LOS ANGELES – For the first seven weeks of the 2024 season, a young Rams defense met more valleys than peaks.

Head coach Sean McVay's trust in defensive coordinator Chris Shula never wavered.

In fact, it was a simple message from McVay that firmly reinforced that belief and gave Shula the confidence to get the group on track over the second half of the season.

"We had a big talk. We were struggling going into the bye (week) last year and it was like, 'Just be yourself. What'd you do at John Carroll (University)?' when I was defensive coordinator my first year at John Carroll. 'What exactly would you do?'" Shula recalled during training camp.

"That resonated with me. I know he's got my back. He's always believed in me. That's a big feeling when you feel safety like that as a coach, when

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