Rams to Spring Eagle Defense on Eagles : They Hope to Beat Buddy Ryan With His Own Game

As much as Buddy Ryan regrets it, they don’t issue U.S. patents in the National Football League, so each week his famous 46 defense reappears around the country in different shapes with different teams. Imitation is the sincerest of flattery, sure, but not in agame in which someone can beat you over the head with your own product.

It has become a problem with the Philadelphia Eagles, who take on the Rams and their “Eagle” defense today at Veterans Stadium.

Ryan, of course, was the defensive coordinator who designed the Chicago Bears’ great defenses of the early 1980s, and his concept--an all-out, all-consuming attack on the quarterback--took the Bears to the Super Bowl title after the 1985 season.

Ryan rode the fame all the way to become the Eagles’ head coach in 1986. He took his strategies with him to Philadelphia but, regrettably, not his personnel. So today, with his team struggling at 4-5, Ryan will trot out the NFL’s 25th-ranked defense against the Rams, who, of course, have turned their own defense around with a Ryan wrinkle of their own.

“They’re doing a better job than we are with it,” Ryan said.

Indeed. The Rams have 41 sacks this season, the Eagles just 21. Or as the Rams might say: “Gee, Buddy, thanks for the great idea. See you Sunday.”

Ryan, who has been under fire since he set foot in Philadelphia, is under the heat lamp again. And the Rams are probably the last team he needed to see, the one that runs his defense better than he does.

Actually, it’s not as simple as that. The Rams’ Eagle is not named after Ryan or his team, but rather for a defensive scheme used by some teams in the 1940s and ‘50s. The Rams use five linebackers and just two down linemen in their defense, but the theory of attack and pressure is essentially Ryan’s.

Also, the Rams line up in the Eagle only about 20% of the time, using the defense more to disguise and confuse opponents. And most important, the Rams have the veteran personnel to pull it off, one thing the real Eagles lack.

Ryan admits as much.

“I wish we could play it better here,” Ryan said. “We’re going to get there one of these days. We’re young. We have to learn how to play pro football. To play the multiple-type defenses like we do is real tough.”

Ryan’s one ace in the hole, as it has been every week, is quarterback Randall Cunningham, a man capable of turning any defense to gelatin. Ram defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur can tell you from experience.

“He’s the best athlete playing that position, when you consider size and speed and the whole package,” Shurmur said.

Cunningham is even more the story since Mike Quick, an All-Pro receiver, is out for the season with a broken leg.

They see Cunningham as the miracle worker in Philadelphia, though often it’s difficult to live up to billings. Two weeks ago, Cunningham rallied the Eagles to a last-second win over Dallas, 24-23. But last week, two fourth-quarter scoring passes from Cunningham weren’t enough to avert a 3-point loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

But Cunningham is clearly the man standing in victory’s path. He has not only passed for more than 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns, but through 9 games remains the team’s second-leading rusher with 341 yards, averaging 7.9 yards a carry.

He’s more than something to think about. The Rams, in fact, know that strictly running pass rushers at Cunningham is not enough.

“My worst thought is that we end up with all our guys trying to catch him,” Shurmur said. “Because we only have three or four guys that can catch him. We want to cut him off at the pass. We always want to keep somebody in front of him.”

It’s an interesting matchup, the Eagle vs. Mr. Eagle, a reason the Rams spent the week adjusting their defense toward containing Cunningham. The Rams, it seems, will give up sacks for safety. They did it last week, when they went into New Orleans determined to shut down the run and did it, holding the Saints to 33 yards on the ground.

“The biggest thing is to contain him,” safety Johnnie Johnson said of Cunningham. “Every time he gets out of the pocket, something bad happens to the defense. Our rush guys have been told, ‘When you rush, rush with the idea of containment. Don’t try to knock as many guys down. Just try to get ahold of the guy.’ ”

Ram Notes

The Eagles just can’t get over the hump. In 5 of the last 6 seasons, they have started with a 4-4 record, only to lose the ninth game each time. . . . Ron Brown returns today for the Rams as a kick returner. . . . Receiver Michael Young, as expected, has been put on injured reserve with a back injury. . . .Two former Rams are now Eagles--Donald Evans and Doug Bartlett. Evans, the Rams’ top pick in 1987, was playing on special teams until he suffered a broken jaw on Oct. 13. He’s now on injured reserve.

Eagle tight end Keith Jackson is far and away the NFC’s leading candidate for rookie of the year with 51 receptions in 9 games. . . . One of today’s best matchups is Eagle All-Pro defensive end Reggie White against Ram tackle Jackie Slater. This will be White’s 50th game in the NFL. He has 61.5 sacks, 9.5 this season. . . . Linebacker Mel Owens is out again this week with a sprained ankle. . . . Buddy Ryan’s overall coaching record at Philadelphia is 16-23-1.