The Los Angeles Rams just got absolutely thumped by their arch-rival San Francisco 49ers last week, but the real story might be the physical toll it took, especially on their linebacker crew. Both starters, Nate Landman with a shoulder and thumb issue, and Omar Speights dealing with a hip problem, got nicked up. Reports out of L.A. claim both guys will likely be available for the upcoming Monday Night Football showdown against the New York Giants. But honestly, who cares about “pride” when you’re trotting out guys who are clearly limited, even if it’s just “slightly impaired,” against a physical, run-based offense with an athletic quarterback? The Giants bring both, and that makes you wonder, are the Rams making a mistake by not looking at someone else?
Are the Rams Seriously Playing Hurt Guys on Monday Night?
Look, the NFL is tough, and playing through pain is part of it, for sure. But there’s a huge difference between hurting and being genuinely injured. If Landman and Speights are anything less than 100%, putting them out there against a team like the Giants, who love to run the ball and have a mobile QB, just feels like a recipe for disaster. It’s asking for bigger problems down the line, or at the very least, another game where their defense gets gashed. This isn’t just about pride, it’s about making smart football decisions, especially early in the season when you’re trying to set a tone. Why risk it with your starters when you have other options?
Shaun Dolac’s Film Review: The Case for Aggression
This is where Shaun Dolac steps in, right? He got 19 defensive snaps in relief against the Niners, his most work since covering for Speights back in Week 6 of 2025 when he snagged 35 snaps. He also put in 17 reps on special teams. For the day, Dolac logged six tackles, lining up mostly to the wide side of the field. It actually looked like the Niners offense was attacking that wide side territory whenever Landman was covering it, which is interesting. His film wasn’t a breakout performance, no doubt, but his downhill trigger and aggressive attacking of run gaps totally jumped off the screen. Sure, eight plays, including five passes, went away from him, and the one completed pass on his side was a middle screen for only five yards. So we don’t have a ton to grade his pass defense. But on run plays? Seven of his ten defended runs were solid, two were negative, and one was a toss-up. The negatives included a missed tackle on Christian McCaffrey’s spin move that picked up extra yards, and another where he got cleanly blocked on a 14-yard sweep. That toss-up was a wide run where he made the tackle but had an iffy pursuit angle, forcing him to play from behind after a seven-yard gain. But here’s the kicker: his instincts and aggression defending the run are undeniable. He bangs heads with blockers, fits into run gaps with physicality, and uses nifty footwork and a nice swim move to navigate through traffic. In theory, since the Rams do more matching and pursuing to areas than straight man coverage with their linebackers, Dolac’s change of direction and trigger abilities should offer some serious zone coverage upside. It’s “in theory” though, because he just doesn’t have a lot of pro film defending the pass yet.
So, the question remains: do the Rams risk playing two limited starters on Monday Night Football against a tough running team, or do they give a shot to a guy like Dolac, whose run defense is clearly aggressive and instinctual, even if his pass defense is still developing? It’s a massive decision for that linebacker unit this week, and we’ll be watching to see how it plays out against the Giants.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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