DC Brandon Staley brings unique insight to Rams on former team -- the Bears
Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley has fond memories of the two years he spent as outside linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears.
Specifically, game-changing players that he helped to coach like edge rusher Khalil Mack, linebacker Roquan Smith and safety Eddie Jackson.
“I know it’ll be good to see a lot of those guys -- the players that I was fortunate to coach because, the truth is, they’re one of the biggest reasons why I’m in this role,” Staley said. “Guys like (DT) Akiem Hicks, (DB) Kyle Fuller, (LB) Khalil Mack, (LB) Danny Trevathan (LB) Roquan Smith, (DB) Eddie Jackson, all those guys are deeply responsible for me having this opportunity.
“I love those guys. I have the utmost respect for them and it's going to be exciting to compete against them.”
Staley helped to make the Bears a top-10 defense during his tenure working for his mentor, longtime NFL defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in 2017 and 2018 with the Bears.
With Fangio now serving as the head coach for the Denver Broncos, Chuck Pagano has taken over as defensive coordinator, installing his variation of the 3-4 defense and keeping Chicago playing at a high level defensively.
Vangio and Pagano coached on the same defensive staff while with the Baltimore Ravens in 2008 and 2009.
The Bears are No. 7 in the NFL in points allowed (19.3 point per game), No. 7 in total defense (337 yards per game) and No. 10 in pass defense (224 yard per game).
One of the reasons Rams head coach Sean McVay hired Staley was his offense’s struggles against the Bears over the last two years. The Rams have only mustered an average of 11.5 points a contest against Chicago in those two matchups, including a humbling, 15-6 loss in Chicago in 2018 when Staley was on the staff.
“I mean, he basically ruined my night that night, that was not a good night for us,” joked McVay. “We talked a lot about that game and a lot of the things that we’re doing are reflective of some of the things that they were doing then, but also you see some carry over from what Fangio and then what they’re doing under Pagano. But it certainly is Coach Pagano’s system and they’re doing an excellent job executing that defense now.”
Receiver Robert Woods said when he watches film on Chicago, he sees similar concepts to what the Rams run defensively, and the fact that his offense worked against L.A.’s defense during training camp on a daily basis should serve his team well.
“I think that was big in training camp going against them because that was our eye opener going against the Bears that season at Chicago,” Woods said. “But really going against that defense every day, learning some gaps and learning some holes – learning what’s there and what’s not – and trying to do that same thing against Chicago on Monday night.”
However, Staley downplayed the similarities in the defenses, saying it’s about the talented players on Chicago’s roster defensively and how Pagano has successfully implemented them in his new scheme.
“I would say that the strength of our team when I was there was those players,” Staley said. “Those players are all still there. So, I think stylistically, there are certainly some similarities. I think at the heart of the success, our success, when I was there are these guys and it’s a really outstanding group of players.”
