The Rams may have one loss on their resume this season, but considering the lower expectations that were set for them and the amount of traveling they’ve had to do, it’s hard to be disappointed by the start they’ve gotten off to. Both the offense and defense have performed well through four weeks, getting great play out of several individual players.
Two Rams were recognized by Pro Football Focus on the site’s first-quarter All-Pro team, one on each side of the ball. Andrew Whitworth got the nod as the best left tackle in the league, while Aaron Donald was also predictably selected on the interior of the defensive line.
According to PFF, Whitworth hasn’t allowed a single sack or hit on Jared Goff thus far, and has only given up three hurries on 130 pass-blocking snaps.
As for Donald, here’s what PFF’s Sam Monson wrote of his performance in the first four games of the season.
It looked for a moment like the unthinkable was going to happen, and Aaron Donald wasn’t going to make this team. There are other interior linemen out there with better PFF grades through four weeks, but all of them have either played a fraction of the snaps, missed time or played against Minnesota’s Dru Samia, which has totally skewed their grade in small sample sizes. Donald has been uncharacteristically mortal by his standards this season, but even so, he is tied for the league lead with 27 total pressures and has a PFF pass-rushing grade above 90.0.
It’s hard to argue that any other Rams were snubbed from the list, even though they do have several players graded in the top 10 at their respective positions. For instance, Jared Goff is the No. 4 quarterback on PFF’s grading scale, while Darrell Henderson is second among all running backs.
If the Rams keep playing the way they have for the rest of the season, they’ll find themselves back in the playoffs after missing out last season.
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