Rams’ talented defensive line faces extra challenge in running ability of Eagles QB Jalen Hurts

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Earning the right to pass rush” is the mantra of just about every defensive lineman and coach.

The young front of the Los Angeles Rams will have to put that into practice against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, but it won’t be easy against a run game featuring quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley.

“It’s like it is any week,” Los Angeles defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “You’re trying to get knockback at the line of scrimmage. You don’t want (the offensive line) to create any movement. You want to obviously corral and population tackle.”

The Rams (5-5) have tightened up against the rush after a poor start, but the Eagles (8-2) have the best ground attack in the NFL, averaging 181.3 yards per game.

Barkley is the centerpiece, excelling behind a rugged offensive line after signing a three-year contract in free agency. But Hurts’ ability to run is an important part of that success.

“It kind of changes up the blocking scheme,” defensive tackle Kobie Turner said. “When you’re used to a quarterback that maybe won’t be used too much in the run game, then they’re not able to gain an extra hat.”

Under normal circumstances, the Rams’ two outside linebackers and three down linemen can occupy all five offensive linemen on a given rush play. But when the quarterback is a meaningful part of the run offense, one of those defenders can be accounted for without necessarily having to be blocked.

“The backside defender can’t just crash and take the dive right away,” Turner said. “He has to honor it.”

Having freed up an offensive lineman, the blocking scheme can now use two men on an interior run stuffer like Turner.

“On a different week, you would expect a different look, where maybe I’ll get a single block,” Turner said. “Maybe I’ll get a base block and be one-on-one, but now that base block turns into a double team, and so it’s a harder down.”

The Eagles used that approach to run for 159 yards to beat the Rams 23-14 last season when they still had defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

Hurts had 72 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in that game, finding much of that success on Philadelphia’s other great weapon, the “tush push” quarterback sneak.

There is no good way to simulate it, Shula said, which is why Hurts is so dangerous in short yardage.

“I wouldn’t say you go full pads and go full go with the ‘tush push,’ really no matter what time of year it is,” he said. “It’s an extremely hard play to stop, and it’s a very efficient play for them. You try to do it in walkthroughs and simulate it the best you can, and hopefully come up with a good plan to stop it.”

But if the Rams can keep the Eagles from being able to use the “tush push,” Shula likes their chances of being able to pressure Hurts. The defense has generated 16 sacks over the past four games, with the rookie tandem of outside linebacker Jared Verse and defensive tackle Braden Fiske responsible for 7 1/2 of those.

Shula credits the newcomers with helping elevate the entire position group, which includes second-year standouts Turner and outside linebacker Byron Young.

“It’s a lot of competition for who gets the sacks, but they’re very happy for each other,” Shula said. “I don’t see it as a selfish group at all. They’re so happy for each other. They love rushing together, and they’re just continuing to grow and get better and better every week.”

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