Friends help LA Rams Aaron Donald land NFC Defensive Player of the Month

Sweet December

In just four games in the month of December 2021, Aaron Donald woke up. In fact, like a gasoline-fueled fire, he more aptly exploded with defensive dominance. The sleeping giant had woken up, and the NFL offenses who dared to oppose him would pay the price.

In the first eleven games of the 2021 NFL season, Donald recorded a respectable number of quarterback sacks – six. In the four games in the month of December 2021, he added another six sacks to double his season output. In his initial nine games, he had amassed just 37 tackles. In his most recent six games, including the month of December, he has recorded 39 tackles.

Right now, Aaron Donald is on fire, and the NFL noticed. That is why he is been named as the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for December 2021.

So what triggered his sudden explosion?

I get by with a little help from my friends

Well, believe it or not, that sudden burst of defense prowess coincides with the arrival of veteran outside linebacker Von Miller. Since Miller has lined up on the Rams defensive front, offensive coordinators have been torn. Do they continue to double and triple-team Donald, giving Von Miller a one-on-one shot at their quarterback? Or do they risk the occasional single blocking on Donald, and double up on Miller on the outside on some plays?

Von Miller is still familiarizing his role and working with the Rams. There are signs to be optimistic, as in his last five games which include four played in December 2021, he has recorded his first quarterback sack with the Rams and recorded 17 tackles to boot.

And of course, we cannot ignore the sudden development of teammate Greg Gaines. During that same time frame, we’ve witnessed Gaines do his own version of exploding onto the NFL scene. In his first 10 games, Greg Gaines filled a starter/rotational role on defense. He put up 1.5 quarterback sacks, and 28 tackles. Good for a nose tackle, but not great.