Buccaneers must zero-in on the Rams’ talented pass-rusher
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers must find a way to keep Aaron Donald at-bay Monday night if they want a chance at winning the game.
The Buccaneers (7-3) are set to take on the Los Angeles Rams (6-3) tonight in a matchup that will be televised nationally and is, in essence, a must-win for both teams as we head down the stretch.
It should be noted that neither team will be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss, but the winner will be in prime position to grab that important first Wild-Card spot which, in turn, will give them a little easier path through the first round of the playoffs.
That being said, the dominant pass-rushing ability of the Rams- led by Aaron Donald- could single-handedly shut down the Buccaneers.
Aaron Donald must be held at-bay or the Buccaneers will pay dearly
In today’s NFL, a successful defense is one that forces turnovers and creates negative plays. Perhaps no player is more capable of creating negative plays on a regular basis than Aaron Donald.
If the Bucs can’t find a way to keep him out of the backfield, he could almost single-handedly keep the Tampa Bay offense from getting anything going.
This offense is predicated on moving the ball through the air with Tom Brady and those talented wide receivers being heavily featured. If Brady is being hurried or, worse, sacked, that doesn’t bode well for this offense- which has been skittish at times all season.
If Tampa wants to move the ball, it’s all going to start up-front with the battles along the lines of scrimmage, particularly with the Bucs’ offensive line in matchups against Aaron Donald.
Keep him at-bay and you likely score some points. If you don’t it’s going to be a long night. Simple as that.