The Los Angeles Rams will take on the winless Los Angeles Chargers this week, but their win-loss record hasn't made them overconfident or blind to the talent lining up across from them. The biggest threat to a Rams victory is the play of Chargers' quarterback Justin Herbert.
Despite the lack of overall offensive success, Herbert has displayed enough, paired with his defense, to keep games close, prompting the Rams' defense to focus on stopping him. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula detailed the challenges Herbert presents.
“I see that he’s tall, strong, stands tall in the pocket, tough," said Shula. He sees the whole field, can activate the whole field. A bunch of playmakers, guys running, disperses it, gets the guys out. You see a really good
player. Obviously, I know they're not exactly where they want to be right now, but you see everything is out there for him to be a great offense.”
The key to beating Herbert is to get him off his spot, and no Rams player has the ability to do that better than Aaron Donald. The football legend spoke about the approach to containing him.
“He's a playmaker," said Donald. "Obviously, he has a great arm. He does a lot with his legs, big-body guy, mobile like a lot of these quarterbacks are now. He's not Josh Allen, but similar to him. We just have to make sure that we try to find ways to contain him, get to him, and not let him hurt us with his feet.”
If the Rams can make Herbert uneasy, the Chargers have proven they do not have the playmakers needed to overcome such pressure. Shula and Donald understand the task in front of them and have a clear plan of attack to secure victory for their side.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams defense ready for challenges Justin Herbert presents
