Rams defensive players vow to improve tackling

ST. LOUIS -- Better late than never, the St. Louis Rams are going back to basics on defense.

Poor tackling cost the Rams (5-7) dearly last week in a 24-9 loss to the Redskins that all but eliminated them from playoff consideration. Interim coach Joe Vitt complained about several crucial missed tackles after the Redskins rolled up 257 yards rushing, the most allowed by the team since the move to St. Louis 11 years ago.

So on Wednesday when the Rams resumed practice, tackling was a major emphasis. The team was in pads the first half of the workout to help them get a better feel for what should be an elementary part of the game.

"It's how you play the game, with pads," Vitt said. "We need to get better."

The day after the game, with the wounds still fresh, Vitt was more vocal about the situation. He absolved defensive coordinator Larry Marmie and secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer, putting the onus on the players and not the scheme.

"We're not splitting the atom in this business; we're not finding a cure for cancer," Vitt said. "It's the staple of our sport on defense, and if you can't tackle you have to go find another profession."

Players know they have nobody to blame but themselves.

"One of the main things about tackling is you just have to want to tackle," linebacker Trev Faulk said. "That's Pee Wee football, that's one of the first things that goes with playing defense.

"It was real embarrassing for us."

A few of the biggest whiffs: safety Mike Furrey took the wrong angle on Rock Cartwright's 52-yard run, cornerback DeJuan Groce tried to wait and meet tight end Robert Royal from a side angle, resulting in a 29-yard play. Rookie cornerback Ron Bartell missed a pair of easy stops.

"If you don't tackle, you aren't going to win any game," linebacker Chris Claiborne said. "It doesn't matter what defense you call."

Bartell said the problem was "breakdowns in technique, especially myself. It was definitely tough to watch tape of that game. I missed two tackles I definitely should have made."

It's tougher for a younger player to hone his technique in practice, given that most NFL teams don't have full-contact workouts once the season begins. That's not the case in college, where most schools have an unlimited supply of bodies.

Bartell said at Howard there were full-contact workouts "all the time." The 53-man roster limits the Rams, and injuries to several players limits it further.

"With all the injuries we've had, it's kind of tough," Bartell said. "You've just got to put yourself in the right position."

Furrey, a converted wide receiver, moved to safety this year. He's still learning the ropes, although on the Cartwright play he said he thought he had backup.

"I'm finding out it's just mental attitude," Furrey said. "You've got to be aggressive and get him down on the ground somewhere."