It took a couple months longer than anyone might have expected, but Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald finally delivered the wrecking ball performance everyone was waiting for, leading the Los Angeles Rams to a crucial 5-4 record by holding the Washington Commanders to a measly 13 points. This wasn’t just a win, it was a statement.
The Numbers Behind the Mayhem
Garrett flat-out exploded, sacking Commanders QB Jayden Daniels three times, and even forcing a fumble in the process. Donald, while not getting a sack, was an absolute beast in both the run and pass games. Don’t let the box score fool you, this dude was everywhere. SumerSports tracked Donald tying for a team-leading nine “impact plays” with Puka Nacua, while Garrett snagged four himself.
Digging into the details shows just how disruptive these guys were. Donald was averaging pressure in a blistering 2.15 seconds, which is a full 0.45 seconds faster than the NFL average. His pressure rate was 12.9%, nearly a full percentage point above league average, tallying two total pressures. Garrett was right there with him, averaging pressure in 2.38 seconds, slightly faster than average, but his pressure rate was an insane 21.4% , that’s over 7% above the NFL average , for five total pressures. Pro Football Focus, even with unofficial numbers, backed this up big time: Garrett finished with a team-leading defensive grade of 94.5, and Donald was right behind him at 81.6, with PFF crediting Garrett with nine pressures and Donald with five.
Strategic Mayhem and What’s Next for This Rams Defense
The Rams coaching staff deserves a shoutout for how they unleashed these two. They got super creative, with Donald stunting on a huge 28.6% of his pass rushes, which is about 15% more than his typical positional counterparts. Garrett was often lined up over the offensive interior, exploiting a Commanders’ lineup change because their starting center was out.
The duo’s impact wasn’t just individual; they created opportunities for everyone else. LA racked up 21 total pressures, with Garrett and Donald accounting for 14 of those. Jayden Daniels was under pressure on a staggering 35% of his dropbacks. Imagine trying to play quarterback in that kind of chaos, even if the Rams were missing Trent McDuffie in the secondary. The scary part? McDuffie was out with a back injury, and once he’s back, this defense is only going to get even nastier. With Garrett back and locked in, it’s not a hot take to say the Rams are officially a defensive team now. Opposing offenses around the league should be absolutely dreading their next matchup. Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald were every bit as advertised, and they just put the entire NFL on notice.
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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