The Los Angeles Rams are not too far removed from their 13-3 loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII.
Head coach Sean McVay’s offense was in the midst of an impressive run as one of the most productive groups in the NFL. Unfortunately, their disappointing showing come at the worst time as they tied the 1971 Miami Dolphins for the fewest points scored in a Super Bowl.
As bad as the offense was, the defense — led by defensive tackle Aaron Donald — put up a solid performance by limiting quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick to just 13 points. Regardless, the sting of the loss still lingers heading into their Thursday Night matchup.
The Rams are in the driver’s seat to secure the top spot in the NFC West going into the final stretch of the 2020 NFL season. With so much at stake, Donald is not focused on the Super Bowl loss, although he admits that he is still looking for some payback, per Greg Beacham of the Associated Press:
Rams DT Aaron Donald on his Super Bowl memories vs the Patriots: "We lost! … I try not to think about the loss, but this is definitely a game that's going to give you a little bit more push just for a little payback."
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) December 8, 2020
Both teams have made some significant changes since their last showdown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Of course, it is easy to see why Donald’s disdain for the Patriots continues to fester.
New England made it clear that their focus would be on limiting the eventual three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Their plan worked as Donald went without a sack and just one quarterback hit in the Super Bowl.
Although much has changed, it is safe to say that Donald remains a heavy part of Belichick’s game plan on defense. After all, the latter has offered up plenty of praise for the Rams’ star and the type of impact he has on a game.
Donald is currently second in the league with 11 sacks to go along with four forced fumbles this season. Not only will he likely face plenty of double and triple-teams, but the skill set of quarterback Cam Newton also presents a different challenge for him and the Rams defense.
