Aaron Donald

[NJRamsFan]

This man deserves his own thread every single week since he’s been here but last nights game was something special.

It seemed AD did something to impact the game on almost every play. Even the plays where he didn’t register stats, he was either affecting the play, or affecting the Cardinals decisions and Murrays mental health pre-snap.

Now I know this is really nothing new, some games are more dominant than others but AD’s greatness has been remarkably consistent. Admittedly, I sometimes find myself “numb” to the greatness of AD as I am so used to seeing it every game that I have to remind myself “wait that’s not normal what he just did, other players don’t throw offensive guards at quarterback’s”.

What I am trying to say here is don’t forget to appreciate the time we have 99 (especially in his prime) as he won’t be around forever and you are likely witnessing the greatest to ever do it.

 

[dang]

Us Rams fans are biased but Donald continues to build his case as the best NFL Defensive player (not just DL) ever. Aaron “Freakin” Donald.

 

[So Ram]

AD99 is very special,I do like watching the players Les Snead keeps adding next to him as well.

His first 3 sack night was special the way it started & ended.He is just the Ultimate Competitor when you add his dedication to his Craft.
Greatness for him comes from such hard work.

 

[ottoman89]

And get some people thought he was slowing down.

I'll be honest, it's EXTREMELY difficult to not take Aaron Donald for granted. We're so blessed and lucky to watch this every week that we just expect it.

He's unbelievable week in and week out. Thank you so much Aaron Donald!

 

[Big Game]

Watching Aaron Donald work is a thing of beauty and something none of us as diehard Rams fans should take for granted. This man commands a double and triple team almost every night. He is held almost every play and yet he still shows up and dominates.

We want to thank every team that thought he was too small and passed him up in the draft lol

 

[bubbaramfan]

AD starts the game with a sack on Cards 1st offensive play, then ends the game with another sack on the last play of the game. Thats gotta be a first.

 

[tklongball]

He is truly the first player since Lawrence Taylor where I watch him every play. I find him before the snap and he is what I watch. It is amazing that just him being on the field changes everything about how I watch the game. Normally I am watching the Lines and the Linebackers. I know most people watch the guy with the football, but you miss so much doing that. But when AD plays, just like LT, he does things that you wouldn't see. Some of the shit AD does is absolutely Matrix-esque. I can't tell you how many times a game I rewind a play 3 or 4 times just to see how he did what he did. Even watching him from the snap, I am like, how is he in the backfield that fast? It is truly a gift to be able to watch. There are a lot of great players in the NFL, but Guys like AD are truly a once in a lifetime talent, and like @NJRamsFan said, enjoy it while we can.

 

[OntarioRam]

And get some people thought he was slowing down.

I'll be honest, it's EXTREMELY difficult to not take Aaron Donald for granted. We're so blessed and lucky to watch this every week that we just expect it.

He's unbelievable week in and week out. Thank you so much Aaron Donald!

To be fair, I still think he is slowing down.

He's still the best DT in the game. And by a wide margin. A generational talent and elite player. But father time is undefeated. Donald was superhuman last night. But it's also week 14. The past few years, Donald would have had a handful of superhuman performances by now. I don't think we can say that he has this year.

Aaron Donald will be elite for some time yet, but time flies. Before we know it, he will be elite, but no longer completely separated from the rest of the pack of elite DTs. Then he will be very good. Then just good. Then he will probably retire, as the best to ever do it. He's still easily the best in the NFL, IMO. But his past few seasons were even more impactful than this one, if you can imagine that, and I suspect will go down as his "career years".

I think the Rams brass knows that there are only 2-3 more years or so left of Donald being able to single-highhandedly wreck every single game, and are going all in to not waste his prime.

 

[NJRamsFan]

To be fair, I still think he is slowing down.

He's still the best DT in the game. And by a wide margin. A generational talent and elite player. But father time is undefeated. Donald was superhuman last night. But it's also week 14. The past few years, Donald would have had a handful of superhuman performances by now. I don't think we can say that he has this year.

Aaron Donald will be elite for some time yet, but time flies. Before we know it, he will be elite, but no longer completely separated from the rest of the pack of elite DTs. Then he will be very good. Then just good. Then he will probably retire, as the best to ever do it. He's still easily the best in the NFL, IMO. But his past few seasons were even more impactful than this one, if you can imagine that, and I suspect will go down as his "career years".

I think the Rams brass knows that there are only 2-3 more years or so left of Donald being able to single-highhandedly wreck every single game, and are going all in to not waste his prime.

