The Los Angeles Rams earned a statement win in Week 10 as they shut down the Seattle Seahawks, 23-16, to move into a first-place tie in the NFC West.
The Seahawks, led by Russell Wilson, were unable to get much going as the Rams defense was able to generate pressure both along the edge and the interior. Los Angeles sacked Wilson six times and recovered a fumble off a bad snap, allowing them to stay comfortably ahead during the afternoon.
Aaron Donald is always the player opposing offenses need to account for on every snap, but it was Leonard Floyd who shined for the Rams, racking up three sacks and recovering the fumble in what was a career day. Floyd had a slow start to the 2020 season but has picked up his production in recent weeks and is showing why he was worth the first-round selection back in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Ahead of the Rams’ Week 11 game against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Floyd made it clear what he believes the defense can do, via Gary Klein of Los Angeles Times:
“Definitely the message [is] that we can get to the quarterback, we can cause a lot of stress on the quarterback,” said Floyd, who increased his sack total to seven, equaling his career best. “We’re looking forward to going to Tampa, man, and just building off this.”
Brady has turned back the clock a bit during his first year in Tampa Bay and appears to be getting more and more comfortable with the plethora of receiving options at his disposal. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are a star-studded duo, and the additions of Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown have given Brady even more options to attack defenses with.
However, the quarterback has struggled when pressured this season and that is something that Floyd and the defense must be well-aware of. Donald often occupies multiple offensive linemen, so Floyd and the rest of the pass rush should have their opportunities to sack Brady if they play it right.
At 6-3, the Rams have another opportunity to cement their status as a serious Super Bowl contender this week. A win against a strong Buccaneers team would definitely send a message to the rest of the NFL that Los Angeles should be taken seriously come playoff time.
