Aaron Donald’s 2026 debut for the Los Angeles Rams is still up in the air for Monday Night Football against the New York Giants, and that’s exactly the kind of early season drama the Rams absolutely do not need. After looking “middle of the pack (at best)” against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, the Rams are staring down a pivotal Week 2 game without their biggest defensive star seemingly ready to roll.
Donald’s Absence Is a Massive Hole
The Rams are already without Myles Garrett, who had an insane 2025 season earning his second Defensive Player of the Year award with 23 sacks, breaking the NFL’s single-season record. Now, adding Donald’s uncertain status to that defensive line mix? Yikes. Head coach Sean McVay isn’t tipping his hand on Donald, saying the team simply hasn’t made a decision yet. “He’s going to continue to work his process,” McVay told reporters, adding “we’ll see what that looks like.” That’s not exactly a vote of confidence that he’ll be out there. It’s not time to panic in L.A., but it’s definitely time to realize this season could get away from them quicker than they ever considered if they do not start stacking wins now, or at least show some serious improvement in Week 2.
Injury Updates and Surprising Division Foes
On the brighter side for the Rams, McVay did offer some “positive” updates on a few other key players. Safety Kam Curl, inside linebacker Nate Landman, inside linebacker Omar Speights, and tight end Davis Allen are all trending in the right direction. Curl, who exited Thursday’s game in the second half with an ankle injury, was initially listed as questionable, but McVay downplayed it as ankle soreness, saying the veteran safety “is good.” That’s huge, because Curl is a critical piece of that defense, starting all 17 games last season and playing 99% of the defensive snaps, which led to his $36 million contract extension this offseason. Jaylen McCollough stepped in for Curl and managed two tackles before having to exit himself.
Meanwhile, the NFC West already has some surprises popping up. The Arizona Cardinals, projected to win only 3.5 games all season, just went on the road to L.A. and beat the Chargers 26-14 in Mike LaFleur’s head coaching debut. They already hit a quarter of their projected win total. That means the Rams can’t just count on an easy out from Arizona this year.
This Monday Night Football game against the Giants isn’t just another game for the Rams. It’s an early litmus test for where this season is headed. They absolutely need to bring it, whether Donald is out there or not.
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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