I’m curious to know what makes you think he’s slowing down. You’re obviously right that Father Time is undefeated and he will eventually slow down but what are you basing the take that he already has begun to do so off of?

 

[Giles]

Simply the GOAT.

 

[Rams8821]

This man deserves his own thread every single week since he’s been here but last nights game was something special.

It seemed AD did something to impact the game on almost every play. Even the plays where he didn’t register stats, he was either affecting the play, or affecting the Cardinals decisions and Murrays mental health pre-snap.

Now I know this is really nothing new, some games are more dominant than others but AD’s greatness has been remarkably consistent. Admittedly, I sometimes find myself “numb” to the greatness of AD as I am so used to seeing it every game that I have to remind myself “wait that’s not normal what he just did, other players don’t throw offensive guards at quarterback’s”.

What I am trying to say here is don’t forget to appreciate the time we have 99 (especially in his prime) as he won’t be around forever and you are likely witnessing the greatest to ever do it.

To me he is like Kershaw. We better appreciate him while we get the chance to see him.

Kersh finally got his ring in LA, I hope AD can as well.

 

[OldSchool]

Don't talk him up on reddit! They think he should be arrested for being a violent criminal.

 

[Ellard80]

He came up big last night when he was needed.

 

[drsnook]

How awesome was is to win with AD making the walkoff sack? Murray just fell down and curled into a ball when he saw AD closing fast.

 

[HX76]

I loved it when he was just waving them all off at the end. Superb from the big fella.

 

[Flint]

I think he is in Murray’s head a little, AD wasn’t going for no pump fakes or any of that other Murray shit and if he got Murray by the leg he might break it off. Forcing a guy to make a business decision on the last play of the game just adds to AD’s legend.

 

[dang]

To be fair, I still think he is slowing down.

He's still the best DT in the game. And by a wide margin. A generational talent and elite player. But father time is undefeated. Donald was superhuman last night. But it's also week 14. The past few years, Donald would have had a handful of superhuman performances by now. I don't think we can say that he has this year.

Aaron Donald will be elite for some time yet, but time flies. Before we know it, he will be elite, but no longer completely separated from the rest of the pack of elite DTs. Then he will be very good. Then just good. Then he will probably retire, as the best to ever do it. He's still easily the best in the NFL, IMO. But his past few seasons were even more impactful than this one, if you can imagine that, and I suspect will go down as his "career years".

I think the Rams brass knows that there are only 2-3 more years or so left of Donald being able to single-highhandedly wreck every single game, and are going all in to not waste his prime.

I think you are confusing stats with performance. I believe he is still the highest rated defensive player in the NFL but is increasingly getting double/triple teamed/held to hold him in check. I think there were 3 holding calls by OL battling him last night. Those are as good as sacks. I would love to see those called consistently because he is held most pass plays. He still over pursues too much but is a still Aaron “Freakin” Donald.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

To be fair, I still think he is slowing down.

He's still the best DT in the game. And by a wide margin. A generational talent and elite player. But father time is undefeated. Donald was superhuman last night. But it's also week 14. The past few years, Donald would have had a handful of superhuman performances by now. I don't think we can say that he has this year.

Aaron Donald will be elite for some time yet, but time flies. Before we know it, he will be elite, but no longer completely separated from the rest of the pack of elite DTs. Then he will be very good. Then just good. Then he will probably retire, as the best to ever do it. He's still easily the best in the NFL, IMO. But his past few seasons were even more impactful than this one, if you can imagine that, and I suspect will go down as his "career years".

I think the Rams brass knows that there are only 2-3 more years or so left of Donald being able to single-highhandedly wreck every single game, and are going all in to not waste his prime.

I wonder if Donald is pacing himself for the bigger games to really turn it up even more. The season is not a sprint but a marathon.

 

[payote75]

I agree that's why I said what I said yesterday because inevitably we all get older we all feel the aches and pains more and though this guy is built like an action figure I worry because might be a huge statement but he is the true definition of a generational player and once he goes the Rams will not be the same.

I go back to flipper and ellard. Flipper running out of giants stadium and AD is my favorite player in my Rams fandom ever. There are others like Ike Bruce but AD is my number one and it petrifies me to think of a Rams team without him. That's why I said we need to chip especially for him!!! This win hopefully galvanizes us from here on out. Nice thread @NJRamsFan well deserved and overdue!

 

[So Ram]

I wonder if Donald is pacing himself for the bigger games to really turn it up even more. The season is not a sprint but a marathon.

I’d say match ups have a lot to do with things as well.