Rams’ defense focuses on turnovers to help struggling offense

No music blared from speakers at the Rams’ practice facility Tuesday.

About the only real volume reverberating on the field came from defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as he encouraged linemen, linebackers and defensive backs to focus on creating turnovers.

Though the Rams’ offense continues its struggle to run the ball and score touchdowns, the defense has mostly been stout despite the team’s 3-5 record and four-game losing streak.

The Rams are ranked eighth in the NFL in total defense, ninth against the pass and 11th against the run.

But in the last four games they have forced only one fumble and have not intercepted a pass.

“We’re operating pretty well right now, but we definitely can still improve,” middle linebacker Alec Ogletree said. “Our biggest thing is being able to create more turnovers and being able to help our offense out and give them more possessions.”

The Rams play a generous opponent Sunday.

The New York Jets have lost the ball an NFL-high 19 times via 14 interceptions and five fumbles.

That might bode well for a Rams defense that displayed a knack for forcing turnovers during a three-game winning streak early in the season.

Linebacker Mark Barron intercepted two passes, cornerback Trumaine Johnson forced an interception and came up with another, and end Robert Quinn, Ogletree and others forced fumbles.

But other than forcing a fumble that led to a touchdown in a loss to the New York Giants, the Rams came up empty in defeats by the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and, last weekend, the Carolina Panthers.

They are tied for 14th in the league with only 10 turnovers.

“It’s definitely the missing piece,” safety Maurice Alexander said. “And it’s usually the things we do around here, it’s flying to the ball, it’s hitting, things like that.

“Now we just have to start coming up with those takeaways.”

Alexander nearly intercepted a pass against the Panthers. He dived for a Cam Newton pass on a third-down play in the second quarter, but just missed on what resulted in a 16-yard completion.

“I left my feet and I was thinking, ‘I’ve just got to get that rock,’’’ he said. “I was an inch-of-a second late.”

An extra emphasis on creating turnovers this week can only help, cornerback Troy Hill said.

“You have to get turnovers to be considered an elite defense,” he said. “Once that happens, we’ll start scoring points.

“You know that every defensive player wants to get into the end zone.”

The Rams offense, meantime, is desperate to cross the goal line.

It has scored only one touchdown in three of the last four games and has managed only 10 points in each of the last two losses.

The running game is stagnant, and Coach Jeff Fisher said the defense can help in that regard as well.

The Rams are allowing opponents to convert 42% of third downs, which ranks 24th in the NFL. Lowering that percentage — and creating turnovers — would provide the offense more possessions, he said.

Homecoming

Receiver Kenny Britt grew up in New Jersey and attended Rutgers.

So he is looking forward to playing Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

“I love playing in New Jersey,” he said. “I’m only five or 10 minutes away.”

Britt is tied for the team lead with 37 receptions and has scored three touchdowns. He caught a season-high seven passes against Detroit, but had three and four receptions, respectively, in the last two games.

He is eager play before home-state fans as the Rams begin the second half of their schedule.

“It’s something I always dreamed of as a little kid — coming back and playing in that stadium,” he said.

In 2010, in his second season with the Tennessee Titans, Britt caught two passes, one for a touchdown, in a 29-10 victory over the New York Giants in what was then known as New Meadowlands Stadium.

“Hopefully,” he said of Sunday’s game, “we go out there and have a great one and have a celebration.”

Quick hits

Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a knee sprain in last weekend’s 27-23 loss to Miami, but Fisher said he expects Fitzpatrick to play Sunday. … Former USC All-American defensive tackle Leonard Williams has six sacks for the Jets.

gary.klein@latimes.com

Follow Gary Klein on Twitter @LATimesklein