ST. LOUIS -- Nearly three months since the St. Louis Rams lost their defensive coordinator, coach Jeff Fisher appears to be in no hurry to define roles among the handful of people capable of filling the void.
Fisher believes if the game plan is sound, it doesn't matter who makes the calls.
"The most difficult part of the week is putting the plan together," Fisher said Thursday. "Calling the defense and those kinds of things is not as difficult as putting the plan together and being right and adjusting. We're more than capable of doing all three of those things."
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The coordinator work has been handled at various times by assistant head coach Dave McGinnis, secondary coach Chuck Cecil and linebackers coach Blake Williams, the son of suspended Gregg Williams, exiled indefinitely for his role in the Saints bounty scandal.
Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis will get much of the on-the-field responsibility. He's led the Rams in tackles all three of his NFL seasons, and McGinnis called him a "perfect" middle linebacker for the system.
"He has to be so in tune, I mean, he has to be right in the defensive coaches' skin," McGinnis said.
McGinnis, Cecil and Fisher have been NFL defensive coordinators, and Williams absorbed the Fisher system growing up. McGinnis is the logical game-day choice because he has no specific position responsibilities, but said nothing's been decided.
"That's up to Jeff, but believe me, we will get that handled," McGinnis said. "You've got enough experience on this staff and enough expertise, and with Jeff's leadership that's covered."
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
