One more playoff game like the last one and the Rams might lose Chris Shula
The secret is out about Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Four days ago, he wasn’t on anyone’s radar as a head coaching candidate, and he still might not be today, but one more great game from L.A.’s defense and the Rams could lose Shula in a heartbeat.
Sean McVay’s best-kept secret can no longer be contained.
The soon-to-be 39 year old coordinator seems new on the block, but he’s one of the few who has been on McVay’s staff since the beginning. There’s no shortage of experience under McVay and teams can’t risk waiting until 2026, hoping that nobody else hires him this cycle IF the L.A. Rams defense has yet another dominant performance.
This time it would come against a Philadelphia Eagles team that went to the Super Bowl two years ago, features a 2,o00-yard rusher, and an All-Pro receiver.
If the Rams advance to the NFC Championship game, Chris Shula’s going to be a hard man to keep.
Recent History
Shula’s first year as defensive coordinator didn’t go as he planned:
- Week 1 – 26 points allowed, -9.52 EPA (that’s bad)
- Week 2 – 41 points allowed, -26.58 EPA (historically bad)
- Week 3 – 24 points allowed, -19.10 EPA
- Week 4 – 24 points allowed, -5.29 EPA
- Week 5 – 24 points allowed, -2.84 EPA
The Rams had one of the worst defenses in the NFL going into their Week 6 bye.
Nothing like the Raiders offense to get you right again. The Rams held the Raiders to 15 points, 195 passing yards, and posted an EPA of +19.97, their best of the 2024 season.
Since beating the Bills 44-42 in Week 14, Shula’s defense has done this in the games that the Rams TRIED to win:
- Week 15 – 6 points allowed, 14.31 EPA
- Week 16 – 9 points allowed, 3.81 EPA
- Week 17 – 9 points allowed, -.09 EPA
- Week 18 (didn’t count)
- Wild Card – 9 points allowed, 21.02 EPA (!!!)
The last month of his career could be one of the most valuable in history for a first-time coordinator on either side of the ball. Now the Rams are one win away from the NFC Championship game and Shula’s name should be a popular one if L.A. beats the Eagles with a strong defensive effort comprising a group that is the lowest-paid in the NFL and features only one former first rounder.
Though Shula’s name was floated as an idea for the Dolphins if they fired Mike McDaniel, Miami has said they’re committed to keeping their head coach this time.
But he could still be a possibility for the other openings:
- Cowboys
- Bears
- Saints
- Raiders
- Jaguars
- Jets
For the hell of it, let’s say that the Bears hire Mike McCarthy, the Saints hire Aaron Glenn, the Raiders hire Pete Carroll, and the Cowboys hire Ben Johnson.
What about a fit with a Jaguars team that has Josh Allen, Travon Walker, Foyesade Oluokun, Tyson Campbell?
Jacksonville may like a route that includes the McVay tree, possibly even poaching an offensive coach to mentor Trevor Lawrence and Brian Thomas, Jr..
More likely than not, Chris Shula won’t get a head coaching job this time.
He may not be late to the party exactly — the NFL has delayed the interview process, so nobody’s really in the lead except for Mike Vrabel already being hired in New England — but it’s a crowded field and his name hasn’t been on the radar.
However, that’s changing at exactly the right time for Shula. It’s also the right time for McVay’s 2024-2025 playoff run, but maybe not if he wants to keep Shula much longer.
