Los Angeles Rams: How to survive without Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib

The Los Angeles Rams may look like the best team in the NFL but will have a lot on their plate against the Minnesota Vikings without Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib.

This past Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams beat the Los Angeles Chargers 35 to 23 in the battle of LA. The Rams may have won but the took a couple of big hits.

Cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib both went down with injuries. According to Adam Schefter, Peters is day-to-day with a calf strain and Talib is out at least a month with a high ankle sprain.

These two injuries will hurt the Rams secondary big time; the Rams depend on these two to shut down opposing teams passing attack replacing them will not be easy.

Here is how the Los Angeles Rams can survive without the star corners.

Sam Shields, Nickell Robey-Coleman and Troy Hill Step up

These three guys will need to step up and be useful for the Rams to keep on rolling; Sam Shields started 62 games for the Green Bay Packers, making the Pro Bowl in 2014.

When needed to play this season he has played well with one interception and two pass deflections. So Shields is more than capable is holding his own out there.

Nickel corner Nickell Robey-Coleman has been solid this season, he probably will start opposite of Shields in the base defense, but he will shift back to nickel corner on multiple receiver sets.

Troy Hill will also get a lot of playing time on the outside. Hill has been in the league four years and was a part-time starter last year. He played pretty well down the stretch last year and in the playoffs for the Rams.

I think the Rams will stick with the defensive plan even with Talib and Peters out. Shields, Hill, and Robey-Coleman will have step up make plays out there. If they struggle, you might see a little more zone.

Pressure The Quarterback

The Rams spent a lot of money this year on Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh. The Rams as a team have just four sacks so far in this season. That number will need to increase over this next month with Peters and Talib out.

Suh has one sack and Donald has none but they command so much attention you would think the guys around them would have better numbers.

The Rams will need Michael Brockers and Samson Ebukam to pick it up a bit, and they have to start winning there one on one battles to help Suh and Donald out. I expect Suh and Donald to get their numbers, but the others have to step up especially now with all the injuries.

I think Wade Phillips will dial up more blitzes to get to the quarterback and eventually Suh and Donald will dominate middle and collapse the pocket.