It’s one thing to get beat by a good receiver. It’s another to allow a big play because of a breakdown in coverage.
There’s no doubt the Rams have faced some outstanding receivers to start the year, but the secondary has also been plagued by issues that are fully in their control – something Sean McVay is clearly growing frustrated with.
The two biggest problems? Poor communication and penalties.
During an appearance on the “Coach McVay Show” Monday, McVay was asked about the team’s communication on the back end being a problem on defense, and he was quick to also mention the “pretty egregious” penalties being committed by his corners and safeties.
“Yeah, I think so. I think when there’s been some issues, yes,” he said of the communication being a concern. “And playing with the techniques to avoid the penalties that have extended drives that are pretty egregious that we just can’t do. You’re giving people an opportunity – we’re getting home with the rush and then you see those yellow flags on the back end and it’s all for naught. Those are difficult jobs. There’s different reasons why it’s occurred but the communications and then making sure that we understand the consequences if we don’t play with the techniques that we want to be able to play with in terms of what that does to extend drives – especially when you’ve earned the right to be in third-and-long situations where it can be as simple as an (illegal) contact penalty that’s a 5-yarder, but what is it? An automatic first down. So that’s definitely been something that’s not helped us.”
Penalties were a major story of Sunday’s loss to the Bears and Tre’Davious White was once again a culprit at cornerback, but he wasn’t alone. In the second quarter on a third-and-10, he was called for defensive holding on a play where Jared Verse sacked Caleb Williams to take Chicago out of field goal range. That extended the drive, even if it was only a five-yard penalty.
Two plays later, Kamren Curl was called for holding on second-and-6, another play where Verse (and Byron Young) sacked Williams. Automatic first down. That drive didn’t ultimately end in points because Braden Fiske forced a fumble on third down, but those two penalties are what McVay hates to see.
On the very next drive, the Bears had third-and-9 from the Rams’ 15-yard line. Williams targeted Keenan Allen over the middle and the pass fell incomplete, but White was called for pass interference, setting up Chicago at the 1-yard line. One play later, they were in the end zone with a 7-6 lead. In essence, it was a four-point penalty because Chicago would’ve had to settle for a short field goal if not for White’s infraction.
McVay mentioned that game-changing pass interference penalty in his press conference Monday, too.
“You give them a short field with a one-play drive that shouldn’t have occurred and then you end up maybe looking like you’re going to get a sudden-change stop and there’s a penalty that occurs that puts the ball in the 1-yard line and it’s 7-6 and you’re saying, ‘What? How did that end up happening?’” he said.
The Rams have had to shuffle their secondary with Darious Williams and John Johnson III out, which has created some issues. Rookie Kamren Kinchens is struggling at safety and White is committing costly penalties on the back end.
The communication has to be better, too, because the disconnects in the secondary are leading to big plays – like the ones made by Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jauan Jennings where receivers are wide open.
“I think there’s been some good,” he said. “We’ve to do a better job communicating consistently. There’s been some things that have led to some disconnect.”
The hope is that Williams and Johnson returning at some point will solve some of these issues. Perhaps even Ahkello Witherspoon can help in this department. But for the time being, the Rams simply have to live with the secondary they’ve assembled, penalties and all.
