[aeneas1]

hell, i don't think you even need historical reference to determine donald's greatness, just watching him play it's clear that he is something very, very special... now if the rams could just finally sign his ass longterm, oh wait...

re jojo, gotta love what he's done but, geesh, coop had one tough game after a fantastic season and we're ready to toss him aside because of injury? whatever the case, the rams punt returners sure have been fun (and much less stressful) to watch since the start of 2017.

[Haden]

Cooper was a pro bowler who ran back kicks for TDs. Please.

[/zn/]

Not a DT but you could include Deacon. AD is Deacon-level talent! Cheers.

Yeah if you go beyond DTs to include top DL from history, the list is still fairly short and Deacon is one of them.

AD's a completely different kind of player but he's on that same short list with guys like Reggie White.

[R4L]

Time to eat crow. I had said Donald wasn't earning that big contract. Well, he sure is now obviously.

[/zn/]

[Rams 1974]

Cooper was a pro bowler who ran back kicks for TDs. Please.

I know he did, but Cooper played almost all year in 17. Natson only a handful of games.

Don't get me wrong, I like Cooper, but he looks slow compared to Jo Jo. Cooper's fumbles in the playoff game is not why I like Jo Jo better, everyone fumbles. Lets see how it plays out.
IMHO, I hope Rams keep Jo Jo.

They wont keep both, even though they both can fill in at WR. It good to have a choice though!!

Roll LA Rams!!

[/zn/]

==



==

Sam Monson@PFF_Sam
Aaron Donald’s average depth of tackle in the run game yesterday was 1.5 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

Freak.

Vincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
Nothing against Mack, he’s fantastic. But because of timing/circumstance, he was going to end up getting paid more than Aaron Donald. That was part of the nuanced situation/decision facing the #Raiders, whose roster (talent) was nowhere near the #Rams at that time.

And if you look at the stats – and take into account their positions and how those positions get blocked/schemed against – Donald is simply the more superior player

It’s not for me to say if Donald is even worth that kind of investment in the present tense or for how it’ll affect the salary camp two, three, four years down the line. But I can say without hesitation Mack isn’t worth more than Donald under any circumstances.

[max]

Without Donald the Rams are in the conversation with the Chiefs, Pats, and Saints.

With Donald the Rams differentiate themselves as the best team. He is the difference maker in the same way Joe Greene was the difference maker for the Steelers.

Without Greene, the Steelers would have been no better than the Raiders. With Greene, the Steelers were a 4 time SB Dynasty.

[aeneas1]

Without Greene, the Steelers would have been no better than the Raiders. With Greene, the Steelers were a 4 time SB Dynasty.

i dig me some mean joe greene too but it's hard for me to agree with that, the steelers were friggin' loaded on defense, 3 other hall of famers besides greene, not to mention all pros who haven't been inducted (lc, shell), and they all played together for 8+ years (grenne, lc, lambert, ham, blount, shell...).

[/zn/]

i dig me some mean joe greene too but it's hard for me to agree with that, the steelers were friggin' loaded on defense, 3 other hall of famers besides greene, not to mention all pros who haven't been inducted (lc, shell), and they all played together for 8+ years (grenne, lc, lambert, ham, blount, shell...).

The rare elite DT makes everyone's job easier for some simple reasons. No offense can afford to let a defender who starts that close to the ball dominate play, so you have to dedicate resources to him at the gameplan level. That frees up other things a bit. But that's not even what an elite DT does. Yes an elite DT attracts that kind of attention and is an advantage in the numbers game because he frees up something else just by taking the field, BUT at the same time...he also makes plays ANYWAY.

Put THAT on a loaded defense and you have more than a top team.

...