INGLEWOOD, Calif. – When Packers quarterback Jordan Love chucked the ball indiscriminately from his own end zone, sprawled in a horizontal position, Rams rookie safety Jaylen McCollough was ready.
Reeling from a huge hit by outside linebacker Byron Young, Love's pass soared past tight end Tucker Kraft and into McCollough's hands for his first career interception at the four-yard line. Making sure to stay in bounds, he toe-tapped across the goal line for a touchdown. It was the Rams' first pick-six since Week 16 of 2022.
"I just saw (outside linebacker Byron Young) giving great edge pressure," McCollough said. "All week, we were scheming on their chipper protection. You know, we seen that a lot. So it was just a great play by (Young), great pressure by the D-line, man. I was just at the right place at the right time."
Rams head coach Sean McVay said making veteran cornerback Tre'Davious White inactive was a "coaching decision." In White's stead, they played a host of young defensive backs, featuring McCollough and cornerback Josh Wallace, both of whom are undrafted rookies. They each played a significant role in a game that boasted an improved performance from the secondary.
"I think they did a great job overall," safety Quentin Lake said of Wallace and McCollough. "(They) had some really good plays, had some really good tackles."
Wallace played 31 of the Rams' 58 defensive snaps (53.4%), including 26 in the slot and five in the box while manning the "star" role. He finished with two solo tackles, while McCollough played 14 snaps (24.1%), highlighted by the pick-six to take the lead in the second quarter.
Lake, who usually plays "star," moved to the backend and took on a more traditional safety role. As a captain, he made sure to impart wisdom on both young players, but especially Wallace, who stepped into his usual position. More than anything, Lake wanted Wallace to play free and with confidence.
Wallace said that was achieved, as he felt comfortable at "star" after playing in the slot a bit at Michigan and in the preseason. He was targeted four times, allowing just two catches for 13 yards and a 57.3 passer rating.
"Coming in as a rookie, especially in this defense, sometimes it's hard to play that position, but I think he did a good job," Lake said. "We had a plan where we were going to make it simple, allow him to go out there and play fast, play smart obviously, so for him to come in, especially in a big game like this, he did a good job."
The Rams' new-look secondary also included the return of cornerback Darious Williams from Injured Reserve along with an increased dose of in-season free agent signing Ahkello Witherspoon (81% snap share compared to 13% last week). Cornerback Cobie Durant led the cornerback room with a 94.8% snap rate, playing in the slot and outside.
It was an opportunistic game for new faces, returning starters and lineup regulars alike, with secondary pieces shifting around throughout the game. Afterward, McVay said that's something the Rams aren't done experimenting with.
"We'll evaluate everything," McVay said. "...When you're in these situations, we have to do a good job of making sure that we look at the totality of everything, regardless of position."
Going into the bye week, many defensive players said the secondary has some things to work through, whether it's missing tackles or coverage assignments. Still, without the two explosive pass plays that totaled over 100 yards, the Rams allowed just 105 passing yards against Love on 24 attempts.
The Rams are clearly keen to make changes as they see fit, whether it's with the personnel or scheme. On Sunday, they blitzed at their highest rate of the season, showing trust in a young secondary group to cover downfield. There's no telling how that will manifest moving forward, but Wallace and McCollough are readying themselves for whenever their numbers are called.
"(I'm) just doing what the coaches need me to do," Wallace said.
"When your opportunity comes, just make the most of it," McCollough said. "That's been kind of my MO ever since I got here."
