You don’t need to dig deeply into any Los Angeles Rams comments section or forum before striking negative pushback and discussions about the Rams team overall, and specifically about the team’s defense. While there are some matters that need to be fixed on the team, and on the defense, there is significant need to acknowledge and even laud the performance of some of the team’s stars.
Of course, whenever it comes to holding one player up to the light, we have to be careful. Football is truly a team sport. So individual accolades are less significant in the grand scheme of things than the success of the team. But the team, as well as this defense, needs to create a beachhead. Some foothold of success and continuity to build upon. While the team has only one win to show for the effort, the second season of IDL Kobie Turner is lining up exactly as expected.
And expectations for the young man have run very high indeed for The Conductor’s second season.
Turner is starting to get hot, and that spells trouble for opposing offenses. But he is also one of the team’s defensive captains. Did the team put too much on the young man’s plate? After all, he is counted on to be both a run-stuffer and a sack leader. While the team says the right things publicly, there is no question that Turner is the heir apparent to All-Pro DT Aaron Donald in this defense. And in just his second season, he is expected to be a team captain as well.
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The Rams have faced some pretty tough teams to open the 2024 NFL season. The aggregate record of teams that the Rams have faced so far is 15-11, with some games to be decided throughout the weekend. In terms of offenses, the Rams have faced three of the NFL’s top four offenses (49ers – 2nd | Lions – 3rd | Packers – 4th) plus the Cardinals (14th) and Bears (26th).
Not every team that the Rams face will be among the Top Five offenses. Not every offensive line will be as formidable as the first five Rams opponents of the 2024 NFL season. And you can bet that DL Kobie Turner will be ready.
In his first eight games of 2023, Kobie Turner managed just 1.0 QB sacks, and 24 tackles. He ended 2023 with 9.0 QB sacks and 57 tackles. In just five games this season, Turner has already put up 3.0 QB sacks and 19 tackles. He is on track to put up 11 quarterback sacks and 65 tackles if he stays on the same pace.
But in 2023, as the season wore on, Kobie Turner got hotter. If that happens this season? You can put the league on notice: Look out NFL.
Much like 2023, the Rams roster is loaded with young talent. And the book on young talent in the NFL is that they improve by leaps and bounds through their first three seasons. Right now, Turner is just starting to come into his own. And with him, many of the other young defenders are following behind. At some point, this defense will turn that corner from potential to production.
In the meantime, I suspect The Conductor is already there. Thanks for reading.
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