Terrell Lewis was the 84th player selected in the draft this year and the ninth linebacker to come off the board. If you add defensive ends to the mix, another eight edge players who could be expected to accumulate sacks went ahead of Lewis. Among them were Chase Young, K’Lavon Chaisson, Isaiah Simmons, and Patrick Queen. Lewis has been active for only five of nine games and his snap totals have been extremely limited; the 28 snaps he had on Sunday against the Seahawks was a new career-high.
In spite of all of this, Lewis became the first rookie in 2020 to record at least two sacks in a single game and his pair of takedowns against Russell Wilson has elevated him to being only 1.5 behind Young for the most this season by a first year player.
Despite not really even being healthy for months and only being utilized in the last few weeks, Terrell Lewis is the only rookie in 2020 to post at least 2 sacks in one game. He's 1.5 sacks shy of Chase Young for the rookie lead already.
— TurfShowTimes (@TurfShowTimes) November 16, 2020
Young got off to a fantastic start, recording 1.5 sacks in Week 1 and another in Week 2. But Young has only had one sack and three QB hits in his last six contests. This has not opened the door for another rookie to overtake him however. At least maybe not until Lewis became healthy and ready to contribute as Dante Fowler’s edge replacement as a threat to complement Aaron Donald.
Thankfully free agent signee Leonard Floyd has stepped up as well, recording three sacks against Seattle and seven total on the season. The LA Rams have 31 sacks en total, which is tied with the Eagles for the third-most this season. The Steelers have 36 and the Buccaneers have 32, though Tampa Bay has played in one more game than LA has.
The Rams have 11 sacks in the last three games and Lewis has stepped up as an integral part of that formula.
Up next: The Bucs and Tom Brady, who has only been sacked 14 times this year and has made it a specialty to be elusive in the pocket throughout his career. Will potential MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and company be the first team since Washington last October to sack Brady four times in one game?
I’m sure Lewis would agree, the Rams could do even better than that.