Aaron Donald is undoubtedly one of the most dominant defensive linemen of all time. He has all of the numbers to support it, and the fact that offensive coordinators build a whole game plan around the ability to stop him, it just goes to show people have been put on notice already.
But it takes 11 guys working in sync and it’s important that he has a good supporting cast around him that steps up when he gets double teamed or when he is on the sideline.
Three Players Who Should Step Up To Help Aaron Donald
The starters next to Donald Michael Brockers and Sebastian Joseph-Day. The three of them combine for nine total tackles per game this season and Donald leads the trio with seven and a half sacks.
The linebackers behind Donald and the defensive line are dictated by who is playing the best and by matchups. The linebackers who played over 80 percent of the defensive snaps for the team, according to Pro Football Reference, are Micah Kiser, who has 45 total tackles which are second-most on the team, and Leonard Floyd.
The defense allows an average of 318.5 yards per game this season. They are ranked fourth with 209.5 passing yards allowed per game and are ranked 11th with 109 rushing yards allowed per game, according to ESPN.
Michael Brockers
Of all of the defense, it would be much easier on Donald if Brockers were to step up a little bit and lighten the load. Brockers has played in 266 defense snaps, and he doesn’t have the efficiency that you would hope for. He has 17 total tackles and two sacks in six games.
Sebastian Joseph-Day
He played in 151 defensive snaps this season and has done a well enough job, but he should be another player that could step up to help Donald on the defensive line. He has 18 total tackles in six games. He should be getting to the quarterback more often and getting his hands on the ball to poke it out.
Leonard Floyd
He has played in 366 defensive snaps this season, the most among linebackers. He isn’t on the line with the other guys, but he needs to show some more efficiency in those snaps. He has 17 total tackles and two sacks in six games. That’s fourth among linebackers. The linebacker is the next in line behind Donald and Floyd should lock down the gaps more often and make the opponent’s running game nonexistent.
With the help of those three, Donald may not have the same big stat line every game if they are hogging it up, but that’ll keep Donald healthy for the long run and make teams worry more about the entire defense rather than just one player.
At 4-2 this season, the Rams have a tough matchup on Monday Night against the 5-1 Chicago Bears at home. Khalil Mack and the Bears will take on the Rams in primetime for the second time in three years. Nick Foles is looking to keep his good record intact and running back David Montgomery is looking for his first 100-plus-yard game this season.
Los Angeles Rams Defensive Lineman Aaron Donald. Photo Credit: The 621st Contingency Response Wing | Under Creative Commons License