Aaron Donald-less Rams receive alarming assessment from NFL analyst
Aaron Donald hasn't been gone from the LA Rams for more than two regular season games, but the team's struggles are already apparent. One NFL analyst appears ready to throw in the towel for them. Speaking on Sunday's edition of "Pro Football Talk," Mike Florio compared the 2024 and 2022 Rams.
"[1:39] I'm very concerned about the Rams. I feel like they're very close to having the wheels come off, and it's only Week 2. It reminds me a lot of the year after they won the Super Bowl, where it was just kind of a lost season. I feel like it's a lost season for them in the making because there's just too many injuries. They've reached the critical mass with injuries," Florio said.
In 2022, the Rams went 5-12 — the worst record for the team since before the Jeff Fisher era. In 2023, they bounced back from a 3-6 start to finish 10-7. They are 0-2 this season after an ugly loss against the Cardinals. The Seahawks are 2-0 as well and have left Rams fans wondering where they can catch a break in the division.
The 49ers just went to the Super Bowl and the Rams have had trouble against them in most games, so it appears Matthew Stafford's team's back is against the wall.
Aaron Donald-less Rams defense craters to last place in league rankings
Many fans had braced for the Rams' defensive unit to take a step back in 2024 without Aaron Donald. However, few were prepared for the defense to fall into last place, which has already happened after two games.
The Aaron Donald-less Rams are currently ranked 32nd out of 32 teams in total yards surrendered per game. Last year, they were ranked 20th, so it was clear they had some work to do. Entering Week 3, they have more to do than every other team in the league.
Of course, the sample size is still small for Sean McVay's Rams and they could fix things quickly with only one or two good games. However, with each passing week, the team's position near the bottom of the rankings only gets more solidified. The LA Rams proved last year they could turn it around, but will they be able to do it again?