Rams game wrecker Aaron Donald leads NFL in sacks

The Pittsburgh product totaled four sacks against Washington

Opposing offenses know what’s going to happen on game day and still haven’t been able to do much about it.

Back in August, Aaron Donald was the odds-on favorite to win the NFL’s defensive player of the year award.

Through five games, Donald has certainly lived up to the billing, wreaking havoc on defenses so far this year.

Donald leads the NFL with 7.5 sacks, including a four-sack performance against the Washington Football Team on Sunday in which the Pittsburgh product appeared unblockable.

“You guys have no idea how impressive it is, with all the attention he gets, and then to go out there and have three or four sacks is pretty unbelievable, if you actually watch the games and see how much attention he gets week after week,” said Rams linebacker Troy Reeder, who had three sacks himself against Washington.

Donald weekly laments that offenses need to “play fair” and give him some one-on-ones so he can get after the quarterback on game days. Teams are not heeding his advice, as Donald appears to regularly face double teams each week.

“As long as somebody is making a play, we’re getting the job done,” Donald told reporters last week. “So, eventually I will get more opportunities, because they’ve got to start paying attention to other guys. I’m going to just keep playing ball and when plays present themselves to me, I’ve just got to take advantage of it.”

Whether he’s singled up, double-team or triple-teamed, it really doesn’t matter, as Donald always seems to find a way to the quarterback. Case in point: On his first sack against Washington, Donald works through three offensive lineman and then hip tosses Kyle Allen to the ground for a 10-yard loss on his first sack of the game.

Excuse me, @AaronDonald97 coming through 😈

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/DjnhGjuCo9

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 11, 2020

“It’s hard not to take Aaron for granted for some of the things he does that people come to expect from him,” Reeder said. “You see that sack -- I believe on that one I was in coverage -- you look back up at the screen and kind of see what he did back on the replay and you’re like ‘What? How’s that possible?’

“He’s unbelievable. He’s a fun player to watch. He leads by example every day and is a fun player to play with.”

Donald has 17 combined tackles – including six tackles for loss -- 7.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles through five games.

That’s a pretty good season for most NFL players, but Donald still has 11 games left, assuming the Rams play the rest of the games if they are not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You definitely don’t take it for granted but that’s kind of par for the course,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “You’re so appreciative of him but that’s what he does. He changes the game week in and week out and you know today was no different than the norm for him.”