Sports Illustrated Kids – September 2019

(singke) #1

RAMSRAMS


RAMS


For a guy who rarely touches the ball, Aaron Donald is a
surprisingly impactful player. Last season, en route to winning his
second straight Defensive Player of the Year award, the tackle
led the league in sacks (201/2). Despite his presence, the Rams
ranked 19th in the league in total defense, but their performance
in the Super Bowl, in which they held the Patriots to just
13 points, was encouraging. L.A. lost DT Ndamukong Suh;
however, the team brought in two veterans: LB Clay Matthews
(the Packers’ all-time leader in sacks) and FS Eric Weddle (who
has made three straight Pro Bowls).
Though the offense was nearly unstoppable in the regular
season, the Rams could only muster a field goal in the


Super Bowl. RB Todd Gurley’s status is unclear after a knee
injury sidelined him for the final two games of 2018 and
slowed him during the playoffs. So the Rams could end up
relying on third-round pick Darrell Henderson (3,545 yards
in three seasons at Memphis). QB Jared Goff put up big
numbers, but he has struggled under pressure. According to
Pro Football Focus, he ranked 26th in the league in efficiency
with defenders bearing down on him.
That is something Goff needs to work on. The Rams

2018 RECORD: 13– 3

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