Nate Landman is quietly laying out irrefutable evidence for Pro Bowl season

The 7-2 Los Angeles Rams are starting to gain momentum. After a suspect 3-2 start to the 2025 NFL season, the team has stitched together four consecutive wins. Right now, Los Angeles is tied with the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles for the best record in the NFC.

Best of all, the team has beaten four NFL teams that are postseason contenders (Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, and San Francisco 49ers).

But how did the team get here? While there are stars on the team, there is a noticeable lack of All-Pro and Pro Bowl discussions at the midpoint of the 2025 NFL season. Well, the buzz may not be there, but the performance certainly is. Veteran inside linebacker Nate Landman and his trademark Peanut Punch are playing lights out.

In Week 10, the Land Man strikes again.

Landman is having a career year in Chris Shula's defense. He is on pace for over 150 tackles, eight passes broken up, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and three quarterback sacks. He has only missed seven tackles in nine games, and he is allowing no better than 71.8 percent of the passes targeting him to find their target.

Nate Landman is leading Chris Shula's defense to elite status

Much like veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford is perfectly suited to lead Sean McVay's offense, inside linebacker Nate Landman is perfectly equipped to lead Chris Shula's opportunistic defense. The defense is 11th-ranked in total yards allowed, but second-ranked in points allowed.

Los Angeles boasts the 18th-ranked pass defense and the ninth-best run defense.

Leading the group is Landman, a guy who has 83 tackles in nine games, good enough for eighth best in the NFL. But he is more than a tackling machine. He can rush the passer, defend the pass, and lead the defense.

And if NFL expert Brian Baldinger loves what he sees, that's elite performance

For a team that has seldom valued the inside linebacker position, the former Falcons linebacker is certainly generating persuasive evidence to rethink that roster-building strategy. He may be inexpensive, but he continues to provide a vital role.

As unbelievable as it sounds, this is a young defense. That youthful energy needs strong leadership to focus in the right direction., With Landman running the D, young players can focus on fulfilling their roles. That has led to a much better overall defense in 2025.

Too soon to talk Pro Bowl? Perhaps. But East Coast players certainly get their fair share of headlines, positioning them for accolades, honors, and awards. So it's only fair to give a solid Rams player equal time.

As always, thanks for reading.