Chris Shula decided to be himself as the Rams defensive coordinator and it has worked

On By Littum

Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula took the reins this year of a unit whose two former bosses took head coaching jobs. But Shula didn’t know to try to be Raheem Morris or Brendan Staley.

Asked Friday by reporters about the best advice he’s been given in the past year, it was simple — be yourself.

“I think it was in OTAs because we were back at the (California Lutheran University) building,” Shula said. “Jason Garrett was just there watching and hanging out and he stopped me in the hallway and just said, ‘Hey, Sean (McVay) hired you to be you. Don’t try to be somebody else and be the best version of you even.’ That’s what I keep trying to tell myself. Just be the best version of me. Sean entrusted me with the job, and don’t try to be anyone else.”

It worked, culminating in Monday night’s masterful game plan that throttled the Vikings’ offense from the start and posted a postseason record nine total sacks.

The challenge intensifies on Sunday as the Rams get another crack at an offense that tore apart the LA defense in Week 12, highlighted by Saquon Barkley’s 255 rushing yards.

“It was tough,” Shula said of the 37-20 loss. “The NFL is a humbling league. You’re only a week away from being humbled, and it was a humbling night. The game got away from us a little bit at the end. Unfortunately, we’ve had some games like that this year, and I always say, ‘ Just stick your face in the tab, make the corrections that we need to make going forward and let’s do it as coaches and players.’ We’re going to try to put them in better positions and the players have to make the plays that they have to make. That’s all you do. Just fix it, move on and hopefully play better next week.”

If they do, they will potentially earn a spot in the NFC Championship. And it could land an interview or two for Shula in the slow-moving coaching carousel.

The 38-year-old Shula arrived in LA with McVay in 2017 and worked his way up to the position he now holds. He spent two years before that as a defensive quality control coach with the Chargers and before that five years at the college level.