Arriving in Los Angeles in mid-October following a trade with the Jaguars, cornerback Jalen Ramsey was able to make an immediate impact on the Rams' defense. He posted 33 total tackles, four pass breakups, one interception and one forced fumble across nine games with L.A., and his presence in the secondary coincided with its pass rush collecting 37 of its 50 sacks on the season.
Here are his top five plays from the 2019 season.
5) Tackle vs. Bears, Week 11
Late in the first half, Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky completed a screen pass to wide receiver Allen Robinson. Robinson got two yards past the line of scrimmage before he was met by Ramsey, whose tackle – followed by cornerback Troy Hill's sack for a 2-yard loss – forced the Bears to punt from the Rams' own 39 yard line.
4) Pass breakup vs. Falcons, Week 7
A Week 7 road game against the Falcons marked Ramsey's debut as a Ram, and with it came a highly anticipated matchup against wide receiver Julio Jones. Midway through the second quarter, quarterback Matt Ryan launched a deep ball on 2nd and 17 from the 50 intended for Jones toward the sideline, but Ramsey was there to prevent the completion. Another Ryan incompletion on 3rd and 17 forced Atlanta to punt from midfield, and the ensuing Los Angeles drive ended with a 25-yard field goal by kicker Greg Zuerlein.
3) Pass breakup vs. Bears, Week 11
The Bears found some early momentum in this game, recovering a fumble at the Rams' 46-yard line with 11:43 left in the first quarter. They reached the Rams' 31 and chose to go for it on 4th and 9, but were unsuccessful thanks to Ramsey's tight coverage on slot receiver Taylor Gabriel. In addition to the pass breakup, Ramsey also finished with four tackles in a 17-7 Rams win.
2) Forced fumble vs. Falcons, Week 7
Running back Devonta Freeman took a toss to the left side of Atlanta's offensive line, but only made it three yards past the line of scrimmage before the crown of Ramsey's helmet sent the ball sailing from his grasp. Ramsey also added four total tackles in Los Angeles' 37-10 win.
1) Interception vs. 49ers, Week 16
Ramsey's first pick as a Ram came late in the first quarter in this matchup, jumping in front of a pass by 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo intended for wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. His 13-yard return to the L.A. 37-yard line set up a 9-play, 63-yard scoring drive which extended the Rams' lead to 14-3.
