The Rams played the Seahawks twice this year. They split 1-1 on the year. I've broken this into 2 parts, game 1 and game 2.
Game 1-Rams 23-16
Russell Wilson 22/37 for 248 with 2 interceptions.
The Rams had a great defensive day against the Seahawks the first time they played. In addition to coverage they had 12 qb hits and 6 sacks by Floyd alone. They were really disrupting the passing game.
They had a great game plan in which they did some good things to disrupt Metcalf and Russell Wilson and not let him get comfortable.
Most of the game they put Ramsay on his side, either covering him man to man or just playing zone at times but he did travel with Metcalf. They utilized some combo coverage as well and mixed up game 1.
One of the things they did was play weasel coverage. Man on metcalf with zone on everyone else.
THe 1st drive was their worst defensive drive. Here they give up a 21 yard gain on man free that they just botch with the #2 and 3 wr.Assuming the safety takes 1st thing outside, the ilb has first thing vertical inside, cb has 1st thing outside vertical but that's just my guess
Then a few plays later weasel and the lb forgets about the player in the flat for another 20 yard gain.
Ramsey is on metcalf man to man. He doesn't have the flat (PFF, grading him a 55)
The lb botched the coverage above.
The bottom line is that the Seahawks went 7 plays for 78 yards but that didn't panic the rams or have them deviate from the game plan. They settled in and it paid off in the long run.
The 2nd series
Seahawks did hit a few routes like the one below but the coverage took Metcalf out of the game.
The big interception was weasel coverage later in the game but Wilson threw the ball late and they got the pick.(will show later)
They also doubled metcalf at times when he was in the slot with the sam and safety. They made him uncomfortable and took the best player out of the game. They didn't use a ton of motions this game like they do later on(see game 2)
2nd series 2nd and 4 here's a look at how they double him when inside. nickel cb knows he has help from both safeties. nice job playing outside leverage.
3rd and 4 they go weasel again. Ramsay has metcalf man for man, they play cover 2 with everyone else.
They come back to it. Even though the Hawks got 21 on the first drive. They don't panic.
Heres another 3rd and short. Seahawks get 6 yards on it.
play weasel with cover 3 with everyone else
They end up getting a 10 yard gain. Ramsey takes metcalf out of the occasion again.
Here again on 1st and 10 they play weasel again and play the crosser with the other safety and 1/3 with the cb and ss.
leads to an incomplete pass and they get off the field 2 players later.
LATER, they put the safety on him and they go cover 3 vs 12 personnel.
Still same concept, man on 14 zone with everyone else, They just do it with the safety this time.
2nd and 4 this is a similar concept to what they hit earlier and what was open with the interception which I will highlight here. This is a great play call as is the interception, Heres the concept. SS has to play curl flat because Cb is running with #1
The wheel is wide open because the safety is late to the curl flat and doesn't run with the wheel. Ramsey has Metcalf one on one. Thats his job on this play. All on the safety pff
43 yard gain and its the safety fault
Game 2 Hawks vs Rams.
The Seahawks made much more of an effort to move Metcalf around using him in motions and in different positions game 2. This got him more targets and a little better day. The Seahawks did win but Wilson's numbers weren't off the charts.
The Seahawks were 20-32 and 225 yards. Another game in which the Rams slowed down the Seahawks passing atack. The Rams sacked Wilson 5 times and had 8 qb hits on him. Not exactly a great job in protection.
Here on 3rd and 5
Wilson tries to hit locket as the Rams go 3x2 on Metcalf. Not exactly combo coverage but deep help over the top.
The 2nd series of the game they go back to combo.
It is man to man on the left side with zone principles to the strong side. Great scheme. 3rd and 4
Now they go special but Metcalf actually motions and becomes the #2 wr. This allows him to get open on the crossing route as the wr on the ball became the new #1.
Good design against a nice combo coverage. Rams were man on the outside and zone inside.
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| 16 yard gain on the reception The one route the Rams had trouble defending in game 2 as well was the wheel. The Cb locks on 1 and the olb doesn't run with the wheel route. Same route concept as they had issues with in game 1. #2 on the wheel is a good man beater vs press quarters and special.    on 3rd and the Rams go man free with 5 man pressure and double metcalf with the safety help over the top. risky as the lb is 1x1 with metcalf.     On a key 3rd and 4 the Rams play bracket coverage on 14 metcalf. Man on everyone else wit a deep 1/2 player to the top of the screen.    Darnold gets home for the sack. Still a 13-6 game at this point. Excellent coverage to get the defense off the field. Later they get a 3rd and 6. Same score The Rams send 5 and play 3 under 3 deep. Seahawks go mesh. The problem is a. 2 players both sit down over the middle. b. poor mesh routes c. the rams have no respect for the rb and Wilson doesn't even look at him. Rams cover 3 does a nice job as the rcb stays lower once #1 goes inside(good coaching) He doesn't just drop to cover grass!     The last play design was a really nice one by Schotty. He knows Metcalf is commanding a lot of double coverage so he runs Lockett on a deep sail route vs the c-4 look. Cb has been sitting on #1 all day and he knew that as both the safety and cb run with 14 (metcalf) and bracket him leaving locket wide open. He hits him on the deep out for 24 yard gain. Offensive Coordinators get paid too! |
Overall, the Hawks made some big plays in game 2 and took advantage of the double coverage that Metcalf was commanding. A few plays later on 3rd and 7 I don't know what Ramsay is thinking.
He has no other threat other than dk. surprised he's not on #1 and this is a huge play. Could have played this tough and gotten off the field with a field goal and gave his team a chance to win. This effort was very poor.
The Rams score 2 plays later and win the game. Heres the play. The Seahawks go 3x1 strong and motion the back out. They throw the slant. They look like they are in zone up top and expecting Ramsay to be one on one. 3rd and 7 and they get 8 yards.
2 plays later they score, go up 20-9 game over.
Game 3 wild card game.
You saw much of the same issues the Seahawks had earlier. They ran the ball decently in this game but not enough. It's tough because on certain drives they get a penalty and look at 2nd and 20
The pass protection was awful. 5 sacks and 10 qb hits and Wilson was 11/27 for 174.
He had some opportunities but was always on the run, very rarely getting a clean pocket. There were people open on several occasions but too often, Russell had to rush his reads and throw the checkdown right away.
Here's 2 examples
3rd and 7
Seahawks run the sail route. TE is wide open, but the pressure gets him to come off his read and dump it off quick. Easy read vs cover 3 but the pressure makes him come off the sail route to the boundary.
On another down, the rams are up 20-13.
It's 3rd and 4 and DK beats Ramsay to the post. But Donald beats the left guard easily and the pressure forces russ to rush the throw and he overthrows him. Easy td if he has any time. Should be a tied game!
Rams were in cover 3 again and the post was open as free safety was late to get their.
On 3rd and 6 in the 2nd quarter. Rams roll cover 3 to Dk's side. The 3x1 side is open with 2 hitch routes. He has no time to throw the ball. The Rams over play DK and this should be an easy throw and catch. Again no time! Russ scrambles for 5 and they settle for the field goal on 4th and 1.
This was just some of the ways the Rams defended the Seahawks in the 3 games this season.
What will the Rams defense look like in 2021? Will it be a top 3 defense. Here's some insight from the turf show times.
https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2021/6/26/22551210/saturday-confidence-poll-will-rams-repeat-as-top-3-defense
