Aaron Donald cooks, Rams breeze past Washington
With a much-anticipated contest against the San Francisco 49ers awaiting them next week, the Los Angeles Rams did not look past the Washington Football Team, winning on the road 30-10 at Fedex Field on Sunday.
The Rams improved to 4-1 with the win, completing a season sweep of the NFC East for the first time in franchise history. The Washington Football Team fell to 1-4 on the year.
Key play: The Rams took control of the game on a 56-yard pitch and touchdown catch from Jared Goff to Robert Woods, giving them a 13-7 lead. However, up 20-7 with 2:21 left in the first half, Washington quarterback Kyle Allen was sacked by L.A. cornerback Jalen Ramsey on a bone-jarring hit that knocked the Houston product out of the game with a shoulder injury. Ramsey was called for targeting on the play. The injury led to the return of Alex Smith to the field after nearly two years of rehab from a gruesome leg injury, which I detailed here. Smith expectedly struggled, finishing 9-of-17 for 37 passing yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Smith was sacked five times. Allen was cleared to play, but did not return.
Top player: Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald tormented Washington’s offense, matching a career high with four sacks on the day, the fifth time in his NFL career that he’s recorded at least three sacks in a game. It’s Donald second, multi-sack game of the season and his 21 in the NFL. Donald has 7.5 sacks on the year in five games and 39.5 sacks since 2018.
What I liked: Quarterback Jared Goff was efficient once again for the Rams. He started the game 10-of-10 for 141 yards and a touchdown. Goff finished 21-of-30 for 309 yards and also scrambled for a score on a 2-yard run. However, Goff also threw his third interception of the season and fumbled on a sack that was recovered by right tackle Rob Havenstein. … Playing for injured linebacker Micah Kiser, Troy Reeder finished with a game-high 10 combined tackles and three sacks. The Rams finished with eight sacks on the day… Tight end Gerald Everett led the Rams with four receptions for 90 yards.
What I didn’t like: The Rams struggled to run the football for early on, finishing with just 61 rushing yards through three quarters. The Rams had just one rushing yard in the third quarter … L.A. failed to create a turnover on defense. … Kicker Samuel Sloman missed his second extra point of the year, this one wide left on the opening touchdown of the game, a 1-yard plunge up the middle by Darrell Henderson Jr. Sloman did rebound, making two extra points and a 38-yard field goal. … The Rams struggled to get their screen game going for a second week in a row.
Injury report: Inside linebacker Micah Kiser was not active due to a groin injury. Outside linebacker Ogbo Okoronkwo an elbow injury in the second half and did not return. ... Rookie safety Jordan Fuller appeared to re-injure his shoulder late in the game on a big hit, taking Washington running back J.D. McKissic to the ground.
Up next: The Rams face the NFC West defending champs, San Francisco, on the road at Levi’s Stadium in a nationally televised game on Sunday at 5:20 p.m. local time.
