusher, the quick, efficient Donald, 26, is able to slice into the backfield against guards and centers yet also can overpower them.
So, because either Suh and Donald will command a double team in many instances, the Rams are largely assured of having one of the two working against only one interior blocker.
“The Rams saw that they were going to have to play against (49ers quarterback) Jimmy Gar0ppolo twice a year and said, ‘We had better make him uncomfortable,’ and Suh and Donald should do that nicely,” said Ohrnberger, an afternoon host with San Diego’s 1360-AM.
Fundamentals are a hallmark of defenses coached by Phillips, the coordinator of the San Diego team that in 2006 led the NFL in sacks and went 14-2.
Ohrnberger envisages the defensive front being sound and stout enough to free up Rams linebackers to stuff the run, yet also so disruptive against the pass that defensive backs can be opportunistic.
At 31, Suh is past the typical peak years for a defensive tackle. He’s less apt to sack the quarterback than to hurry him or create a lane for a teammate to make the big play.
Talib and Peters are volatile personalities, a potential obstacle to the unit meshing.
The Rams would not be the first NFL team to fizzle after a flashy offseason.
Nor would they be unique in L.A. if the star power fails to deliver a championship, as was the case for the NBA Lakers after they imported veterans stars Karl Malone with Gary Payton, who like Suh were seeking their first championship ring.
“It is an impressive team on paper,” Ohrnberger said. “You wonder about the egos.”
However, the basic playbook from which Snead is operating led to recent Super Bowl victories for Seattle and the Philadelphia Eagles.
In the rare instances when a quarterback is better than average yet also on his first NFL contract, it’s a buying opportunity for a team.
The quarterback’s relatively low salary better allows a team to splurge on other positions, and his performance attracts veterans seeking a Super Bowl trip.
The Seahawks wisely beefed up their defense while quarterback Russell Wilson was drawing a paltry quarterback’s salary as a third-round pick
Led by a league-best D, Seattle marched to consecutive recent Super Bowls, winning one.
Likewise, the Eagles had extra cash last offseason due to Carson Wentz establishing himself as the starting quarterback the previous year, as a rookie.
Building around Wentz, the team added veterans who would provide good returns. Though Wentz would go down with a knee injury in December, he’d become an MVP candidate. By then, the team was headed to the playoffs.
Several veteran newcomers continued to play well, assisting quarterback Nick Foles, who outdueled Tom Brady in a Super Bowl shootout last month.
For Rams opponents next season who will include Team Spanos, the challenge will be to keep the Goff-led offense on the sideline by driving the ball against Suh and mates.
Ohrnberger’s advice?
“I would absolutely get rid of the ball as quickly as I could,” he said. “One of the most effective way to frustrate a defense is to complete passes before they have the opportunity to get home.”
He laughed and added: “I would resort to that as much as possible.”
Tom.Krasovic@SDUnionTribune.com; Twitter: SDUTKrasovic