Los Angeles Rams: 4 absolute locks in September

Don’t kid yourself. If, and I say IF the Rams get to and ultimately win a Lombardi Trophy, the first player to handle that trophy on the podium should be Aaron Donald. Donald is the player who changes the entire equation not just in the NFC West, but in the NFC as a whole.

Write this down, he will absolutely repeat as the Defensive Player of the Year. His performance in a season where he effectively broke the bank wide open, will be easily validated by his play and leadership.

Donald aside, he’ll lead a unit that will dominate from Week 1 in Oakland. Don’t be surprised if the Rams are the best defense in the league before the calendar turns to October. Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters will keep opposing offenses from getting into the end zone, while Donald and Suh terrorize quarterbacks into a dull state of submission.

They will be that good.

Best of all, with a Los Angeles Rams offense that will likely misfire early in 2018, Wade Phillips & Co. will not just keep Los Angeles in a few games, but may win a few.

LA will eventually uncork a potent offense that will again put a lot of points on the board, but in 2018, and despite stars like Goff and Todd Gurley, the LA defense will be the story early, especially in September.