The biggest question facing the Los Angeles Rams heading into the 2024 season was how to replace Aaron Donald. The company line everyone towed was that that was impossible, but their plan was to build around defensive tackle, Kobie Turner and supplement edge rusher Byron Young. To do that they drafted Jared Verse and Braden Fiske.
So far, those draft picks are working out quite well. Verse leads all rookies with 16 quarterback pressures and Fiske is second with 11. The next best rookie pass rushers have five fewer pressures. They, along with Turner, have propelled the Rams to a 27.2 pressure percentage, 11th best in the NFL.
Verse logged his first sack in his very first NFL. But Fiske had yet to get home, that is until the final drive of the first half of the Rams game against the Chicago Bears. And it was critical to keeping the Bears from scoring a touchdown.
Fiske Logs First Sack With The Los Angeles Rams
With 30 seconds left, the Bears had the Rams’ defense on their heels as they drove from their own 33 to the opposite 17-yard line in just four plays. On second and 10 Caleb Williams dropped back and Fiske was able to sneak through and get a hold of Williams. This allowed Michael Hoecht to get to the play and help finish off the play.
That forced a 3rd and 15, an obvious high-leverage passing situation, which ended with an incomplete pass and ultimately a field goal rather than a touchdown.
Fiske was also able to force a Williams fumble that held the Bears to a field goal attempt earlier in the half.
Fiske, who is from the Chicago area, has at least 25 family members and friends expected to attend the game.
While the Rams are the 11th-best pressure team in the league, they only had four sacks coming into this game.
