What defensive coordinator Richard Smith said about the Rams

Atlanta Falcons fans react at the end of the 4th quarter in an NFL football game at the Georgia Dome on Sunday, December 4, 2016. Kansas City Chiefs won 29 - 28 over the Atlanta Falcons. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Credit: Hyosub Shin

Credit: Hyosub Shin

Atlanta Falcons fans react at the end of the 4th quarter in an NFL football game at the Georgia Dome on Sunday, December 4, 2016. Kansas City Chiefs won 29 - 28 over the Atlanta Falcons. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

On the low ranking of the Rams offense and if it's the type of game that the defense could overlook: "The thing is every week it doesn't matter who you're playing. It's another opportunity to get better. That's what we're striving for each week it doesn't matter who (we play). We're not a team who comes in there and looks at stats or wins and losses. We don't even really talk about that as our defense in terms of where we rank, what we're good at. Every day, we just trying to find a way to get better and compete and play hard and try to create some plays. When you look at their offense, I think they've got some talent there. The quarterback has a bright bright future. He wasn't starting at the beginning of the year, but I think he has the past three weeks. They haven't changed their office. Their offense is the same offense that they ran from week one all the way through. I think he has a lot of talent. He has a strong arm where he can move the ball down field. He's an athlete. He can maneuver you with his feet. I think he did a good job for young quarterback being able to look off the safeties and things like that and I think he showed some pretty good boys in the pocket. They've had some changes upfront with their line at times and I don't think that's affected him so I think he has a bright future."

On how much easier it is to face a rookie quarterback that doesn't have starting experience: "Anytime you're first-year player, there's growing pains with that position and in any position as a rookie. So there's some looks that maybe he hasn't seen yet, but like I said, we're gonna do what we do and we have to do it better and do it longer."

On the slow starts to the games and communication needing to be better: "What we've done is, myself, I've sat down and looked at the last five or six starts that we've had where we haven't played well and try to analyze it. That's my job as a coach to say was it the calls that we put the players in or was it that we put too much of this or too much of that or did we play too many situations? What was it? Was it an individual player? Was it a certain defense? So it's a combination of things that are the issues. Are we pleased with (the slow starts?) No, but thing is we have looked at that and studied it. Last week, there were a few communication breakdowns with it in the heat of the battle sometimes that happens… If you look back at last weeks, I believe are shut out our planets in the second half of the games last two weeks. We have had some slow starts, like I said, and we are aware of that and the players are aware of that but once again what we try to do is not just harp on one issue there, let's just coach football and let's just play football and let's do it better. And let's start from the opening kick off all the way to the final snap."

On Rams' running back Todd Gurley's lack of production: "I look at him and I'm really impressed with him. He's a really good football player. I like how fast he is. This guys a physical runner. He can run through you and he does have the ability and the quick feet to run around and make you miss. So he's very productive in terms of that. Also I think he's done a good job with the ball in his hands as a receiver. When he catches the ball, he's quick to turn it down field. He can make you miss in space and overall I like how hard he plays. And his production, you're going to have to ask their players. I don't know what he was a year ago compared to now but when I look at him he's a physical runner and they have a nice game that I think fits his style of play."

On how he thinks Jalen Collins is doing at starting cornerback: "I think he's doing very well. I said this a couple weeks ago, if you go back to when he got put in when Desmond (Trufant) got hurt, I think it was against Tampa Bay he came down with a couple nice play in the pass break up down by the goal line. Two weeks ago he had a pass break up on the sideline… I think he's making progress."