As the dust settles from the megaton bomb dropped by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last week due to “Bountygate,” the St. Louis Rams are proceeding with business.
Sure, the Rams are affected by the indefinite suspension of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. However, the Rams were more cushioned for the blow than the New Orleans Saints.
All you have to do is look at two other members on the defensive staff that were hired after Gregg Williams. Former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil and former Titans linebacker/assistant coach Dave McGinnis are also on board. And while most Rams fans are irate about the punishment levied against Gregg Williams, let me assure you something right now.
This defense will still be just as aggressive and menacing as we’ve imagined. Why do I feel so confident about this? Dave McGinnis. Yes. Dave McGinnis was probably one of Jeff Fisher’s best hires when he started putting his coaching staff together. For those who haven’t heard of Dave McGinnis, he is one of the most respected defensive coaches in the NFL.
While with the Chicago Bears from 1986 to 1995, McGinnis coached Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary as well as NFL greats Wilber Marshall and Otis Smith. The Bears’ defense ranked in the top 10 on six different occasions, including a first place ranking. Then McGinnis went to the Arizona Cardinals from 1996-2003. He spent four years as the defensive coordinator and three years as the head coach. In 1998, the Cardinals defense was led by (former St. Louis Ram) Aeneas Williams, Eric Swann and Simeon Rice, they went on to make the playoffs and were ranked third in the NFL in takeaways with 39.
Then, McGinnis spent the following seven seasons with the Tennessee Titans from 2004-2011 as a linebacker/assistant coach. And now he’s a part of the Rams’ football coaching staff. I like that McGinnis has not bounced all over the place. In his 25 years in the professional ranks, this is his fourth stop. So he adds that stability to the Rams, that when a situation occurs, like an indefinite suspension to Gregg Williams.
You can count on Dave McGinnis to hold the spot down for Williams or just keep the position all together. As of now Jeff Fisher isn’t saying who the defensive coordinator is. But, as I stated earlier the Rams are fine on that side of the ball.
Speaking of that side of the ball, the Rams were unable to keep linebacker Chris Chamberlain who recently signed a three-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. Chamberlain had a pretty good season getting some significant playing time because of injuries in the linebacker core. Chamberlain joins former Rams coaches Steve Spagnuolo, Ken Flajole and Joe Vitt who was Rams interim head coach in 2005 and was suspended for six games by Roger Goodell.
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