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On Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams moved to a record of 7-0 by blasting the San Francisco 49ers all over Levi Stadium.
This week’s Golden Turf Show game balls go the following key contributors:
DT, Aaron Donald
Problem 99 rattled Levi Stadium in a manner that old 49ers fans at Hunters Point would’ve felt the earth shake. Aaron Donald quite simply played a perfect game, logging 9 tackles and 4 sacks against a 49ers offensive line that had been ranked 6th in the NFL entering Week 7, according to Pro Football Focus. Donald doesn’t seem to regard blockers as obstacles any more, but rather as weapons that he can shove and toss at quarterbacks. Aaron Donald is redefining the way to beat up an offense, and Rams fans should be really thankful that he’s going to be on their side for a long time.
LB, Cory Littleton
It would seem that Cory Littleton’s trajectory could gain him some Pro Bowl consideration at the end of the season. Against the San Francisco 49ers Littleton had ten tackles, two sacks, and another blocked punt. He’s becoming more of a disciplined “mike” backer, but remains very rangy and is great in pursuit. There were plenty of questions regarding the Rams linebackers entering this season, but Littleton may be turning in one of the better seasons that a linebacker has given the Rams in a while. Littleton’s current pace has him on track to have over 130 tackles. No matter what, Littleton has been a wonderful bargain for the Rams so far.
Rams offensive line
Those luxurious corridors that Todd Gurley had the privilege of dancing through on Sunday, were built by the five perfectly-synchronized pachyderms up front. The work they’ve put in this season is the stuff great offenses are made of. Old Los Angeles Rams fans will remember lines that encapsulated greats like Dennis Harrah, Jackie Slater, Tom Newberry, Doug Smith, and Irv Pankey. While modern schemes make the aesthetics of the current group a bit different, this line is quickly earning a name and reputation. Maximum respect goes to Andrew Whitworth, Rodger Saffold, John Sullivan, Austin Blythe, and Rob Havenstein.