Without Aaron Donald, Rams defense still dominates Colts

Without Aaron Donald, Rams defense still dominates Colts

By RYAN KARTJE | rkartje@scng.com | Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES — As the stalemate continued through July and August and into September, the nightmarish possibility loomed like a dark cloud over the franchise, dominating every conversation and begging the one lingering question the Rams hoped they’d never have to confront.

What would the defense look like without Aaron Donald?

Turns out, a whole lot better than you might think.

By the time Donald’s months-long holdout saga came to its official conclusion Saturday, it was too late for the two-time All-Pro to join the Rams for their season opener. But against a hapless Colts offense, the team wouldn’t actually need its dominant man in the middle. It may not have needed a starting defense, period.

With their best defensive player unavailable and Colts starting quarterback Andrew Luck on the shelf, the Rams unleashed perhaps their most dominant defensive effort since moving back to Los Angeles. When their 46-9 beating of the Colts came to a merciful end, the Rams had returned two interceptions for touchdowns, forced a safety, stripped a pair of fumbles, stopped the Colts on all 10 of their third-down tries and sacked backup quarterback Scott Tolzien five times, leaving the Colts no choice but to bench him — possibly for his own safety.

“We just tried to go out there and set the tone,” cornerback Trumaine Johnson said.

That mission was accomplished after just three plays, when Johnson saw a bad pass from Tolzien floating in his direction. The Rams’ top corner, who found himself in his own contract fight this offseason, reeled in the interception with ease, taking it 39 yards to the house for the Rams’ first score of the season.

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