36-Year-Old David Quessenberry at LT for Rams: What Could Go Wrong?

The Los Angeles Rams are sitting at a disappointing 2-3 to kick off their season, and while they’re stacked on paper, that record is not looking good. This Sunday’s Week 6 matchup against the bottom-dwelling Arizona Cardinals might not give us all the answers we want about LA’s playoff picture, but it’s an absolute must-win. Plus, there’s a big question mark at left tackle that everyone needs to be talking about.

Uh-Oh, Left Tackle Alert! David Quessenberry Steps Up

So, get this: Alaric Jackson, their usual guy, was initially hit with a two-game suspension after some post-game drama with a Bills player. Good news? The league cut it down to just one game. Bad news? That means David Quessenberry is stepping in at left tackle. This dude hasn’t exactly been tearing it up with meaningful snaps for LA, and he’s 36 years old. He last started for the Vikings back in 2023. Can he still hang? We’ve got zero clue, and Sunday is our first real test to see what he’s got left in the tank.

Now, the Cardinals’ pass rush isn’t exactly stacked, which is a silver lining, right? Outside of Josh Sweat, they don’t have a lot of talent rushing the passer. But guess who’s probably going to be lining up across from our man Quessenberry most of the game? Yup, Sweat. He’s second on the team with eight pressures this season, behind interior lineman Dante Stills who has nine. For comparison, Byron Young, the Rams’ EDGE rusher, has two *games* where he racked up seven pressures. So while the interior guys like Walter Nolen and Darius Robinson will be there, Sweat is the only edge threat you truly gotta worry about. It’s truly a “complete unknown” situation, if not “best versus worst” when Sweat goes up against Quessenberry.

Cardinals’ Defense: Still a Hot Mess?

For years, the Arizona Cardinals have been straight-up lacking in premier defensive talent. We’ve seen former head coach Jonathan Gannon try to pull rabbits out of hats with some super creative play calling to make up for it. The good news for them, maybe? Defensive Coordinator Nick Rallis is still running the show. The big question is if Rallis can still work that magic with the talent they have, especially against a Rams team desperately needing to get things right.

Look, this Cardinals game isn’t going to be some big “resume builder” for the Rams. Nobody’s going to be looking at a win here and saying, “Wow, they’re contenders!” But it’s a non-negotiable requirement. They *have* to win this game if they want any shot at keeping pace with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West divisional race. All eyes will be on that left tackle spot. Can Quessenberry hold his own and give the Rams a chance to right the ship? Sunday can’t come fast enough.

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.