Los Angeles is gonna be without Aaron Donald on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, and man, that stings for the Rams. The defensive end is officially out with a sore back, missing the Week 4 matchup after not practicing all week, with Coach Sean McVay making it official on Friday.
Donald’s Return Hits an Early Snag
This is a massive blow to the Rams’ defense, no two ways about it. We’re talking about a three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year, a guy who came out of a two-season retirement to sign a deal for the 2026 season back in late August. Expectations were sky-high, right? He even missed the Week 1 game in Australia, but then jumped into the next two matchups against the Giants and Broncos. In those two games, he’s only tallied four tackles, one tackle for loss, and one quarterback hit. Now, with a sore back keeping him off the field, you have to wonder what this means for the Rams’ defensive line going forward and their ability to stop a powerful Eagles offense. It’s a tough pill to swallow for a team looking to find its rhythm.
Nacua’s Back, Other Rams Still Hurting
On the flip side, there’s some good news for the Rams’ offense: wide receiver Puka Nacua is set to return! He missed the last two games because of a hip and groin injury, which he picked up in practice on September 17. That’s a huge sigh of relief. Remember how he lit it up in the season opener against the 49ers with five receptions for 74 yards? The offense has definitely missed that kind of production in the games versus New York and Denver. Nacua himself admitted, “Just in some of the change of direction stuff, some of the stuff in my hip area just was not feeling great. It was causing me some pain and some restriction in some of my movements.” So, getting him back is critical. However, the injury report still looks rough for LA. Tight end Terrance Ferguson is out with an ankle injury, and cornerback Jaylen Watson is sidelined with a shoulder issue. Plus, tight end Colby Parkinson is questionable with knee and shoulder problems. To make things even more interesting, practice squad wide receiver Alex Bachman will likely be called up to contribute on special teams after return specialist Xavier Smith was waived on Friday.
Eagles Face Their Own Receiver Dilemma
Across the field, the Eagles might be dealing with a receiver problem of their own. ESPN reports that DeVonta Smith could be out for Sunday’s game. He’s been battling a hamstring injury during practices all week, and the “expectation” from ESPN’s sources is that he won’t be playing in the Week 4 matchup. Smith has been a key player, featuring in all three of the season’s first games. His standout performance came in a Week 2 victory against the Titans, where he put up 117 receiving yards on 10 receptions and caught his only touchdown of the year. If he’s out, it might just balance out the loss of Donald for the Rams, but it certainly complicates the Eagles’ offensive game plan.
So, the Rams are heading into Week 4 against the Eagles at 1-2, already fighting for every win. Losing a game-wrecker like Donald is a gut punch, but getting Nacua back? That’s a spark the offense absolutely needs. Can they overcome missing their defensive anchor, even if the Eagles might be without Smith? Sunday’s gonna be a wild one, that’s for sure.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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